"We should be more like England and Canada and Europe:

Things are so much better there!"

George MacFarlane, the Fredericton shopkeeper who discharged his shotgun at departing thieves, should count himself lucky. Found guilty of careless use of a firearm, he's been ordered to take an "anger-management" course (though, in truth, he seems to manage his anger with an impressively cool efficiency). In England, by contrast, a Norfolk farmer who did exactly as Mr. MacFarlane did in exactly the same circumstances (he'd suffered repeated break-ins) now finds himself charged with murder. His victim, a teenage burglar from Nottingham who practised his profession assiduously throughout the English Midlands and East Anglia, was described by his tearful mum as a "lovable rogue" with many redeeming qualities: for example, "he would never steal from the family."

Though different in degree, both prosecutions reflect the long-held principle that the Crown should have a monopoly on law enforcement: Relax, goes the argument; the Mounties always they get their man -- i.e., leave it to the professionals. But in practice, in both Canada and Britain, the professionals find it easier to get you instead.

In France?

Frederic Pons, the editor of Valeurs Actuelles, a magazine where Anne-Lorraine had worked as an intern, wrote on the magazine's blog: "When will this rapist with his knife leave prison? After 8, 10, 15 years? Our society must pluck up the courage to remove him from society once and for all. If we do not do this the fathers, the brothers, the uncles will. In the name of justified violence."

The next day Mr. Pons removed his post from his blog. His text was deemed an incitement to violence. It is taboo in Europe to say that if the state fails to protect the citizens, the citizens should do so themselves. There is no Second Amendment in Europe. Even European politicians from the so-called "right," like Mr. Sarkozy, are horrified at the suggestion that citizens should be allowed to protect themselves against criminals. Last year, Mr. Sarkozy told French radio: "Security is the responsibility of the state. I am against the private ownership of firearms. If you are assaulted by an armed burglar, he will use his weapon more effectively than you anyway, so you are risking your life."

Kevin pointed this out in a comment the other day, and it's a truly disgusting example of "Let the State take care of you. Or else." If you are assaulted by an armed burglar, he will use his weapon more effectively than you anyway, so you are risking your life. DAMN it. Mr. Sarkozy, when you're attacked by an 'armed burglar', your life is ALREADY IN DANGER! How the HELL could you make it worse by using a weapon to defend yourself?

Frickin' stupid, dumbass, statist,(mumble, mumble...)