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On Sat, 2008-11-08 at 19:12 -0700, Vincent Danen wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
Wow.<BR>
<BR>
You know, for the last year or so I've been extremely grateful to God<BR>
that I was born in Canada and that I have no intention of ever leaving.<BR>
<BR>
I also have no intention of ever firing, much less owning, a gun.<BR>
<BR>
I've been saying it for years and put the proof in the pudding not two<BR>
years ago when Google offered me a job that required me to move to the<BR>
US.<BR>
<BR>
You couldn't pay me enough to live in that country.<BR>
<BR>
Sorry, I just had to say it. The things you folks are talking about..<BR>
as Christians... both boggles and scares me. Your government scares me.<BR>
The attitudes of your people scare me.<BR>
<BR>
And you wonder why kids are being killed in schools when everyone is<BR>
"ra! ra! grab your gun falala!" ?!? Sheesh!<BR>
<BR>
You know, I saw something on the news a year ago or so that really<BR>
solidified for me just how frightening your country is. After (yet<BR>
another) gun-related massacre in a school, this senator said -- not<BR>
tongue in cheek but with a perfectly straight face -- that perhaps kids<BR>
should be allowed to carry guns to school to defend themselves. And<BR>
this was when asked what he thought his solution to the problem would<BR>
be!<BR>
<BR>
Do you folks even realize that your country has the highest rate of<BR>
gun-related deaths in the civilized world?!?<BR>
<BR>
Read this and then tell me again that "the right to bear arms" is a good<BR>
thing:<BR>
<BR>
<A HREF="http://www.guncite.com/cnngunde.html">http://www.guncite.com/cnngunde.html</A><BR>
<BR>
Thanks, but when the US has 14.24 deaths per 100,000 people and Canada<BR>
has 4.31, I'll stay right where I am.<BR>
<BR>
You know, we share the same land mass and are only separated by a border<BR>
and some very obvious thought differences, but it astounds me that the<BR>
difference here is so insanely huge.<BR>
<BR>
So, Ed, you take your AK-47. Unfortunately, with the state of your<BR>
country, you very well may need to use it. And that saddens me.<BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Well Vince, while I had a great time learning a bit about Canada and its history along with my students, I reciprocate your desire to remain on your side of the 49th parallel. <BR>
<BR>
Our two nations (similar as they may be in many areas) have drastically different histories. The whole gun issue is bound up in the very start of our country, when we threw that temper tantrum we tend to call a revolution. When a nation has for form itself, wrestling its independence away from an external power by bloody force, it tends to affect how that nation views things like civil rights and self defense not to mention the proper role of government. <BR>
<BR>
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<PRE>
--
Jason P. Franklin
Christian/Husband/Father/Missionary
Westwood Bible Fellowship
<A HREF="mailto:pastor.jason@westwoodbf.com">pastor.jason@westwoodbf.com</A>
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