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I've never been a big Second Amendment guy. I'm inclined to think Americans have a right to own a gun, and I own some guns myself, but overall, the "guns and dogs crowd" leaves me cold (my quiet disdain started when I was 26 and a new member of Kiwanis; I almost dropped out of the club because I kept getting seated at lunch with an overbearing guy who didn't seem capable of talking about anything except "pups" and guns). But the calls for greater gun control (see e.g.) in light of the Batman and Temple shooters seem absurd, absolutely absurd. If you outlaw guns, I'll surrender mine: I have a lot to lose if I don't. But the low-life who might scarcely have a grip on reality or has absolutely nothing to lose? He ain't gonna surrender his, so we're back with the old cliche: "If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns." The Left scoffs at the cliche, but I've never heard anyone refute it. * * * * * * * The only way to stop these massacres, incidentally, is to require all adults to carry a rod. If everybody is packing, nobody is butchering. Might we have more Plaxico incidents and fatal accidental shootings? I would think so, but the massacres would stop. It's either that or multiply the number of police by one thousand and put them in every public place in American every minute of the day (actually, we'd probably have to multiply the number by 100,000). * * * * * * * You ever call 9-1-1, incidentally? I have. It's a joke. Sure, I'll call it again if I'm ever in trouble and can't get myself out of it, but otherwise, no. They're horrible. I've called twice to report a crime as it was occurring. On both incidents, the operator wanted me to state my name, which is a stupid question for two reasons: (1) Their technology tells them who I am, and (2) When they play the tape for the suspect when trying to reach a plea bargain, I don't want the criminal to know my name. He can learn the 9-1-1 caller's identity if the case goes far enough, but if they plea bargain the case early, he won't know my name. * * * * * * * The 9-1-1 system is a colossal failure, but we'll keep pumping money into it. That's what governments do: If it's not broken, fix it. If it is broken, do more of the same.

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