On 8/22/2011 3:54 PM, Ed Huntress wrote:
..
If an armed society is one in which I'm always under the threat of
death, then stuff your armed society where the sun don't shine.

In a society where free citizens are armed, only the uncivilized are
under the threat of death.

I want a civilized society where we decide conflicts by law and the
ballot box,

Please, tell where there is such a place. At one time, I was naive
enough to think it was here in the USA. I eventually realized that the
public side of politics was like shadows of reality on the wall of a cave.

not one shaped by perpetual intimidation and coercion.

"shaped by perpetual intimidation and coercion"

Is there another way that governments maintain their power over people?

David