I have to agree with one thing. Objects are not evil by themselves. It depends on the use you do with them.
Here in Madrid a shop was shut and the owner got a big fine for selling martial arts weapon (like ninja shurikens and the like) without license. But then you can go to the local hardware shop and buy an x-acto knife or even a plain table knife and kill the first person you meet outside the shop.
A friend of my brother was stopped by the highway patrol in a random check. They checked the car and found a club -like the ones used by policemen- he smuggled while he was in conscription. He carried it there "just in case" he had an argument for a car accident. Those are considered weapons and the club was confiscated and he was fined. But there is nothing wrong about carring a 2-feet wheel bolt spanner with which open somebody's head.
It's common sense one have to be oneself. But there is a limit of that, and it is when you don't let the others be themselves. I respect everybody's will to smoke if they want, but if they are themselves while drinking a coffee they don't let me enjoy my coffee with their smoke. And the same goes for a lot of other things, like driving recklessly or neighbours listening to loud music.
If I have an argument with my neighbour, words can heat up and maybe we found ourselves in a fist fight. But broken bones and bruises (and even pride) self heal. I can tell you that I would not dare with anybody with a gun, even if I know he is the most pacific person in the world.
In Spain, confiscated weapons are sold by the police in public auctions. You have to show a certificate that the barrel has been drilled, so the gun is only for collectors and the gun is registered to keep track. But many people wants them to carry them, even being forbidden to carry any gun, real or faked, without gun carrying permit (there's no difference between gun posession or gun carrying). They make sure the gun is shown when they feel in danger, so they send the message like "don't mess with me, I got a gun". Holy crap, I can't tell wether he's a moron with a fake gun or a drug dealer. I simply get out of the way.
I agree with Uncle Ernie, long time ago I read about somebody who was nearly killed in a light car accident because he carried a Bic pen in his shirt's pocket and he was self-stabbed near the heart.
And quite frankly if someone is stupid enough to make a decision about anyones charactor with the sole observation that they have a loud motorcycle... than I couldn't care think less of that persons opinion, or that person. For they are obviously a complete idiot.
Don
You are going to get dissappointed, but everybody makes decisions based in observation like the car you drive, the clothes you wear and the house you live in; even you do. Another thing is wether you care or not. For example, I can see somebody in the street with his body covered in tatoos and piercings and I will think that guy is himself and express the way he wants. But that guy will probably -even if he doesn't want- never climb the first step in a big corporation ladder. There it's not well seen the "self expression". You got to learn to be yourself sometimes, and simply be unadverted some other times.
But again, Madrid is not Texas, so probably I'm just speaking bullcrap...
Raul
