by Most Lee Harmless » Fri Aug 25, 2017 11:54 pm
Resisting tyranny is a great line : who could argue with that? Until the 'tyranny' is actually defined, that is : After all, federal laws against segregation were deemed by many to be a 'tyrannical' abuse of states rights whilst for many of those being subjected to segregationist laws, the 'tyranny' lay elsewhere. One mans terrorist is another mans freedom-fighter is a sad truth. 'Hang Nelson Mandela' was a common enough statement in my youth, now he is a virtual saint. So, do you want armed anti-abortionists, or armed pro-choicers 'defending' themselves from 'tyranny' by imposing their view on you at gunpoint? Heck, I fear armed Beliebers rounding up non-beliebers for 're-education' too. Such an event would warrant fully automatic firearms in every household, but will you cheer when its your teenage daughter getting blown apart by them? Well, all very surreal and extreme, but its in such extremities that humor reveals harsh bitter truths : lacking some form of political and social mediation, we would be just as happy burning each other for worshipping the wrong god, or the right god, just in the wrong way, as much as for liking the wrong latest teen sensation, wearing the wrong clothes, having the wrong skin color, or a possessing a name spelt way funny. I'm not sure I fancy having some alt-right whacko defending me from 'tyranny' by imposing their own on me. I'm happy to say the same about the alt-left too. Fact is, humanity is way too fecking stupid en masse to be trusted with defining concepts like tyranny when even in 1940 entire sections of decent western democracy still thought Mr Hitler was a damn fine fellow and really had much to teach us all. Even more worrying is when there are serried ranks of fine up-standing freedom lovers who still think he was just mis-understood. No, governmental control of arms is not ideal, its not perfect, its not even constitutional in some places : but its a bit more reassuring than having the Armed Revolutionary Commie Caucus, or the Pure White Angelical Liberation Army save my soul by, well, helping me to realise they hold the eternal truth regarding what tyranny, and whats not.
-1 : Move to archive.