For safety?

“The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is
fear - fear of the unknown, the complex, the
inexplicable. What he wants above everything else
is safety.” --H.L. Mencken

In such an environment the pols thrive, finding
enemies to save him from. The Wars government
promotes to that end have many names in this age.

Safety provided by others, however, is another
Grand Illusion.

Save me, the fearful say. Just look at all religions
and governments, two sides of the same corroded
penny, The Bad Con.

There are others but those two are predominant.
They're both plays on faith with no refunds given
for bad performance.

And what are those guns under their coats for?

For whose safety?