Erik, all interesting posts.

I have not covered the Continent from top to bottom as you have, but like you, most of the thousands of miles of travel I have spent on the ground in Africa I have covered unarmed. Yes, I would do so again.

Unlike you and unfortunately, I did spend 3 days under arrest in then-Zaire, now Congo in what was an unpleasant situation that could have been far worse...if I had been armed. Also, due to the Christian missionary work I was involved in from time to time, the decision we had made was that we would not resist if attacked or otherwise persecuted for our work and/or beliefs.

A few more points:

First is that I assert that the right to be armed is one a government should not prevent its citizens from exercising whether they need it or not. A right taken away when it is not needed will not be there to exercise when it is needed.

Second is that TRAVEL is much different than LIVING in an area. When you travel you take a risk, albeit possibly high, but for a limited duration. Living in an area of high crime is a different circumstance, and highlights my last point:

The threats you and I have experienced in travel almost all would have been exacerbated by our being armed. The threats experienced by Hoppdoc may or may not be exacerbated by being armed, but by carrying a weapon concealed, for the most part his armed status will not be known unless he chooses to make it so. He can of course always live by his wits, and must, armed or not. But by being armed he has recourse to a solution the unarmed man does not possess.