| SamuelRSmith said: Hitler had a much easier time getting into power because Germany's people were in economic and social disarry, the electoral system was far more proportionally representative, he killed off some of his opposing parties, he exploited holes in the German constitution, he bullied people to vote for him (and he still didn't get a majority until he arrested some members of the communist party), and he killed off many of his own party members. Do you really think this combination of circumstances will ever occur in the US? |
Sadly, I think it could be possible for a Chavez-type situation in a Western Democracy. Maybe even a Hitler redux. It's very unlikely, but still possible. All it would take is a hyper-loved president (such as a Bush, post-9/11) keeping very high approval ratings for a few years, which could lead the way to extended term limits, and eventually unlimited leadership. We already see this in the US Congress and Senate, with many Americans refusing to vote out long-tenured politicians. You could indeed have a 'perfect storm' and see rights erode in a matter 3-4 years to make America the shell of what it is.
Samuel, I agree that it's easier to illegally obtain something if it's legal for others. However, that doesn't mean you need to ban the product to take it out of the hands of those that can use the item for proper purposes. Perscription drugs come to mind. There are huge number(s) of busts of people illegally obtaining said drugs, and selling them to those that are addicted. Does that mean we ban drugs that are meant to help people?
In the same way, if you ban guns, you take away a person's right to self defense, hunting, militia-based defense, and other responsible acts that firearms provide.
And I'll again point to Hurricane Katrina, and the issue of responsible US citizens defending their homes from burglaries. It stands as a great example of how responsible gun ownership led to reduced crime in the wake of a national issue - where military and police were incredibly un-effective for the defense of people and their property.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
