Chinese load up on guns for profit and protection: Homemade arms reflect distrust of police

Baltimore Sun ^ | May 11, 2002 | Frank Langfitt

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LOWER YUAN FAMILY VILLAGE, China - When a feud between villagers here and a neighboring community turned violent, people didn't turn to police for help but took matters into their own hands.

The villagers made guns.

Police, after all, are distrusted because of their tendency toward corruption, and local officials can be all too easily influenced by personal connections. Better, the villagers decided, to protect themselves. Pooling together $5,000 and working from their homes, farmers here manufactured about 40 shotguns and more than 100 hand grenades.

As word of the private arsenal spread, the rival villagers backed off.

[Enemy Of The State]

Its already posted there. :)

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[tallhappy]

Thanks for this. Frank Langitt is one of the better journalists covering China.

[NovemberCharlie]

Reminds me of a political cartoon I saw years ago. It was titled, "The importance of the Second Amendment." It consisted of an American colonial on the left, holding a musket. He was labelled, "American Minuteman, 1776." On the right was a Chinese standing in the same pose, but he was holding a broom instead. He was labelled, "Chinese Protester, 1969."

Telling.

[Shooter 2.5]

"Villagers say officials confiscated the guns not only because they were illegal but because authorities worried the weapons might one day be aimed at the government.

Everything was fine until the lightbulb inside the brain of the local propaganda minister lit up.

[sleavelessinseattle]

Great Article...Workers paradise BTTT