Atty_guy,

I've read this thread with great interest ("urban" or "suburban" survival kits always evoke some interest on my part), and the (long) digressions are also interesting... and maybe I'm missing the point, but...

It seems to me that with the *original* question ("do I HAVE to carry...") you're asking people to make a value judgement for you. Of course you don't HAVE to carry anything at all, it's a free country... and I'm not at all sure that the question of whether or not you should WANT to carry any specific item or items is something that anyone else can answer for you, no matter how good their intentions.

There are certain underlying values that prompt most of us to want to be more prepared than most people feel a need for, and that's why we're here. Not implying that you're not very welcome to be here with us, but if you feel no real desire to be more prepared than most people, why is that a problem... and what brings you here?

My occupation means that I work in the city, mostly, and that I sometimes spend a lot of time in government buildings. My personal values and interests mean that I chafe against the restrictions that this imposes. If your personal values don't do that... I guess I just fail to see the problem. Certainly no one is going to mandate that you're MORE prepared than you want to be. If you feel that's being imposed on you in some way, I'm sure that wasn't the intent.