Brett Knowlton wrote:
> In fact, the more I think about this, the more I'm convinced that this
> notion that guns will prevent gov't abuses is out to lunch. Has it
> diminished Israeli repression in the occupied territories? Has it
> driven Britain out of Northern Ireland? I can't think of a single
> success story.
This is probably because your criteria for success is too high, even absolutist. IF the threshold for success is brought down to the more mundane level of historically progressive gains, things like an end to slavery, national liberation against a colonial power, civil rights, political elections and basic worker's rights then examples of success abound.
In the US, firearms were used by workers groups to achieve such gains as union recognition, a six day work week, an 8 hour work day, over-time pay hourly wages instead of piecework and in the case of the Wobblies, free speech. Louis Adamic's book *Dynamite: A Century of Class Violence in America* documents how many basic, and now taken-for-granted worker's rights were won in struggle that on occasion included firearms, pipe bombs and dynamite. Also, abolitionist "Bible and Rifle" churches in Kansas during the 1850's and 60's played an important role in securing the territory as a free state and thus helping to precipitate the end of slavery. It is simply a mistake to say nothing good has ever come from the civilian use of firearms in political struggle.
As for Ireland by almost all accounts the armed struggle of the IRA only became viable after non-violent methods were tried and brutally suppressed. So far I wouldn't call the IRA's armed struggle a success but the non-violent struggle that preceded it wasn't successful either.
In the case of Palestine the Isreali's, whose settlers in the occupied territories are armed to the teeth, seem to think armed Palestinians pose a threat, so much of a threat they have pursuaded Arafat to seize weapons from Hamas, the PFLP and even sections of his own Fatah faction. As Arafat's corruption and collaboration deepens he direly needs to demobilize the organizations and tools (including firearms) the Palestinian people used with significant success to raise the costs of Isreali occupation. Certainly firearms alone, haven't and won't liberate Palestine, but the thought of a renewed Intifada, but this time with thousands of people in the streets using Kalashnikov's instead of rocks and bottles, scares the shit of the Zionists.
Sean Noonan seanno at ksu.edu