South Dakota & the 2nd Amendment (Brookings, Mitchell: crime rate, home, neighborhood)

[DannyBanany]

Those are very good points, MJM. The sight of a gun would scare me to death, which is probably why I've never owned one. I don't have anything against people practicing their right to have guns and carry guns, but I just choose not to exercise it. Plus, I'm clumsy.

[rjl78]

A gun is usually a deterrent. Nothing puts the fear of God back into a person like looking down a barrel of a .45 or when someone racks an 870.

[Jammie]

MJM, if you feel comfy having a gun around, that is just fine so bring one along. I just wanted to point out~I don't know how much crime you have in your city, but we have a very low crime rate here. Things happen all over, but we have very few violent crimes. (Knock on wood)

[mi~mi]

Gary's Gun SHop in Sioux Falls has a range. I don't know about trap there, but you would think there would be some. I think mitchell and some of the surrounding towns have trap/skeet shooting leagues and Mitchell used to have an outdoor range by the 4-h grounds. I take that back. Mitchell DOES have a range by the fairgrounds.

[mjm0771]

Originally Posted by Jammie

MJM, if you feel comfy having a gun around, that is just fine so bring one along. I just wanted to point out~I don't know how much crime you have in your city, but we have a very low crime rate here. Things happen all over, but we have very few violent crimes. (Knock on wood)

As long as the citizenry is allowed to be armed, it will keep those numbers down. That's precisely the reason why NJ's crime rate is so high...

That's why I'd like to move to SD, to protect my family, and assisting my (soon-to-be) citizens & the police (indirectly) in keeping the crime down to a minimum.

This video is one of my favorites:

YouTube - The Truth About the Right to Carry

-mike

[mjm0771]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

Those are very good points, MJM. The sight of a gun would scare me to death, which is probably why I've never owned one. I don't have anything against people practicing their right to have guns and carry guns, but I just choose not to exercise it. Plus, I'm clumsy.

If you ever decide you want to overcome that fear, look me up in Mitchell in about 4-6 months! We'll go the the range.

[DannyBanany]

I've fired a beebee gun and a slingshot a few times! Got me into nothing but trouble so I can't imagine what a REAL gun would be like!

[Jammie]

Oh yea, I grew up with guns, too. I know how to fire a rifle and a shotgun~just hate the kick from those old shotguns. I never aimed them at anything but cans and I was actually a good shot, believe it or not.

There was an incident in my relation several years ago and I'll just say it cured me from allowing any guns in my house. They do cause heartache and death and it's not only to intruders.

But I still feel~to each his own.

I do want to add a bit of a horror story I read in a big city newspaper several months ago. A friend sent me a link of an incident where a woman was alone in her apartment. There was a vacant apartment next to her and an intruder broke into it and busted through the walls into the gal's apartment. He began stabbing her and she shot him. I believe he lived and thankfully, she saved her own life. SO, they do have their purpose. UGH, I had nightmares just thinking about that incident. LOL

[MJ1986]

Good points everyone... I guess I had the mentality that guns create violence... Which really isn't true.
They just need to be in the right hands.

What would happen if I purchase a gun (however you go about that), and I feel threatened, and I end up freaking out and shooting someone, and he/she dies. I would be spending the rest of my life in prison right?
I guess it probably depends on the situation... but I'm reminded of that case in Brookings not too long ago. If I remember right, a drunk college student was walking back to his house, and attempted to enter a house that wasn't his, and was shot and killed. That really irked me. And no charges were filed.
I guess I don't have a point to this post... I always try to have an open mind about things though.

[mjm0771]

Originally Posted by MJ1986

What would happen if I purchase a gun (however you go about that), and I feel threatened, and I end up freaking out and shooting someone...

Taking classes or formal training by a recognized qualified instructor or school will take those uncertainties out of the equation. Two classes I think most gun owners should take is a general firearm safey course and a CCW class.

CCW instructors teach students when to fire, but more importantly, when not to fire. Most instructors try to teach the student the levels of alertness:
States of Awareness - The Cooper Color Codes & Self-Defense Women's Self Defense

They always tell you to try and avoid a confrontation or a fight, and when the situation goes beyond your control, then if you must, your draw your weapon. If the threat keeps coming at you, only then will you have the "legal" green light to fire.

One thing that has stuck with me:
I was told that "for every bullet that is fired from my gun, it will have at least 2 lawyers attached to it"

Originally Posted by MJ1986

They just need to be in the right hands.

You're absolutely correct. In the right hands, firearms save lives.
(Lives of the good and innocent)

RE: Drunk guy in wrong house
I heard that story too. It was a very unfortunate tragedy that probably couldn't have been avoided. I can't speculate about the details of the case, but one thing I do know is that it can be very difficult to talk sense into someone thats drunk, especially if he's an "angry drunk" I speak from experience on that one.

-mike