Only the Gov't should have guns in a democracy -- Colin Powell

[Maetryx]

Text

JIM LEHRER: Now the Israelis pretty much dismissed this cease-fire from these militant organizations, but you're not dismissing it, are you?

COLIN POWELL: I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand, but I understand the Israeli position. What they say is, what good is a cease-fire if the capability for terror exists within those organizations? Does not a cease-fire just give them the opportunity to regain strength? The Palestinians' point of view: let's take over Gaza and let's not get into a civil war with Hamas right away over removing that capability.

And so I think it's a step forward, but it is not the end of the game. We are committed to seeing those organizations completely eliminate all capacity for terrorist acts against Israel. And as Prime Minister Abbas has said, the Palestinian prime minister has said, you can't have a democratic state if anyone other than the government has guns. So he is committed to making sure that these kinds of organizations do not continue to destroy the dreams of the Palestinian people for their own state. [emphasis mine]

Is Colin Powell anti-gun or am I reading this quote too generally? It was spoken on tonight's episode of the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, a United States public television news outlet. I know he we referencing Prime Minister Abbas' as the originator of the idea, but it looks like he's affirming the idea as well.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

The purpose of he Second Amendment IMO is to make sure the government isn't the only one with guns.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Good thing we live in a Representative Republic

I think your interpretation is a tad off. He said "you can't have a democratic state if anyone other than the government has guns." which was a quote of Abbas. But that quote doesn't say people shouldn't own guns - it means that the govt needs to be armed if the citizens are

CkG

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I have no idea how to take that. On its face it looks really bad.

But that quote doesn't say people shouldn't own guns - it means that the govt needs to be armed if the citizens are

I think you need to take a look at the quote again, it most certainly does not mean that. Whether that's what Powell meant to say or not, who knows, but that statement means just what it says- only the government should have guns in a democracy.

 

[glenn1]

Is Colin Powell anti-gun or am I reading this quote too generally? It was spoken on tonight's episode of the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, a United States public television news outlet. I know he we referencing Prime Minister Abbas' as the originator of the idea, but it looks like he's affirming the idea as well.

You're reading too much into it. The entire premise that allowing citizens to own guns in a democratic Palestinian state already begs the question of both the statehood of Palestine and its democratic credentials. I think that what Abaas was trying to express is that it would make it impossible to even establish a credible democratic state in what would become Palestine when there are other strongly organized and armed factions (such as Hezbollah, etc.) which would be a direct rival to a hypothetical democratic government. I doubt he's talking about the (again hypothetical) law-abiding Palestinian private citizen having a small arm for self-protection as a member of a democratic nation-state under the rule of law.

 

[Moonbeam]

Caddy may be on to something.

 

[Maetryx]

The more I read it the more I think the statement is merely a reference to a statement from PM Abbas and is particular to Palestine. Anyway, made me sit up straight and look it up online when I heard the bolded part of my original post. Phew.

 

[Trezza]

i read it as if a certain group of citizens have guns and another doesn't then the group with guns would be able to control the other group by force ruling there decisons. something like that.

 

[Nitemare]

You are reading too much into it. He should have said all it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch.

Or all it takes is one ftard with a gun to ruin every f*cking thing, but that might offend some terrorists so he said the diplomatic version.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
You are reading too much into it. He should have said all it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch.

Or all it takes is one ftard with a gun to ruin every f*cking thing, but that might offend some terrorists so he said the diplomatic version.

Most likely it was a poor choice of words on his part. I'll be glad to fry the administration when I think it warrants it, but I do not believe that Powell means things as it appears. I'll give him slack on this one unless later actions warrant re-evaluation

 

[notfred]

the Palestinian prime minister has said, you can't have a democratic state if anyone other than the government has guns

 

[ScottyB]

Be very afraid if Bush and his cronies are the only ones with guns.

 

[simonsky]

So according to Colin, America is not a democratic state?

We already knew that from the Bush election, but hey! Talk about illumination!

Keep up the good work Collin!