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I did want to jump in on the God allows guns issue. There is some misunderstanding here that needs clarificaiton. The source of all this is actually in the Declaration of Independence.
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...'
Those items in the Bill of Rights, part of the US Constitution, are the unalianable rights. We believe that everyone is born with those rights at birth, they are endowed by God, and not just people in the US. For example, in North Korea there is no right to free speech, freedom of the press, or freedom of religion, but that is because of laws there. Trial by jury, due process, collection of evidence, freedom, cruel and unusual punishment, and even gun ownership are all rights that people have, but are frequently denied by laws. Just because there are laws against it does not mean that a right does not still exist. The people still have the right, they are just being prevented from exercising that right. Governments are suppose to exist to protect those rights and North Korea, amoung other countries, does not do a very good job of it.
People have rights. There is a misconception that the government grants those rights to the people. That is not how it works. Governments grant privledges. You are born with rights, they are given by God. It isn't in the Bible. It is in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
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