<div>"Of course, weapons may just be used for dramatic effect. However, our author seems to believe that weapons can be used for good as well as evil. No blanket condemnation of lethal force and lethal instruments."</div>
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<div>I believe this is true. Gene has told me that when they were younger, he and Rosemary would regularly practice throwing knives, in part as a way to keep the kids respectfully in line. He strongly encouraged me to take it up.</div>
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<div>I'm less sure about his thoughts regarding other forms of weaponry....</div>
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<div>Rebecca<br><br></div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 2:30 PM, Jack Smith <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jack.smith.1946@gmail.com">jack.smith.1946@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">Whatever views we readers may hold regarding the 2nd amendment, it appears that our author likes to arm his characters.
<div><br></div>
<div>1. Severian openly carries his sword on Urth. Dr Talos carries a concealed one.</div>
<div>2. Silk, the best man on the Whorl, uses many weapons. </div>
<div>3. In the ancient world, Latro and his companions are armed.</div>
<div>4. Guns frequently appear in Wolfe's contemporary American settings, like <i>Castleview </i>and F<i>ree Live Free.</i></div>
<div><i><br></i></div>
<div><i><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal">Of course, weapons may just be used for dramatic effect. However, our author seems to believe that weapons can be used for good as well as evil. No blanket condemnation of lethal force and lethal instruments.</span></i></div>
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<div class="h5"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 1:38 PM, Lee Berman <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:severiansola@hotmail.com" target="_blank">severiansola@hotmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote"><br><br>>>> The intent of the second amendment is to allow the citizenry to more<br>>>> readily defend themselves against the government, when this becomes<br>
>>> necessary, as it inevitably does.<br><br>There is a classic A.E. Van Vogt story called The Weapon Shop which addresses<br>this issue using that interpretation. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weapon_Shop" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weapon_Shop</a><br>
Great pulp SF story. I loved it.<br><br>And didn't Gene Wolfe mention Van Vogt in Fifth Head of Cerberus? I bet he has<br>read that story.<br><br>Anyway, the wording of the Second Amendment is-<br><br>>"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State,<br>
>the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."<br><br>To me this wording suggests an interpretation counter to the standard<br>Libertarian view which seems to focus on the word "free" and ignores the other<br>
26 words. Bearing arms would seem to be meant for the defense of the state not<br>to attack the state or defend against it. A "well regulated militia" sounds like<br>a state organized function to me not some sort of individual defense against<br>
the state or lawless brigands or wild animals.<br>
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