From brettk at unica-usa.com Wed Apr 21 10:41:32 1999
But in urban and suburban settings things are much different.
In fact, the urban setting is the place where self defense is much more important, especially if you are poor and/or live in a "bad" neighborhood. It's the place where the power inequality between those who are armed and those who are not leads to temptation not resistable by many. And it's a place where it's difficult to get the police to come out and help you.
Gun control laws in the US have their roots in racist and classist ideas about who is "worthy" of self-defense and who is to be feared. This legacy, such as it is, continues even in places where you'd believe that "no one" has guns: in California, for instance, both Senators (Boxer & Feinstein), as fierce anti-gunners as they come, have concealed weapons permits and pack on a regular basis -- despite the fact that it's next to impossible for their next door neighbors to. Cronyism and abuse abound due to the restrictions against "ordinary" citizens.
So if you think that just the rich and powerful ought to be able to have guns (presumably to more fully exercise their power of you), then you're on track.
People are more tightly packed and come in contact with each
other constantly. There are plenty of frustrations to deal
with on a daily basis (traffic jams, lines at the supermarket,
job related stuff, whatever). Plus any crazies can kill that
many more people if they snap.
The problem with this is that the events you're talking about are rare. They are rare in the suburbs, they are rare in the cities, and they are rare in rural areas. They just don't happen very often. The fact that they get such a huge amount of media attention should be questioned! If I'm frustrated in traffic, don't you think a better weapon to kill you with is my SUV (note: I *don't* have an SUV, I'm just making a point!)? A weapon is a weapon; deadly assault doesn't just come from the end of a barrel.
There's plenty of counterfactual evidence: places where the densities are higher and gun ownership is higher that have no such incidents of the kind you're worried about. That's what this all comes down to: fear. You're just afraid it will happen, you don't have any actual reason to believe it will.
And this seems to be what the evidence shows as well (although
I admit I don't have a good command of the facts on this issue
- this is merely an impression from anecdotal evidence).
I'm amazed when people see a few incidents like these and extrapolate to the large. At least you realize that you may be doing just that.
Here's my suggestion: go buy a gun (unless you can't, like if you live in DC or NYC, or of course if you're a convicted felon!) and learn to shoot it. You'll learn something new and you'll have first-hand evidence of what changes someone goes through once they posses a weapon. You'll also be engaging in Constitutionally protected behavior, and maybe you'll feel good about doing your patriotic duty. Maybe you'll even feel a little smug over the British & Ausies on this list who can't do it.
Ok, that's a little extreme. How about just *imagine* you've done so. Now go out in traffic and see if it makes you any more likely to shoot someone just because they cut you off.
I dare you; report back to the list when you're done! :)
/jordan