“A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined;”

– First Annual Address to Congress, George Washington (January 8, 1790)

Every time I visit Israel, I am, once again, momentarily stunned by the sight of teens with assault-weapons slung over their shoulders as casually as if they were backpacks. Yet, I am not alarmed.

We live across the street from the United Nations. During the annual General Assembly, the area becomes a military-zone: soldiers, police, Secret Service, innumerable assault-weapons.

One evening, needing to go through there to my destination, I ask the policeman atop the stairs of the Wall of Isaiah if I can. He nods. I’m the only civilian walking through the armed camp.

A bomb-sniffing dog with his soldier-handler walk past. The dog lunges for my briefcase, slung over my shoulder. Soldier shouts: “Bomb!”

Instantaneously, a dozen assault-weapons are trained on me. I instinctively raise my arms. A Secret Service agent takes charge. Standing 8 feet from me, I can feel his gun’s laser-pointer between my eyes.

He speaks coldly: “Do you understand English?”

I nod.

“Then understand, if you move a muscle, even twitch, you will be dead before your body hits the ground.”

I nod again.

One soldier unhooks my briefcase, opens it to examine its contents. Another retrieves my wallet from my........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)