David Thompson wrote:
>
> Peter,
>     As a major in the Army Reserve I found this 'joke' to be extremely
> amusing.  Number one - the problem in our country in *not* guns, it's the
> sometimes deranged people that get their hands on them.  For this reporter,
> be it a lady or not, to accuse the general of being irresponsible to teach
> Boy Scouts about shooting is the big tragedy.
>     I am positive that if the interviewer had been male, the General would
> have come up with an equally witty remark.  Your remark that the General is
> idiotic is not only offensive to me, but inflammatory!  People like you (and
> I hope they are not the majority) sit in your easy chairs and enjoy the
> fruits of freedom every day, and then you slam those who put their lives and
> personal comfort on the line -- for you!  Shame on you.

Hell, I might as well weigh in on this one, too:

1.  The interviewer was pushy, to say the least.
2.  The general was extreme, in effect he upped the ante.
3.  To teach a kid (over 12, at least) to use a RIFLE (not a
pistol)
    correctly and safely is desirable. Hopefully they will
realize
    the dangers.
4.  Guns are dangerous BECAUSE there is a problem with some gun
users.
    We need to attack the problem on both fronts - the criminals
and
    the easy access to guns.
5.  When I say guns in this context I mean pistols.  I don't
think
    non-utomatic rifles (the kind that one should use for
hunting) are
    much of a threat.
6.  The idea that the Bill of Rights guarantees a citizen the
right to
    carry ANY gun without regulation is a lot of crap.  The First
    amendment guarantees free speech, but one cannot yell "Fire"
in
    a movie theater when there is no fire or threaten to harm
someone else
    without being subject to incarceration.

Flame suit is now ON.

Nick D.