On my way to work, there are a few side streets I can take should the roads back up a bit. My detour takes me through some neighborhoods you’re more likely to see in old episodes of Cops than Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

A gentleman was walking his dog this morning, carrying an aluminum baseball bat. It was clear he wasn’t heading over to Jose Conseco’s house to practice and the way he was holding it at the low-ready indicated he intended to use it immediately if needed. As a bat, it was too short to act as a cane, and unless his dog was just extremely stubborn and needed ‘encouragement’ it was clear he meant it as a defensive weapon.

Regardless of what time of day you head through this neighborhood, you’ll see several prime examples of the species baggius pantus (including the ever so present subspecies aurum toofium) milling around. Baggius pantus are well known for their career choices as Wealth Redistribution Specialists and I understood why Mr. Dog Walker felt he may need to have a bat in case any of said associates decided to have an impromptu sales pitch.

What’s interesting to me is that there was no mistaking the bat’s use for anything other than a weapon. It was a clear sign that Mr. Dog Walker was saying “Leave me alone or I’ll bash in your head”. Hence, he was openly carrying. I support his right to do so and should he have wanted to protect himself with a knife, a sword, or a gun, I see no reason to deny him the right to use a more effective tool (while a bat makes a handy bludgeon, it still requires close distance and considerable strength to wield).

The anti’s out there would have preferred this man be at the mercy of of thugs and thieves than have a better chance.