An armed society is a polite society

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Jim-in-Toledo
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An armed society is a polite society

Post by Jim-in-Toledo »

I have heard, and said: "An armed society is a polite society", and gotten various replies.

I am wondering: How would YOU explain the quote "An armed society is a polite society" to someone that doesn't understand where it came from or what it means. (Typically an Anti that tries to twist it).

Usually it seems to me that the majority of people who use this term seem to want to apply it to the "bad guy". (Not a good bet IMHO).
I believe that it applies more to the "good guy" who is armed, who is more likely to be polite because HE (or She) (not necessarily the bad guy) is armed, prepared to defend himself, and aware of the potential consequences of an armed response to any situation.

This would seem to lead to a reduction in the presence of "The Victim Mentality", which would in turn, lead the "bad guy" to look elsewhere for his victim.

This ramble doesn't sound quite right, but I think you can follow where I am going with this. If anyone can word it better, please do so, as I am interested in how this could be worded to make my point better.

Thoughts from anyone?
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Post by the right wing zealot »

I think your assessment is correct. However, never discount the fact that a bad guy thinking that any or all of his potential victims being equally armed as him, might not try to be a bad guy so fast. If you aren't sure someone else is "weaker", then you might want to think twice about attacking them. Sort of like that "fight in the dog" cliche.

That is why gun bans are so ineffective (not to mention Constitutionally illegal) because they create an instant group of victims.
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Post by NavyChief »

Jim -
The "An armed society is a polite society" blurb comes from any number of Robert Heinlein novels - I believe its first appearance was in the "Notebooks of Lazarus Long" but I could be mistaken.

In the context of his novels it most generally (if not always) referred to the mindset that you should have a care what you say/do to others as they just may very well call you on it. For all intents, "deuling for one's honor" was perfectly normal and acceptable in RH's world(s).

In our own context, I tend to believe that the more goblins are wondering whether I am armed - or maybe that lady over there - the safer everyone is. From the veiwpoint of pure social graces, being armed, by and large, takes away my option of returning someone's one-finger salute inasmuch as one of my duties as an armed citizen is to attempt to de-escalate a situation whenever possible.
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Post by Ursus americanus »

"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."

I think the second part of the quote explains it completely.
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A polite society

Post by AlanM »

"An armed society is a polite society." was put to paper by Robert A. Heinlein in the 1940s in Beyond This Horizon.

Here's a good comment on the line:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2004/ ... ed_society

Here's some more Heinlein quotes:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/autho ... nlein.html

I especially like:

"Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire. " RAH

Politely
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Post by OldManTod »

Excellent points..

" think your assessment is correct. However, never discount the fact that a bad guy thinking that any or all of his potential victims being equally armed as him, might not try to be a bad guy so fast."

I read the paper online the other day (cleveland.com, I refuse to give the Plain Dealer cash) and the 7-11 got robbed here the other day with a person who had a knife. I instantly thought, if the folks who were working were 1) legal citizens capable of having a CHL and/or 2) carrying a firearm, I could only imagine what would have happened...

Here is the scenario: I am working the slushee machine and somebody walks in, "yo dog, be am gimme cash the right now" with a 4 inch blade in hand, to which I respond with "son, you brought a knife to a gun fight, or better yet, let me say it in a language you can understand, hit am the deck yo, cuz I plan on be bustin a cap if yo be am plannin in deploying the blade".

I may stop by and see if they post no guns...

T
Last edited by OldManTod on Sat Aug 27, 2005 7:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by NavyChief »

Thank you, Alan. I've read so much of his stuff at various times over the years it sort of blurs together. Oddly, I only read "Beyond This Horizon" a couple years ago. That may be the first appearance of it, but it was by no means the last...

Possibly my favorite:
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

Source: Lazarus Long in Time Enough For Love
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Post by Glock and dagger »

That is why gun bans are so ineffective (not to mention Constitutionally illegal) because they create an instant group of victims.
Ineffective wasn't exactly the term I would use to describe gun ban. That means it doesn't do any good, which is arguably true, but consider that gun bans are the problem. That would make them counterproductive, right?

Here's another apple of wisdom (not exactly conventional, however):

Could it be that a gun ban is doing exactly what its authors want it to do? That they don't want you armed, in the first place, so that when the hammer drops, we're all SOL, and they are safe and cozy, I believe is the endgame of gun kontrol. And every single time some criminal [expletive deleted -- TR], that they refused to deal with and put away, commits a crime with a gun (or box cutters, as has been evidenced in recent history) it justifies even more gun kontrol (provided the populace is stupid enough to believe this).

So... who's the real criminal, anyway?
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Post by Petrovich »

Here is the scenario: I am working the slushee machine and somebody walks in, "yo dog, be am gimme cash the right now" with a 4 inch blade in hand, to which I respond with "son, you brought a knife to a gun fight, or better let, let me say it in a language you can understand, hit am the deck yo, cuz I plan on be bustin a cap if yo be am plannin in deploying the blade".
That's hilarious... :D
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Post by Wayne »

Petrofergov wrote:
Here is the scenario: I am working the slushee machine and somebody walks in, "yo dog, be am gimme cash the right now" with a 4 inch blade in hand, to which I respond with "son, you brought a knife to a gun fight, or better let, let me say it in a language you can understand, hit am the deck yo, cuz I plan on be bustin a cap if yo be am plannin in deploying the blade".
That's hilarious... :D
I must agree P4G :lol:
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