Dear Editor:
Once again, more plainly now, our governing authorities at the federal level have told us that they really cannot protect us. Acts of terrorism are inevitable (as if we did not know that).
1. Attacks on restaurants and other places where Americans assemble (but of course the authorities have, de facto, disarmed us by refusing gun permits).
2. Use of so-called “dirty” bombs. These have been described, in general terms, as nuclear devices which kill by spreading radiation over a wide area (a Russian scientist says that taking potassium iodine within the first four hours of contamination could protect most of but, of course, we are not allowed to possess potassium iodine).
3. Kidnaping busloads of school children (again, we are de facto disarmed).
4. Contaminating white powder cocaine with white powder anthrax (which probably is already underway in Afghanistan where poppy production is soaring). The simple solution here is either a) have the pharmaceutical industry control the production of pure cocaine; or b) for users to stop its use (if they do not, the airborne anthrax will bring about the halt in use of cocaine).
5. Using shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missiles to bring down a passenger liner. What usually isn’t mentioned is that we are on our own when it comes to crime being practiced by our fellow citizens.
I suggest that we all read “Dial 911 and Die” a book which recounts the inability of our police authorities to respond to our cries for help, no less prevent a crime in the first place. This book plainly states a fact: police have a responsibility to the community at large and not to any one person who is in need. Suing them for failure to prevent a crime is futile. Despite this, we are – de facto – disarmed and relieved of our constitutional right to carry arms.
We are not allowed to carry guns And, which the naysayers will opine we should not carry guns because we may bring harm to ourselves;, we might note that police carry guns, yet they cannot guarantee their own safety.
Protecting yourself is the only likely way to survive an assault; dependence upon the police is fruitless (Chandra Levy comes to mind) although there are no guarantees.
Frank X. Landrigan
First Amendment Press