Good point LH. Debate ideas and logic, not persons (minus your "colorful" language [though I do share the feeling]). I've posted it before and will do so again, here. Google "INFORMAL FALLACIES". This will give you some basics of logical discourse. It's interesting and fun and if you heed the rules you too will sound intelligent! When one knows the laws of logic you can debunk TV commercials (they are the worst), news casts and talking heads, professors in the classroom (could be some trouble here) and, of course, specious arguments found on the internet. I believe this is what Big Mick is trying to get across.

Everybody has an opinion. Sometimes two or three at the same time. But NOT everybody has a CONSIDERED opinion, that is an opinion based in fact and presented logically. Pardon me if I get a little pedantic but I do feel school IS in order for some. Words are the building blocks of thought and reason. Grammar and syntax and the like are how we construct our thoughts to convey meaning and not just meanness. This, and a mutual respect for your audience, is the basis for civil discourse, i.e. "dialog" and not a monologue.

Concerning the point about God given rights: It is the Declaration of Independence which states that we are endowed by our Creator with certain INALIENABLE rights (emphasis mine). Jefferson enumerates that among these God-given rights are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Inalienable means that no one, NO ONE can take these rights from you. The Declaration says that these rights are ours to secure. The idea here is that if someone, anyone is trying to deprive you of these rights you should resist by any and all means. By extrapolation certain corollaries are derived such as the right to protect your life and the right to the necessary means to protect your life, i.e. the right to keep and bare arms. Jefferson and the signers recognized these truths to be self evident, as do I and most freedom loving Americans. If you can't see this, then God help you. You belong to the biggest bully on the block.