“[H]e that thinks absolute power purifies men's blood, and corrects the baseness of human nature, need read the history of this, or any other age, to be convinced to the contrary.”

Some early American colonial Christian groups thought and taught that guns and violence was immoral. They had one security person escort them to church to protect them apparently from wild Indians. It is a mixed bag. To be secure in your person, property and rights is a wonderful thing. Guns may help provide this secutity or they can be a threat to this security. It certainly is true that violence breeds violence and the more guns one side has the more the other will need. The cost of this "arms race" is a drag on the quality of life of all humanity.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Waffler, a question for you. A burglar stands across the street from two houses. He knows one owner is unarmed and the other has a 12 guage shotgun. Which house do you think he will rob? That question is almost simple enough for you to get it, then again, maybe not.

"Absolute Power' is an aberration - say like Hitler . Saddam Hussein . They are politicians 'gone mad' and the citizenery of the regieme who have successively let go their half-share of power would have become zombies. But still there would be resistence from some folks and the regiem will be overthrown. The process is a tragic waste. So - It depends on the citizenery to 'safeguard' their share of political power - by way a keeping together as citizens and not lose power through the placation of their individual or temporary association-perks.