LIST FILE ON MARGIN IS 76 STATUS: ENTER ONLY NUMBER OF LINES: 629 1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask.... 2 ********************** REMOVED: 5 APR 84 ******************* 3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System) Mike Day System operator 4 ************************************************************ 5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION 6 PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM. 7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privatly owned 8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public. 9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is 10 privatly owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which 11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be 12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved) 13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the 14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the 15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace 16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up. 17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system. 18 ************************************************************ 19 20 OscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscar 21 The dinner of rabit that the cat whom I seemed to have befriended 22 somehow, was good and filled my empty stomach. 23 But now, the hot scortching sun that had beaten down all day was 24 gone, and the chill night was once more creaping in. Warming my hands 25 over the crackling fire, I sit and wonder what to do next. My search 26 so far has been a total bust. Beyond finding a possible clue back at 27 the streem, I have not found a trace of PAM since. With the coming 28 of darkness so matched my mood. 29 Absentmindedly scratching the ears of the great cat, I look out 30 at the clouds beginning to form covering the two moons crossing the 31 night sky. "It looks like we are in for a storm, eh Green Eyes? I 32 think that we best find some high ground just in case." 33 That grove of trees looks like it is a bit higher then the rest 34 of this, so it will probably do. 35 Soon the clouds break loose their heavy load in a tremendous 36 downpour. Retreating to the shelter of the tent to wait out the 37 storm, I gaze out through the tent flap at the ragging elements 38 without as it tears at the land making rivlets of mud tearing small 39 clumps of grass and small stones loose. 40 Soon the small depression that I had encamped in was a rushing 41 torrent of water and mud. I was very glad indeed that I had decided 42 to move out before the rains came. 43 Seeing that I was safe for the time being, I lay down to get some 44 sleep wondering if I would ever find PAM and the way back home. 45 OscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscarOscar 46 47 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 48 SOMEONE MENTIONED CRIME BEING BASICALLY UNEFFECTED WHERE STRICT GUN CON- 49 TROL IS ENFORCED. THE REASON FOR THIS IS GUNS HAVE BEEN PROLIFIC FOR 50 YEARS. ANYTIME SOMETHING BECOMES CONTROLED OR ILLEGAL, YOU CAN BET 51 THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF IT ALREADY AROUND. 52 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?DEBORAH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 53 ########################################WEell, I see the same stupid 54 a2guments are still out there against Gun control!!!! 55 Will someone give me one good reason for anyone to own any kind of firearm? 56 If 'guns were no longer available to the public then they wouldn't be 57 available to the criminal, as 99.99% of all guns used in crime are either 58 Saturday night specials or stolen from "re3pectable" citizens. 59 The crimes ofp passion an$ the needless slaughter of our children through 60 accidental usage of guns would cease if we had strong National gun control 61 laws and even stronger enforcement. A3 for you so called "Sportsmen" out 62 there, why don' you grow up!! As long as we have supermarkets, Farms, & 63 ranches there is noneed for firearms, Ju3st plain old money......... 64 ##C.Y.M.#######################4/2/84 9:18 am############################### 65 Zipster & Hawthorne:Hey guys! This system uses up the *SAME* amount of 66 space for each line you enter. Be it 1 character or 80, it still uses up a 67 sector on the disk. Since there are only 629 free sectors (- 18 for Mikey's 68 header) would you please try to use longer lines? The system will let you 69 know when you reach the end of the line. It will quit echoing your 70 characters back, so if you are in the middle of a word & it won't let you 71 enter the rest of it, just backspace erase the partial word, hit return & 72 continue on the new line. OK? Thanks. 73 74 Deborah, I believe he was EXCLUDING war casualties in that comparison of 75 high school sport deaths & gun deaths. We ARE talking about CIVILIAN gun 76 control, after all. 77 CYM:I hate to tell you this but those farms & ranches USE GUNS! (GASP!) 78 We used a rifle to kill the animals we slaughtered for our own consumption. 79 And while we did set traps, we also needed rifles for shooting coyotes when 80 they went after the sheep. (I know, many farmers & ranchers exaggerate the 81 amount of damage done to their stock by predators. BUT IT STILL HAPPENS!!) 82 (Matter of fact, feral dogs are becoming a problem in some areas!) 83 As for hunters, I've never been hunting, but I know people who have. 84 THEY used the meat, hide & antlers of the deer they shot. I admit that this 85 is not what many hunters do, but I consider the fools who go out there and 86 don't USE what they shoot to be BUTCHERS (at best). 87 There is also the often overlooked point that in many (not all) 88 hunting areas, if the hunters don't kill the deer (or elk, or moose, or...) 89 many more would die of starvation! Back east (in Maine, I believe) exactly 90 that happen when "conservationists" & "ecologists" stopped the annual moose 91 season.After starvation weakened the herds, disease killed over 50% of them 92 93 Someone else mentioned the difficulty of stopping the production 94 of guns. Well, he understated the case considerable! Most street punks in 95 New York (or most other large cities) can tell you how to make a handgun out 96 of things that I rather doubt you would care to outlaw! (I will NOT give 97 details, as we have too many mental midgets that would build them if I 98 told them how!) As an example, would you care to try banning: 99 Matches, marbles, ball bearings, & ALL metal tubing under .25 inch? 100 (there are many more items, but I think you get the drift) 101 Oh, by the way, homemade guns have been made in PRISON! I somehow doubt that 102 we can exercise that much control over the general public, and even if 103 we could you can see that it won't help! 104 _________________________________Leonard____________________________________ 105 Okay, here it is....... 106 The summer of 1787 was long and hot, especially for the delegates 107 to the constitutional convention in Philidelphia. The country had been 108 run for nearly ten years under the Articles of Confederation, and it 109 wasn't working. The states had too much power and the country was 110 divided into the states' own fifedoms. The handfull of men in Phila- 111 delphia had to write a comprehensive document, rigid enough to maintain 112 order, yet flexible enough to withstand the test of time. On top of 113 that they had to appease the individual wants of different states. 114 So the main body of the constitution was puposefully ambiguous. 115 And when the bill of rights was tacked on, it was writen in the same 116 manner. This allowed the interpretation of the constitution to change 117 with the times. For this reason the constitution cannot be literally 118 interpreted! In my text I was merely joking. When taken literally 119 the constitution means very little. Instead, the "Supreme law of the 120 land" is what the courts interpret the constitution as saying. This 121 is what Madison, Hamilton, et. al. intended, as is evidenced by the 122 Federalist 123 (oops) Papers. 124 You also claim that the constitution states that "If something is 125 not indicated within the constitution, that does not mean that it is 126 allowed, but rather the opposite." I ask where? Could you be refering 127 to the Tenth Amendment? It reads as follows "The powers not delegated 128 to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the 129 States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." 130 In a very narrow literal sense this could be applicable, but I hardly 131 think that was the intent of the amendment. It emphasizes a federal 132 system, and that topic could fill the rest of the disk! 133 Shifting gears to the present, What should I see at breakfast 134 this morning? That singer Marvin Gaye was shot with a .38 caliber 135 pistol in an argument over insurance WITH HIS FATHER. I could make 136 several very tasteless remarks about the man killing in self defense, 137 but I'll hold back. If his father had only had a knife would things 138 have been different? It would be difficult for a father to stab his 139 son to death, but in the heat of passion a handgun is too easy. Just 140 point and pull. Ask Marvins father what he thinks about hand guns 141 now. But no matter, us soft-headed liberals just don't know what the 142 world is really like. Yup, It's a mans world out there, and its either 143 kill or be killed. 144 Mr. Tim 145 Addenum : In my first quote I left out a "not", and it changed the 146 context of the quote, i.e. I discovered what ENTER ONLY 147 Means. Not complaining, mind you. 148 ############################################################################ 149 off 150 off 151 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 152 Well,it seems that I xave sliped a few disks somehow,enter only is obveously 153 new.we have a few new people,there is no story line to contribute to. 154 I am DEPRESSED about this!! 155 C.Y.M.:when I was a metal shop student in high school(not long ago) I made 156 several weapons that would kill a person very efficently,2 were guns.the 157 construction plans for them were incredibly easy to get,a radical book 158 store in downtown portland carrys them.I might add that when I am downtown I 159 usualy carry some type of weapon (not the guns) and have had to use it 160 more then once. 161 The Man in Gray 162 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 163 WELL FOLKS, LET'S TRY IT AGAIN! I'M TRULY SORRYABOUT THOSE NASTY LITTLE 164 ESCAPE SEQUENCES. THE TERMINAL I USE AT MY WORK REALITY WAS GIVING ME 165 166 TROUBLES FOR SOME REASON I STILL HAVEN'T FATHOMED. I'VE SWITCHED OVER 167 THOUGH 168 I AM EXPERIENCING ONE MINOR DIFFICULTY- WHEN I HIT THE SPACE BAR 169 (AND I MEAN THAT FIGUREATIVLY) THE SYSTEM JUMPS OUT OF THE 170 ENTER STATE AND GO TO THE REA STATE. AM I DOING SOMETHING TO 171 CAU E THIS? I'M STILL NEW AT THIS AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO MUSS 172 U P ANYTHING. IS IT POSSIBLE MY MODEM IS THE PROBLEM? AS FOR THE GUN 173 CONTROL DEBATE I SAID MY PIECE LAST WEEK. SEE YOU ALL LATER. 174 F. FIN 175 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 176 ***************************************************************** 177 MR.TIM: I SEE THAT YOU HAVE DISCOVERED THE HORRIBLE TRUTH ABOUT 178 THE CONSTITUTION. THAT BEING THAT IT IS WRITTEN SUCH THAT ANYONE 179 CAN INTERPERT IT TO FIT WHATEVER THEY WANT. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS 180 READ IT FOR A BIT, AND YOU WILL FIND A PASSAGE THAT WILL FIT WHAT 181 EVER YOUR FAVORITE PERSUATION IS. JUST LIKE A BIBLE. FOR THE 182 CONSTITUTION IS THE BIBLE OF THE UNITED STATES. AND LIKE A BIBLE, 183 IT IS USED BY WHOEVER WIELDS IT TO SUPPORT THEIR CLIAMS AS THE 184 ONLY TRUE INTERPERTATION. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT IT IS A 185 WORTHLESS PEICE OF PAPER, FAR BE FROM IT! IT IS THE VERY 186 FOUNDATION UPON WHICH WE HAVE FORMED THIS NATION. BUT WE MUST 187 REMEMBER THAT IT IS THE FOUNDATION, AND NOT THE SUPERSTUCTURE. 188 ********************* CISTOP MIKEY **************************** 189 !#!@$#$%$^%&*^&(&*)*()*^%&^#$%^#^^$%^#$%^$%^$#^$^$^$%^$&%^&&%*%*#^$#^$ 190 WARNING NOTICE TO ALL DEMOCRATES AND OTHERS WHO CARE... 191 In the preceeding messages we have all read quite a bit of material on 192 the interpretation of the consitution. Some people don't realize it, 193 but the one branch of government that does the interpretation is the 194 Supreme Court. Not the President, and not Congress. The Supreme court 195 and its relation with the Constitution give it its balancing power with 196 the other two branches. Most people do know that Supreme court positions 197 are appointed, and are appointed for life. THESE are not elected by 198 popular vote, nor is there any ratifying process by Congress. These 199 positions of great importance to our country are appointed by the president. 200 The President we 'elect' but none the less the choice, if he has a need 201 to, is in this one man's hands. Do people realize just how important 202 this selection process is? Do people realize that if the current adminis- 203 tration is re-elected, it will probably have the oppurtunity to appoint 204 TWO MORE MEMBERS to the most powerful and influential court in the land! 205 A court that when loaded with the right, interpret the consitution quite 206 differently from when it is loaded with the not-so-right (I just could't 207 use the word "left"). When anyone starts mass-quoting the constitution, 208 they always seem to forget(a few have remembered here though) that it 209 is not so much what the consitution reads but how it is read. A very 210 careful distinction must be made here. A national gun control law is 211 not likely given the makeup of the current supreme court, where no 212 doubt such a case would surely end up. It is important to remember 213 our series of checks and balances, and how, at the present time, the 214 leadership of this country is in such a state that liberal ideas such 215 as gun control, no matter how much sense it makes, don't have much 216 of a chance getting through. All one has to do is look at the amount of 217 de-control that is happening. The airlines, the oil companies, the 218 auto makers are all thanking (well most of the airlines I should add) 219 the administration for its hands off, let industry do as it thinks 220 best attitude. Also, don't forget the power of lobbies. The NRA is 221 one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington. Our own governer is 222 a member of the NRA, and has appeared in ads for them. This latest 223 teflon bullet debate hasn't helped their image much, but knowing the 224 NRA, they will certainly survive, and bounce back stronger than 225 ever. There...my political statements, and this session of poly-sci 226 101 is over. No doubt my ears will be burning before too long, but hey, 227 that's what the backwater is all about. No one talkes about relevant 228 issues such as gun control on CBBS right? 229 #@$!@#$#@$%#% L'homme sans parity $#%#$%*#$%*#$^#@^^%^#$^#^$%&$%&$%&$%&# 230 231 AND WHERE ELSE COULD YOU PRESENT YOUR VIEWS WITHOUT GETTING A PUNCH` 232 IN THE FACE RIGHT? 233 --------------------------------------------------------- 234 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX AS FOR GUN CONTROL I SAY THAT A LAW 235 SHOULD BE MADE THAT WOULD EITHER MAKE SURE 236 OWNERS OF GUNS KNEW HOW TO USE THEM PROPERLY 237 SO NO ACCIDENTS WERE PEOPLE COULD GET HURT 238 COULD HAPPEN,AND RESTRICTING ALL PEOPLE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD TO OWN A GUN 239 OR A LAW THAT WOULD OUTLAW GUNS UTTERLY EXCEPT TO PEOPLE WHO USE THEM 240 FOR THEIR BUSINESSES(FARMERS,GUARDS ETC) 241 THIS WOULD CONTROL GUNS TO A POINT I THINK,BUT GUNS CAN BE SMUGGLED IN SO I 242 THINK OTHER MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PREVENT ARMED ROBBERY SUCH AS GUARDS 243 OR MORE AND BETTER ALARM SYSTEMSTHOUTHE LATTER WOULD BE TAKEN IN AN EXTREME 244 PRO,I THINK THE FORMER WOULD BE SUFFICIENT 245 246 PHERIC 247 CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCWHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THE SYSTEM,I CANNOT 248 249 REPLACE ANYTHING 250 251 PLEASE RESPOND!!! 252 ZZZXZXZXZXZXZXZXXZXZXXZXZXZXZXZX 253 **************************************************************************** 254 SORRY ABOUT THAT BUT THIS MODEM SOFTWARE DOESNT ALLOW ME TO CHANGE 255 THE LINE LENGTH.SORRY. 256 THINK THAT THE PREVIOUS INFORMATION ON THE SUPREMEM COURT BEING THE 257 SUPREME COUT WAS WRONG.WE ELCET THOSE PEOPLY WHO STAND FOR WHAT WE BELEIVE 258 IN ON ALL ISSUES IT DOESNT ALWAWORKS .USUALLY 259 NOT ALLWAYS BUT IT HAS IT'S MOMENTS.LOBBYING GROUPS INSTEAD OF VOTING TRY 260 TO CHANGE OUR SENATORS,AND REPRESENTATIVES MINDS.BASICALLY 261 THEY ARE JUST GLORIFIED AD-MEN. BUT IF WE VOTE FOR THE STRONG MIND,AND THOSE 262 WITH FIRM CONVICTIONS WE MOST LIKELY WILL GET WHAT WE WANT. AND THAT IS A 263 LEGAL SYSTEM WITH LAWS WE WANT. THAT'S THE IDEA.SO IN A SENSE WE HAVE A 264 MAJOR PART TO DO WITH THE SUPREME COURT!NOT REMOVED FROM US AS IT SOUNDED 265 EDRLIER IS IT? 266 WHATI MEANT EARLIER ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF MAKING GUNS IS THE 267 HIGH LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY OF MAKING GOOD,QUALITY DESIGNS.THAT IS WHY I HAD 268 THOSE FIVE WORDS IN THERE ANYWAY REMBER?'GUNS,RIFLES,ET CETRA'.KINDA FORGOT 269 IT HUH?I DIDN'T MEEN LITTLE CANNONS OR PELLET TUBES I MEANT 270 THE BIG MEAN SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS THAT ARE SO EASY TO GET ,AND HAVE BEEN 271 SINCE BEFORE THE YEAR 1971.LIKE 272 I SAID THOSE BIG ONEHARD 273 TO PRODUCE BUT EASY TO DISTRIBUTE. I WANT SOMEONE TO CITE A MODERN EXAMPLE 274 OFEFFECTIVE GUN CONTROL. 275 ********************************************************HAWTHORNE*********** 276 One small note on the Supreme Court: 277 The presidents choices are reviewed by the senate, and in theory 278 congress can impeach and do several other things to intimidate 279 justices, but as a rule the presidents appointments are accepted and 280 the court has a free reign. So there is definately a valid fear 281 of Ronnie giving us two more justices and really leaving his mark on 282 American politics. Please do not take offense, I am just clarifying 283 your point. 284 Mr. Tim 285 286 :************************************************************: 287 288 Enough is enough. You gun control advocates have been duped by 289 anti-capitalist forces that hve taken control of the American 290 mass media. Have any of you ever been shot at? Do any of you 291 know anyone who has been killed by a handgun? Of course not, 292 because nobody has been. 293 294 There is no danger from handguns...or any other kind of lethal 295 weopon. The whole anti-gun hysteria is being cr 296 the liberals who control the press. If so many people are 297 being killed by handguns why don't any of you know any of 298 them? Because no one is being killed, that's why. You're all 299 being lied to by enemies of the tactical weopons industry. 300 301 Guns, in the hands of responsible, patriotic, Americans, are 302 what has made this nation what it is. I offer my own success 303 in life as testimony of how gun toting Americans have made 304 this nation great. 305 306 LeRoy McKane 307 308 :**********************************************************: 309 MIKEY: I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE WHY YOU CHANGED THE SYSTEM 310 SO THAT NO CHANGES ARE ALLOWED. I KNOW I'VE BEEN FRUSTR 311 WHEN PEOPLE HAVE MESSED WITH MY ENTRIES. I, TOO, WAS PISSED 312 OFF WHEN SOME CLOWN DELETED THAT DISC. BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO 313 EDIT, REVISE, OR CHANGE MY THOUGHTS IS A REAL FRUSTRATION. I 314 DON'T KNOW HOW OTHERS FEEL, BUT I WOULD PREFER THE RISK OF 315 VANDALISM TO THE FRUSTRATION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO POLISH MY 316 WORK. IT'S YOUR SYSTEM, AND YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO 317 RUN IT ANY WAY YOU WANT, BUT I WOULD HOPE YOU WILL RECONSIDER 318 THIS EDITORIAL POLICY. GARY 319 ************************************************************* 320 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 321 LIKE HAWTHORNE SAID IT IS ALL CONTROLLED BY CHECKS AND BALLANCES.THAT IS THE 322 IDEA.NO SINGLE PART OF THE WHOLE HAS CONTROLLING POWER OVER THE OTHERS.SO IF 323 ANY ONE OF THE THREE SECTIONS OF GOVERNMENT TRIES THEY CANNOT BETHE SOLE 324 BASE OF POWER. 325 BY THE WAY THE THREE SECTIONS ARE SOMETHING LIKE CONGRESS,EXECUTIVE AND LEG- 326 AL. 327 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ZZZZZZZZZZIPSTER+++++++++++ 328 329 330 THE ONLY PURPOSE OF GUN CONTROL LAWS WOULD BE TO FURTHER PAD THE POCKETS OF 331 ATTORNEYS AND OR LAWYERS! TO BAD BUT WE PRODUCE MORE LAWS THAN CAN BE 332 ENFORCED AND SPEND MORE MONEY KEEPING CRIMINALS OUT OF JAIL THAN WHAT WE 333 SPEND ON JAIL SPACE TO KEEP THEM IN. INSTEAD OF GUN CONTROL LETS HAVE 334 ATTORNEY CONTROL LAWS. 335 AFTER ALL LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY ATTORNEYS.!! 336 GEORGE LURKER 337 **************************************************************************** 338 The last I heard Oregon was talking about putting the state laws on a 339 computer, and allowing anybody with a modem to dial in and acess it. But 340 the lawyers were fighting the idea, saying that easy acces to the laws 341 was too dangerous, only a lawyer could understand the law. [Or should we 342 say that they fear losing thier jobs because we might see how useless they 343 are?] Has anyone heard more of this project? 344 345 Enter only is a nusiance, but I am willing to put up with it for a while. 346 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::I THINK GUN CONTROL SHOULD BE BANNED AND 347 THE CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE BURNED!AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO BUILD HOMEMADE GUNS 348 OUT OF PIPE AND WOOD AND MATCHES THEN LET THEM THEY WILL ONLY BLOW THEIR FAC 349 ES OFF IN THE END!! 350 We don't need gun control, just LeRoy control 351 Mr. Tim 352 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 353 To: Michael Bigham 354 Where is my beer? 355 Adrienne 356 ????????????????????????? 357 ********************************************************** 358 GEORGE LURKER: I GOT A BETTER IDEA, LETS GIVE ALL THE LAWYERS THEIR VERY 359 OWN HANDGUNS ALL LOADED AND READY TO GO AND LET THEM KILL THEMSELVES 360 ALL OFF! I ALSO THINK THAT ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO HAS A DECISION 361 IN MAKING WAR MUST BE REQUIRED TO SERVE AS MUCH TIME ON THE FRONT LINES 362 IN THE TRENCHES AS ANY OTHER SOLDIER. I'VE GOT A FEELING THAT THEY MIGHT 363 THINK TWICE BEFORE DOING SOMETHING DRASTIC. 364 ************************ CISTOP MIKEY ****************************** 365 I'm in favor of gun control. Any idiot can kill someone with a gun, but it takes skill & practice to kill with a 366 garotte, shurikin, yawara or even a sword. Let's get rid of the guns and then I can live like a king! 367 Gaius 368 && && && 369 Mikey, I seldom see any pressing need to go back over my messages, but the ENTER ONLY mode seems to be causing some 370 of us more grief than it's worth. I hope we can get back to normal soon so the Backwater can become (semi-)legible 371 again. 372 && The Mad Actor && 373 ************************************************************************************************************************ 374 375 TO THE WORLD:I MAKE THIS CONFESSION FROM MY HEART.\ 376 THIS IS HARD FOR ME,BUT I FEEL THAT I MUST TELL THE WORLD IN ORDER 377 THAT I MAY LIVE IN PEACE WITH MYSELF. 378 THIS IS IT: 379 I AM GAY. 380 DO YOU HEAR THAT WORLD? 381 382 383 I AM GAY!!!! 384 385 THERE, NOW I FEEL AS IF I MAY LIVE WITH MYSELF NOW. 386 I THINK THAT IT IS BETER THAT ALL PEOPLE BE MORE OPEN WITH EACH OTHER AND 387 NOT HIDE ANY SECRETS. 388 I URGE ALL OF YOU OUT THERE TO NOT HIDE ANY LONGER YOUR DEEP DARK SECRETS. 389 IT FEELS SO GOOD NOT TO BE IN THE CLOSET ANY MORE. 390 I AM FREE! 391 392 SINCERILY YOURS 393 DENNIS LESLIE 394 395 396 ******************************************************************************* 397 398 399 400 AW, SHOOT. I WAS HOPING RIGHT UP UNTIL THE END OF THE ABOVE THAT IT WAS FROM FRANK IVANCIE. OH, WELL... 401 !|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|___THE SILVER GHOST___!|!|!|!|!|!|!|!|! 402 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 403 I CAN SEE NO WAY TO GET RID OF GUNS IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO WANT THEM.DOES 404 ANYONE OUT THERE AGREE WITH WHAT I THINK HEINLIEN WAS SAYING ABOUT AN ARMED POP-ULACE CONTRIBUTING TO MANNERS AND 405 SELFRELIANCE. I'M NOT MUCH INTO THE MACHO THING BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT KNOWING THAT 406 YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN LIFE WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A POLITER AND MORE 407 SELF ASSURED SOCIETY. I'M ALSO SURE THAT ANY BURGLAR OR CRIMANAL THAT KNEW HE 408 COULD EXPECT TO GET SHOT ANYWHERE HE ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT A CRIME MIGHT HAVE 409 SECOND THOUGHTS. AS IT IS NOW IF YOU DON'T KILL THEM IN THE ACT OF BREAKING 410 INTO YOUR HOUSE OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE YOU CAN EXPECT TO GO TO PRISON 411 YOURSELF. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE LESS ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF CRIMINALS 412 AND A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS. 413 THIS LETTER SEEMS A LITTLE CONFUSED 414 BUT ITS 3:00 AND I'M TIRED 415 STEVE 416 8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 417 Well now, there seems to be some debate about guns out there 418 I ask you, HOW repressive can our government get if there were no guns? 419 All those gun banners out there please decide whether you want a ban on guns or not 420 If you do, then move to U.S.S.R.. There, ALL guns are banned( unless you belong to the army) 421 As long as there are weapons in the general public the government will never resort to martial law, because if it does, 422 it will be overthrown! 423 424 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 425 Aaaron -- seems as if you have enough ammunition being discharged on your 426 side of the gun control debate. I'm abandoning ship and leaving back to my 427 original side. (and I think it's time to restate my case) 428 1. No restrictions should be placed upon the ownership, of weapons. 429 This includes firearms, ammunition, parts and supplies. 430 2. Each and every person -- with no exeption must complete a course in 431 safety, maintenance, handling and using firearms; then shoot a qualifying 432 score with rifle and pistol on a target range. 433 There! The liberals should be mad at me because I favor no gun control, the 434 conservatives because (if they're consistent) I advocate another law regulating 435 the schools. Now let's look at why. 436 Accidents happen. Most accidents happen through ignorance. Most of the 437 city folk (and most americans are city folk) have not handled firearms and 438 have not had any training in doing so. The exeptions, of course, are those 439 who have had military training. This vast pool of ignorant people regard 440 firearms with fear and loathing. They want to play the ostrich game -- ban 441 these nasty things and they will go away. Sorry, folks, they won't go away. 442 Firearms are not difficult to make in a home shop. (Good firearms are a 443 result of skill and patience. The british tried to ban firearms to the natives 444 when they controlled Afganistan. The natives tore up iron rails from the 445 railways, bored holes lengthwise, filed down the rail to barrel size and 446 fitted firing mechanisms from still other stolen rails and killed many, many 447 british soldiers with them.) Ammunition is also quite easy to make. However, 448 these homemade cannons are likely to be less reliable on the average than 449 commercially manufactured goods. Should gun control advocates suceed in 450 banning legal ownership of firearms, the age and condition of the vast pool 451 of firearms would deteriorate. I feel that this would lead to more danger as 452 I feel more threatened by a gun in poor condition than one in good condition. 453 Everyone should know how a gun feels when it is fired, what it can and cannot 454 do, how to use and maintain it. A gun is a tool. It's purpose is to kill. 455 We need to realize that it is a final solution, and that ultimately we cannot 456 undo the use of a gun. We also need to know how to use one if necessary. 457 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 458 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!\ 459 I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT GUNS FOR QUITE SOME TIME TILL THIS DEBATE BEGAN. 460 BUT YESTERDAY WHILE PRACTICING ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASTIMES, DAYDREAMING, 461 I CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION! IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BUT I WOULD ENJOY IT IF 462 IT DID. 463 SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO IS DIVIDE THE WORLD IN HALF WITH SOMETHING LIKE 464 A CHINA WALL. ONE SIDE WOULD ALLOW FIREARMS, THE OTHER WOULDN'T! NO ONE 465 WOULD BE FORCED TO LIVE IN EITHER ONE, ALL COULD PICK WHICH THEY PREFER- 466 ED. THE WALL WOULD HAVE DISENTEGRATER CAPABILITIES, NOT FOR HUMANS, BUT 467 FOR FIREARMS, SO THAT NONE COULD PASS THROUGH. ALSO ANYONE ATTEMPTING TO 468 CREATE A FIREARM ON THE WRONG SIDE WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY TRANSFERED TO THE 469 PROPER SIDE. 470 THEN WHEN I FELT LIKE A STEAK, DEER OF COURSE, I WOULD HAVE TO OUTWIT 471 THE ANIMAL. AT LEAST IT WOULD HAVE HALF A CHANCE, AND THERE WOULD BE A 472 GREATER CHANCE FOR THE SRONGER, SMARTER ANIMALS TO SURVIVE. I WOULDN'T 473 NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ME OR MY FAMILY BEING ACCIDENTLY SHOT ANYWAY. THERE'S 474 ENOUGH WAYS OUT THERE ALREADY. AND WHY NOT PUT ALL THE CARS ON ONE SIDE 475 ALSO.....AND NUCLEAR BOMBS............PEOPLE WITH UNCONTROLED VIOLENT 476 TENDENCIES............HEY!........I THINK I MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING 477 HERE! 478 PIPER: WHERE IN THE WORLD DOWNTOWN DO YOU GO? I'VE SPENT HOURS AND DAYS 479 DOWNTOWN AND HAVE NEVER FELT THE NEED FOR A WEAPON. I ADMIT THAT CITY 480 LIVING IS VERY NEW FOR ME, AM I MISSING SOMETHING? I WOULD IMAGINE 481 I'M A BIT NAIVE IN THIS REGARD.........SHOULD I CHANGE MY LACADAISICAL 482 WAYS? 483 ?!?!?!?!?!?!??!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!DEBORAH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 484 P.S SORRY PIPER, I MEANT TO ADDRESS THE MAN IN GRAY! NOT BEING ABLE TO 485 MAKE CORRECTIONS THO IS A GOOD TRADE FOR VANDALISM. GOOD IDEA MIKEY! 486 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? 487 ########################################YOU ALL MISSED MY POINT! I SAID 488 THAT WITH THE GUN CONTROL LAWS WE ALSO NEED STRICTLY ENFORCED LAWS. Any one 489 caught with an unregistered firearm or 490 using one in a criminal act would face the strictest of convictions, no plea 491 bargaining allowed, only time with no parole allowed. I have the feeling 492 that if this were implemented we would see a vast reduction in the criminal 493 statistics and the need for new prison space. As a mater of fact we could 494 use the no parole bit right now and also do away with plea bargaining. 495 ##############C.Y.M.#############################4/3/84 8:54am############## 496 497 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 498 SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT PROFESSIONAL THIEVES 499 AND GUNS. THEY ARE ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD 500 DEARLY LOVE TO SEE GUNS BANNED. IF THERE IS ONE THING 501 THEY FEAR MORE THEN ANYTHING ELSE IN THEIR LINE OF 502 WORK, IT'S SOME CRAZY HOUSE OWNER WITH A GUN. THEY 503 HAVE A TENDANCY TO SHOOT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS 504 LATER. FEW HAVE EVER FIRED A GUN BEFORE, AND HAVE 505 NO IDEA WHAT THE THING IS ALL ABOUT. MANY DON'T 506 EVEN REALIZE THAT IT CAN KILL UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. 507 QUESTION, WHY IS IT WE HAVE LAWS THAT STATE THAT YOU 508 'MUST' KILL A PERSON IF YOU SHOOT HIM, OR YOU'RE 509 GOING TO BE IN BIG TROUBLE? 510 +++++++++++++++++ REX ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 511 Piper:I have a few ideas that you have overlooked. 512 1. The trouble isn't limited to people with guns misusing them.Contary to a 513 statement made above, it does NOT require much skill to kill someone with a 514 sword, club or ax - IF the person you are attacking doesn't know much about 515 their use either! Knives do take some skill, but you can still mess someone 516 up pretty badly. So the REAL problem is NOT guns, knives, etc., it's AWDW 517 (Assault with a Deadly Weapon) (should have been ADW above, sorry). 518 2. Too many people seem to think they can settle a dispute with force. They 519 may eliminate the other party(s) in the dispute, but... 520 We need to find a way to teach people NOT to use force. If someone ATTACKS 521 you (PHYSICALLY, not VERBALLY!) you are justified in defending yourself. 522 (Note however, that it is almost ALWAYS possible to provoke an attack! This 523 needs to be discouraged too.) 524 3. Therefore, we need to have strict penalties for violent behavior. I am 525 not just talking about adult criminals either. We need to start with 526 schoolyard bullies and work our way up. 527 528 Since I was one of the VICTIMS of schoolyard bullies etc, I may be somewhat 529 prejudiced. As for the Marvin Gaye incident, I don't give a DAMN about how 530 his father feels about guns! He had no business getting into a FIGHT 531 (read the paper, "physical altercation" ie FIGHT) with ANYONE. & when 532 he brings a weapon OF ANY KIND into it - he gets NO sympathy from me! The 533 whole object of a fight is to drive off, incapacitate, or kill your oppenent 534 Which you are trying to do depends on whether you are the attacker or the 535 attackee. If your opponent is unarmed and not a martial arts expert, you are 536 in no real danger. So if you go for a weapon, you had better know what you 537 are doing. (ie Have a VERY good reason, such as you stand 5'2" & weigh 100 538 pounds dripping wet and he looks like King Kong's standin) Otherwise YOU are 539 now the one ATTACKING! 540 I believe there is something like this in the law. I think it's 541 called "sufficient force" or something like that. 542 Finally, as an example of how weapons CAN be handled properly, 543 I offer the SCA. In the SCA, swords, maces, knives & the occasional pistol 544 are almost always at hand, yet they only get used for display or in REAL 545 emergencies. This is probably because we are ALL quite well aware of what 546 they can do & how they are used. I have seen ONCE seen someone reach for his 547 belt knife during an argument. In that case he was LOUDLY told to take his 548 hand of the knife. (not by the person he was arguing with, either!) 549 "Drawing steel" except for display, use as an eating utensil etc, is 550 ACTIVELY discouraged. If you cannot handle a weapon properly, you are told 551 to learn how or leave it at home. While we "play" with our wooden "mock-ups" 552 playing with the real thing is NOT done. Maybe this is what should be done 553 in the "real" world with ALL privately owned weapons. No more "BANG! you're 554 dead", instead take the kid out to the target range with a REAL gun. And 555 give him "what for" if he does anything with his toy gun that he shouldn't 556 do with the real thing. But we'll never get parents to go along with it..... 557 _______________________________Leonard______________________________________ 558 The Portland Science Fiction Society (PorSFiS) is having a meeting at the 559 Multnomah County Library (downtown) at 2pm. The Doctor Who fan club meets 560 there at about 3 or 3:30. Many of the denizens of BWMS are frequenting these 561 meetings. (We talk during the break & after the meeting we go to 562 PC&S (the official PorSFiS pub)). 563 Everyone is invited (_especially_ the person who altered the 564 disks over the weekend). Several of us are rather identifiable: 565 MIG: wears all gray 566 BARD: carries a red cord (something about "Hairy Fishnuts"???) 567 the apprentice: has a PINK & PURPLE braid he has been known to use as a 568 headband (maybe he's color blind? that would explain Fast Freddie's 569 remodelling?) 570 Ian MacHinery: identifiable by thehis equipment (you expect the NETWORK rep 571 to be without a COMPUTER?!) 572 If any others who are attending would care to let us know how to 573 identify them leave msgs here. (Note this is NOT required) 574 I hope piper, Wassir, & the Mckane Enterprises rep will attend. If not, 575 there is a meeting every two weeks. 576 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""Green Eyes"""""(feeling VERY out of character) 577 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 578 Can you legislate something like gun control? It seems more like a 579 cultural phenomenum of an insecure & paranoid people. Vote for 580 Jesse Jackson. -- Pops -- 581 ************************************************************************* 582 I, too, should like to hear the instances of downtown violence, MIG. It 583 might bring theory and politics down to the local, pragmatic level. Dave 584 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 585 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 586 Deborah,Dave:I have been attacked 2 times in my life,both in downtown 587 portland,both`at night.the first happened at the corner arcade in txhe 588 grayhhoound bus terminal`block^@F8D( 589 590 something is going on here! 591 it started afte I had just purchased a semi-controled subwtance from 592 a local vendor,somebody who evidently watche`d t the whole thing tried to` 593 obpatain all of my possesions by using ca knife of the size frank ivance 594 wanted banned.the second one was at apartment on 35th and division when 595 someone tried to break e(just lost my modem)ok,i think. 596 tried to break in to the place,I might add`that I had no clothing on 597 (niether did the`person I was with) in this case I was not actualy attacked 598 but I brained 599 him`anyway for interupting me! 600 Leonard:wanna sell your modem 1??? PLEASE!!!!!!! 601 The Man in Gray 602 ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 603 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 604 THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERT FROM THE WORDS OF GHANDI......COME ON.. 605 YOU REEMEMBER.....MAHATMA! 606 "I OBJECT TO VIOLENCE BECAUSE, WHEN IT APPEARS TO DO GOOD, THE GOOD IS 607 ONLY TEMPORARY, THE EVIL IT DOES IS PERMANENT". 608 609 "UNLESS THE WORLD ADOPTS NONVIOLENCE, IT WILL SPELL CERTAIN SUICIDE 610 FOR MANKIND". 611 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 612 Ayeeeeeeeeeeeeee 613 *********************************************** 614 GEE, I THOUGHT PAM WAS GOING TO SHOW UP BY NOW. SIGH...... 615 ******************************************************** 616 Greetings: 617 First off, Deborah, I don't usually offer an opinion on such things pro 618 or con like gun control, abortion, or other such items of debate, but what 619 you are suggesting as far as a tight national gun control program would be 620 nigh well on impossible to institute. The point that Leonard made about an- 621 imal starvation is very accurate. Hunting, while I do not participate in it 622 , serves an intrinsically important function in keeping animal populations 623 under control. Failure to do so would eventually result in the total death 624 of such herds as deer, elk, moose, etc. There is a point after which the 625 environment can no longer support vast quantities of animals. Witness the 626 third-world countries (and I am NOT implying that they are animals, but the 627 same principles apply). Also: The plan that you propose would, I believe, 628 lead to a total police state similar to that in 1984. It would be one step 629 closer to the Big Brother concept. Outa room. Bye. Whiskey Vic. >