I meant to say “less than good human beings”, although an argument can be made for the way I wrote it.

Also Rod, while I pointed our several inaccuracies about our mental health care history, I generaly agree with your overall concept.

Its too bad today we dont look up to more resiliant people, rather than pop star icon dirt bags.

Actually, I’m willing to bet that “back then”, we simply warehoused our mentally ill… just look at the history of mental health care in society.

Not that I am in disagreement with your general principle that today we suck at it (mental health care). Our tools have changed, but we still do almost as bad. I just wanted to set the record straight.

Now, regarding the rest of your statement regarding over-population. I would simply state that its not so much overpopulation as we have raised a society of, well, less than human beings. They are not as resiliant socially, physically, mentally, or educationally to deal with todays society of chaos and corruption. I am speaking in terms of the “tools” (coping skills, impulse control, education, money management, family support networks, you name it).

Bottom line, we have a wounded society, and we are enabling the next generation to fit in to it, rather than survive it, and be better in spite of it.

Do guns solve this larger problem, no of ocurse not. But teaching responsible exercise of all of our rights, including the right of gun ownership, is essential to “survival” as I describe it above.

Boy has this thread grown way out of its original contxt.

-Nemo the well armed fish in a sea of mentally deranged predatory sharks.

“In my younger years the guys who liked to bird hunt took their rifles to school in their cars so they could go hunting after school. (Here in the Boise area.) No one got into a snit about it.”

Back then, whenever that was, the population density in Boise was in balance with the environment and a civil society existed. Parents policed their own children and took care of relatives in need including the mentally ill. Now, I don’t believe we have much of a society, and it certainly isn’t civil. And the culprit is overpopulation, and no amount of police, courts, or prisons can make it civil.

Now, with that said, I don’t think either carrying on campus or anywhere is going to make a whole lot of difference either way. The real roots of the problem are like Sisyphus mentioned. Dismantling the mental health system, as flawed as it was and still is did contribute to new social consequences that are not desirable. It’s the economy/health care/access to food etc., that is the real issue.

I rate the success of a national society by how many prisoners it locks up (and for what) how many police it has to employ, and how really happy its citizens are. The US has some real work to do in these areas.

In some regions, it may be possible to enjoy a peaceful society with many citizens carrying guns as described by many libertarians. On the other hand, we have seen regions where guns are abundant and flow in like water, and not just pistols and some bolt action rifles, but full on military weapons from AKs, ARs to moartars and RPGs, and absolute mayhem is the result. I think they call it Iraq. Our guys are scared to death of who might have guns. And everybody there does. Has peace ensued? Of course not, because the guns are not the issue…it’s the reasons why people are pissed off and fighting that are creating the demand for high powered weaponry.

So, just wait until the oil supply goes south some more and gas is at 10 bucks a gallon. Just wait til food prices are through the roof. Just wait til refugees from countries start flowing wherever high ground is because their previous lands are underwater. Everybody will get armed in a hurry for FEAR of losing this or that.

Lack of cooperation to deal with the real problems coming fast will certainly lead to the collapse of all societies that ignore them. The nations or societies left standing may or may not be heavily armed, but they most certainly will have been heavily educated, can think critically and know logic when they see it.

I personally have never purchased a gun. I have a gun that I inherited but I have never fired it, nor do I have bullets for it. I live in a seemingly safe neighborhood, and have neighbors who I believe are armed – I have their phone numbers on speed dial.

In my younger years the guys who liked to bird hunt took their rifles to school in their cars so they could go hunting after school. (Here in the Boise area.) No one got into a snit about it. The problem isn’t about guns but about the attitudes we have about each other. We seem to have come into the fear generation. I worry about getting run over trying to cross a busy intersection. That is a more likely risk.