I'll take a shot at this.

[byu71]

As a bleeding heart liberal, Tim is a graduate of "Why I Dislike America 101" and "Middle America is Stupid 302."

Perhaps you missed the fondness and respect I have for Tim through my posts. I am bugged you used my phrase in your post. You could have used another phrase denoting liberal and not had a tie in to me.

Still would have been a dumb post, but a least there would be no tie in to me.

[JohnnyLingo]

Come on. byu71 was clearly using the term in an affectionate way.

You should just bow out now before you dig yourself any deeper.

Fine, but answer the question. I clearly used "bleeding heart liberal" in a negative way, but is it any worse than the terms Tim threw around in a negative way?

Be consistent. I know you like Tim more than you like me, but come on.

Perhaps you missed the fondness and respect I have for Tim through my posts. I am bugged you used my phrase in your post. You could have used another phrase denoting liberal and not had a tie in to me.

Still would have been a dumb post, but a least there would be no tie in to me.

I'm sorry for dragging you into this. Next time I'll avoid using phrases you have recently used in my posts.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Fine, but answer the question. I clearly used "bleeding heart liberal" in a negative way, but is it any worse than the terms Tim threw around in a negative way?

Be consistent. I know you like Tim more than you like me, but come on.



I'm sorry for dragging you into this. Next time I'll avoid using phrases you have recently used in my posts.

Never mind. Carry on.

[byu71]

Fine, but answer the question. I clearly used "bleeding heart liberal" in a negative way, but is it any worse than the terms Tim threw around in a negative way?

Be consistent. I know you like Tim more than you like me, but come on.



I'm sorry for dragging you into this. Next time I'll avoid using phrases you have recently used in my posts.

I do not condone or think funny the negative attacks you recieve.

As far as Tim goes it is not a matter of like or dislike. I have known him a lot longer and we have had good banters back and forth.

You can go after him all you want. You are both big boys. I just wanted to make it clear, my bleeding heart liberal statement was made in jest.

[TripletDaddy]

Fine, but answer the question. I clearly used "bleeding heart liberal" in a negative way, but is it any worse than the terms Tim threw around in a negative way?

Be consistent. I know you like Tim more than you like me, but come on.

If you want to be treated with consistency, then practice what you preach. Stop saying mean things about Kobe without recognizing the positives!

[JohnnyLingo]

Never mind. Carry on.

I was done.

[Tim]

What proportion your fears are based on substantiated data versus anecdotal evidence and internal bias? Your follow-up post raised the question.



Based on historical data, what is the probability of getting shot as an innocent bystander by a concealed carrier versus the probability of getting mugged, hit by a bus, or struck by lightning? What is the probability that you will be wrongfully accused and/or harassed by a cop with absolutely no provocation?

I don't travel outside this country, but I travel all over within the lower 48 and I've interacted a great deal with "middle American rednecks, gun-toting yokels, and Palin lovers." They're good people, and I'm always struck by the fact that they're good everywhere I go. From Florida to Vermont, North Carolina to California, I have stories about good people I've met in every state I've visited.

Honestly, I've never been afraid of anybody, anywhere (except that one time in Boston when I was looking for the Enterprise drop-off at 10:00 pm, and the cops stopped me before I went down an alley and told me I'd get killed if I went any further.) Reading your post made me think we live(d) in two different America's, and I wonder what is different about our experiences that gives us such different perspectives?

It's the principle at play. Perhaps the chances are higher of me being hit by a bus than being shot by a concealed carrier, but the fact is that the bus is naturally and innocently going about its business, whereas the concealed carrier is reacting unnaturally to nothing more than their paranoia. The bus might kill me, but its purpose isn't to do so. The gun's purpose is to do nothing but kill.

More and more people are getting concealed carry permits, and that means that more and more people are carrying guns around with them. The data I've seen indicates that introduction of additional guns into armed hostile situations has a NEGATIVE net result, meaning that if someone is pointing a gun at you, the situation is MORE likely to result in you being shot if you pull your own gun out to "defend" yourself. With that in mind, it's clear that the best thing you can do to defend yourself is to NOT bring another gun into the situation.

Regardless of the merits of self-defense, I don't care if there are 999 concealed carriers who are responsible, because the 1 SuperDell is all that it takes for the rest of us to be afraid of all 1,000.

It's one thing to live in fear of criminals -- no one wants to do that. But those who legally carry guns as a result of their fear of criminals don't realize that they've now doubled the fear in the rest of us. Not only are we afraid of the criminals now, but we're afraid of the people bringing guns to church, sporting events, the train, Starbucks, wherever.

And I don't even need to go into the question of why American cops are to be feared. My experience in Tonopah, Nevada 4 years ago, when I was treated like a criminal by a police officer (due to a DMV software glitch, it turned out), will likely make it so that I never trust an American police officer again. And seeing how nice police officers are here in Japan, how helpful and kind and generous they appear to be, without giving up the perception of strength, makes me know that there are better ways.

[Tim]

Aw, so byu71 gets to call you a bleeding heart liberal and I don't?



Indeed there is. Is "bleeding heart liberal" a major insult like "asshole" is?

Anymore so than "redneck" or "gun-toting yokel" or "Palin lover"?

byu71 is my friend. You're not. And my comments weren't pointed directly at anyone here.

[Jeff Lebowski]

During my two-year stint in Japan and subsequent visits, I never felt threatened or in danger in any way. Not once. And I lived in some pretty seedy places in Osaka.

[JohnnyLingo]

During my two-year stint in Japan and subsequent visits, I never felt threatened or in danger in any way. Not once. And I lived in some pretty seedy places in Osaka.

How much of this is due to the "whack-a-mole" culture you mentioned a couple of days ago? Does society itself keep crime down through shame or other techniques?

[I.J. Reilly]

And I don't even need to go into the question of why American cops are to be feared. My experience in Tonopah, Nevada 4 years ago, when I was treated like a criminal by a police officer (due to a DMV software glitch, it turned out), will likely make it so that I never trust an American police officer again. And seeing how nice police officers are here in Japan, how helpful and kind and generous they appear to be, without giving up the perception of strength, makes me know that there are better ways.

If you care to share, I'd love to hear your experience.

[Tim]

71's wide stance has ensnared many of us who simply thought we were going to take a leak.

And your observation about the superiority of other countries relative to the U.S. is accurate in certain respects. That's what's great about travel; an objective mind can always find certain things, sometimes a lot of things, that are better than at home. But, as you also note, you're going through a phase. Given that you are U.S. born and bred, you'll return eventually and find that ultimately, there's no place quite like USA, for better and worse, but more often than not for the better.

It's interesting for me to try and figure out what the source of those feelings are. I do know, though, that it's got to be a phase. It'll fade. I love America, no doubt. I just have my own way of loving it. I've never been a flag flier, but I pay my taxes honestly, I obey the law, and I educate my vote, and that seems purely patriotic to me.

[Art Vandelay]

I was a (reasonable) CougarBoard moderator/committee member and was growing tired of the board.

Not to start another anti-CB rant, but I always thought you, PAC, BDB, BYUMBA, and CJF were by far the most reasonable moderators. Unless you suspended me without my knowledge then I take it all back.

Weren't you one of the first to have a moving avatar? Something where the eyes bulged or moved or something.

[cowboy]

The data I've seen indicates that introduction of additional guns into armed hostile situations has a NEGATIVE net result, meaning that if someone is pointing a gun at you, the situation is MORE likely to result in you being shot if you pull your own gun out to "defend" yourself. With that in mind, it's clear that the best thing you can do to defend yourself is to NOT bring another gun into the situation.

Not to turn this into a gun rights hijack, but what was your data source? I've not seen those data, though I'm not saying they are surprising or that I don't believe them. If someone has the drop on you, it makes sense that you not try to go for your gun.

[cowboy]

If you want to be treated with consistency, then practice what you preach. Stop saying mean things about Kobe without recognizing the positives!

There are positives?