At a bare minimum people should have the right to bear the same arms as those they pay to keep law & order (the police). In England the cop doesn’t have a gun, and the subjects don’t either. In the US our cops are acting more as a paramilitary (helicopters, armored vehicles, and such); whatever they’re packing their employers (us, the taxpayers who pay them and buy their equipment) should have the right to pack as well.
Ayone who doesn’t understand why a government would want to disarm its citizenry really has their head up their arse; we were born of a revolt, and have never forgotten that.
Have you been to London recently? The last time I visited (and this was before 9/11 here and 7/7 in London), the cops had guns and body armor.
Agreed, I think that is a good rule of thumb for the limits placed on ciilian arms ownership, the civilians should have access to the same equipment used by ANYONE in ANY goverenment agency who has the potential to interface with them.
It would also give the goverment EXTRA INCENTIVE to actually enforce posse comitatis...