[NOTE: The following will eventually touch upon photography, but will
resolve absolutely nothing. - Lex]
From: Andrew Fildes <afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
You live in fear of violence and choose to
protect yourself with a form of violence...
That's a common misapprehension, even among Americans. I have relatively
little fear of violence. As has already been mentioned, driving is far more
risky. Many other hazards far surpass violence statistically.
But the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is, essentially, to protect the entire
Constitution and most importantly the 1st Amendment, freedom of speech and
to peaceably assemble to petition the government for redress of grievances.
That is by far the preferable method for solving problems and assuring the
continuance of the Great Experiment - the uniquely American form of self
governance, the constitutional representative republic.
If I fear violence at all it is of the type perpetrated by agents of those
in positions of power within the government who abuse their power by
assaulting a nation's own citizens. While it is statistically insignificant
in the United States, I can think of nothing more evil on Earth. Since the
birth of this Republic such rogue agents have occasionally attacked citizens
engaged in legitimate protest. I believe that only the first two amendments
have kept this in check and prevented a horrifying trend toward tyranny.
While others will certainly disagree I would prefer a protracted civil war
between relatively equally armed factions than the interminable, grinding,
mind-numbing, spirit-crushing genocide committed by a vastly superior power
against any who dare disagree.
Above all I would prefer peace and tolerance to pursue that elusive
happiness. Liberty, in other words.
It's just that we here in Aus. have a very similar society to yours...
Unlikely. There is no society on Earth like the USA. Just as there is no
place quite like Australia.
... and we mostly manage without them.
The Australian government has given its citizens no choice. Where there is
no agreement as to recognition of fundamental human rights, all actions are
priveleges which can be rescinded. The concepts of self-protection,
property ownership, free expression ... all subject to whim - and, yes, that
includes one of our most beloved, photography.
Lex
===
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