On Sun, 16 May 2004 10:10:34 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

Gunner wrote:
On Sat, 15 May 2004 19:45:30 GMT, Ian Stirling
wrote:

John Ings wrote:
On Sat, 15 May 2004 05:47:00 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell

You still haven't got the message have you Gunner? Orwell wasn't
talking about a privately owned weapon! That's a government issue
rifle for a Home Guard member he's referring to! The Brit equivalent
of a national Guard member.

To expand on this, the quote is from an article in the
Evening Standard, 8 Jan 1941, "Don't let Colnel Blimp ruin the Home Guard."

"Even as it stands the Home Guard could only exist in a country where
men feel themselves free. The totalitarian states can do great things,
but there is one thing they cannot do, they cannot give the factory
worker a rifle and tell him to take it home and keep it in his bedroom.
THAT RIFLE HANGING ON THE WALL OF THE WORKING-CLASS FLAT OR LABOURER'S
COTTAGE IS THE SYMBOL OF DEMOCRACY. IT IS OUR JOB TO SEE IT STAYS
THERE."

From http://www.orwelltoday.com/readerriflequote.shtml

Bravo Ian!

Actually, I happen to agree with the poster that this fundamentally
disagrees with your position on what Orwell meant by this.

How so, given a clear reading of the above? Even the English Bill of
Rights gives full and clear approval of the right to self defense.

Gunner

That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell