In reference to the following article regarding the illegal sales of Soviet firearms in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
[url]www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/sunday/news_b374df6df344021b0075.html[/url]
Ms. Coker,
I read your article about illegal Soviet weapons and I’m sad to say that I only got one main idea out of it that you probably did not intend to provide to your readers.
I’m referring to the last two paragraphs of the article.
"In its own way way, Somalia shows the vexing realities of a country overrun by guns and a populace that lives by the gun. Somalia not only tolerates places like Bakhar, [b]but the population views them as necessary[/b].
'For Bakhar to shut down, we need to see a change in attitude about fighting," said Abdiqasim Salad Hasan, president of Somalia's transitional government. "Only if there is no more conflict will there be no more guns. [b]But as long as people need to defend themselves, Bakhar will remain open[/b].'"
Although I know I’m taking them out of the context in which you were trying to imply, I just wanted to point out; they will always be necessary due to the fact individuals will always need to protect themselves…even from the people that are protecting them. To say otherwise is to ignore the history of governments gone bad.
Sincerely,
XXX
[img]http://www.ncsg.org/topohat-small.jpg[/img]
...[V]