JOPLIN, Mo. —
There are a couple of principles that might not be generally tied down in statute. First, the apostle Paul coached us in the idea that something is not illegal, nor improper for a mature person, if the public practice is likely to cause a “weaker brother” to stumble. It is best to not insist on that “right.”
We have state legislators who have violated their swearing-in oaths to support federal law in legalizing the use of marijuana in their states. But, then, there has to be an alleged violation for a case to be reviewed in a higher court, I reckon. There may be a legitimate medicinal use of a component of the stuff. If a person feels he or she is mature enough to use marijuana recreationally, at least consider the damage done to and by those who clearly can’t deal with the temptation or results. Grow up!
There is also the doctrine, practiced in some cases I’m told, of “last clear opportunity.” Even if I’m perfectly within my rights, and I have a clear opportunity to prevent damage to health, life or property of a violator, I may not proceed with my choice. We can’t run down jaywalkers with impunity; a Humvee owner should not intentionally drive into the path of someone doing an improper left turn or driving 10 miles above the limit.
The Arizona shooter reeled off an average of one round per second in his outburst. The now deceased mother of the shooter at Newtown, Conn., possessed, by some accounts, as many as six weapons, and we presume would have encouraged her son to have some skill in their use.
It seems to me that if one only wishes to own firearms “as a right,” then there should be some restrictions against either type or their physical use in maximum effect.
The warm, fuzzy feeling of “having the right” is more than offset by the likelihood of misuse by the general public. And if one simply is worried about his or her right, maybe there could be a meeting arranged between his or her maker and the maker of the 20 children in Newtown. It seems unlikely that it’s the same one.
Bill Hawkins
Joplin
Opinion
Your View: Abuse and misuse
- Opinion
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Other Views: Still inspiring
Cutbacks in the military budget and the still-recovering economy mean this Memorial Day weekend will go down as a relatively subdued affair — relative, that is, to our usual end-of-school, official-start-of-summer blowout.
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Our View: Setting standard
The sight of hundreds of young student volunteers walking across Moore’s Fourth Street interstate overpass had to be uplifting to the city’s tornado victims.
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Our View: Safer schools
Being able to see for ourselves what would have happened to our children had they been standing in the main hall of their schools during the May 22, 2011, tornado had a profound effect on our understanding of safe schools.
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Marilyn Beasley, guest columnist: Claiming responsibility for abuse of power
Over the past few months we’ve witnessed the abuse of power by President Barack Obama and his administration.
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Our View: ‘Why?’ has no answer
Just hours before, there was breakfast and laughter. There were pictures on the walls and memories in every room.
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Our View: Absent from House
We can’t figure out why two Missouri legislators think they should be elected to the U.S. House when it appears they can’t seem to show up to take care of business in the Missouri House.
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Your View: Terrible injustice
I see this Jasper County nuisance law as a terrible injustice on the rights of the residents of Jasper County.
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Your View: Should we be outraged?
Were there effusive apologies following the lockdown of Boston as most of the continent indulged vicariously in the ongoing manhunt?
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Your View: Terrorism is terrorism
In the May 13 issue of The Joplin Globe there was an Associated Press article concerning the New Orleans shooting.
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Phill Brooks, columnist: Missouri Senate did what Founding Fathers had in mind
George Washington once described the Senate as being like a saucer in which you pour coffee or tea.
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