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I am not ignorant. I know the 2nd amendment. The problem is that many own firearms and don't really know how to use them. Have you ever thought that you could defend yourself without a gun.
I'm trained in 2 different styles of martial arts. I have a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and I trained for several years in Jeet Kune Do. I have also dabbled in about half a dozen other martial arts, including Kenpo, Arnis, Jujitsu, and Krav Maga. I'm well able to defend myself in any normal situation where physical conflict is the issue.
That being said, you watch too many movies. The idea that a martial artist is going to take down half a dozen bad guys that are armed with knives and chains and tire irons while using only his hands and feet - and not even muss his hair during the tussle - is absurd. As the old saying goes, "You don't bring a knife to a gunfight." To expand on that old saying, if I'm not going to enter a gunfight with a knife then I'm surely not going to enter one with only my hands and feet.
Now, what happens when a 6 foot tall, 250 pound body building type attacks a 5 foot tall, 105 pound secretary? Is she supposed to exchange blows with him? Or would it perhaps be better for her if she had a tool that would equalize the situation, such as a .380 snub nose in her purse? My recommendation would be the latter. How about yours?
So how many times have you had to defend yourself with a gun.
I've never had to defend myself with a gun, thank god, and hope I never have to. I fail to see how that is relevant though? Perhaps you could explain how you think it matters?
I've also never had a fire in my house, but that doesn't stop me from putting up smoke detectors on my walls.
I'm trained in 2 different styles of martial arts. I have a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and I trained for several years in Jeet Kune Do. I have also dabbled in about half a dozen other martial arts, including Kenpo, Arnis, Jujitsu, and Krav Maga. I'm well able to defend myself in any normal situation where physical conflict is the issue.
That being said, you watch too many movies. The idea that a martial artist is going to take down half a dozen bad guys that are armed with knives and chains and tire irons while using only his hands and feet - and not even muss his hair during the tussle - is absurd. As the old saying goes, "You don't bring a knife to a gunfight." To expand on that old saying, if I'm not going to enter a gunfight with a knife then I'm surely not going to enter one with only my hands and feet.
Now, what happens when a 6 foot tall, 250 pound body building type attacks a 5 foot tall, 105 pound secretary? Is she supposed to exchange blows with him? Or would it perhaps be better for her if she had a tool that would equalize the situation, such as a .380 snub nose in her purse? My recommendation would be the latter. How about yours?
How about mace. That would take anyone down. And I don't watch any movies so there goes your theory.
How about mace. That would take anyone down. And I don't watch any movies so there goes your theory.
Actually, mace won't take everyone down. Those who are taking certain illegal drugs are able to withstand large doses of mace before it is effective. Also, what most people consider mace is actually pepper spray, as true mace is even more controlled than firearms in most places (illegal in New York, for instance). And again, those who are taking certain drugs are able to withstand large doses of pepper spray, and some people are naturally less affected by it. I actually knew a guy at one time whose bar trick was to spray himself in the face, or have someone else spray him in the face, with pepper spray. Other than making him a little teary eyed, it had no effect.
Other than deadly force, there is no sure way to stop an attacker. If there were, most firearms owners that I know - including myself - would quickly adopt it.
How about mace. That would take anyone down. And I don't watch any movies so there goes your theory.
Excellent idea. Like I said, a gun should always be a last resort, so imo, if you are going to carry a gun, you should also always have a less-than-lethal option at your disposal as well. They make the mace sprayers to where they'll fit right on your keychain now, but let's not pretend that mace is any substitute for a gun depending on the situation.....
BTW, as I said earlier, I have never had to use a gun to defend myself thankfuly. However, having a gun for self defense isn't some fantasy of a paranoid and delusional mind, nor are the chances of having to defend yourself with a gun so obscure as to de-merit the notion of carrying one. Guns are used every day in this country to save lives. If you want a comprehensive list, check this one out:
Now if an NRA link is a bit too biased for your taste, the good news is you can cross reference all of these stories with the local papers they were originally published in, the name of which is provided with each story. If only the media dedicated half as much airtime talking about how guns save lives as they do about how they are used in crime, people would have a better idea of how guns in the right hands are not only a positive thing, but necessary.
Did You Know?
In 92-95% of cases where a gun is used in self defense, a shot is never fired.
Everyday trust me, I work in the industry and it happens everyday.
There were only 66 Bank Robberies in Britain according to recent figures, that 66 Robberies in a country of 63 million with 9,500 bank branches. Bank Robbery has fallen 90% in the last couple of decades as technology has improved and one in three bank robberies fail with the robbers coming away with nothing, whilst even those who manage to get their hands on money come away with very little, and it's often dye packed. There's also the prospect of both being shot by the police and of serving a lengthy prison sentence, so it's hardly surprising it's rapidly declining as a form of crime.
As for a fire fight between robbers and bank robbers in a high street bank it's likely to put lives at risk including innocent members of the public. Money can be replaced, lives can't, it's up to the police to catch or deal with these individuals something that they do very effectively in most cases.
These are tellers being armed, that is not their function. You don't think a teller can make an error carrying a gun everyday when that is not their primary job.
Carrying a gun is not my primary job either. I work in IT primarily. I consider my weapon part of my every day carry package that includes my keys, wallet and pocket knife.
Anyone can be armed with a gun but it doesn't mean they know how to use it responsibly. Have these tellers been trained. The article doesn't say. And everyone's head should explode if these tellers have never shot a gun before. That would not make me feel safe.
I posted links to requirements of IL concealed carry and IL armed guards. The difference is 8 hours of training.
Does anyone rob banks any more, as security has improved dramatically with bullet proof security glass, rapid acting security shutters, automatic door locks, cameras and dye triggers.
Yes, they do. In the wealthy Chicago suburb I used to live in, the bank branch in our local grocery store was robbed at gunpoint about 2 years ago in the middle of the day when approximately 60 shoppers were there.
Grocery store bank branches don't have bullet proof security glass. They're no more than a service desk with 2 or 3 cubicles behind it. Few suburban Chicago banks have bullet proof security glass. That's more of a south side of Chicago thing, or a Currency Exchange thing.
None of the banks where I live now on the east coast have bullet proof security glass between the tellers and customers.
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