They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means “The Ultimate Argument of Kings,” and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. “We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it’s about: You’ll do as I say or I’ll send my goons to kill you.”
I thought about that for a long time. If there’s an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I’ve got bullets – he’s got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that’s not going to happen. So if there’s an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain’t bullets.
It finally came to me – and that’s when I abandoned the city and most of my stuff, and gave all that was behind me a good stiff Randian Shrug.
The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.
EEGads. That’s bad. When I go to the dentist, my gun belt is left on a chair in the corner of the room. I can keep an eye on it, but would have to get out of the chair and deliberately retrieve it if needed. Could not be drawn accidentally.
Bet the dentist will check on that, or refuse service to this guy from now on. But really, I can’t even imagine mistaking a handgun for a cell phone. They are shaped differently… And at least my phone doesn’t have a trigger!
Unfortunately, altered states produce altered perception.
Folks like ML have a handle on the responsibility that goes along with owning and carrying a firearm where this guy is an idiot. Every dentist I have ever been to has told me what’s going on every step of the way including what drugs are being used. If this dentist hadn’t told the fool what he was doing, how long would it have taken to ask the dentist about the medications effects, take the gun off and put it in plain view on a chair?
Sadly I suspect that dentist will make everybody else suffer by banning concealed-carry on his premises putting others at risk.
The motions I make to pick up my phone versus unholstering and pulling the trigger seem rather dissimilar. My last dental visit, I noticed the “No Weapons Allowed!” window decal was missing. The office manager (who reassured her boss that she carries only outside of work) said she thought it might be due to the pharmacy being robbed. Too bad these folks don’t oh, I dunno, talk openly about these issues. I’d ask if I can carry but would hafta stop if my dentist said no. Maybe.