Armed and Non-Armed Professions

[Egyptoid]

Who wrote, and what was the title, of a novel where the future society had gone way down the path of the second amendment.

Gun ownership was practically required, and a code of laws had developed around who could shoot whom, and when, and why.

There were unarmed professions, like doctor, priest, teacher, etc.
who should not and did not carry guns, and crimes against them were severely punished.

Then there were armed professions, like truck driver, cop, security guard, lawyer, etc. These people were expected to travel armed, and had to look to their own security mostly. If an armed person killed another armed person, this was practically a misdemeanor.

The hero of the story I recall had recently switched jobs, and was getting used to the differences...


any help here from the sci-fi department?
Thanks.

[sinanju]

It sounds vaguely like a Robert Heinlein novel, the title of which escapes me at the moment. MOST people went armed; those who didn't wore brassards (badges) proclaiming their unarmed status.

Those who were unarmed weren't considered full citizens and/or adults. They had special protections--were immune to being challenged to a duel, for instance--but were also expected to mind their place. That is, saying or doing things that would, had they been armed, have gotten them challenged to apologize or fight wasn't allowed.

Some professions may have routinely been considered appropriate reason to go unarmed. It's been a long time since I read the novel.

[Egyptoid]

Sinanju had the complimentary skill, giving Egyptoid a +4 on his Google-Fu attempt...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_This_Horizon

so it wasn't the job necessarily, it was a life-style choice.



Thank You and Gir.

[Nyrath]

I can recall two.

From Egyptoid's description, it sounds like THE DREAM MILLENNIUM (http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0345304179/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1) by James White. The main story is about a sleeper ship mission to colonize another star. But there are frequent flashbacks to the Earth they left. It includes almost everybody being armed, except for doctors and priests.

The other is the previously mentioned BEYOND THIS HORIZON by Robert Heinlein, but it is not as good a match.

[Lucius]

Who wrote, and what was the title, of a novel where the future society had gone way down the path of the second amendment.

Gun ownership was practically required, and a code of laws had developed around who could shoot whom, and when, and why.

There were unarmed professions, like doctor, priest, teacher, etc.
who should not and did not carry guns, and crimes against them were severely punished.

Then there were armed professions, like truck driver, cop, security guard, lawyer, etc. These people were expected to travel armed, and had to look to their own security mostly. If an armed person killed another armed person, this was practically a misdemeanor.

The hero of the story I recall had recently switched jobs, and was getting used to the differences...


any help here from the sci-fi department?
Thanks.


Switzerland?

Lucius Alexander

The palindromedary points out that Switzerland isn't science fiction, it just seems that way sometimes

[Mantis]

It sounds vaguely like a Robert Heinlein novel, the title of which escapes me at the moment. MOST people went armed; those who didn't wore brassards (badges) proclaiming their unarmed status.

Those who were unarmed weren't considered full citizens and/or adults. They had special protections--were immune to being challenged to a duel, for instance--but were also expected to mind their place. That is, saying or doing things that would, had they been armed, have gotten them challenged to apologize or fight wasn't allowed.

Some professions may have routinely been considered appropriate reason to go unarmed. It's been a long time since I read the novel. IIRR everyone (or just the women?) wore full-face masks as well, in fact I think "Masks" was the title of the story (and it was a short story, not a novel). Can't remember if the author was Heinlein or not, but I suspect not.

[McCoy]

It sounds vaguely like a Robert Heinlein novel, the title of which escapes me at the moment. MOST people went armed; those who didn't wore brassards (badges) proclaiming their unarmed status.

Those who were unarmed weren't considered full citizens and/or adults. They had special protections--were immune to being challenged to a duel, for instance--but were also expected to mind their place. That is, saying or doing things that would, had they been armed, have gotten them challenged to apologize or fight wasn't allowed.

Some professions may have routinely been considered appropriate reason to go unarmed. It's been a long time since I read the novel.
Beyond this Horizon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_This_Horizon), originally published under his Anson McDonald pseudonym.

Certain simularities to the novel Egyptoid described, but I don't think that's it.