Guns and Self-Defense Facts

 "For each instance of successful self-defense or justifiable homicide using a gun, there were twenty-two cases of assault or criminal homicide, unintentional homicide, suicide and attempted suicide using a gun."
-  Arthur L Kellerman, et al., 'Injuries and Deaths Due to Firearms in the Home', in the Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection and Critical Care, 45:2 (1998).  

This is not counting the non-lethal but serious injuries from gunshots.  Many more people injure themselves while playing with guns.  

Too many Americans watch all those old white power Western movies.  Now, in 2020, most of us live in urban and suburban neighborhoods, not the West of the 19th century.  Improved gun control and safety measures are more sensible in our day.  

Crazy Killers with Arsenals

Crazy Killers with Arsenals

Another disheartening tragedy in Las Vegas!  The senseless mass murder of 59 people, and the injuring of over 500 people at an outdoor country music concert.  Distressing, unfathomable, horrific, evil, shameful.  A deep sorrow for all affected and concerned.  A very sad day!  

I've written numerous times about these terrible incidents and my response to them.  For Example, Prepping for the Kill in 2015.  

How many guns did the wealthy heartless killer Stephen Paddock own?  Police found 42, 19 at the crime scene.  Seriously, 42 rifles and guns.  The cruel diversions of some rich men are disgusting.  

I realize that even with strict gun control, like that found in more peaceful countries without frequent mass murders, this will not prevent some murder.  However, maybe NOT the murder of 59 persons and injuring over 500 people in one unforgettable night.  

Dao De Jing, Chapter 78

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 78

"Nothing in the world is weaker than water

but against the hard and the strong nothing excels it
for nothing can change it
the soft overcomes the hard
the weak overcomes the strong
this is something everyone knows but no one is able to practice
thus the sage declares who accepts a country's disgrace we call the lord of soil and grain
who accepts a country's misfortune we call king of all under Heaven
upright words sound upside down"
-   Translated by Bill Porter (Red Pine), 1996, Chapter 78 

"Heaven below (the sacred body) is not as soft and yielding as water, yet can take on the rigid and violent.
Without its (the sacred body's) ability to overcome the rigid and the violent, it is nothing.
It replaces violence with gentleness.
It overcomes violence.
Tenderly it overcomes the unyielding.
Without knowing this, no one in Heaven below can progress.
The sages speak of guarding the community:
Dishonor comes from making sacrifices to the gods.
Preserve the community, not its omens.
It is correct to speak of Heaven below as what connects Heaven,
Humanity and Earth.
The words of the person who sacrifices backfire."
-   Translated by Barbara Tovey and Alan Sheets, 2002, Chapter 78   

"In the world nothing is more fragile than water, and yet of all the agencies that attack hard substances nothing can surpass it.
Of all things there is nothing that can take the place of Tao.
By it the weak are conquerors of the strong, the pliable are conquerors of the rigid.
In the world every one knows this, but none practice it.
Therefore the wise man declares: he who is guilty of the country's sin may be the priest at the altar.
He who is to blame for the country's misfortunes, is often the Empire's Sovereign.
True words are often paradoxical."
-   Translated by Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 78

"In the world nothing is supple and weak in relation to water
Yet of those things which attack the firm and unyielding
Nothing is able to do better
In what is absent, this easily happens.
Being supple conquers the unyielding
Being weak conquers the firm
In the world
No one is without knowing it
No one is able to practice it.
Appropriately it happens that sages say
He who accepts the disgrace of a nation
Is appropriately called lord of the grain shrine
He who accepts the misfortune of a nation
Is appropriately acting as the king of the world.
Correct words look like they turn back."
-   Translated by David Lindauer, Chapter 78 

"remember
to be at your best
pattern yourself after water
nothing in all the world is softer or more powerful
nothing in all the world can substitute for it
nothing in all the world can stop it

in their hearts
everyone easily knows that
the soft and the weak
will always overcome the hard and strong
but they find it difficult to live this way

the secret is to
move the bodymind like water."
-   Translated by John Bright-Fey, 2006, Chapter 78 

"Nothing in the world is Softer or Weaker than water.
But when it attacks what is hard and strong none of them can win out, because they have no way of affecting it.
Softness overcomes what is hard Weakness overcomes what is unyielding.
Everyone in the world understands it no one can practice it.
And so the Wise Person says: Taking on a state's dirt makes one lord of its earth altars taking on a state's misfortunes makes one King of the world.
Right words seem the opposite."
-   Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992, Chapter 78

"Water is soft and yielding, but
nothing can more effectively dissolve the hard and inflexible.
Weak defeats strong.
Soft defeats hard.
This is well–known, but not easy to put into practice.
Therefore, the Tao–Master says:
He who takes upon himself the dirt of the nation
becomes the master of its sacred soil;
he who takes upon himself the evils of the land
becomes a true king under Heaven.
Straight words seem crooked."
-   Translated by George Cronk, 1999, Chapter 78 

"Nothing is softer, more flexible, or more giving than
water
nothing can resist it
nothing can take it away
nothing can endure it
there is no way to hurt it.
The flexible overcomes what resists it,
the giving overcomes what takes it,
the soft overcomes the hard,
but who uses this knowledge?
Only the person who knows the earth
as intimately as the trees and grasses
can rule the earth,
only the person who accepts
the guilt and evil of humanity
can rule the universe.
Straight tongues seem forked.
Straight talk seems crooked."
-   Translated by Tom Kunesh, Chapter 78  

"There is nothing in the world
as soft and weak as water.
But to erode the hard and strong,
nothing can surpass it;
nothing can be a substitute.
The weak can overcome the strong;
the soft can overcome the hard.
There is no-one in the world who does not know this,
but there is no-one who can put it into practice.
Those who are enlightened say:
those who bear a nation's disgrace
will become lords of its shrines to earth and grain; *
those who bear a nation's misfortune
will become kings under heaven.
True words often seem a paradox."
-   Translated by Tim Chilcott, 2005, Chapter 78 

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization.  Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, research leads, translation sources, a Google Translate drop down menu, and other resources for that Chapter.  These are hypertext documents, and available online under Creative Commons 4.

  
Chapter 79, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.  Compiled and indexed by Mike Garofalo.  

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List

A Solitary Daoist Neopagan's Final Journey  

An Old Philosopher's Notebooks

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

Flags, Marriages, and True Believers

The Confederate flag represented many Southern white mens' desires in 1850 to exploit and enslave people of color, to institutionalize slavery, to revolt and kill, and to separate from the United States of America.  In 2015, flying the Confederate flag over governmental buildings in these United States of American is inappropriate, since most people today do not support the Confederate ideology.  Numerous Federal Constitutional Amendments and many federal and state laws attempt to reduce discrimination and reduce racism.  Most people consider the Confederate flag a symbol of racism and destructive rebellion.  Such a flag has a place in a history museum, but not flying over a U.S., state capitol building, courthouse, or a university.

I was pleased by the recent United States Supreme Court decision to remove restrictions on marriages imposed by various States.  Marriage between adults of different races, different religions, or of the same sex seems to me a private matter and personal preference.  I am comfortable with letting adults chose the person they wish to love and marry.  Of course, you can be sure that States like Louisiana and Texas, ones that still fly the Confederate flag, and have statues of Confederate rebels everywhere, will still refuse to grant marriage licenses to those persons that authoritarian politicians and religious bigots arbitrarily chose to disrespect and harass.  

It is interesting to see the current GOP candidates, scurrying to gain the favor of the religious conservatives, waffle on the fundamental issues of liberty, and support the need for "State's Rights."  Do these candidates mean to say they would have no problem if the majority of the citizens of say Louisiana voted to ban and criminalize same sex marriages, interracial marriage, and abortion; established Southern Baptist Christianity as the State religion to be taught and prayed about in public schools, allowed persons to carry handguns and rifles into churches and supermarkets, flew the Confederate flag over all governmental buildings, did not pay taxes to the Federal Government, used Federal land for private purposes, encouraged alcohol and tobacco usage, built a wall around their State to keep Mexicans and other undesirables out of their State, did not allow women or dark skinned people to vote, etc.  These GOP political candidates don't have the courage to defend a position in defense of liberty and individual rights, and shuffle the issue off onto the plates of local or "State" issues.  I used to be a Republican until the religious fundamentalist Moral Majority stunk up the scene. 

I favor a government where the laws are generally consistent and uniform between all the States of these United States of America.  I favor a government that encourages liberty and justice for all.

I do understand that disagreements between State governments and the Federal government in the U.S.A. are complex, difficult, and ongoing.

I don't find the Bible or Koran very useful for information for living a good life, their 'histories' are boring and uninstructive, and their rules and social customs often irrelevant to current world circumstances and diversity. Also, believers and preachers of these two creeds have a long and bloody history of forcing others to obey their arbitrary rules and convert to their religions.  They do not believe in individual freedom and liberty, and are opposed to and want to oppress others favoring modern values, and often are at odds with a scientific and pragmatic world view.  

"True Believers," in Eric Hoffer's sense, are dangerous to civil peace and prosperity.  Whether they be Christians massacring Native-Americans and enslaving Africans, Islamic Jihadists massacring tourists in Tunisa or mosque-goers in Iraq, or dumb drug addled white supremacists waving a Confederate flag and then murdering nine black people in a church in South Carolina, black rioters in Los Angeles, Nazis, KKKers, or the Timothy McVeighs or Jim Jones's of the world ... all were true believers in theivery or murder or terrorism "justified" by religious or ideological dogmas or anger/revenge.  

A Portrait of another sullen True Believer, Dylann Roof:

"Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten."

Will the Real Terrorists Please Stand Up

I seldom comment on the larger social and political matters that are reported and commented on each day on television news, radio programs, blogs, and newspapers.  “Expert” commentators and leaders, and political entertainers, can keep you tense and occupied for hours each day - if you allow them to do so.  I don’t!  

Far too many Americans are prone to anger, violence, and hatred.  Each year, around 14,000 people are murdered in America. Television programs feature sex and violence, video games are violent, and news reports are filled with the horrors of unending violence in America.  I think too many Americans find violence entertaining.  Lately, the Christian fundamentalists and Islamic fundamentalists are waving their scriptures and shouting out their condemnation of homosexuals, womens’ rights, atheists, people of other religions, cartoons, science, secular states, and whatever else strikes their angry superstitious fancies.  Racists and ethno-phobes are everywhere.  The drums of war make many Americans much happier.  Americans are prone to gun mania and gun worship, and enjoy killing animals … seriously, with this kind of prevalent mental illness it is no surprise that 14,000 people are murdered each year in America, and that 724,000 aggravated assaults occur each year in America.  The incessant American worries about "Islamic terrorists” seems weirdly disproportionate to what Americans really do to themselves in fits of rage, anger, meanness, criminal intentions, gang bravado, stupidity, drug induced stupors, insanity, and callousness.  

We spent over 3.5 trillion dollars fighting in Iraq, and a total of 4,491 U.S. military service members were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2014.  After all that considerable effort to be aggressive and “a World Leader,” and fight the War on Terror, have we really stabilized Iraq and helped it become a highly productive or peaceful place to live in?  Americans killed over 109,000 people in Iraq since 2003; a nation not involved in the 9/11/2001 attack in New York, poor, and with no weapons of mass destruction.  Just another example of the penchant for violence that grips the American soul.  Give an American the most trivial excuse for bullying or anger or hatred or revenge or rage ... and bang bang your dead.  

On the other side of the coin, I've read that 90% of Americans own guns.  However, we rank at around 107th in murder deaths per 100,000 persons compared with other nations around the world.  If we would not count the impoverished areas of some large American cities, with their high unemployment among youth, gang affiliations, and drug business; murders per 100,000 would be substantially lower.  So, are Americans safer here?  Yes ... but, 14,000 murders per year still is shocking along with 724,000 aggravated assaults.  Americans bent on causing terror and violence is still our real threat.   

What solutions do I propose?  Few, really!  First, honesty about where the real violence occurs in America, and where the real dangers exist.  Second, high employment and better wages for the lower economic classes in the U.S.  Third, stop encouraging and preaching hateful and angry talk about others; and focus on self-reform, kindness, compassion, and patience. Fourth, acknowledge that Americans are prone to gun worship, and take delight in violence.  Fifth, stop being fooled and corrupted by macho motion pictures, violent video games, blowhard preachers, power hungry politicians, and political entertainment news; and, focus your daily actions on wholesome activities and constructive thoughts.  Sixth, be very suspicious of American warmongers.  

So, I turn off the TV and radio, read uplifting literature, walk and exercise, work in a decent occupation, stay at home, give money to good causes, mind my own business, and garden.  I try my best to not cause more violence, and try to discourage others from embracing hatred and violence. An old man like me can't do much more. 

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Chapter 30

Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 30

"He who would assist a lord of men in harmony with the Tao will not assert his mastery in the kingdom by force of arms.
Such a course is sure to meet with its proper return.
Wherever a host is stationed, briars and thorns spring up.
In the sequence of great armies there are sure to be bad years.
A skilful commander strikes a decisive blow, and stops.
He does not dare by continuing his operations to assert and complete his mastery.
He will strike the blow, but will be on his guard against being vain or boastful or arrogant in consequence of it.
He strikes it as a matter of necessity; he strikes it, but not from a wish for mastery.
When things have attained their strong maturity they become old.
This may be said to be not in accordance with the Tao.
What is not in accordance with the Tao soon comes to an end."
-   Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 30   


"He who with Reason assists the master of mankind will not with arms strengthen the empire.
His methods invite requital. 
Where armies are quartered briars and thorns grow.
Great wars unfailingly are followed by famines.
A good man acts resolutely and then stops.
He ventures not to take by force. 
Be resolute but not boastful; resolute but not haughty; resolute but not arrogant; resolute because you cannot avoid it; resolute but not violent.
Things thrive and then grow old.
This is called un-Reason.
Un-Reason soon ceases."
-   Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 30   

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu: Introduction, Bibliography, Commentary, Chapter Index  

Chapter 30 of the Dao De Jing by Laozi: Text and Commentaries  

Index of English Language Translators of the Tao Te Ching 

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices  

Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching