re: Cheaper than

First, great discussion everyone. I think this topic really highlights the importance of both self defense and the right to bear arms in a free society. In a free society, a police force is by its very nature a reactive force. This is because the only way you can make a police force a proactive force which can actually prevent crime is to make them into a Gestapo-like secret police which can and usually does seriously violate the civil rights of all. A police force of this type also tends to 'prevent' crime through the abject terror they instill in the populace.

It is always a sad tragedy when you hear of a person who has been killed by someone who that person had a restraining order against. But in exchange for our freedoms and our civil liberties, we have to take on a certain responsibility for our own well being and protection. Years ago this was better understood in this country. As government has grown in the last 100 years, and common sense has shrunk, citizens have come to expect their government to take care of them from cradle to grave. As long as we hold tight to our freedoms, though, we will still be ultimately responsible for protecting out own life and liberty. Thus, the illegality of concealed carry in Wisconsin is the ultimate in muddled logic. The message being sent to Wisconsin citizens right now is, "hey, the police can't be held responsible for preventing someone from taking your life because that's not their role this society. But you know what? We're not going to let you protect your own life, either. You can run, duck, or hide, though. We're cool with that." We are left nearly impotent to protect ourselves against identified threats, and that's why concealed carry is so important to many of us in Wisconsin.