CompuServe Messages

>> if a gang of drug infested maggots moved in next door to me you can be sure I wouldn't be sitting on my ass waiting for somebody else to do something about it. I don't think running away ever solved anything. Each place has it's own kind of trouble…it's how YOU deal with it that counts!>> You raise some interesting points, _none_ of which I agree with. First of all, I live in a very nice neighbourhood with very low crime (1 murder this year in my city, Laguna Hills). I strongly support the police and cannot condone vigilantiism – we pay for the police to do the dirty work. I used to be a bobby in London and must confess I don't like doing society's dirty work, but somebody's got to do it. Anyway, curing a neighbourhood is one thing, but curing a city like LA, where I actually work, is realistically a little beyond my powers (what me! not Superman!). Furthermore, I don't see it as running away, since I'm not even from here anyway. I'm British and came here frankly for opportunistic reasons. Therefore, I probably feel less ties to the USA than to Australia, where I have some family. I don't necessarily think Australia is going to be Utopia, but if the murder rate (usually tied to number of handguns out there) is lower than LA, then it's going to be a relatively more comfortable place to live and bring up a family. Everything's relative. Martin P.S. My wife has been the victim of a robber armed with a handgun a few years ago. Luckily, she was unhurt, but I can't deny it has had an effect on us, maybe me more than her.