John is definitely one of my favorites. On that subject here is the letter to the editor I sent a couple days ago.
The slaughters in Paris demonstrate the folly of declaring an entire country a gun free zone. The French government has confiscated the inherent natural right of self-defense not only for average citizens, but law enforcement as well. Unfortunately, French elites will probably avoid consideration of personal freedom and protection. Count on them to intensify the ruinous strategies that produced such idyllic environments for satisfying additions to barbarity.
In this country count on gun control acolytes to construct tortured perception of events and press their traditional agendas rather than allow a focus on predators and criminals. In the United States protecting Constitutional guarantees regarding firearms in common usage should be paramount. The inherent natural right of self-defense should always occupy a position superior to opposing laws or rules. Yet there is little chance future discussions will begin along those lines.
I think I heard this morning that France is requesting armed help from other EU nations to maintain security in France. How very French of them.
Just a few minutes ago I heard some former federal officials lamenting the fact that terrorists are successfully using encryption to hide their communications.
The implication was that we would all be better off if we surrendered our right to privacy in trade for better security.
I pointed out to my wife that, right after 9/11, there were muslims jumping up and down in Iran holding signs that read, "Death to America". The message wasn't encrypted.
We know who our enemies are. We know where they are. And we do less than nothing about it.
Iran should be bombed into the stone age. The destruction should continue until their official policy is changed to the following:
1) Christians, Jews, and others have a right to life and a right to peacefully follow their religious teachings.
2) The principle that Islam must be extended to all peoples of the world by force is immoral and is rejected.
Lighter sanctions can be used to address other distasteful tenets of Islam should they decide to follow the above.
And in the face of practical advice from none other than Machiavelli, who wrote that the wise Prince arms his men, because it helps bind his men to him and increases the safety of his principality.
Not if you're a Fabian, I guess -- or a socialist of any stripe. The sole exception I can think of is the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, who, conjuring a threat from the United States, concluded an agreement to buy and license-build over 1,000,000 new-pattern AK-103 assault rifles for issue to his party members, making them a Militia.