And from a guy who's picture online is of him holding an axe
Then I realized the cop had a sidearm. There was a gun in the children's department of Barnes and Noble in Park Slope. A gun within mere yards of my son. I had one of those sudden really creepy feelings when you realize something is deeply, deeply wrong. There was a gun...in the children's department...of Barnes and Noble in Park Slope. I realized almost to my surprise that that was just NOT okay with me. I decided it was time to leave. I was suddenly desperate to get my son out of there. There was no way I wanted a gun that close to my son in a toy department.
Then I realized the cop had a sidearm. There was a gun in the children's department of Barnes and Noble in Park Slope. A gun within mere yards of my son.
I had one of those sudden really creepy feelings when you realize something is deeply, deeply wrong.
There was a gun...in the children's department...of Barnes and Noble in Park Slope. I realized almost to my surprise that that was just NOT okay with me. I decided it was time to leave. I was suddenly desperate to get my son out of there. There was no way I wanted a gun that close to my son in a toy department.
Emphasis mine.
You freaked out over a piece of metal? That your son might *see*? Are you afraid the gun has mind control rays that, just by glancing at it, will turn anyone into a killer? How do you allow your child to read history books? Do you rip out all the pictures of the soldiers with their weapons?
Wow. I wish I could see the look on this guy's face when he realizes that millions of American have concealed permits and carry firearms around his kid all the time.
The police state he fears is only possible when the citizenry refuses to protect itself and instead leaves that up to others who do not have the same fear of inanimate objects. When you refuse to accept the responsibility that you might be required to use force to protect yourself, then you are the cause for the failure to stop a police state.
Logic, compassion, and good debating skills are worthless against a thug with a gun. Every intellectual in the history of mankind has lost his argument against a weapon unless that individual decided to take up arms themselves.
You want to avoid a true police state? Make sure the police do not have a monopoly on force. Period. Until then, you're son is in greater danger from your inaction than my gun.