From: VirgilT7@aol.com
Date: Wed Jul 08 1998 - 17:16:54 MDT
In a message dated 7/8/98 6:11:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
retroman@together.net writes:
<< No, police cheifs attribute the reduction to improved police work (of
course, they
need to take the credit), while the prime police cheif lobbying organizations
are
anti-gun, while the rank and file police officers and their representatives
are
pro-gun, and they will all tell you that the reduction is a result of more
armed
and active private citizens.>>
Well, I live in the city, and I can't recall hearing any rank and file police
officer saying anything of the sort. My friend happens to be one in fact,
graduated a few years ago, and he certainly doesn't think so. Matter of fact,
many seem to think that rates are going down because citizens are AVOIDING
problem areas, not taking care of problem areas with firearms.
<< If you have a population of people that is directly descended from a
feudal
population of serfs and peons, you will of course have a much more cattle-
like
acceptance of gun control, and gun control will be irrelevant, since a
cattle-like
population will have a much smaller percentage of deviant personalities than
one
that is made up of people who were kicked out of that cattle-like
population.>>
The French people have gone through FIVE different governments in the time we
have had ONE government. That's hardly cattle-like. Perhaps you should
review the history of Ireland, and see how "cattle-like" they were to British
government rule. As far as deviant personalities and behavior goes, try
visting the red-light district of Amsterdam. The overall trust and support of
government actually rates higher in the United States than most other nations
(no I can't recall the names of the polls or studies, so take it with a
grain). Point here that the thesis you offered is simplistic and doesn't
account for a large amount of evidence that indicates contrary to the thesis.
As far as crime rates go, I am not at all sure about this, but (pay attention
here Mark) I think that some European nations actually have higher rates of
rape and certain violent crimes than does the United States, as well as higher
rates of burglary.
The fact that one's ancestors were oppressed and accustomed to questionless
obediance does not mean that one today will also be accustomed questionless
obediance. As an explanation of foreign populations' acceptance of gun
control, it simply does not work.
Andrew
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