Do you TRUST the government? Do you believe that rioters are the only crowds they would seek to disperse? Do you trust everyone who may at one point be in the government? What about when they decide to drug rallies? What if it is a rally you agree with?
I'm imagining an NRA Million-Gun-March on the Washington Mall... after which the military/natguard dopes you all with valium or something else...
I would imagine this type of thing is being considered for Somalia type situations, where we are engaged in close combat with quasi-civilian/unarmed participants. Seems like a decent idea, if you aren't going to shoot to kill, that is....
Generally I do not. I believe the US Constitution is clear on the point that the citizens should not trust the government.
Do you believe that rioters are the only crowds they would seek to disperse?
Do you trust everyone who may at one point be in the government?
Obviously I do not.
What about when they decide to drug rallies? What if it is a rally you agree with?
These are all arguments for making leathal force the means of dispersing riots. If the government sharts shooting down peaceful protestors there is perforce then a civil war in progress. Since the decision to open full hostilities against a substantial portion of the populace is far more grave than the decision to medicate them so they calm down it tends to limit the government's wi;;ingness to take that step. The fact that the people being repressed generally do have the means to resist makes that decision even more difficult to make. Thus we as a nation maintain rule of law with the liberty to dissent and enjoy those rights enumerated in our Constitution.
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown