Charlotte residents: take note (work, house, gangs)

[pinkpocketbooks]

my husband could have wrote this post. he has the exact same views. me? i just don't like guns period.

Originally Posted by anifani821

Maybe some of the thugs in this city would re-consider breaking in homes if this were the way citizens handled things here:

Hickory Home Invasion Turns Into Double Homicide - Charlotte News Story - WSOC Charlotte

Of course, there may be more to the story. We don't know if the intruders were known to the homeowners as of this time. But nevertheless . . . it used to be people knew they would get shot if they broke into a home here in the South, period. Hope I don't sound like a vigilante, but homeowners should feel safe in their own homes . . . and if that means being prepared to defend my home . . . that is what I will do.

Please note these intruders were armed.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by pinkpocketbooks

my husband could have wrote this post. he has the exact same views. me? i just don't like guns period.

It is a difficult position, Pink . . . b/c these intruders were also armed. Now there may be more to the story (the homeowner could have known the intruders, even been in some kind of business w/ them - who knows?) But nevertheless, whatever the circumstance, the intruders were armed and doubtless intended to cause harm to the homeowner.

At a moment like that . . . even if you hate guns . . . I would assume most people would be praying a "good guy" would show up w/ a gun.

So I guess it all comes down to . . . gun safety issues . . . and whether or not you believe you could ever be put in the situation where you would wish you had a gun.

[LAMF]

Originally Posted by vindaloo

I feel that a dog is the best security system a house can have although I don't have one.

One of the many reasons that we moved out of our house in Charlotte and out to McAdenville is that we caught wind that certain individuals in the neighborhood had spoken about poisoning our dogs. They did too good a job of alerting us to threats, I suppose ... one local thug informed me that "Those dogs saved your lives," before going on to let me know about the threat of poisoning them.

[cynwldkat]

Catch someone poisoning my animals and right there is enough reason to shoot ya!! That is my personal thinking. If my animals are protecting me I am sure going to protect them too!!!

[ultraviolet*]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Let us know what you come up with later, after the vino, LOL.

Are you a native Southerner? Cause if you are a Southerner, there is no philosophy to consider. You just know you have to protect your home from thugs and critters, so you get a dawg and a gun.

There have always been criminals and psychopaths. They are just more brazen these days.

Blame it all on video games <as I adjust my headphone and jiggle my joy stick>

I'm sorry, was my yankee showing? I try not to let it out too often!

Let's be careful about *that* "no philosophy" thought though, because it almost makes it sound like Southerners are not philosophers, and we all know that to be untrue!

After mulling it over for an evening, I decided I still think it's pretty sad that someone would have to take extreme measures just to keep their home and family safe, and would think nothing of *killing* another human in self-defense.

I know the retort is typically, "well, kill or be killed!" but like you mentioned it's a "difficult position."

I would rather cut the problem off at the source, take more action in a community, or safeguard my home more actively in advance, etc. than have to even make that kind of decision.

[Whytewulf]

Originally Posted by ultraviolet*

I'm sorry, was my yankee showing? I try not to let it out too often!

Let's be careful about *that* "no philosophy" thought though, because it almost makes it sound like Southerners are not philosophers, and we all know that to be untrue!

After mulling it over for an evening, I decided I still think it's pretty sad that someone would have to take extreme measures just to keep their home and family safe, and would think nothing of *killing* another human in self-defense.

I know the retort is typically, "well, kill or be killed!" but like you mentioned it's a "difficult position."

I would rather cut the problem off at the source, take more action in a community, or safeguard my home more actively in advance, etc. than have to even make that kind of decision.

I am with you. I understand defending yourseld, but there has to be otherways. And I come from Texas, ya'll know what its like there. I don't want to be a victim, but I honestly would rather get robbed that shoot someone. Life safety and defending your family is another matter, but again, "shooting to kill", I don't think its an all or nothing proposition.

[cynwldkat]

Sure, you are 100% right--IF given the option. I can't kill anything to be honest but if I were in fear of someone harming me or my family there would not be a second thought. I think it's part of being a mother and the old mother bear syndrome. Sure, I would hand over all of my cash and belongings but who knows if that would be enough? If someone is coming in my home and have not been invited in then they don't belong there I would think they are not there to do any good. Does a person have time to really think rationally at a time like this? Your body/mind goes into the "flight or fight" mode naturally!! I would do anything to avoid this situation, locks, alarms etc. but when push comes to shove.................Another thought--so you wound a person breaking in your home---then they turn around and sue you! Happens all the time!!

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by ultraviolet*

I'm sorry, was my yankee showing? I try not to let it out too often!

Let's be careful about *that* "no philosophy" thought though, because it almost makes it sound like Southerners are not philosophers, and we all know that to be untrue!

After mulling it over for an evening, I decided I still think it's pretty sad that someone would have to take extreme measures just to keep their home and family safe, and would think nothing of *killing* another human in self-defense.

I know the retort is typically, "well, kill or be killed!" but like you mentioned it's a "difficult position."

I would rather cut the problem off at the source, take more action in a community, or safeguard my home more actively in advance, etc. than have to even make that kind of decision.

Luv ya, Ultra V and hope I didn't hurt your feelings or sound disrespectful . . .

I am sure the majority of people agree with you - we would rather see things handled at a social level in our communities - or if it gets that far, in the court system.

However, I truly meant what I wrote . . . it is not so much a philosophy that Southerners debate. We will fight for our homes/land. You have to understand - here in NC - those of us who have families that have been here more than 100 years are from an agrarian background. Nothing (other than our family members) is more important than our land and homes. Our ancestors did not come here and rent a home or apartment. There was no such thing here as in the NE, where people came into Ellis Island and then were able to rent a home.

Here, you could perhaps rent a room in someone's house or in a barn until you got on your feet . . . but there were few "merchant" jobs . . . and most people worked very hard in order to buy land and have a farm/house of their own. If you lost it, you really had nowhere to go . . . it was the ultimate failure. You and your family were left to go to a relative's home - truly there were very few homes that were ever rented.

Which brings up an interesting sidebar . . . you know the stereotype about Southerners and mobile homes? Well, that is some of this same philosophy. Southerners are raised that it is better to own something - even a mobile home - than rent. This belief is deeply ingrained. Better to buy a patch of land and put a mobile home on it than rent.

But back to your thoughts . . . all rational people would agree w/ you that the "better solution" is if society would take care of thugs. However, it truly is a Southern belief - deeply ingrained - that we will protect our homes and families and if that means buying a gun "just in case," then we will do it.

I think most people who do own firearms feel it is a "better safe than sorry" decision. Unfortunately, if any of us has the misfortune to actually have to deal w/ a situation w/ an armed robber - it really won't matter what we were wishing society would do w/ addressing issues w/ criminals. It will be too late to decide that was, perhaps, too much of an idealistic position to take.

And that is why Southerners have a long history of owning firearms. It isn't that we don't value life; we just aren't going to allow ourselves to be made victims in our own homes.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by Whytewulf

I am with you. I understand defending yourseld, but there has to be otherways. And I come from Texas, ya'll know what its like there. I don't want to be a victim, but I honestly would rather get robbed that shoot someone. Life safety and defending your family is another matter, but again, "shooting to kill", I don't think its an all or nothing proposition.

I don't think any of us is concerned about giving up possessions. However, the trend is going to gangsta type killings, such as we have seen recently w/ the two UNC-CH students. A psychopath is not going to use a gun as a method to guarantee your compliance - they just kill to be killing.

Our Sheriff in the county I grew up in said - If someone is carrying out your TV, then they have both hands on the TV . . . so they can't attack you. In that case, you will be in the wrong if you use deadly force. But if someone breaks down your door, and is brandishing a weapon, then they mean you harm and you have to assume they would kill you.

Now that is the scenario when someone is gonna get shot. Carrying out my TV is not going to get much of a response from me (except cuss words that would make a sailor blush) - as long as they leave my family and dog alone.

[neoflex]

Originally Posted by ultraviolet*

I'm sorry, was my yankee showing? I try not to let it out too often!

Let's be careful about *that* "no philosophy" thought though, because it almost makes it sound like Southerners are not philosophers, and we all know that to be untrue!

After mulling it over for an evening, I decided I still think it's pretty sad that someone would have to take extreme measures just to keep their home and family safe, and would think nothing of *killing* another human in self-defense.

I know the retort is typically, "well, kill or be killed!" but like you mentioned it's a "difficult position."

I would rather cut the problem off at the source, take more action in a community, or safeguard my home more actively in advance, etc. than have to even make that kind of decision.

You saying your a Yankee shows me your most likely from the North which I am from NY so this thinking is foreign to you because in the north we where told all our lives that Guns are bad. Just remember Guns don't kill people, People kill people and more often than not it's not the legal guns that kill people. Most legal gun owners are responsible and practice gun safety. It's the guns that are out on the street illegally owned by the thugs out running the streets that more often than not are the problem. My wife resisted a gun for a while until I spoke to her and taught her about gun safety. Nows she's comfortable with it. My belongings can be replaced but my wife or my life can't. If I'm not home I want my wife to have more protection than just an alarm system. All an alarm does is alert authorities. What happens in the 10-30 minutes before they respond? I'm less worried now because I know push comes to shove if she can get to the pistol, she will be safe and hopefully insurance will cover the new rug and drywall work. I would rather my wife put a couple slugs in a perp rather than her be shot and killed or raped and killed. Like others have mentioned, look how many victims cooperated and were still killed just recently. It's a different world than just 10 years ago and it's better to be prepared for the worst and not have anything happen rather than not be prepared and run into a situation. My wife is still not comfortable with me carrying but if we ever have to go to a questionable area you betcha sweet @ss I'll be armed.