[mvpel]

Did you hear about the police chief of Lowell, Massachusetts complaining that women, in reaction to an at-large serial rapist, who were coming to the station and begging for permission to possess pepper spray were "arming themselves to the teeth," having made that statement with a Sig-Sauer semi-auto high-capacity 9mm handgun strapped to his hip?

Do you think that that particular police chief ever finds adequate "good cause" to issue a CCW to any of the residents of Lowell?

Reading that in the newspaper was the point at which I firmly resolved NEVER to live in the state of Massachusetts.

[robowombat]

The entire logic of civilian disarmanent as reflected by the fascist in Lowell is that the citizenry not have the means to defend themselves against either criminals or agents of governmental tyranny. I am quite sure people such as the cheif fascist of Lowell find such events as the Lowe's incident to be deeply satisfying as the desire is for the citizenry to be reduced to helplessness. Virtually all government 'training' programs dealing with crime or terrorism given to non law enforcement personnel emphasizess that the citizen should do NOTHING to defend himself but try and be observant to provide the law enforcement personnel with useful details when, and if, they show up after the event. Government wants citizens to be passive, non-paticipatory serfs to be fleeced and ordered about for the benefit of the insider cliques who government serves. The attitudes of the upper leadership of law enforcement are simply a more brazen varient of this general governmental attitude.

[.38sw]

Having pepper spray is "armed to the teeth"? And you need PERMISSION to carry pepper spray? Gawd.