|
Post by sheyd on Feb 22, 2008 10:12:20 GMT -5
I don't know that I would agree that loaded guns being carried is ever responsible. People make mistakes, people get over-emotional, people have things stolen from them, accidents happen. Except these accidents can be deadly, and these accidents can involve children. Responsible gun ownership means locking the bits away from each other until you are ready to use it responsibly. Responsible hunters will even load their guns only when they sight an animal or when they are stationary, not keep it loaded as they roam the woods.
And what about other methods of self-defense? Why deadly force? Tasers, pepperspray, etc. In the stories you mentioned, those would have actually been MORE effective - at point blank range she would have got him in the eyes and he would have been there when the cops got there. And whose to say the murder-suicide didn't have a gun? Or are you saying she should roam her own house carrying one, just in case? In the bathroom, to bed?
|
|
|
Post by freckles on Feb 22, 2008 10:39:29 GMT -5
In Texas if Someone(Burgler) attacks you at your Home
You dont have to Run
The law is now, You can Kill them
And the Police will shake your hand
Criminals in Texas dont live long
|
|
|
Post by goods on Feb 22, 2008 10:40:27 GMT -5
I think in the case of the store clerk, her pulling her gun out made the guy retreat, her attempting to spray him with mace probably would not have had the same effect. But who is to say. Yes I think the 17yr old should have had a loaded gun near her at all times. Again I don't know what would have happened if she did, I don't know if it would have saved her life, but I can say it could not have made things worse. Guns are tools, like hammers, like knives, like box cutters or computers. I could drive my car through a crowd, killing hundreds of people. Cars are not designed to kill people, BUT they kill more people everyday than guns do. It is not the gun you should fear, 9/11 happened without the use of guns... but if a armed "Sky Marshall" had been onboard any of those flights how many lives would have been saved? You should fear the crazys, the mentally unbalanced, liberals , those are the people that will find away to complete their twisted plans. If I sit a loaded gun on my kitchen table no one will die, no one will be shot. It takes human intervention for that to happen.
|
|
|
Post by sheyd on Feb 22, 2008 11:47:17 GMT -5
And humans do have a way of intervening! Shey
|
|
|
Post by JimB on Feb 22, 2008 12:06:14 GMT -5
It goes back to that whole faulty concept of "safety".
There are plenty who claim to be "safer" with a gun than without one. If it makes you feel safer, and you can handle it, by all means go get one. But understand that for the reasons Shey listed above and many others, a gun (like a car) is an inherently dangerous thing. You're not really making yourself - or the world - any safer, you're just exchanging one kind of risk for another.
Again, we could cherry-pick any number of situations and postulate a scenario wherein a gun would have helped the person involved. For any of those scenarios, I can also envision at least one scenario where a gun would have resulted in something just as bad, or worse. I just think it's silly to get involved in what-iffing.
|
|
|
Post by lumpy on Feb 22, 2008 12:12:07 GMT -5
Guns are tools, like hammers, like knives, like box cutters or computers. I could drive my car through a crowd, killing hundreds of people. I see this statement on Fark all the time and it kind of bugs me. Yes, a gun is a tool. But what task is it built to do? To kill things. That is it's primary task. Imagine if gun ownership were as prolific as car ownership. If it makes you feel safer, fine. I couldn't imagine having to live in such a paranoid state of mind.
|
|
|
Post by sheyd on Feb 22, 2008 12:51:59 GMT -5
Thank you boys, you said it better than I ever could...
What to me would be worse would be getting so used to it we wouldn't be paranoid, we would be fatalistic (which is how it is where guns ARE really prevalent).
Shey
PS Freckles, criminals in Texas DO live long, and do very well, btw. Ask any cop.
|
|
|
Post by rocko on Feb 22, 2008 15:36:15 GMT -5
I have a loaded gun, mace, pepper spray and a 750000 volt stun gun. Chances are you are going to get stunned if you come after me. I don't like guns...never even touched the one that is here. I would rather shock the shit out of someone till they crap themselves than put a bloody hole in them.
People should all have tazers or something.
|
|
|
Post by lumpy on Feb 22, 2008 17:30:29 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by RO on Feb 25, 2008 11:49:07 GMT -5
I get to shoot a gun for the first time as part of my Police Citizen Academy on Wednesday.
I must admit I am curious, intrigued, and scared all at once.
I was told to take a pic and post it...don't think that will happen.
I haven't shot a gun other than a bb gun at a pop can when I was a kid.
It should be interesting. We are required to take a gun safety class as well and will be on the firing range with an assigned police officer at all times.
I'll let you know.
|
|
|
Post by freckles on Feb 25, 2008 12:12:14 GMT -5
They have paint Ball Guns with Pepper Balls
But only Police can buy them
I seen them use them on TV
It works Great
|
|
|
Post by sheyd on Feb 25, 2008 12:20:51 GMT -5
I love those non-lethal options - they have tanglers now too - cool stuff! I am a big one for things like pepper spray, like the taser idea too. Something that disables, but mistakes aren't deadly - and if kids get into them, no one dies.
Shey
|
|
|
Post by rocko on Feb 25, 2008 12:27:48 GMT -5
I love those non-lethal options - they have tanglers now too - cool stuff! I am a big one for things like pepper spray, like the taser idea too. Something that disables, but mistakes aren't deadly - and if kids get into them, no one dies. Shey exactly. I love watching cops and seeing someone get shot with one of those bean bag things. They think they are really shot.
|
|
|
Post by RO on Feb 25, 2008 12:30:50 GMT -5
One of the guys volunteered to get tasered in my class. It was unbelievable!!!!
Most of my city carries the tasers...
|
|
|
Post by goods on Feb 25, 2008 13:29:03 GMT -5
I get to shoot a gun for the first time as part of my Police Citizen Academy on Wednesday. I must admit I am curious, intrigued, and scared all at once. I was told to take a pic and post it...don't think that will happen. I haven't shot a gun other than a bb gun at a pop can when I was a kid. It should be interesting. We are required to take a gun safety class as well and will be on the firing range with an assigned police officer at all times. I'll let you know. Come on RO give us a pic!
|
|