I, too, own a (legal, registered) weapon and firmly believe that even in this day and age – especially in this day and age – people should be able to be educated about and permitted to own firearms. I also am extremely frustrated with the slow death of American civil rights, but I also understand the fear we are all feeling, citizens and government alike, which has been stockpiling in this country since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Armed though I may be, I’m also armed with the knowledge it would be a pretty stupid move to walk around with anything even remotely resembling a weapon. I come from a place where the police don’t care what you’re brandishing is painted bright orange or purple with lime green polka dots; they will open fire on you and your toy gun and probably not bat an eyelash when the investigation shows it was a water pistol or a cigarette lighter. I’ve personally seen a man shot in the middle of the street for reaching for his cellphone. If we lived in Utopia, I’d be stultifyingly livid about it. But we live in America – a place where crazy people do stupid things and innocent people die for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. All I felt witnessing that scene was a feeling that he sorta had it coming. Just as *I* would deserve it were I to flash a gun in public. Is it a perfect system? I think not. But neither I nor the police are willing to bet our lives on the credibility of a stranger.

And frankly, I think if a person is going to deliberately act like a douche, they deserve what happens to them.

MM