Thoughts On "Bowling For Columbine"

Along with the rights granted us as United States citizens, we also have certain responsibilities to the society that grants us the freedoms we have. We need to focus on the concept of personal responsibility. We are each personally responsible, to a large degree, not only for our station in life; but also responsible for accepting the consequences of our actions. We as a culture need to stop leaning on the crutch of "victimization" and accepting the idea that we are each responsible for what we do in our living. The United States affords each of it's citizens the opportunity to achieve anything; we are only limited by our desire to achieve. If we choose another path - such as a criminal one, we must be prepared to accept personally the consequences. Too often, we put the PC spin on to explain aborhant behavior, we glorify thuggish, criminal behavior from "professional" athletes. Athletes have been given an enormous gift in their abilities. They make millions of dollars, yet we excuse their negative social behaviors because they are "victims". Until the consequences for negative behaviors are as serious (and enforced) as the rewards for positive behavior are given, personal responsibility of the individual will take a back seat to the crutch of victimization. Just my 2 cents.

Lugnut - the deinstitutionalization of mentally ill affected mostly those with delusional disorders (especially people with schizophrenia)who are not statistically more violent than the average person. Sociopaths and related MI/PDs are the more violent ones, but there was never a time when a significant number of those where kept in a mental instiutions. They have always just gone to prison.

Everyone here is armchair quarterback on this subject, which is not too surprising for an audio board. I have similar views with Ben Campbell, but its tough to say without the data in fron of me and the knowledge to interpret it.

I'm with Ben, and could not have put the arguments better. Slipknot also raises a good point. The US has become a nation of people with wide ranging rights, but apparently no responsibilities. The Bush administration demonstrates this on an international level.

I think it's high time we removed all barriers to immigration between Europe and the US and let people vote with their feet.

Sean, what country do you live in?

I'm for anyone that wants to leave this country, to go on, and get out. We have enough problems without having to put up with the whining of those that don't want to be here. Unfortunately, we get stuck with the Alec Baldwin types who whine incessantly about how they will leave if just one more American right is retained, and then they don't leave, they stay here and whine some more.

Regarding allowing unlimited immigration/emigration between the US and Europe, why not? After all there is no limitation on immigration from Mexico, is there? They don't even need passports. They just come in, and nobody says anything about it until voting time, and then the government does a mass-citizenship of all illegals so they can all vote. Seems to me that Europeans should get at least equal treatment in that regard. How come they don't?

And as far as people from the UK not understanding how we could be so attached to our Constitutional rights, well that's because we are Americans and you're not. We have this peculiar desire to try to keep what we fought for, even though the politicians are doing their damndest to give it away. And you may be interested to know that many/most Americans consider politicians to be little or nothing more than criminals in suits.