Word: gunness
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...small, unmanned vehicle barreled on minitank tracks across the tarmac, looking more like a playground toy than a sophisticated and lethal weapon of war. But as its six high-powered cameras and thermal-imaging night sight scanned the crowd and its menacing M-249 machine gun turned in search of targets, soldiers and civilians nervously scattered out of its path, just in case...
...Gun-control advocates are distraught over this development, predicting a rise in everything from road-rage episodes to gang violence. Gun toters may wrongly assume they have "total immunity from prosecution," said Miami police chief John Timoney. The law's supporters dismiss such concerns as liberal hysteria and extol the bill's passage as a victory for law-abiding citizens. Wayne LaPierre, the N.R.A.'s excruciatingly macho executive vice president, crowed, "[This will] make criminals pause before they commit their next rape, robbery or murder...
Though irritating, LaPierre's cockiness is perhaps justified. The Bush years have been good to the N.R.A. With Republicans running Washington, cowed Democrats are afraid to utter the words gun control even in the privacy of their homes. As a result, despite polls showing that most Americans support sensible gun laws, the N.R.A. has opposed even popular measures like renewing the 1994 ban on assault weapons (which Congress let lapse last year). At this point, the N.R.A. won't even support banning the sale of guns to terrorist suspects on the no-fly list. Pressed on the matter, LaPierre...
Alas, despite its oft professed commitment to keeping weapons away from the bad guys, the N.R.A. clearly has no use for any gun laws--other than some Wild West, kill-or-be-killed law of the streets. But, hey, if that's the way the gun lobby thinks we should start handling disputes in this country, maybe it's time the Democratic Party stopped agonizing about gun control and started brushing up on its aimif only for purposes of self-defense. I'd be happy to organize a trip to the skeet range anytime, guys. My Volvo seats five...
...Hall--the release of George Lucas' space opera marks the point at which American film shook off any aesthetic aspirations and embraced explosions. Depending on what kind of movies you like--the Bonnie and Clyde-- Midnight Cowboy artiness that preceded Lucas' blockbuster-to-change-all-blockbusters or the Top Gun--Matrix bombast that followed--Star Wars was either the end or the beginning...