On Sun, 16 May 2004 05:53:57 -0700, John Ings
wrote:

On Sun, 16 May 2004 07:39:10 GMT, Gunner
wrote:

for mutual defense, and perhaps most significantly, to protect against
the tyranny of our own government. [2]

My country doesn't have a tyrannous government. Neither does yours,

Perhaps not, but y'all do have some government employees who would
like to be tyrannical. We do too. I've been embarrassed more than
once by how customs & immigration in Boston treats visitors to the
US. Jerks!

On recent visit to the Royal Mews (tour) I'd forgotten that I had my
A.G. Russell featherlight (1.5 oz) in my pocket. This is an innocuous
blade a bit over 3" long that locks open to preserve fingers. It's a
tool, makes no pretense of being a weapon. It's not a tanto, not a
serrated edge, no fantasy crap at all. It's just a nice sharp
pocketknife useful for opening mail, stripping wire or getting thru
the damned plastic wrap on the excellent sandwiches at Pret A Manger.

At the metal detector I put coins, keys and knife in the tray. Ooops!
I was told I'd have to deposit the knife in the amnesty bin. I said
I'd rather skip the tour and forfeit the paid-for ticket than give up
my pretty good pocketknife. Nope,she asserted that the knife was
illegal. Poppycock. It is not illegal in the UK; I'd checked.

The security b***ch said if I didn't give it up immediately she'd have
to call her supervisor and/or the police. I politely invited her to
do that, I was in no hurry.

Oopsie!. She didn't call the cops (fancy that!), did call her
super. Said super gave me a lecture about how I might feel if an
assailant took the knife away from me and stabbed my wife with it.
Good grief!

I agreed with him that we grayhaired folk certainly wouldn't like to
be thus attacked by British thugs. Then I shut up and smiled at
him. Your move, Nigel.....

The twit magnanimously offered to bag my pocketknife and give me a
claimcheck so I could reclaim it after the tour. That worked.