« After dinner annoyance | Main | Practical aspects of campus gun bans »
Brady pledge against student gun violence
"National distribution of the Student Pledge sends a message that is essential if we are to reverse the tide of violence in this country: that violence is neither inevitable nor an abstract force against which we are powerless." Gad, what meaningless words. "Distribution" of a piece of paper "sends a message" (I'd hope so, unless it were blank) that is "essential" (hardly) if we are to "reverse the tide of violence."
Apart from the consideration that a person who is not deterred by the thought of life in prison is not likely to be deterred by the thought of breaking a promise, the pledge only says that the signer will not "use a gun to settle a personal problem or dispute." Apparently the Campaign is perfectly OK with the signer using a knife, club, or fists to settle a "personal problem," which means it is hardly aimed at "violence."
Comments
Frauds.
Posted by: rio arriba at October 22, 2008 09:39 AM
it ought to be blank.
Posted by: jon at October 22, 2008 10:16 AM
Smacks of Nancy's "Just Say No" program. Good thing, too, because I couldn't find "illegal dope" if I tried!
To their credit, they didn't merely say "I will never use a gun" but added to that "to settle a personal problem or dispute."
I must ask, is an armed home burglary/invasion classified as a "personal problem" or "dispute?" I would tend to think not.
Posted by: Carl in Chicago at October 22, 2008 10:20 AM
Carl, I had the same thought. Perhaps they deem it appropriate as a tool of commerce?
Posted by: straightarrow at October 23, 2008 02:11 PM
I've been saying for awhile that the Brady's and their ilk don't care if you're murdered or raped or commit suicide, as long as it's not done with a gun.
Posted by: Rob K at October 24, 2008 09:47 AM
I have to wonder if they are going to make all high school students sign the thing? What about those students that refuse?
More importantly, what are they going to do when when of their pleges is arrested for robbing, attacking, murdering, raping, fill in the blank crime?
Sure seems they are missing a lot of "students" out there. . .
Oh, and what about those students that "drop out" or are in jail when they have the "pledge drive?"
This thing illustrates the naivete of the gun control bunch. However, given that the purpose of this pledge is not to actually prevent violence, but to reinforce the PC doctrine of the "wrongness of force," doctrine, it should be no surprise.
Posted by: Wesley at November 11, 2008 03:41 PM