Mike McNally wrote:

That reminds me: I thumbed through BiBi's terrorism book (the one D.S. certified as prerequisite reading for particpation in intelligent discussions about something-or-other) at B&N the other day. It's a pretty thin book. Most of it seems to be about the rise of the Moslem Menace and how the Sultan's hordes will soon be upon us all. The last chapter outlines all the "necessary measures" governments must take to stamp out the wildfire of terrorism. Same old same old, mostly, like allowing suspects to be held without charges, allowing warrantless searches (I think), thorough weapon registration, and so on. The last one (or next-to-last; I think the last one is "brainwash the populace into thinking this is all a good idea") is about establishing a periodic "civil liberties review panel".

Yeah right.

OK. But I sure would like to have an automatic weapon for self/home/"national" defense w/o going through a tremendous amount of B.S. (as Israelis are excused from). I believe that you Texans and we Arizonans have the privilege; in "urban" states, where the need truly is, good luck. Also, I don't know what your experience in the Middle East is. Me, I worked in Iran and exited just before the Jan. '79 "revolution". Menace & murder. You *really* have no idea. Hint: I'm alive. If you still (I don't know your age) think that humans are all the same, but we juss gots diffrunt colors 'n' cultures, I *strongly* recommend an extended period of travel to the third world. In all sincerity, Dave