Up the Militia

A proposal to arm (nearly) all Americans.

7 comments:

Assistant Village Idiot said...

The relative risk does matter. I live in a NH suburb, where the violent crime rate is low, lowest in the nation, and has been since colonial times. If I were to go into Manchester or Nashua more frequently I might consider purchasing a firearm and putting in the cost, time, and effort to learn how to use it effectively. As I am clumsy, it might take me longer than others, but it is doable.

There are places in America where I would consider it necessary to carry a firearm. I don't have to go to those places, I don't find it necessary. There is an additional problem with my thinking on this, however. There may be a tendency for people to think that the guns themselves are the problem, and believe that introducing one into a community increases everyone's danger, the farther they get from actual experience with them. It may be that some target shooting, even without ownership, is sufficient treatment for that.

These things also change over time. The violent crime rate went down in Europe long before they changed the laws. In 1960 maybe you wouldn't need a gun anywhere in England. I don't think that is true today, and they may have backed themselves into a corner, eh?

RonF said...

If the author of that piece would check some State Constitutions he might find that he's limiting himself. For example, I live in Illinois. From Illinois' Constitution, Article XII, Section 1:

"The State militia consists of all able-bodied persons residing in the State except those exempted by law."

Those exempted by law are police, members of the Armed Forces, etc.

J Melcher said...

At least one militia-grade firearm should be regarded as analogous to an attorney ... if you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you at public expense.

raven said...

Every Honorably Discharged vet should be allowed to retain a service firearm, just like the Swiss.

It has occurred to me that a privately funded effort to supply AR15's to vets would be a useful endeavor both to support the militia and also cause mouth foaming inchoate rage among the minions of evil.

ymarsakar said...

Firearms are not powerful enough. These days I carry Divine WMDs.

The term Grim doesn't like is Armor of God.

Grim said...

It’s not the term that I dislike. It’s the hypocrites who usually invoke those particular verses.

Ymar Sakar said...

I pay less and less attention to human foibles and flaws. It is all part of the Divine plan. Although if people knew what i know, they would want arms more effective than their little pop tart .50 caliber, 12.7 mm long arms.