Sam, #37, you misunderstand the meaning of the saying “An armed society is a polite society.” You apparently believe that an armed society is centered on power through fear, and composed of “obnoxious bullies.” Yes, there are bullies and obnoxious people in America, including some who are armed. So what? When did it become unlawful to be obnoxious? Threaten someone – especially with a firearm – and you have quite possibly committed a felony. However, being obnoxious is not a crime, nor is a little fear – I prefer the term “respect” – a bad thing in relations between people. Do you realize we are living in a jungle, and that the line between civilization and chaos, between restraint and anarchy, is very thin? In the old west, the Colt revolver was called the “great equalizer,” because it could be loaded and fired by anyone.
The same is true today: the physically weak, the elderly, all of those who once were preyed upon by criminals with impunity, were elevated into parity with their attackers by the firearm. Consider the following thought experiment: If you knew your 80-year old mother ws about to be assaulted and then gang-raped in her home by home invaders, or even murdered, which would you rather she have – (a) a loaded firearm and the training to use it, or (b) nothing but her wits? I know how I’d choose. There is no guarantee she will survive if she is armed, but there it is near-certainty she will not if she is unarmed.
“Polite,” then, does not mean in the sense of Miss Manners, but of having a healthy respect for one another, backed up by force if necessary.
