Michael M. Butler wrote:
> >Of course, today there is a real question as to whether an armed citizenry
> >is really a significant barrier to oppression, but that's a different
> >argument.
>
> Gee, usually the armed citizenry is doing real well. Look at any warlord.
>
> Maybe the Kosovo situation would help us find out--someday--if someone
> armed and trained the Armenian Kosovars and they got their tactical act
> together. Nah, who'm I kidding?
>
> Besides, the Armenian Kosovars are in the majority; why don't they simply
> _vote_ peace into existence?
>
>
> </sarcasm_off>
>
> >Of course, today there is a real question as to whether an armed citizenry
> >is really a significant barrier to oppression, but that's a different
> >argument.
>
> Part of the answer appears to be, "it depends." A _sufficiently_ armed
> citizenry would be. The problem is, few people around here trust their
> neighbors to handle the sufficient arms, but they do trust people they''ve
> never met. So it's self-fulfilling; or is that self-deluding? And maybe
> they're right; or maybe the only thing that keeps the machine from flying
> apart is the 5 Weight Oil of Good Times--complacency.
While many make at least a half hearted attempt to be prepared, most are insufficiently prepared, and are relying on their own self delusion.
>
>
> Another part of the answer appears to be "--Barrier? I see no barrier!" A
> deterrent is only a deterrent if it's credible--_vide_ Dr. Strangelove's
> interrogation of the Soviet Ambassador. Capability _and_ intent. And a
> certain amount of imperfect information.
Depends on the intensity of the level of conflict. I have recently come the the conclusion that somewhere between 20%-40% of all firearms privately owned in the US are usable as infantry weapons. Most of the rest are for personal defense use. Only 10 percent are exclusively usable for hunting. 60% of households own at least one firearm here, compared to less than 5-10% in large cities. The disparity in the crime stats I think is indicative of the deterrent effect.
>
>
> MMB, remembering the Scout motto even if it isn't popular when the Dow is
> at 10k
Ha, yeah. I'm stocking up for my End o' the World Party at my camp in January. Bunks are available...
--
TANSTAAFL!!!
Michael Lorrey, President
Lorrey Systems
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mailto:mike@lorrey.com
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"A society which trades freedom for some measure of security
shall wind up with neither." -----Benjamin Franklin
"The tree of Liberty should be watered from time to time
with the blood of tyrants and patriots."
-----Thomas Jefferson
"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security
of a Free State, the Right of the People to keep and bear
arms shall not be infringed." -----US Constitution,
2nd Amendment
"You can have my gun when you pry it out of my cold, dead
hands..." -----Anonymous
"Once we got their guns away from them, taking their
money was REAL easy." -----Unknown North Korean
Commissar