[dirtboy]

But for real emergencies, which will occasionally arise even in utopia, single-shot rifles and handguns could be issued, perhaps only under presidential orders...

A student of history knows that utopias usually require governments to use armed force against citizens to try to achieve that utopian state.

[Ditto]

A student of history knows that utopias usually require governments to use armed force against citizens to try to achieve that utopian state.

And people who think that an Earthly utopia is somehow achievable are far more dangerous than any weapon. Utopians generally get a lot of people killed.

I met Clark over 40 years ago. He was an ok writer, but seemed to be pretty damn full of himself from what I could tell.