a well regulated militia

[jaguar]

Distinguish here between "violence" and "agression". Not all violence is agression.

That's one serious problem with the Asmov quote lifted out of context. While the last refuge of the incompetant may indeed be violence, it does not follow that all violence is the acts of desparate incompetants...which is the implicit argument when somebody trots that quote out. This is called "affirming the consequent" , and it's a logical fallacy.

Thankyou for the lesson, very informative I assure you. I'd love to know what it has to do with the line you quoted from me.

Talking of that quote, While you imply that violence is not always the tool of the incompetent, from what I remember the books certainly suggest it is. It is chronicling of the rise of the foundation without the use of force, in my mind that surely suggests that violence is indeed the tool of the incompetent. By the way its Asimov not Asmov. It’s also incompetent, not incompetant and desperate not desparate. Either that or Americans have different ways of spelling these things.

An umbrella countervails against rain. A flashlight countervails against darkness. A fire extinguisher countervails against fire. An antibiotic countervails against disease. A weapon used defensively countervails against agression.

Yes. Correct! The weapon/umbrella/flashlight/fire extinguisher is the tool. Not the countervailing. That was my point. Excuse me while I ram my head into a brick wall.

.....then shot himself to death, police said.

As opposed to.....?