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Yes, I will. No one is trying to repeal the 2nd Amendment. But some people are rightly trying to minimize the distribution of particularly lethal, high-capacity weapons to demented people and criminals. The two are not the same. Having comprehensive background checks is not the same as banning guns from being owned by anyone.
And back more on topic... there are a lot of valuable services that cops provide. That doesn't mean that every one of them is "perfect."
Which "valuable" services do cops provide?
Weapons are not high capacity, magazines are. It helps to know what you are talking about before you choose to voice your uninformed opinion about it.
In January I got mugged and called the cops; within 3 minutes, 3 units and 6 officers were at my door. No complaints about response time here.
Thats a fantastic response time..... 3 minutes.... wow.
However if the mugger chose to use a lethal weapon on you..... well.... 3 minutes would seem like a lifetime.
Thats why I believe self defense is my personal responsibility... then I'll call the cops.
A few months ago, my wife and I were in our upstairs office. We heard a thumping and a crash from downstairs or maybe outside. I grabbed my gun and headed downstairs, saying "Call 911". She was on the phone giving details to the dispatcher while I carefully searched. She told the dispatcher that I had a gun and was looking for the intruder(s). Then she called to me "They said to secure your weapon." I replied "Hell no!" "She says the officers won't come in while you're armed." Raising my voice loud enough for the dispatcher to hear me, I said "Fine. Tell them to go back and send a coroner instead!" Within 5 seconds I heard sirens start up in the distance.
I opened the front door with my back to it, still holding my weapon raised towards the basement door. The first officer through simply said "It's ok, lower your weapon. I'm not going to take it away, but just point it down" as he entered with his gun trained on the same door I had been pointing at. Nothing was said as I decocked it and put it into my waistband. Two other heavily-armed officers circled the house to find signs of attempted forcible entry at our basement door.
When it was over, we talked in the foyer, them holding their shotgun and AR, me with my loaded handgun still at my side. They complimented me in that I responded quickly and was prepared to deal with an intruder properly.
I fully support LEOs and respect the work they do. But most often, their task is to respond after the fact, interview witnesses, take some notes, and file reports. It's the individual who is in danger to whom the task of protection falls when the threat is occurring.
I've since replaced the faulty alarm sensor on that basement door.
It seems that the police have the total trust of ome people that if they are ever in need, the police will be right there in a matter of seconds to help defend their homes and their lives. Where people get this false sense of security I do not know. I'd like to share this story with all of you who believe that law enforcement will be at you side in an emergency no matter what....
This is one story among countless others like it. It's a shame this woman wasn't formally trained in the use of a firearm so that she would have been able to defend herself when the system clearly failed her. That or has mace or some other form of protection. Those of you who are comfortable putting your trust and your lives in the hands of the police department, I wish you a lot of luck.
That really is too bad. Further proof that when seconds count, the police are minutes away. As I've said, gun or ball bat, whatever; break into my house, and I'm taking steps to minimize the threat, and let the cops sort it out later.
That's just the thing with conservatives... they have a big macho complex. Like bullies still on the grade school playground, except that the rest of us have grown up.
No one claims that police can be there "in seconds" to defend you. No one is saying that you can't own a gun if you're not a criminal or a moron (heck, you can clearly own one even if you're a moron). But it's totally asinine to say that the police do not provide valuable services to communities in which they operate, which makes those communities safer.
There is nothing macho about it! Yes, back in the day I've been in my share of brawls, but have STILL walked away from more fights than I've been in! Nevertheless, if I or my family is attacked, or our house is broken into, I'm not waiting, and I'm certainly not going to be a victim to some douchebag who doesn't have any regard for the lives of others as well as his own! Because, if they did, they wouldn't be breaking into my house, or trying to harm my family!
I have a violent brother who has repeatedly threatened neighbors, my parents, and me. Currently he is in a mental institution for the criminally insane awaiting a trial date for burglary of a habitation, assault, and terroristic threats. Since this is his first felony, he will probably get sentenced to about two years max - with time served. In other words, he'll be out on the streets again in about a year most likely.
He is furious with my parents and with me. He is dangerous. We are very nervous about when he gets out - he's already torn up my parents' property once, as well as barged in on me at one am waving a handgun around one time (since he didn't actually point it at me, he was only charged with public intoxication that time).
We met with the defense attorney (the DEFENSE attorney!) who told us, "I'm sorry - we know he's dangerous - but we can't keep tabs on him on a daily basis. We don't have the resources. I recommend that you arm yourselves - and be prepared to protect yourselves. He will almost certainly re-offend."
In other words, be prepared to shoot your own son - your own brother. Bad situation. But thank goodness we live in a state where we CAN legally protect ourselves from someone like him! Not only that - law enforcement realizes that and actually encourages it.
They can't be everywhere all the time. They're REACTIVE, not PROACTIVE. Generally speaking, they only show up AFTER the **** starts going down.
No, they're too busy pulling people over for dumb reasons.
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