Guns – Playing with Matches We haven’t had a good old gun thread in quite some time so I thought that I’d relate a recent shooting we had and what would have or could have prevented it if anything. Now I know the gun crowd refuses even reasonable restrictions on weapons and I think that it is important to point out that I am not for banning guns just for having sane and reasonable restrictions on gun ownership. Hunting is fine and hunters are some of the safest gun owners I know. Restrict assault rifles, handguns, and semi-automatics which have no place in the hunting arena. On to our shooting; About 3:30 am the end of last week, two young men were arguing about one of them not belonging in a student housing dorm tower since he wasn’t a resident. The young man trying to get in pulled out a handgun and aimed it at the other mans’ head. He managed to slap the gun away from his head only to be shot in the leg as he ran away. The police converged on the shooter and had him in custody within a matter of minutes. When this mans’ fraternity room was searched, it was found that he had an AK-47 assault rifle, a shotgun, another handgun, and a lot of ammunition. We are talking about a relatively safe rural community here not some inner city gang infested neighborhood and it is against the law to carry a concealed weapon in this state. This young man had no criminal past. He was a student at the school. He was stocking a young woman that lived in the dorm. Now the gun crowd would argue that if the other guy had a gun, he would have been able to defend himself. Unlikely, since even if it was legal to carry a gun, he would have been dead before he could have pulled it out. This mentality is no different than the old west where the fastest draw got to live and the other guy went to the graveyard and guns become the way to solve any argument. Kind of silly to go back to those days at this point. The mentality of the gun crowd is that everyone without a criminal record should be able to own a gun until they commit a crime with it and then we take away their right to own a gun. Isn’t that really equivalent to giving every 2-year old a book of matches because they have no record of starting any fires and if they do start a fire, then we will take away their right to have matches? ¿Your thoughts?
My god man what are you some sort of Commie/pinko/sicko give them all Uzi's or XM8's LOL and some frags
And one can find plenty of stories about people defending their homes and selves from intruders with handguns. Here's one: Lake Country News-Sun Waukegan, Ill., 12/4/2006 State: IL American Rifleman Issue: 3/1/2007 POLICE SAY A 16-year-old gang member wearing a ski mask and toting a .22 rifle knocked on a front door north of Chicago one night. Inside, Saffiyya Darr and her husband called out to ask who it was, but got no reply. Several minutes later they heard a loud sound coming from their back door, and Darr ran to her bedroom to get a 9 mm pistol. When the suspect forced his way inside, she shot him twice. He died at the scene. "If you are sitting at home at night and someone kicks the door open, you have the right to defend yourself," said Police Chief Douglas Malcolm. Here's some more... http://www.old-yankee.com/rkba/armcit/ and here's a searchable database. http://www.nraila.org/ArmedCitizen/ I tend to lean toward the belief that guns are not the problem. Gun education is the problem. You have to take a couple of tests and get training to drive a car (which can also a dangerous weapon) so why not a gun?
I was curious about a couple of things and went searching on this topic. Did you know that it seems that half of all US gun related deaths each year are suicides? http://www.nysun.com/national/surprising-fact-half-of-gun-deaths-are-suicides/80978/ Not something I typically see reported to say the least. In fact, I can never remember ever hearing it reported. Ever. Which is shocking since: ...gun-related suicides have outnumbered firearm homicides and accidents for 20 of the last 25 years. Now, of course, in our never ending quest to save people from themselves, that is used as a reason to ban guns. After all, gun suicide attempts are almost always successful whereas 'jumping from high places" is not very successful at all. Personally, I am surprised, shocked and appalled at the irresponsible lack of Public Service Announcements telling suicidal people to jump from a building instead of blowing their heads off. Think of the people, albeit probably vegetables, that we could save each year. They could call it the Just Say Jump campaign. And, as an aside...here is some interesting number crunching. From that article above, there were 31000 gun related deaths. But, 17000 were suicides. The other 14000 were homicides or accidents. On the other hand, there were 43,443 automobile deaths in 2005. And 16885 were alcohol related. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics-2005.html Obviously, we should be outlawing automobiles and alcohol and only then start to worry about guns.
I would certainly support much harsher measures to stop drink driving, as for guns well no matter what legislation you put in place a criminal is not realy going to heed it ! Solution found in possesion of a wepon in the act of commiting a crime "Death Penalty"
I own many guns. I feel safer knowing that I'm armed (and trained) if we have an intruder and that my wife is protected if I'm out of town. I enjoy collecting & trading old guns & I enjoy shooting guns of all kinds...I have never once gone hunting though. This may surprise you but I don't oppose responsible licensing and a little regulation on gun ownership. Like deorc, I support serious, heavy punishment for people who use guns in the commission of a crime.
If you want to see what excessive gun controll can be like visit the UK, here it's like owning hens teeth to own a handgun and even air rifles are under threat, yet gun crime still occurs with sad regularity. You want to impress on kids that guns are not toys take them on a visit to a mourge to view the results of what a gun shot can do
Here we go agreeing but a bit different in my case. I've never really liked guns but know enough people that do like them, are trained in them and collect them. Responsible people. I actually DO own a gun and it is for home protection. If I ever have to use I will not hesitate. Those that use them while committing a crime should be severely punished. No leniency for first time offenders. Finally banning guns is about the dumbest thing we could do. Like the criminals are just going to turn alll of their weapons in? I never understood that logic because I see none.
Anyone who owns a fire arm has the responsibility to learn how to use it and periodically get in some time on the range. Shooting a gun is one thing, shooting an armed intruded is another. Some intruders will get a weapon in the home, poker, kitchen knife , ball bat etc.. They are wise opportunists. Either way it is a mindful decision on if you take the life of your family seriously or not. If you hesitate you may be a victim of your own gun. Be sure who it is, know you home well and when you are within visual range stop his advance in your home. Forced entry situations are like an ambush . get your fire arm and wait for them to come to you. Have a pre planned system for family members. Get in closets or go out a window. A shot gun is very viable for a little sport shooting as well as home protection. It does not have to be a hand gun.
Have to agree with you Pep, people realy should know how to maintain & handle safely any wepon that they own, I would highly reccomend a shotgun for anyone who is not too sure of there aim
I'd recommend shooting lessons or sometime on the range for those not too sure of their aim. lol But, yes, a shotgun is still a good choice.
