Fwd: [at-l] Guns on the trail

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

"...I've found that even in those times and places, attitude is far more
important than the gun," reports Jim.

 And he is right. I once spent two years in a Military Police company patrolling
 the towns around Fort Devens, Mass. 10 people out of a 200-man company were
 involved in 99 percent of the incidents of violence. The reason? Attitude.

 When you approach a drunk -- or a law breaker -- attitude is everything. I
 covered local police departments as a newspaper reporter for 10 or so years.

 Most officers only rarely were involved in situations where violence was a
 factor. A tiny minority seemed to always be attacked or being forced to use
 physical restraints while making arrests. I never was at the scene of these
 incidents. But I spent a lot of time chatting with officers -- before and after
 such incidents. Their attitudes reminded me of the attitudes of the 10 who were
 always in trouble when I served in the Army.

 Why -- unbelievable as it seems -- I've even had to turn away wrath on email
 lists .....Yes, incredibly, I've had to mollify Wingfoot!!!

  I've nothing against guns, though they aren't much use on the internet. I
  continue to hunt -- though not as diligently as in the past. But I can't
  conceive of a gun being worth it's weight and hassle on a trail -- especially
  the Appalachian Trail.

  Weary