Molly Ivins on Gun Control

[SunSeeker]

From her 1993 essay "Taking a Stab at Our Infatuation with Guns" (The Seattle Times, March 15, 1993), she begins by saying:

Let me start this discussion by pointing out that I am not anti-gun. I'm pro-knife. Consider the merits of the knife. In the first place, you have catch up with someone in order to stab him. A general substitution of knives for guns would promote physical fitness. We'd turn into a whole nation of great runners. Plus, knives don't ricochet. And people are seldom killed while cleaning their knives. As a civil libertarian, I of course support the Second Amendment. And I believe it means exactly what it says: "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Fourteen-year-old boys are not part of a well-regulated militia. Members of wacky religious cults are not part of a well-regulated militia. Permitting unregulated citizens to have guns is destroying the security of this free state. I am intrigued by the arguments of those who claim to follow the judicial doctrine of original intent. How do they know it was the dearest wish of Thomas Jefferson's heart that teen-age drug dealers should cruise the cities of this nation perforating their fellow citizens with assault rifles? Channelling?

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930315&slug=1690536

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This facebook post came to mind when I read Molly's riff on how "permitting unregulated citizens to have guns is destroying the security of this free state":

[freshwest]

1. Molly always got right down to it. Thanks for this.

[sheshe2]

2. Molly Ivans.

My Idol.

Sweet, SunSeeker! Very sweet!

[Hoyt]

3. Pretty much covers the issue as far as I'm concerned.

The image at the end is good too.

[dem in texas]

4. Bravo Molly

She was a Texas original and is sorely missed.

[Hangingon]

10. FYI

Molly Ivens was born in Monterrey CA

[nightscanner59]

6. I love it... Say, D.U.er's-- check this out

I've been responding to some of the gun rights polls on a site called SodaHead-- it's loaded with the most insane right wingers. I swear, look at the blog tonight from this question and get a load of the "Gub-mint's the beast, Obama's the 666 and they're all comin' to git mah guns" sort!! To which I reply: seek help. your area has no lack of therapists, competent and otherwise. Please post your adress, I'll send the agents to come take your guns post haste.
I and other reasonable responders there are often outnumbered by the crazies:
http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/will-it-take-more-mass-killings-to-get-congress-serious-about-gun-control/question-3617413/?link=1018208&uuid=9678f44243cb416da289b476303583b8

[Bolo Boffin]

7. I just tell folks like this to go to their houses and wait for Obama to show up.

"Someone will be along to collect your guns directly. No, no, just tough it out. Don't leave until they do show up. And stay off the Internet if you can help it."

Yes, I have far too many relatives that I've said this to.

[nightscanner59]

8. ROFL. Oh, if only the real issue wasn't so deadly serious... but that's hilarious.

[Paladin]

9. Molly Ivins remains a treasure.

I had the pleasure of meeting her during my college days in Austin. Her words as to what the 2nd Amendment REALLY means ring truer than ever, present-day.

[ellisonz]

11. That's about it. I still do not accept the "individual right" argument. n/t

[LeftInTX]

12. Thanks to Sunseeker and FreshWest! I just discovered this group!

FreshWest had an awesome Molly Ivins post in media and Sunseeker x-posted this. I had no idea there was a Gun Control Group.

[SunSeeker]

13. You're welcome!

I'm new to this group too--well, it is a pretty new group to begin with. I look at it as the safe and sane alternative to the gungeoneers' "Gun Control & RKBA" group.

[aikoaiko]

15. I apologize for the message above (if anyone saw it).

I didn't realize which group I was in.

[locks]

16. Molly Ivins and Roger Ebert

I just posted on the thread with the great article by Roger Ebert. Molly Ivins and Roger came every year for decades to University of Boulder/Boulder Conference on World Affairs. They always managed to be on the same panels and all of us tried to get into them. Sometimes it was hard to hear because we were laughing so hard. They both loved Colorado and we will never forget them.