Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins
The problem with "an alternative to violence" is that everyone has to agree to that alternative. As has been amply demonstrated in Australia, not everyone agrees.
Civil men must, at all times, be prepared to take up arms against uncivil men. That can be at an international level or at a very personal level. Our world will never, ever be free from those who would do us harm. The prudent nation, the prudent man, understands we cannot choose the place and time at which we will be forced to defend ourselves.
It is entirely possible to be "prepared" without being "paranoid". Detractors, those opposed to their fellow man's right to self-defense, will forever paint the well-prepared as "paranoid", perhaps in an effort to feel in some way superior in the face of their own weakness and lack of preperation, or their inability to grasp and deal with the reality of our world.
No one wants to live in a violent world. Some, apparently, believe they can close their eyes and wish it away. Others are far more realistic, understanding that violence will always be with us. There is a criminal element, a predatory element, a violent element in humankind that simply will not go away. It is our right, as civil men, to be prepared to deal with such should it threaten us. We seek "an alternative to violence" while understanding very clearly that not everyone does.
Those that choose to remain unprepared can certainly make that choice - for themselves. The disagreement starts when they would deign to make that choice for others. Oh, they convince themselves it's the righteous thing to do, because they believe (or really, really wish that) their plethora of gun legislation takes guns out of the hands of criminals. The more realistic know better; they understand that gun laws only dissarm the law-abiding, leaving that violent element ever more free to ply their trade without fear of serious consequence. The anti-gun, anti-violence set are certainly free to form their own opinions, to make their own choices, but they are not free to foist them upon the rest of us.
Again, we will always seek "an alternative to violence". But when vilence finds us, it must be answered. Fervently hoping it never does (and passing endless, ineffective legislation to that end) is not an answer. Being realistically prepared is.
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