David Kopel & Jarret B. Wollstein, “Will You Be Safer If Guns Are Banned?“ ” While a few Western democracies – like Britain – have successfully disarmed their citizens, that would be impossible in the US. Our traditions of independence and individual self-defense are simply not conducive to the peaceful disarmament of America’s estimated 80 million gun owners. As one Congressman commented, “In Germany, if parliament passed a 45 mile-per-hour speed limit, people would obey it – then kick out their representatives in the next election. In the US no one would pay any attention to it. Americans wake up every morning thinking ‘What’s the angle? How can I get around the law?'” Disarming otherwise law-abiding citizens would simply put us at the mercy of well-armed criminals. Given a choice between obeying the law and being able to continue to defend our homes, our families, and our lives – millions of Americans will gladly break the law. Many already do. ”
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