Final er Concluding Unscientific Postscript (thanks S\ufffdren!)

Addison, I believe you have indeed made a rather sane exposition of "why you feel safer, armed - in America (!) and on 7/11/01". And too - Christian doesn't live here.

Nor am I in any way ridiculing your above 'weighing of the probabilities' as you deem them. This screed is about that which we have a dearth of in Murica: a generalized overview without the omnipresent Slogans. If I'm lucky, that is. (The Murican Peepul is however, so omnipresent a shibboleth here - I simply cannot dispense with it and its implications. See?)

In Murica the barn door is not merely open: all its contents have been dispersed to the masses, so long ago and ongoing - there simply is not the slightest hope of ever, restoring the barn's contents.

In Finland (?) or at least in - most other so-called 'civilized' and wealthy Western countries (not to mention virtually All Eastern countries.. not currently fighting a guerrilla war, or getting ready for one):

The barn door was never opened. Not that there haven't always been weapons, just - not a massive preoccupation of the populace that - somehow it is an Allah- Krishna- God- given Important Right. Thus not: a fixation on the idea, then a fixation on the getting.. and all which has followed *here* from both.

Both CRC and I assert (not his words - maybe he shall demur on my version) - to *Liking The Feeling* that, I do not need to consider the pros/cons of arming myself in the company of the Gaussian distribution of my fellow country inmates. Not yesterday, not today - hopefully (never Certainly!) not tomorrow.

Conversely: we two at least, would assert (in each's unique choice of words) ~~ For me to have to adopt a Feeling that I Should next be armed: would constitute a reduction, of both subtle and overt dimensions, but a palpable Reduction in what I deem the Quality of life I would experience, henceforth.

If you are correct that such a Feeling has now been lost in many, in Murica (as you argue persuasively IS the case on 7/11/01) - then I say: Yes, for certain definitions of 'a felt need for personal security 24/7 in all locations', this may be so. For some, as of today.

But if you are arguing - and I think you have been - that *this situation* is not a Bad thing, is ~OK; 'don't worry pretty-little head' about it ? Then I reply: Oh No! - it is a very Big Thing. And that 'Big' is on a scale which shall not yield to mere stats or rationalizations or arrest records. Nor homogenization of the Large idea of Quality of a Life.

Lastly: I want to see occur.. increasing recognition of the mess we have made, thus awareness of the dimensions of the many 'messes' so that as many as possible ~"face what this Feeling IS, which they walk around in the penumbra of.." Then I want, and for all good reasons following from realizing what this Feeling IS:

That we gradually, painstakingly reach enough of an awareness and thus (plurality?) such that: we use our homo-sap minds to begin restoration of, a saner less dangerous citizenry and thus - place to live in:

Like most of the other rich and equally intelligent citizenries in the world, who have not bought our rationale - nor want to emulate "how we live" (though they like our toys - perhaps Too much - thus may.. follow us in other devolutionary ways. Dunno about that last. Everything future is unknowable.)



Ashton
Who, living in Murica-2001, just might ought to keep..
that cute SS S&W Captain's Special buried in the closet.. handier?

There IS no telling when, the DEA and Mr. Ashcroft and that military tactician guy decide - maybe to test my Saab for 20-yr. old flecks of unPharm-Chem-Taxed substances? which might.. be left over from the days? of <40-year prison sentences for personal usage in the privacy of one's home. A mass spectrometer - wouldn't be so Large an invasion of my privacy. Would it? Just in case I have been deviant, of course.

After all, if I'm not guilty and can simply document the entire history of every occupant of that car.. (and it's too old for the DEA to Really want it er 'confiscated for my safety and protection' without due process - they Like new BMWS, actually) -- well,

For not bein guilty and stuff: what do I have to fear in Murica 2001?

(Nope: the above scenario is palpable and not even exaggeration, from actual cases read about. People ARE now locked up for 40ish years for the crime of carrying a week? month? supply of fav EvilSubstance not Trademarked\ufffd. 3X will do it. (Er, do you doubt the veracity of this report? Lazy as I am I could likely find links - the new Source of Truth, we see))

Does this overt, daily injustice by the Govmint Armed Troops and their ovine supporters of Safety from 'Crime' for All cause me, in Sonoma County, to feel a er 'need to pack'?

Not Yet. (Hope I'd move to Helsinki or Paris or Oxford the very day I decide: I Should. And that would be: my present plan for future exigencies.)

A.