Tuesday, November 29, 2011

How Bad Is It?

I hear a lot in the news about how Greece is effectively unable to pay its bills, and several other countries are in the same condition but the finance ministers are too polite to talk about it in polite (when the media is listening) company.

I guess I find it not too surprising that this article got pulled from the Guardian in England as being "too dangerous" but I guess I had not expected to see such a thing at all.

The author seems to feel that things are getting dicey enough that the Yanks Second Amendment is beginning to look like a really good idea, and recommends that persons with something worth defending seriously consider getting a gun to defend it with.

Free Advice: It's easier to defend a whole block by barricading the street at either end than it is to defend an individual residence or business. Get to know your neighbors. The ones who can't shoot can always spot for those who can.

3 comments:

Brad K. said...

I think there is a vast difference between *arming* a populace, and disarming one.

Arming Europe with guns might be a very good thing. We have seen in recent weeks what Tyrant governments can look like -- a change of leadership imposed by financial interests, a referendum of significant changes to the form of government considered, and dismissed by financial interests. We see what riots look like, how they can dismantle an existing government, but aren't so good at building a fair and just government to replace the old one.

But bring in millions of guns for millions of non-gun owners? That is a lot of cash flow, an opportunity for lots of graft, corruption, and swindling. Many people are unfamiliar with gun safety, or the need for practice.

To should that Europeans could be significantly safer today by allowing civilian gun ownership seems optimistic.

Now, if a government or citizens group were to organize a militia, to train a corps of citizens to understand guns, discipline, and effective use, including when and when not to use the gun to solve a problem, then send them home after a month or three with their weapons in hand, that would make a lot of sense. We should be doing that here in the US.

But Lois McMaster Bujold points out in her novels, that "a weapon is what you use to change your enemy's mind." That could be a handgun -- or a hunting rifle or shotgun. Or a broomstick or walking stick, or exercise bike powered air cannon. It could be a bucket of water at a useful moment, a loud and noise ankle-biting yappy little dog, or a neighborhood watchful of each other and trusting each other for support. Should every home have a small table by the door with a stack of small rocks kept handy, and each child and adult practice throwing such rocks? It won't help against the organized attack, but might help, with the help of neighbors, keep the individual opportunist or bully on better behavior.

Besides, gathering and throwing rocks and exercising with walking sticks is good exercise, as we learn to be more aware of situations that could become dangerous.

The real danger I see in Europe taking a simple, "let people own guns" approach, is the very real likelihood that they will establish a paper trail of ownership, as America has been doing. And South Africa showed us how that can be used by tyrants and thugs to gather up a wealth of weapons while disarming the victim/subject population.

An armed populace as a deterrent for crimes and tyranny requires anonymity of ownership as much as skill with and possession of weapons.

shoota45acp said...

Thanks Billlll, I found your Blog while doing research on load data for my CZ-82. It's always nice to connect with like-minded people and read what they have to say. You inspired me to start a Blog today. (I attempted one on my deployment to Iraq but ran out of time and desire quickly, everything was "Classified") It's good to see that you've been at it for quite a while.

Billll said...

Welcome to the circus. Always room for one more.

BTW: While I was experimenting with loads for my 82, I eventually settled on 2.8gr of Titegroup under a 92 gr Berrys plated round nose bullet. I also upgraded to an 18 lb spring from Wolf. It works well for me giving 1050 fps. Hodgdon's data calls for more powder and promises less velocity, but I couldn't tell you what they're shooting it out of.