Did I pass the test?  And if so, does it mean I'm a liberal?  (My 
liberal credentials have been under constant threat of revocation 
lately).  (But don't get too excited, the conservatives don't want to 
have anything to do with me.  They find me lewd and mischievous.)

I don't see the parallel between gun permits and marriage certificates. 
  But I do think it would be dangerous to issue them in some sort of a 
buy one get two free arrangement.  Some things benefit from not being 
too easy.  Getting married, becoming responsible for children are some 
of them.  Killing with a car or a gun is too easy.  Killing should be 
hard.

If your point is about whether or not the Mayor has the authority to 
issue permits... How would I know?  And since he hasn't tried to do it 
in Minnesota, why should I care?

-jc


On Mar 1, 2004, at 11:49 AM, [log in to unmask] wrote:



  John Callan wrote:

Now you've distracted me again! Damn! I'm trying to prepare for the 
caucuses tonight. I plan to propose that we simply get the state out of 
the marriage sanctioning business, give everybody a civil contract and 
let the religious right have their way with love and morality and all 
the squishy stuff! (I'll stay close the exit and away from the boiling 
pot of tar.)

  -jc


  Outstanding- the best liberal test I've heard this week-
  If the Mayor of San francisco felt he had a moral compunction to issue 
anyone who wanted one a handgun permit- would you support what he was 
doing?


-- 


J.A. Drew Diaz