yes, thank you thank you thank you. why do people always fail to take this into account??
and the the 2nd amendment is there for a reason. it's not some add=on afterthought whatever. it's RIGHT AFTER the first amendment because it's the only thing that has a chance of enforcing it and ensuring its survival.
you say why do we fear the government? why are they killing so many of us?
do you realize that the only reason you're enjoying the rights that you take for granted are because people before you paid for it with their blood? if most other western countries have forgotten that and freely give up their arms, that's their business. as much as i bitch about the US, our gun ownership is one of the things i am THE MOST PROUD OF.
i guess you're lucky you live in new zealand--i don't know much about it (but would love to, looks like a beautiful place). maybe your physical isolation allows you greater ease in retaining your sovereignty. but let's take a look at europe. brussels has become the de facto capitol of the european continent. a lot of people in europe have no idea who their EU reps are, or how to go about preventing or rescinding undesirable legislation! it might not matter much of the time, i agree. but look at the immigration fiasco. what do the men there say to their women who were raped or to their children that can't go out at night safely anymore? that they just need to wait a few more years to vote someone else in, who might or might not respond to the demands of their people? by the way, the same people in office have the guns, not the people.
there's a lot of historical evidence that shows us how people in power always drift towards corruption and control. i don't know if it's human nature or what, but the fact still stands. if you're lucky, you might not have to experience the consequences of it during your lifetime, but it doesn't require any imagination to see how governments can enact, and continue to carry out policies against the wishes and well-being of the people, simply because they cannot be opposed.
sorry if i'm coming across as harsh, but i do feel very strongly about this. many people alive today have relatives who have died during oppressive regimes, or continue to live under them, with absolutely no recourse, so the concept of armed citizenry is not a mere abstraction to them.