Originally posted by Iain
Sure, guns might work as a last ditch effort to repel a weak despotic state, but firstly they are not going to work against any well established state repleat with a full suite of oppressive mechanisms, and secondly, there are a whole host of societal and material delimitors surrounding the emergence of a totalitarian state that are going to rob you of your ability to resist long before they finally get around to taking away your guns.
You might tell that to the Afghan mujahideen about their long resistance against their Russian occupiers. The Russians, you might recall, were soundly beaten time and again by men and boys armed with 19th century weapons against "superior" Russian infantry and tanks, and were really only able to begin to make any significant headway by using helicopters and booby traps in a campaign that was nearly a form of genocide.
Of course, the U.S supported the muhahideen, which is how we got Osama bin Laden in the first place....
Interesting statment about the whole host of societal material delimitors....what exactly do you know about the current state of American domestic policy that leads you to believe we aren't seing those very factors now?
Aaron J. Cuffee
As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
- H.L. Mencken