An armed society is a polite society

"Anonymous" responded to my link to Mark Steyn's column on Guns, God and American Wellbeing with this comment: "An armed society is a polite society."

We appreciate our readers and any thoughtful, civil comments they offer. Actually when I first read the comment, I thought Anonymous (who I think is a Dutchman from the sixteenth century) wrote "unarmed." I was going to respond with these two references.

1. John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, sections 4, 6 (pay especially close attention to the word "ought"), 13 and 127.

2. Dilbert cartoon, where Dogbert dreams of a world where everyone renounces violence forever. When Dilbert commends the beauty of this sentiment, Dogbert says (punchline!): "If nobody else was violent, I could conquer the whole stupid planet with just a butter knife."

But actually, Anonymous has a sober view of human nature.