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Comment by fnordian_slip | Hacker News Reader

I've never understood that sentiment. The US has the second amendment, and it doesn't seem to do much for personal freedom there. Europe does not, and I feel a lot more free in most European countries than I do in the US, especially when it comes to encounters with representatives of the state (LEOs).

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I can imagine an alternate reality where the second amendment has the benefits often ascribed to it, but it would be very different to the one we live in.

Checks out for Europe provided you're not an immigrant. Being blond also helps. I never get flagged for traffic inspections or in any way harrased by cops. But I constantly see people who aren't my skin color, or simply poor, get treated rough. True for France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and based on personal experience. ACAB.

There was a twitter thread where someone from Russia said he was beaten up by police in Netherlands during a peaceful protest. He was accused of attending the wrong protest by twitter Europhiles. Now, something tells me it's easy to feel safe when you conform.

Sad to hear that. Was that completely peaceful pretest? Why was police even involved then? For a record, I was never beaten up by a police officer, and I've attended all kinds of "wrong" protests (what is the right protest anyway).

Do you have a source? There's plenty of disinformation on the internet, and I'm curious to learn what has happened.

Guns ensure the minority can exact maximum pain on the majority, on the occasions that the majority decides to pounce.

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