"prodigal1" wrote in message
...
Greg wrote:

stop the presses!

Getting carried away, with the "everyone" aren't you?

I wish you were as incisive at answering my points as you are parsing my
English. Would "a large majority of Americans" do?

Actually I don't think so. Granted, it is estimated that a majority of
american homes contain handguns, however, only a tiny fraction of people
actually carry one on even an occasional basis. If fear were truly that big
of factor here, the streets of the US would look like an old western movie
or a war zone, and they don't.


about someone robbing them, invading their homes, "terrorizing"
them- you've been cultured to fear the "other" -you feel you have to
protect yourself at all times- as a result many of you feel it okay

to

have unlimited access to guns-guns-guns and then stand there with
uncomprehending looks on your faces when nice people get hurt with

guns.

Another paint brush swipe. What "uncomprehending" looks?

So then my mistake? People in the States aren't concerned about how it is
that so many Americans are being killed by one another? People in the
States just throw up their hands and go "Oh well...just another
drive-by...just another domestic that got out of control...whoops just
another ****ass punk with a gun he bought for $25...? Too bad for the
dead guy? Is that it?

Actually seems like it. It's a good publicity shot for celebs and
politicians, but they don't actually worry about results. Could be because a
"case closed" would end the federal funding . Or it's because most of the
violence of any type is confined to "bad" parts of town and the lower middle
class and up (the voters/complainers) have little first hand experience with
it. If and when is spills over to the good parts of the town, well then the
police move in and clean it up and the trouble goes elsewhere.



You play while
driving a car, you might crash and die, run with scissors, an electic
socket, boat without life vests or raft/dingy, ditto. You "play" with a
gun, the same. What's to comprehend? Bad things happen in life all the
time, why do you choose to demonize guns?

Because guns when used as designed, kill people.

If I recall correctly, handguns about 24% of the time, rifles 27%. Guns are
also fun to shoot cans with, compete in fast draw events, all types of
thing. I could safely claim that 99.9999999999% of all ammo fired in the US
is related to just having fun blowing holes in paper. Excluding the
military, with that majority just being target practice.

My guns sit in a nightstand or closet or in a holster or in my car and
haven't killed anyone. Paper however, has suffered dearly!


Cars when used as designed get you from A to B.

And when traveling down the road and you lean over to get some sugar from
your honey, they spin out of control and off the street you go. So I've
heard....

Scissors cut paper...!! Who said anything about "playing" with guns?

Hence the accidental shootings with "unloaded" guns. Idiots playing.

snip


Saudia Arabia would chop your head off for murder. No "he wasn't loved"
or "his skin is a different color" or "he was spanked as a child
goodness gracious!".
Just chop chop chop and there you go.

pot-kettle-black you guys are keeping death rows fairly busy too eh

No, we don't. It takes over 10 years to execute someone convicted of a
heinous crime here in the US.
You murder someone in S.A., your trial and execution will be over in less
than a month. I know, one of our Air Force buses got shot up by Palastinians
during Desert Storm. The shooter lost his head and each accomplice lost a
limb.
Our system is a joke.


It's so much easier to say GUNS ARE EVIL, pass the legislation and go
home feeling so good about doing --- NOTHING. Then the sick *******s
start knifing people, then using clubs, then poison, then propane tank
bombs, then cars to squish people.

Stats from other countries show support for this idea but the reates of
crime are still far lower. Why is that?

Again, not as violent. Isn't it Sweden where everyone is a reservist and
they even keep machine guns at home - yet crime is very low? Course I can
see why...


Where do you draw the line? Like Mr. Morris, when it impacts his
convenience and quality of life?
To rehash old info, up to the 50's, you could by guns EVERYWHERE, drug
stores, gas stations, etc. Instead of taking the slack assed lazy way
out, I would start looking at what has changed in the US since that
time that would cause such an increase in violent behavoir - but that
might solve something.

True, but in the meantime doing something like they have here in Canada
about restricting access to firearms in a significant fashion means that
people don't have easy access to deadly weapons. The stats tell the tale.
Handgun based crime in this country is fueled by illegal importation of
these weapons from the US.

Guns are now simple to make. You really can't ban them any longer. If crooks
wanted guns and couldn't get them, you can bet that back room machine shops
would start shipping them - or they would be bought elsewhere, as you point
out. You couldn't control the components used to make guns without shutting
down an economy - steel, aluminum, just everyday stuff.


By the way, I know a guy that faced a home invasion here in town. He
didn't fall for the "answer the late night knock on the door" and while
returning to his room for his pistol, they kicked the door open. He
returned to the door and started receiving rifle fire from outside and
then a second guy already in the house tried to jump him - but the
target had his pistol. One BG down, the shooter still loose and most
likely plying his trade elsewhere.
The victim now owns about 12 dogs and always carries a concealed
weapon.
Don't underestimate or disregard the impact of violent crime.

But this is my point. Even in a violent city like Detroit, it is the
minority of people who have been victims of stickups, home invasions etc.
Yet the news trumpets the stories and where one person is a victim,
thousands perhaps are made to feel fear and insecurity. Answer: Run for
the gunz. Are they more secure? No. Are their families more at risk
because of the presence of a firearm in the house. Yes.

My last bit for this thread. (yea! yea!)
If you get a gun, practice with it consistently, and train thru "what if"
scenarios, you WILL be much better prepared to face certain conflict
situations - not all, but a lot. In fact, the confidence you gain makes you
less likely to be a victim, according to the psychologists (most crooks want
sheep). If you get one and throw it into the closet, purse, or car and never
touch it - you are absolutely right, MOST likely it will do you no good at
all. But that depends upon the person. Some are just natural at defending
themselves, others will roll over and die no matter what. (Base upon 6 years
of observation while practicing martial arts.)

And lastly, the personal aspect - the one that I just can't ignore. (Yes,
I'm a bleeding heart conservative.)

If YOU are the person facing a violent situation, be it a woman facing a
rapist or a computer geek (like me) facing a muscle bound street thug with
years or decades of experience hurting people, the statistics be damned. All
that is important is what is about to happen to you - which could very well
be your death or permanent disablement.
I for one will not be the person that would take from you one weapon that
might allow you to escape the fate the bad guy has in store for you. You are
free to do that to yourself, but I won't.

Now to try to recall the question the latest issue of PassageMaker brought
to mind....