differentia specifica (was: guns & purses (was Re: guns & crime)

[Carl Remick]

>From: Wojtek Sokolowski <sokol at jhu.edu>
>
>Also, I do not think that Amerikkkan infatuation with guns has its roots in
>the nature of capitalism.  It would be too noble.  We should rather seek
>its roots in the fact that the New World was originally no more than a
>penal colony - a dumping ground for criminals and assorted undesirables.
>The culture of violence they brought with them evenetually sublimed to the
>'god-given' right to bear arms - which is a wet dream of every criminal.

I think you're on to something there, Wojtek.  Despite the "huddled masses 
yearning to breathe free" mythology that every American grows up with, I've 
come to believe that this nation attracted a good number of folks who were 
not oppressed so much as too violent, greedy or plain selfish to get on with 
their neighbors in the Old World.  That certainly fits in with the 
libertarian traits that Doug identified here yesterday -- traits that are 
consistent with the image of the USA as a nation of mean, self-seeking SOBs.

Carl
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