Gun

2008-11-08T21:08:22Z

LLanosP: Gun Control

[[Image:Hitlerspeech.jpg‎|thumb|325px|right|[[Adolf Hitler]] was a proponent of gun control]]‎
The '''gun''' is a mechanical [[weapon]] which uses expanding gas to fire a [[bullet]], [[dart]] or other projectile through a tube (its shaft). Guns are primarily defensive weapons.

The four main types of modern [[firearm]]s today are bolt-operated, pump action, semi-automatic, and automatic weapons. In a bolt-action weapon, each new [[round (ordnance)|round]] must be loaded manually, by moving the [[breech]] to eject the empty casing. In pump action guns (usually shotguns) a new round must be manually loaded by pulling back on pump of the gun, located underneath the barrel.

In semi-automatic weapons, each pull of the trigger fires a bullet, each shot ejecting spent brass and loading new ammunition until the magazine is depleted. In fully automatic weapons, bullets will be fired as long as the trigger is depressed. Fully automatic fire will cause the gun to heat up very quickly, which can become dangerous as it can burn exposed flesh and because rounds may "cook off" or fire unexpectedly due to the chamber becoming hot enough to ignite the propellant.

[[Image:Glock30.jpg|right|200px]]

==Gun control==

[[Gun control]] consists of limitations on the fundamental right of self-defense.

[[Conservative]]s usually emphasize the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns. [[Liberal]]s more often oppose this individual right, and tend to dislike even guards or police carrying guns.

Guns are shown to be highly effective at deterring crime and protecting the gun owner. Police officers often use guns to enforce the law, except in some countries where the police are not armed. In the Republic of Ireland, the Garda Síochána has since its foundation held that uniformed officers do not carry guns - "The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people", as the first Commissioner said<ref>http://www.garda.ie/faq.html#G4</ref>. The current Commissioner of the Gardaí has stated that "we do not live in a 'gun culture'", despite a recent rash of armed crime. In Iceland, there are no armed forces, including the Police, and all Police only carry a baton on duty.<ref>http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/Iceland/Default.htm</ref> In addition, the regular Police forces of the UK<ref>http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=535071&in_page_id=1770</ref> and the Police Force of New Zealand do not carry firearms while on normal patrol, or in the latter case describe themselves as "generally unarmed"<ref>http://www.police.govt.nz/about/history.html</ref>. However, each of these Police forces also has highly trained specialist teams of armed Police, who are brought into play at time of need.

Studies have repeatedly shown that law-abiding citizens carrying guns are an effective deterrent against crime<ref>http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/467988</ref><ref>http://saf.org/kleck1998.pdf</ref><ref>http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/8926.html</ref>. Further comparison between different states by [[John Lott]] indicates that states that have more conservative gun laws have lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms [[homicide]]s than states with more liberal gun laws.

[[Second Amendment|Guns are also a defense against a tyrannical government.]] The 20th century has proved repeatedly that a well-armed and dedicated guerrilla army can defeat even the strongest occupying army using only small arms. Thus, guns potentially act as a deterrent against a tyrannical government.

== Science Fiction ==

[[Science fiction]], such as [[Star Trek]], has postulated many different types of directed energy weapons. These are guns that fire beams, waves, or packets of energy. Some energy guns can be set to stun, not to wound or kill. Most firearms legislation would not classify these as firearms, so their ownership would be unrestricted.

==See also==
*[[Gun control]]
==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.nra.org The National Rifle Association] Everything firearm related. Includes information on Second Amendment rights, NRA Training and Education, Politics and Legislation pertaining to gun rights.
*[http://www.a-human-right.com/ A Human Right] Discussion of the human right to self defense with a firearm.
*[http://www.learnaboutguns.com/ Learn About Guns] Firearm information and politics from a pro-firearms perspective.
*[http://www.gunowners.org/ Gun Owners of America] A no-compromise pro-gun lobby in Washington, D.C.

[[Category:Guns]]

Mohandas K. Gandhi

2008-11-08T21:03:56Z

LLanosP: British Empire links

[[Image:Hitlerspeech.jpg‎|thumb|325px|right|The "peaceful protests" by Gandhi led to the dissolution of the British Empire and directly to World War II. Gandhi caused more deaths than Hitler and Stalin combined]]‎
'''Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi''' (1869-1948) also known by the honorific title ''Mahatma Gandhi,'' was a great leader who obtained [[India]]'s independence from [[Britain]]. He urged peaceful [[civil disobedience]] to the British,<ref>Gandhi's ethic of nonviolence ... calls on each of us to break the self-perpetuating cycle of [[violence]] and [[revenge]] -- of [[action and reaction]] -- by recognizing the common [[humanity]] we share with those we consider our enemies. Gandhi put this philosophy into practice by developing a technique of militant [[nonviolence]] that was intended to force the British to see the humanity of those they oppressed, and the inhumanity of their own actions[http://www.transparencynow.com/news/preface.htm]</ref> calling on Indians to refuse to pay taxes to Britain and refuse to attend British schools. He also called for a boycott of British manufactures, especially for the cloths that Indian weavers are so famous for. The Indians heeded Gandhi’s leadership and stopped buying British cloth. Gandhi also called for the Indian National Congress to change from an elite or wealthy group into more of a people’s voice that could advocate independence. Gandhi drew upon [[Christian]] concepts as well as his native [[Hinduism]]. His education included studying law at the University College London, though Gandhi makes little mention of that in his autobiography and details are unclear.

==Gandhi and Hitler==

Although peaceful, Gandhi's protests led directly to the direct goverment of India and the breakaway of the subcontinent from the [[British Empire]]. The subsequent weakening of what was the main stabilising force in [[Europe]] had the side effect of allowing the rise of [[Germany]] and [[Adolf Hitler]] culminating in [[World War II]]. Adding the number of allied soldiers and civillians who died in this war in addition to the German casualties, it is clear that this peaceful man is responsible for more deaths than [[Hitler]] and [[Stalin]].

[[Image:5356356.jpg|right|thumb|Gandhi]]

==Protests==

One of Gandhi’s acts of protest was to lead the Salt March in 1930 for 240 miles to the sea, so that Indians could obtain salt from evaporated salt water rather than buy it from (and pay taxes to) Britain. A law required Indians to buy salt from the British government, but Gandhi’s march peacefully disobeyed that law and created much publicity. Gandhi and many of his supporters were eventually arrested for some of their protests.

At one point a British leader agreed to meet with Gandhi, who then attended with the simple Hindu clothing of a single cloth gown. Offended by this, some British demanded an explanation. Gandhi responded that the British official, who was dressed in the customary suit and tie, was wearing enough clothes for both of them!

Eventually Gandhi’s protest efforts paid off, as the British Parliament enacted the Government of India Act in 1935. This established self-rule at a local level and allowed some democratic elections. Muslims, however, feared majority Hindu rule and requested a separate state for Muslims. The Muslim League endorsed the creation of a new country called “[[Pakistan]]” for the predominantly [[Muslim]] population of that region. India and Pakistan are fully independent today.

Gandhi was a vegetarian and would go on fasts for causes of peace. He was assassinated by Hindu ultra-nationalists on 20 January 1948, shortly after Indian independence.

==Famous quotes==

*First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. Then they fight you. ''Then you win.''

*“There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever” <ref>http://thinkexist.com/quotes/mahatma_gandhi/</ref>

*"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?" <ref> ''Non-violence in Peace and War'' (1942) Vol I, ch. 142 </ref>

*"Non-violence is the first article of my faith. It is also the last article of my creed." <ref> Speech at Shahi Bag, 18th March 1922, on a charge of sedition </ref>

*<small>(When asked what he thought of Western civilization):</small>"I think it would be a very good idea."

*<small>(Later in his life when he was asked whether he was a Hindu, he replied:) :</small>"Yes I am. I am also a Christian, a Muslim, a Buddhist and a Jew."

*"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

==Motion picture==

Richard Attenborough's 1982 film, entitled simply ''Gandhi,'' won eight Academy Awards, including "best picture," as well as BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. It is a biographical film that stays close to the historical facts of Gandhi's life. FIlm critic Roger Ebert said that actor Ben Kingsley "makes the role so completely his own that there is a genuine feeling that the spirit of Gandhi is on the screen."

==Spelling==
[[Image:Gandhi.jpg|left|]]
Gandhi's last name is very frequently spelled incorrectly as "Ghandi," perhaps because "g-h" is a common digraph in English while "d-h" is not.

He was called the Mahatma, or the Great Soul
{{Clear}}
== See also ==

*[[Pratibha Patil]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.mkgandhi.org/ MAHATMA GANDHI]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gandhi, Mohandas K}}
[[Category:Political People]]
[[Category:India]]

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Gun

Mohandas K. Gandhi