>
> In free and democratic countries like the one I "come from" the vast 
> majority of citizens are happy to forgo the right to furry arms 
> without a licence as we are not overly fearful that our government may 
> morph into a repressive dictatorship.
>
>   
And what makes the people in your government so different than those in 
other governments such as some of those in South America that turn into 
repressive dictatorships?  Are your fellow countrymen genetically 
"better" in some way that assures you that they won't develop the greed 
and lust for power that afflicts most of mankind from time to time?

The Right to Bear Arms (or Right to Arm Bears) is just a part of a 
multi-faceted defense the US has against the rise of a repressive 
dictatorship.  The overall defense is not working real well right now 
(the Patriot Act, etc) but if things were to ever get really repressive, 
at least we have a fighting chance to avoid tyrannical repression.
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