A Minute Alone With Mumbles
In the comments to this excellent fisking by Kevin Baker of this sad, little, and (surprisingly - not!) anonymously-published Washington Post editorial, Killing Made Easy, Joe Huffman, from The View From North Central Idaho, puts forth the notion of the "just one question" approach to the gun control debate.
In his post, Just one question, Joe writes:
Just one question.
It's an interesting exercise, and one that I have obviously been contemplating as well. What would you ask of those in power regarding the current state of gun control [or, insert topic of choice here] if you were afforded the opportunity to not only ask one question (hell, anyone can ask, but who's listening), but to also have that question directly addressed in a public forum?
Why do I ask?
Check this.
So, there you are. You've got the microphone in hand and your face-to-face with the mighty Mumbles himself. You've got time for one short question. What do you do?
Needless to say, I'm going to put my name in for one of the limited slots available. Should I get the chance to address the Mayor, here is my one question:
It's not like I need to explain to any of you, but...
A "yes" answer would be an outright lie.
A "no" answer, though it would garner him a few bonus points for honesty, would be in my view cause for his immediate removal from office. Not that that's very likely, though. Most folks around here are too dumb to realize their rights are secondary to the rights of politicians and predatory criminals.
Apologies for the redundant redundancy there.
So...what would your "one question" be?
In his post, Just one question, Joe writes:
A few years ago I came up with my "one question" response to bring the debate to a quick close but I tend to let myself get drawn into refuting their points rather than bring them to my playing field where they don't stand a chance of survival. I now want to present this "one question" in as much detail yet as succinctly as I can. Then I can just refer people to this post and be done with them.
[snip]
My "one question" is this:
Can you demonstrate just one time, one place, throughout all of human history, where restricting the access of handheld weapons to the average person made them safer?
Just one question.
It's an interesting exercise, and one that I have obviously been contemplating as well. What would you ask of those in power regarding the current state of gun control [or, insert topic of choice here] if you were afforded the opportunity to not only ask one question (hell, anyone can ask, but who's listening), but to also have that question directly addressed in a public forum?
Why do I ask?
Check this.
Have a vision for Boston's future? Got a problem with how the city is being run? How about an idea how to make it work better? You can tell Mayor Thomas M. Menino all about it next month at one of four community forums he's plans to hold around the city.
At each forum, residents, community leaders, and city officials will share ideas about how to improve the city and about Boston's long-range plans, Menino's office said yesterday. The mayor will lead each discussion.
"I am in the neighborhoods every day and hear great ideas from residents, as well as their concerns," Menino said in a statement. "These forums will allow us to further explore new ideas as to how we can improve our city."
The forums will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Feb. 4 at Roxbury Community College; from 8 to 10 a.m. Feb. 6 at Faulkner Hospital; from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 8 at Bunker Hill Community College; and from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 11 at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
Only 40 to 50 people can attend each forum.
Participants will be selected by lottery from a pool of people who register in advance. Residents can sign up online at www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/mayor_roundtable_form.asp or by calling 617-635-4500. The deadline is Jan. 27.
People who can't get into the forums can also submit written comments on the website or by writing to the mayor at Boston City Hall, One City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA 02201.
So, there you are. You've got the microphone in hand and your face-to-face with the mighty Mumbles himself. You've got time for one short question. What do you do?
Needless to say, I'm going to put my name in for one of the limited slots available. Should I get the chance to address the Mayor, here is my one question:
"Mr. Mayor, as you know, the City of Boston over the last year has seen a marked increase in the rate of homicides and armed robberies - violent crimes committed by violent individuals against the good people of Boston. My question for you is a simple YES or NO question. Do the hard-working, law-abiding citizens of Boston have the right to defend themselves from violent criminals? I don't want to take any time away from the other questioners here tonight, Mr. Mayor, so a simple yes or no answer will suffice. Thank you."
It's not like I need to explain to any of you, but...
A "yes" answer would be an outright lie.
A "no" answer, though it would garner him a few bonus points for honesty, would be in my view cause for his immediate removal from office. Not that that's very likely, though. Most folks around here are too dumb to realize their rights are secondary to the rights of politicians and predatory criminals.
Apologies for the redundant redundancy there.
So...what would your "one question" be?
