Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Guns

On June 15, 2009 The Times of London said: “At El Paso, Texas where one can own a gun, the crime rate is very small. Across the border in Mexico, where you cannot own a gun the crime rate is horrendous. I find it interesting that in Europe, the state has a right to armed self-defense, while the citizens do not.”

I was born and raised in Texas, and I am well educated and well travelled. Much of what I believe in regarding politics is so liberal that a few of my really close friends lovingly call me a pinko. One would think that I would be heavily opposed to guns.

I think most of the right-wing NRA types are raving lunatics. Nonetheless I have a permit to carry a concealed & loaded hand gun, and virtually all of the time I am armed. This is for self defense. If some drugged up lunatic wants to threaten me with physical harm, at my age I need a little help to defend myself.

Guns don’t cause crimes. Really. The bad guys have guns whatever the law says. What matters is culture, and a respect for the concept of rule-of-law. Mexico is completely missing the latter.

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