Pretty sad. While I agree with you on the growing police state and the misguided response to 9/11, I don't agree with you on the whole "Gun! In the children's section!" hyperbole. In fact, I carry a handgun with me everywhere I go, including the children's section of the bookstore, and I try not to go places where I can't legally carry my gun. But then I live in Indiana, whose laws, while not a good as Alaska's, aren't too idiotic.

I realize that there is evil in the world, that accidents happen, and that education is the best preventative measure. The two of my four children who are big enough to fire my .22 rifle have, and the other two will as soon as they're big enough to pull the trigger. They all know that they aren't allowed to touch our guns without adult supervision and will be punished if they do, but also, that if they do want to see them, all they need do is ask. They have no incentive to touch them without supervision.

Why didn't you talk to that police officer, instead of fleeing from him? Why didn't you ask him why he was there? What did you think was going to happen? Did you think his gun would just magically jump from its holster and fire of its own will? Perhaps that he would suddenly go berserk and kill everyone in sight? What's so magic about a gun that you fled its presence?