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It’s not a bad thing that American citizens are heavily armed. If everyone in HK owned a firearm I think the situation would be far different - or at least give

It’s not a bad thing that American citizens are heavily armed. If everyone in HK owned a firearm I think the situation would be far different - or at least give the government a second thought before acting.

spectramax 7y ago
Don't you think the Military would step in with all these guys look like they're toys shooting 8 inch thick steel armor? In my personal view, violence is the last resort for protesting and even then, sometimes I disagree with HK approach (beating officers with pies) despite of the fact that I support the HK's cause.
- seibelj 7y ago
  It is inevitably going to get to that point. The protestors will not quit, so it will end in genocide or guerrilla warfare through the streets. Give it a few more months.
- eanzenberg 7y ago
  Generally, it's nigh impossible for a military force to take on an insurgency embedded in buildings throughout. That is, unless you deploy scorched-earth tactics which China may be ok with.
- russler23 7y ago
  Yeah, violence should be a last resort. I think his point was deterrence, though. If the British had allowed HKers arms under colonial rule, would things be different now? I’m guessing China would have attempted disarmament as soon as Hong Kong returned under their control, and today’s situation would be the same.
  - fspeech 7y ago
    This was how the British handled the last HK riot https://m.facebook.com/WeNewsHK/videos/2622449657812763 https://m.facebook.com/WeNewsHK/videos/2622449657812763
lvturner 7y ago
Yes, it would be far different. If everyone had a gun here, things would be much worse. I'm quite glad I don't have to worry overly about stray bullets flying through my window and literal open warfare in the streets.
- ctdonath 7y ago
  May your chains rest upon you lightly. It's peaceful here because guns are so common. The gov't tries shows of force on rare occasion, and is reminded that's a bad idea.
  - lvturner 7y ago
    The price you pay for this 'peace' is quite high however.
    - Teever 7y ago
      And which country would you rather live in, China or America?
      - lvturner 7y ago
        China
    - ctdonath 7y ago
      Actually not. Don't be a deep-urban criminal, and you'll enjoy great peace.
  - MoronInAHurry 7y ago
    List three examples of government shows of force that were successfully foiled by armed civilians. Should be trivial if you believe it happens regularly.
    - ctdonath 7y ago
      I didn't say successfully foiled. Gov't usually "wins" these cases, but at great cost & deterred for long after. Pyrrhic victories. I didn't say regularly. I said "rare". Sometimes decades between them. Athens. Waco. Bundy Ranch. Twin Peaks.
solarwind 7y ago
There was a photograph of a protester holding a sign saying "We need the second amendment": https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2019/07/29/hong-kong-protesters-embrace-american-flag-fight-freedom/ https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2019/07/29/hong-kong-proteste...
kelnos 7y ago
Armed protest would be just the thing Beijing needs to send in the mainland military to "help their friends in HK". These days, if you're a regular citizen, even a large group of regular citizens, trying to start a violence escalation game with your government is going to get you killed, and fast.
- goatinaboat 7y ago
  These days, if you're a regular citizen, even a large group of regular citizens, trying to start a violence escalation game with your government is going to get you killed, and fast The most powerful militaries in the world are regularly confounded by widely dispersed rural insurgents with little more than ancient rifles. What do you think is different about China? Do you think the PLA would have fared any better in Iraq or Afghanistan? “These days” escalating violence against a government has proved to be very viable.
_tik_ 7y ago
It will turn into another Syria. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7538571/Hong-Kong-mask-ban-rampage-duty-cop-set-fire-young-man-shot-clashes.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7538571/Hong-Kong-m... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3031905/hong-kong-protesters-attack-mainland-banker-belies-citys https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3031905/hong-ko...

spectramax 7y ago

Don't you think the Military would step in with all these guys look like they're toys shooting 8 inch thick steel armor? In my personal view, violence is the last resort for protesting and even then, sometimes I disagree with HK approach (beating officers with pies) despite of the fact that I support the HK's cause.

seibelj 7y ago
It is inevitably going to get to that point. The protestors will not quit, so it will end in genocide or guerrilla warfare through the streets. Give it a few more months.
eanzenberg 7y ago
Generally, it's nigh impossible for a military force to take on an insurgency embedded in buildings throughout. That is, unless you deploy scorched-earth tactics which China may be ok with.
russler23 7y ago
Yeah, violence should be a last resort. I think his point was deterrence, though. If the British had allowed HKers arms under colonial rule, would things be different now? I’m guessing China would have attempted disarmament as soon as Hong Kong returned under their control, and today’s situation would be the same.
- fspeech 7y ago
  This was how the British handled the last HK riot https://m.facebook.com/WeNewsHK/videos/2622449657812763 https://m.facebook.com/WeNewsHK/videos/2622449657812763

lvturner 7y ago

Yes, it would be far different. If everyone had a gun here, things would be much worse. I'm quite glad I don't have to worry overly about stray bullets flying through my window and literal open warfare in the streets.

ctdonath 7y ago
May your chains rest upon you lightly. It's peaceful here because guns are so common. The gov't tries shows of force on rare occasion, and is reminded that's a bad idea.
- lvturner 7y ago
  The price you pay for this 'peace' is quite high however.
  - Teever 7y ago
    And which country would you rather live in, China or America?
    - lvturner 7y ago
      China
  - ctdonath 7y ago
    Actually not. Don't be a deep-urban criminal, and you'll enjoy great peace.
- MoronInAHurry 7y ago
  List three examples of government shows of force that were successfully foiled by armed civilians. Should be trivial if you believe it happens regularly.
  - ctdonath 7y ago
    I didn't say successfully foiled. Gov't usually "wins" these cases, but at great cost & deterred for long after. Pyrrhic victories. I didn't say regularly. I said "rare". Sometimes decades between them. Athens. Waco. Bundy Ranch. Twin Peaks.

solarwind 7y ago

There was a photograph of a protester holding a sign saying "We need the second amendment": https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2019/07/29/hong-kong-protesters-embrace-american-flag-fight-freedom/ https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2019/07/29/hong-kong-proteste...

kelnos 7y ago

Armed protest would be just the thing Beijing needs to send in the mainland military to "help their friends in HK". These days, if you're a regular citizen, even a large group of regular citizens, trying to start a violence escalation game with your government is going to get you killed, and fast.

goatinaboat 7y ago
These days, if you're a regular citizen, even a large group of regular citizens, trying to start a violence escalation game with your government is going to get you killed, and fast The most powerful militaries in the world are regularly confounded by widely dispersed rural insurgents with little more than ancient rifles. What do you think is different about China? Do you think the PLA would have fared any better in Iraq or Afghanistan? “These days” escalating violence against a government has proved to be very viable.

_tik_ 7y ago

It will turn into another Syria. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7538571/Hong-Kong-mask-ban-rampage-duty-cop-set-fire-young-man-shot-clashes.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7538571/Hong-Kong-m... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3031905/hong-kong-protesters-attack-mainland-banker-belies-citys https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3031905/hong-ko...