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The reason folks want guns banned is twofold - 1) Guns are scary and make more noise and are more intimidating than a crowbar or a baseball bat. In their hapless and helpless quest for safety and security, they think that banning guns will mean that the criminals will cheerfully give up their weapons too, and we can all be a utopian society and live in peace and love. What they don't understand is that when individuals give up their guns, criminals (and politicians) are free to run rampant over them and terrorize, rob, torture, and kill them with impunity. If you don't believe this, post a sign in your yard that says - "We don't believe in guns in this house". But you'd better be armed and hiding your kids behind a sheet metal door that week. Just because you don't believe in guns doesn't mean criminals will think kindly of you, or leave you alone.
As a petite female who travels alone a LOT on business, I have been accosted many times by aggressive males; on the street, in vehicles, etc. They enjoy intimidating what appears to be a small defenseless female. When I pull out the .38, suddenly I am no longer a potential victim but an equal or greater force. In the animal kingdom, they have two choices - estimate their aggression against mine and act immediately, or go in search of less aggressive prey. Guess which one they choose - quickly. I have yet to shoot anyone, or even draw back the hammer - the appearance of what one sheriff called "those five tiny coffins pointed straight at me" in the cylinder are usually enough to make aggressors think twice. Would I shoot? Betcherazz.
Oh, and the second reason folks want guns banned? because they - like most people who are fiercely adamant about making other people follow their morals and ideals without respect for individual rights, thoughts, actions, and perceptions - want to control the behavior of other people because it gives them power in their meaningless, powerless little lives.
JMHO. I'll carry til I drop - and the gun rack that holds the rifles and shotguns with which I fill my freezer every fall will remain, too. Those who don't like it can keep walking. You have the right to believe whatever you choose, just as I do. However, your rights end where my property line and/or nose begins. (It's a pretty big nose.)
Last edited by SCGranny; 12-06-2008 at 07:06 AM..
Reason: spelling as usual sigh
Could it be rise in handgun crime rates, reported by the media, that causes politicians to feel pressure to take action? (Haven't done the research, just speculation.)
Could it be rise in handgun crime rates, reported by the media, that causes politicians to feel pressure to take action? (Haven't done the research, just speculation.)
Just for the record, I'm pro-2nd ammendment, despite my apparent tone here.
The MSM is notoriously anti-gun. I don't believe for one second that "handgun crime" is rising. First of all there's no such thing. As we rational people know, a handgun doesn't do the killing. It's the criminal, stupid! As has been noted repeatedly by myself and others, as more states enact right to carry laws, the violent crime, including whose with firearms, drops drastically.
Welcome aboard, JMadison.
The MSM is notoriously anti-gun. I don't believe for one second that "handgun crime" is rising. First of all there's no such thing. As we rational people know, a handgun doesn't do the killing. It's the criminal, stupid! As has been noted repeatedly by myself and others, as more states enact right to carry laws, the violent crime, including whose with firearms, drops drastically.
Welcome aboard, JMadison.
Well, OK, let's call it "violent crime committed with handguns by people", or "handgun crime" for short.
Others would claim, (see Freakanomics) that abortion is the cause of leveling crime rates.
I agree, though, people pull the trigger, and if it wasn't a gun, it'd be clubs, fists, or whatever other tool was available.
However, I will point out, despite being a RKBA person, that guns do, in fact, make it much easier to implement the decision.
However I still believe in RKBA for all the reasons it was originally written into the Bill of Rights.
Mornin', Tin and the rest of y'all! Hope all is well out there.
Say.. I'm unfortunately still seeing the quotes that you nice folks paste in from the Trickster. "Ignore" only goes so far, unfortunately...
I dug up my old Psych 101 book, you know, which goes well beyond what I learned in Psych 100. Nicer looking co-eds too. That's also where I learned that if you wanted the better girl you needed a much bigger gun. So my lifestyle and outlook were firmly established! (Imagine how "big" I felt when I unwrapped the Freedom Arms 10" bbl'd .454 Casull as a gift from my wifey!) (There! I left the trap door open for yah, Tricky! Step on the "trip"; show us your quick wit!)
I suspect though, that since you can't buy a bigger gun, or ANY gun, in Holland, you're sorta stuck with what yah got, and in the Trickster's case, well.... well.... (it's obvious, ain't it? His is a desperate cry for help, Tin, and we oughta be more sympathetic, don't you think? It's hard enough for him to get along with his tiny gun and all....). Why else would he have taken martial arts, since according to him there's no confrontational crime in the wonderful paradise called Holland?
Anyhow, my Psych 101 book suggests that responses like his/hers are indicative that 1) he's/she's probably an idealog, early-twenties college undergrad student who thinks he/she alone has the basis of all rational knowledge at his/her mental fingertips.
or, 2) the subject has had major self-esteem issues for much of their lives, resulting in a particularly hostile combative outlook on life. I particularly like this assessment, because as you know there's been "a lotta combative deflectin' going on round heah!". (with apologies to Sen. Ernest Hollings...)
or, finally, 3) he may have had "issues" with his mother. You know... "issues". Wink-wink, nudge-nudge?
I'm going to invoke some professional help here for all of our sakes. So that the conversation is no longer hogged by the infirm. I'm going to ask June7 to stop by; she's a mental health professional and coincidentally a moderator on these posts. She's v. trustable, thoughtful and kind, and may be able to help the Trick-meister out in his hour(s) of need.
On another direction, and to make a point to the OP, a very good intellectual and wealthy friend of mine (who incidentally, is a major philanthropist in his community with orphaned kids and all) also has a v. sophisticated home alarm system. It tripped and it told Dave (my friend) not only how many, but where the interloppers were on his property.
Dave was able to "surprise" the young man and hold him at the point of Dave's short-barreled and quite menacing auto-loading 12ga shotgun. There then followed a very interesting psychological interrogation. Dave knew there were two of them, but initially the first perp was hesitant to let it all out.
Finally, when Dave moved the interrogation to his linoleum-floored garage ("It'll be easier to clean up afterwards..." he told his wife, who was also present), the perp then became more cooperative. Allowed as how his pal, "Manny", was in one of the outbuildings. Dave told our little hero (and getting "littler" by the minute, I'd suspect...) to call Manny in, which happened.
Meanwhile, Dave carried on a continuous quiet discussion to the side with his wife about whether it wouldn't perhaps be more efficient and better for society if he just "offed" these two dis-respectful morons. "No no please ohhh no..." pleaded perp 1. Of course Dave had no intent to murder anyone but the threat of Assured Destruction surely got to the thoroughly addled mind of the twerp-perp.
Dave then took their wallets, removed their driver's licences and other useful ID (to turn over to his friends on the local PD, BTW. quite a clever idea!), and said that if anything was ever stolen from his property, if his alarm system ever went off again, if anyone "tagged" his property, he, Dave, would personally visit upon the properties and families of Manny and his thoroughly humiliated co-conspirator. Dave also advised these two that they were to inform their buddies to stay away from Dave's home and properties as that would constitute a situation that Dave would hold these two personally responsible for.
Moral of this story? A thoughtful, intelligent man (Dave, for the benefit of TD) was able, non-violently, to completely and safely control the situation, but only because he had a verifiable deadly-force threat at his disposal, and was obviously ready to use it. He didn't automatically fire on anyone, didn't assume superior "airs" or any of the approaches or solutions that our oplichter, valsaard member states will surely happen.
And to the TD, I finish with my assessment of you, in case my psych eval doesn't fit:
According to a very nice, rational Dutch commerical rose-grower friend of mine from Vancouver, Canada, who I recently asked to read a few of your enlightening posts (i.e.: not another idiot Yankee...). You're apparently what your countrymen call a "Nuchtere koppige onrijpe Hollander".
I don't quite know what it means, but knowing you, I'm sure it's appropriate. Perhaps you could translate it for us?
Last edited by rifleman; 12-06-2008 at 07:52 AM..
Reason: typos
Could it be rise in handgun crime rates, reported by the media, that causes politicians to feel pressure to take action? (Haven't done the research, just speculation.)
Just for the record, I'm pro-2nd ammendment, despite my apparent tone here.
JM; please check this one out. I'm sure you'll find it quite informative. I'll start with a partial quote from the article which came directly out of the linked article. Just want to set the tone, FYI. Thx!
"The 1996 Demographic Yearbook, published by the United Nations*, contains a list of murder rates in 86 countries. According to researcher David C. Stolinsky in his article “America: The Most Violent Nation?” a number of countries show higher murder rates than the U.S.
In his article “The Numbers Speak for Themselves,” writer John Hay Rabb* cited a 1997 US Justice Department report on murders in the America, which has a murder rate of seven victims per 100,000 population per year."
(*underlined, asterisked and color-coded emphasis by rifleman. Many libs or gun-grabbers fall to their knees in genuflection and admiration if the UN states ANYTHING! You appear to be an open-minded debater, BTW...)
(**Also, for more real info, Google this guy J. H. Rabb. Very intellectual and unbiased. The direct antithesis of the usual emotion-driven anti-gunners' approach. No wonder they fear and loath him, eh?)
And since then (1997) violent crime rates in the US have fallen, (FBI Uniform Statistical Report on Crime, through 2006) partially attributed to the huge increase in the number of Concealed Carry Permits. And of less "liberal and activist" judges who coddle criminals at the expense of victims.
As of today, BTW, CCP holders can now carry their pistoles in National Parks, subject to some limitations. Great!
(Oh BTW, kudos to SCGranny. Great post! Logic uber alles, neh?)
Last edited by rifleman; 12-06-2008 at 08:13 AM..
Reason: typos, clarity
Being prey has nothing to do with having a gun or not having a gun.
Originally Posted by rifleman
Quote:
I'm going to ask June7 to stop by; she's a mental health professional and coincidentally a moderator on these posts. She's v. trustable, thoughtful and kind, and may be able to help the Trick-meister out in his hour(s) of need.
I happen to know that June 7th thinks of me as an intelligent and thoughtful person.
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The Alarm Says "It's Time To Wake up!"
No wonder they fear and loath him, eh?)
Being prey has nothing to do with having a gun or not having a gun.
I happen to know that June 7th thinks of me as an intelligent and thoughtful person.
