Home Invasions (Grand Junction, Palmer Lake, Larkspur: rent, day care, how much)

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

That only police should have guns. Criminals HATE the thought of their potential victims being armed. They are cowards and want easy prey. Knowing that if they attack someone or break into someone's home that they may be shot does not comfort them. Its a huge deterrent.

Go to a range or IDPA match and see these "crazed, gun nuts". You'll find the same cross section of society that you see at the golf course. Golf's still OK, right? Or do you want to limit the number of sets of golf clubs I have?

Speaking of golf, I simply LOVE my putter!

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

... Or do you want to limit the number of sets of golf clubs I have?

Nice point.

Well this thread has been up long enough for another home invasion (http://www.gazette.com/articles/colorado_44874___article.html/free_snow.html - broken link) to occur. This thread was never intended to be about gun laws. For example, a punk catches a guy shovelling his own driveway this time and forces him into his own home, has him tie up his own family, then forces him to go to the ATM. Something like that. I'd have had that punk's face torn off with my snow shovel and there would have been no need for a gun.

[Shuffler]

Not surprising.

It's Bush's fault.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by Pilot1

That only police should have guns. Criminals HATE the thought of their potential victims being armed. They are cowards and want easy prey. Knowing that if they attack someone or break into someone's home that they may be shot does not comfort them. Its a huge deterrent.

Go to a range or IDPA match and see these "crazed, gun nuts". You'll find the same cross section of society that you see at the golf course. Golf's still OK, right? Or do you want to limit the number of sets of golf clubs I have?

Now you're projecting your own prejudices onto me, assuming that because I don't love guns or own a gun that I wish to legislate against the use of them. I never said that only police should have guns. I also never suggested limiting how many guns you or anyone else owns.All I'm saying is that almost everyone who thinks that they are well-trained enough to shoot at a person accurately while under threat is sadly mistaken, and that they would be better off keeping the gun locked up, or not owning one at all, and getting and alarm system and some self-defense training instead.

[Bob from down south]

Originally Posted by treedonkey

All I'm saying is that almost everyone who thinks that they are well-trained enough to shoot at a person accurately while under threat is sadly mistaken, and that they would be better off keeping the gun locked up, or not owning one at all, and getting and alarm system and some self-defense training instead.

No, it's untrained gun owners that are likely to have their own weapons used against them. The history in Texas since passage of their concealed-carry law has been quite the opposite. Not a single armed crime committed by a trained permit-holder in 12 years now, and hundreds of crimes thwarted by legally-armed citizens.

Self-defense training? Too funny. If somebody's got the nerve to break into your house while you're in it, they aren't likely to be impressed with your unarmed Shao Lin Kung Fu skills. That stuff is useful for when some guy tries to grab your wife's purse in the mall.

There are people who hide and pray the police will get there quick, and there are people who take responsibility for defending themselves. I have no problem with that, until the aforementioned group tells me I should just be a good little sheep and hide like they do. Uh-uh, not happening.

[ryanek9freak]

I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.

Law enforcement only arrives AFTER the crime has been commited. That's why I've taken it uopn myself, to protect myself.

And yes Treedonkey, I would be impressed with your marathon medals. Not something I could do.

I smoke like a crack *****.

[TheBeach]

When you live out in a distant rural area like I do, you can't rely on your neighbors or the police for immediate help. I'm in El Paso County, and the odds of a county cop showing up within 30 minutes is very low (if they respond at all). And my neighbors are far enough away and so "unfriendly" that I can't rely on them for help either.

When I lived in Bellevue and Los Altos, the cops arrived in 3 minutes or less (I proved that personally). In those cases, I probably didn't really need a weapon because these guys were quick. Out here in Peyton (I'm 9 miles away from Falcon), I would be a fool, a complete idiot in fact, if I didn't have some protection (alarms, dogs, an angry cat ). I reload for a hobby, have a shooting range at back, and have plenty of room to be safe (I'm a bit of a safety nut). And I like to shoot. So it seems a tad natural for me to use a gun for defense. But I'll use it only if I can't figure out any other way to deal with the threat.

There are many people (MILLIONS) who like to shoot, go to ranges, and just have fun. If they do not want to go the extra distance to use a weapon to protect themselves, that's fine. That's their choice. I would never push someone into doing that. It's a personal decision and one that should not be taken lightly.

[jplmr]

Can anyone tell me if there are any regulations on getting pistol permit? Can just anyone run around with a shotgun? Here in NY I love to go hunting with my Father and Brothers. I was taught how to shoot at the age 13. Of course then I only shot air guns and bb guns at targets. I’m not saying that I can shoot a person between the eyes if they are breaking into my house but I can shoot a Black bear and a nice 6 point from a tree stand! I’m thinking about getting a pistol for personal safety sense my husband always seems to deploy. Living on base I even had someone try to break into my home. The MPs told me I couldn't shoot them until they are in my house and I asked why are you in my home. What the freak?

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by Bob from down south

No, it's untrained gun owners that are likely to have their own weapons used against them.

I guess it's a question of what constitutes 'trained' versus 'untrained'. You'd have a hard time convincing me that anyone who goes hunting and takes target practice regularly is well-trained enough to shoot accurately under threat.

And, no, self defense does not equal kung fu or any other martial art for that matter. The fact that that person thinks it does shows that they know nothing about self-defense, which is usually about 97% deterrence, and, 2% escape tactics and 1% brawn.

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by jplmr

I’m thinking about getting a pistol for personal safety sense my husband always seems to deploy. Living on base I even had someone try to break into my home. The MPs told me I couldn't shoot them until they are in my house and I asked why are you in my home. What the freak?

This is where this discussion can take a very useful direction. Legislation is needed that allows us to defend ourselves anywhere on our property, not just inside the house. If I choose to wear a sidearm while shoveling snow from my driveway, it should be perfectly legal. We will have to actively petition lawmakers to make such changes to existing laws.