Gun Control thread (merged many)

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Dread Knot

Under traditional Japanese bushido, captives were to be treated with mercy. Surrender was common during the 1868-1869 Boshin Civil War that established the modern Japanese Empire. Japanese conduct during the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the First World War was also fairly honorable and professional.

It was not until after the First World War that the Japanese Army started to twist Bushido into a more brutal code. Apparently, seeing itself as disrespected by the Allied Powers in terms of territory awarded, and in the post-war naval disarmament treaties it was thought that more martial spiritual values would be needed to make up for material deficiencies. However, it was the often guerilla like nature of the endless war in China that really starting warping Japanese sensibilities. Often heavily outnumbered, the Japanese turned to ever higher levels of brutality to win territory and keep it won.

Aaah, thanks for clearing that up, I did wonder how Bushido went from the chivalry of its day to the horrific thing that occurred in WWII.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Dread Knot

Under traditional Japanese bushido, captives were to be treated with mercy. Surrender was common during the 1868-1869 Boshin Civil War that established the modern Japanese Empire. Japanese conduct during the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the First World War was also fairly honorable and professional.

It was not until after the First World War that the Japanese Army started to twist Bushido into a more brutal code. Apparently, seeing itself as disrespected by the Allied Powers in terms of territory awarded, and in the post-war naval disarmament treaties it was thought that more martial spiritual values would be needed to make up for material deficiencies. However, it was the often guerilla like nature of the endless war in China that really starting warping Japanese sensibilities. Often heavily outnumbered, the Japanese turned to ever higher levels of brutality to win territory and keep it won.

Absolutely right. The irony is that traditional bushido placed great importance on the arts, literature and general learning, as well as codified rules of conduct and martial action. The goal was to gentrify the warrior class. The reality of politics in feudal Japan necessitated keeping relatively large numbers of armed men around. However, there would be major problems in having a bunch of swordsmen running around your city drinking and getting into all sorts of trouble. Bushido was used to turn their 'off-time' efforts to painting, music, reading and writing, as well as give them codified rules for martial practice and resolving of disputes.

The 'neo-bushido' of the Japanese militarists in the 1880's was about the opposite. The concept of death for the emperor, never surrendering and whatnot were designed to increase ferocity in battle. It was a decidedly Shinto approach, opposed to the Confucian and Buddhist overtones of traditional bushido.

EDIT: And, as Oberon noted, this was precisely the same problem that feudal European rulers faced. This lead to the occasionally-followed codes of chivalry in their effort to stem the problems of armed men with too much time on their hands.

[soopaman2]

Couldn't a samurai behead a commoner for not bowing to them under Bushido code? Or even on a whim?

I do not think the brutality was new.

(defeated enemies also killed themselves if left to live, in shame, in that culture.)

Enemies were commoners to them, to step on as they please.

Kinda makes a case for the nuke, no matter how much they try to guilt trip us today.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

Couldn't a samurai behead a commoner for not bowing to them under Bushido code? Or even on a whim?

Negative ghost rider.If you kill the guy that grows your rice then you have no rice and with no rice you have nothing.Farmers where the highest of the peasant class but they would not have gone around cutting of any peasant noggins.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

Couldn't a samurai behead a commoner for not bowing to them under Bushido code? Or even on a whim?

No. Samurai were not permitted to murder people for disrespect or no reason at all. Kind of bad for a lord trying to keep order. You may have seen too many movies.

[soopaman2]

Thanks guys, I stand corrected.

*bows*

[Oberon]

Contemporary, pre-emptive bump.

[eddie]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Contemporary, pre-emptive bump.

Trying to prepare us for the onslaught Oberon? (look at that, I spelled your name right this time,lol)

[Oberon]

Think of me as the man who puts up the railings for the queues at large events. Not that I personally imagine this particular incident will cause much in the way of backlash, dead adults are harder to sell than children, although the repetition about a woman being 'shot in the face' was a good attempt. Also, like Hood, it's a military facility, guns are to be expected, even if legislation was brought in, so outside of Jones and company, I can't see this one gaining any traction. But, that's not going to stop the usual suspects from the usual back and forth, so I figured I'd might as well sweep the floor and tidy up the cushions a bit in case we need to use this thread in the coming days.

[Ducimus]

Ok Oberon, here ya go:

(CNN) Opinion: Gun control is not the answer

I am surprised to see a thoughtful article out of that particular news source on this particular subject. Usually it's just more rehetoric. Some people over there might actually be starting to wise up.

[August]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Ok Oberon, here ya go:

(CNN) Opinion: Gun control is not the answer

I am surprised to see a thoughtful article out of that particular news source on this particular subject. Usually it's just more rehetoric. Some people over there might actually be starting to wise up.

Especially when it's a left wing Obama lover like the author.

[TarJak]

3 parts. Funny and also not.

[Ducimus]

Sorry Tarjak, I couldn't get past the first 3 minutes of it. They grab some assinine clown, and then make a mockery of everything to further what appears to be an anti agenda. I'm assuming the rest of those videos is more of the same. I've heard so much rhetoric from that side of the issue, that i simply cannot stomach it anymore.

[August]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Sorry Tarjak, I couldn't get past the first 3 minutes of it. They grab some assinine clown, and then make a mockery of everything to further what appears to be an anti agenda. I'm assuming the rest of those videos is more of the same. I've heard so much rhetoric from that side of the issue, that i simply cannot stomach it anymore.

Got the same impression.

[TarJak]