I should just leave this guy to his beliefs, but it's sooooo hard not to respond. Here's my reply:
Dear Mr. *****:
Again, I don't know why I respond to your emails. Perhaps my responses keep me in proper debating form.
It's nearly impossible for me to address all of your points, since those points aren't laid out in any orderly fashion; I expected different from one who lives in the Japanese culture. Perhaps there are some night classes over in Japan you could take to address these shortcomings in your writing style.
Nevertheless, I'll try to address your points one-by-one, haphazard as they may be.
First, there's no anger in me. Everyone who knows me says that I'm the nicest person they know. Part of the reason I'm so "nice" is that I don't want confrontation. I'd rather avoid it, at any cost, even when my confronter doesn't realize that he's dealing with an armed citizen. The absolute last thing I want to do is hurt someone, unless the circumstances prevent me from doing otherwise.
Secondly, the world is not "turning into a violent place." It always has been such. Notice that Ghengis Kahn has never been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I'm glad you're aware of crime in the United States; as a displaced Eau Claire resident, you're to be commended for keeping abreast of what's happening back here. Are you aware of crime in other countries as well? For example, did you know that the US ranks #17 in violent crime, with the UK, Germany, and other so-called "peaceful" western industrialized nations ahead of the US? We may have the lock on gun-related crime, but the other countries have far higher rates of violent crime as a percentage of population.
For example, the "hot" burglary rate in London is twice that of New York City. "Hot burglaries" are those in which the occupants are at home, and are thus more likely to be subjected to assault.
Since enacting a virtual ban on private ownership of firearms in 1997, the violent crime rate in the UK has climbed dramatically. The law-abiding seem to be following the rules, while the lawless take advantage of the new laws.
As for your point about seeking counseling for my "trauma:" if everyone in the US--or other countries, for that matter--sought counseling for a violence-related experience, the entire world would shut down. All four billion of us would be nodding off listening to shrinks talk about Oedipus complexes and Freudian displacement theories. Imagine a worldwide Depression caused by psychiatrists. It's bad enough that we have lawyers destroying the world; please don't compound the problem by adding shrinks to the mix.
I'm glad you can understand the way I feel about the crime I've experienced. Can I assume that you've never been the victim of a violent crime? If you have, and still cling to your beliefs, then you're absolving millions of sociopaths for their behavior while taking the brunt of the blame upon yourself.
But, let's cut to the quick: the most valuable thing I own is my life. Nothing else--not cars, nor home, nor even guns--matters. I don't own my wife's life: she has allowed me to share hers. But I now regard her life and well-being as mine to protect. I certainly would not resort to the use or even threat of deadly force if someone is trying to steal my TV.
But, if someone is trying to harm my life or my wife's, then that person has forfeited any right to life that he previously held. I don't care if his mother was a prostitute, or his father a politician (many would argue the difference between those professions is subtle). His abberrant behavior--whether brought about by poverty, drug use, or being ridiculed as a child--is his problem, not mine. My problem is to get myself and my wife out of that situation ASAP and, if not possible, then present the assailant with an ultimatum: turn tail and run immediately, or get shot.
Compared to carrying around laptops, PDA's, cell phones and numerous other cumbersome devices, the experience of carrying less than two pounds of metal isn't at all uncomfortable for me. It goes on in the morning along with the rest of my clothing, and comes off at night. The rest of the day, it's just there, and almost forgotten.
Governor Doyle must understand that drill to some degree, since he's surrounded by men who live by the same daily routine. Of course, the Governor doesn't beieve that ordinary citizens should be afforded the right of personal protection. He, like so many in state and federal government, believe that his life is more important than that of the average citizen. Governor Doyle can continue to talk about how we should all disarm, get along, sing Kumbaya, and hold hands. If--and I sincerely hope that day never comes--he's confronted by a sociopath who wants to do him harm, his bodyguards will do his shooting for him. He has paid gunmen to protect him. I, and all other taxpayers, pay for these bodyguards who can do what Wisconsin state law now forbids me to do: protect myself and my loved ones.
Although I've met the Governor--and afterwards washed my hands--I hold no personal vengeance against the man. I will simply do what voters in this country do on every first Tuesday in November: try to increase the power of those who agree with my positions, and diminish the power of those who do not.
Moving on, you're correct on one point: Japan does not respect diversity. Neither does the UK, Germany, or other so-called "industrialized nations." That's probably one of the biggest factors in our high homicide rate: the wars amongst and between ethnic gangs. The FBI Uniform Crime Report shows that 85% of homicides are the result of criminal activity, much of which is the result of black-on-black, black-on-asian, asian-on-hispanic, or other types of ethnic gang warfare, most of which is centered around the drug trade. Take that gang and drug factor out of the mix, and the US would have one of the lowest homicide rates in the world.
In other words, we experience more murders here to a great extent because of our ethnically diverse culture. Still, we let people from every country and culture immigrate here due to the fact that we succeed because of them, not despite them. Our mix of cultures and ethnic backgrounds makes the US stronger, not weaker. Did Germany strengthen itself when it closed its borders to Eastern Bloc immigrants following the collapse of the Berlin Wall? How many brilliant minds was Germany deprived of because of that decison? More pointedly, how many brilliant minds has Japan been deprived of by that country's lack of ethnic tolerance? It's often been said that the most frightening thing to a Japanese engineer is a blank sheet of paper.
Talk all you want about Cherry Blossoms and The Spring, but Japan's history is replete with a history of abominable atrocities, including the Bataan Death March, the Rape of Nanking, and the subjugation of Korean women as prostitutes for the Japanese military. You live in an adopted country whose citizens are raised to be submissive but, when given the perverse opportunity, inflict the most cruel treatment upon their fellow human beings imaginable.
Given the choice--concealed pistol under my jacket, or a culture that discourages self-reliance and encourages barbarism--I'll take that pistol anytime.
Again, truly yours,
Dick Baker
