Dave Land wrote:

> First, with respect to the idea behind the Heinlein quote, it is  
> generally true that (reasonable) people are scrupulously polite in  
> the face of deadly force. 

Yep.

> An armed society is a society in which everyone is capable of 
> dealing  
> death. I will not live in fear. I do not want to live in a society  
> where "politeness" is enforced by the fact that if I do not suck up  
> to someone appropriately, they'll give me hot lead brain surgery.

I don't disagree with these sentiments. But that is a separate issue
altogether. It makes the society Heinlein was describing unappealing,
and to me at least, somewhat barbaric. But that doesn't make his words
'a crock of shit'. :)

That was my only point really. :)

Ritu

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