[extropy-chat] let's say

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Joseph Bloch <jbloch at humanenhancement.com> wrote:
> Mike Lorrey wrote:
> 
> >There are many privately owned airliners in the world today. As 9-11
> >demonstrated, each and every one of them is a WMD. When do you start
> >lobbying for state ownership of all airliners?
> >  
> >
> 
> There is, of course, a difference between state ownership of
> something 
> and regulation of that thing. Airliners are not _only_ WMD's... they 
> can, however be perverted to that purpose and are thus regulated. 
> Aerosoled anthrax and fission bombs have only one purpose, and thus
> are rightfully kept from the hands of individuals.

On the contrary, fission bombs have plenty of purposes. They are dandy
for spacecraft propulsion.

However, rights are not defined by whether one needs a thing.

> 
> >When WMDs are outlawed, only outlaws will have WMDs. 
> >
> 
> Except when WMD's are outlawed for _some_, who cannot necessarily be 
> trusted with them. Like you and me. Many's the time I wish I had a 
> neutron bomb or two I could hurl at U Cal Berkeley, for instance...
> ;-)
> 
> Frankly, I trust our government to use its WMD stockpiles
> responsibly, with restraint, and in the national interest.
> Considering such things haven't been used (by us) since 1945, I
> think it's not a completely unreasonable position.

All you know is that politicians won't use them, much, when in sight of
the public, much. You have no proof that others would be irresponsible
with them if their rights were recognised. Contrary to the nightmare
scenarios of the state, the record is that while governments have not
only nuked two cities in wartime, they have nuked quite a number of
other places that once was the property of people who were not those
governments (formerly inhabited pacific and alaskan islands, for
example). Comparatively, despite being suspected by some of having at
least 12 and possibly as many as 100 backpack nukes, global terrorists
have not used one yet. By this comparison, terrorist groups are more
responsible with nuclear weapons than governments are.

Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


		
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