More weapons-ban talk (Slowtime of last night's discussion)

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

(locked to notsouledyet, valentine_tart, and emo_padawan)

Continued from here:

"Hypothetically I wouldn't do jack since I don't care about the ban one way or another," Angelus said. "But if somebody was asking my advice the first thing I'd ask in return is what they think the weapons ban is really about."

Comments

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angelus sat back, listening to the conversation as it flowed. Finally he commented, as though more to any invisible people who might be eavesdropping than as an interruption of Anakin and Beka, "Or the problem isn't actually about weapons at all."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin quirked up an eyebrow. "How do you see it, then?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"You can't solve this one through M.A.D.," Angelus said. "Mutually assured destruction is part of what started the damn thing. Present a solution of solving the weapons problem by adding more weapons - and I don't care how you phrase it but training, bodyguards, hoops to jump through, whatever all translate to more weapons - and I'll have a good time watching all of you try to push that rock up that never ending hill. It's not the weapons that are the damn problem. Take a step back. Think about it." To Anakin specifically he added, "You were close."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin tried not to show how pleased he was that Angelus thought he was on to something. He crinkled his forehead. "It's not the weapons. The distrust, then? I'm just not thinking clearly any more."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"The whole damn thing gives me a headache," Angelus gave him a friendly pat on the back. "I can't blame you. And yeah, the problem is the fear and distrust. All the solutions so far only escalate things. You have a gun, so I want a bigger gun. You have a bigger gun, so now I want an uzi. You have an uzi so now I want a flaming sword with the power to pull lightening and unicorns out of my ass. The only thing focusing on the weapons does is heighten the molehill that made that mountain in the first place. If you want your weapons back, you need to squash the moles."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin blinked for a moment at the sudden image of unicorns being pulled out of someone's ass. Yeah, he really needed to stop thinking about this. "Okay. Other than powerful narcotics in the water supply, which I'm not assuming aren't already there, how do we convince a group of people who've seen shootings, zombies, gremlins, and beings they've never even imagined going to classes with them that there's nothing to be afraid of?"

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Didn't say it would be easy," Angelus pointed out. "But it can be done. You can sell ice boxes to Eskimos if you do it well enough. Regardless, I can promise you that unless somebody finds a way to calm everybody the hell down ain't nobody getting back so much as a butter knife."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

Anakin put his head down on the common room table and sighed. "This is making negotiations on Kashyyk look like a walk on the beach." He looked Angelus. "But you have a point. And I'm not sure you, or I, or even Beka, is the right person to be telling everyone around here that we're entering a new era of peace and rainbows. Well, and be believed."

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

"Ah, see," Angelus grinned. "That's exactly where you're wrong. But here, you're getting tired. Tell you what, if I'm free tomorrow afternoon I'll make myself available for you or anyone else who wants to keep talking about it. And, ah - " he leaned in, putting his arm around Anakin's shoulders. "Maybe you and me grab a coffee or something at some point? I'm worried about you, buddy. I don't want you thinking you're all by yourself in this post zombie mess."

[emo-padawan.livejournal.com]

"Now I'm intrigued." Anakin stood up and stretched. "But my brain has had about enough for tonight."

He looked at Angelus and gave a genuine smile. "And coffee would be good." He left the room thinking that the stories people were telling about Angelus were blown completely out of proportion.