On 2/19/2010 1:54 PM, John Sessoms wrote:
From: Tomek Machnik
On 19-02-2010 18:04, Scott Loveless wrote:
>> Aren't guns in public hands a great thing?
>
> They might have been.
The idea of bringing a weapon "for self-protection" to an academic
meeting sounds weird.
Having never kept a gun in my hands, I am trying to imagine the
meeting, one insane shooter, and the to-be-victims trying to protect
themselves, drawing guns from their pockets/laptop bags/wherever
biology professors keep their weapons.
What chances do they really have to defend themselves?
Little or none. The so called "training" required for concealed carry
permits is a travesty.
One of the perennial issues we dealt with back when I was doing
security work was guns kept in the home "for self-protection". The
LUCKY homeowners arrived home to find their guns stolen during a
break-in.
The unlucky ones managed to arrive home while the perps were still on
the premises. Or to their sorrow, used their guns ...
During the 13 years I worked for the security company, I never
personally encountered any situation where a homeowner successfully
defended his life, family or property with a gun kept in the home,
although I know gun "rights" advocates can call up hundreds of
instances in a heartbeat.
What they don't understand is just how minuscule a percentage of
incidents that represents. You have a slightly better chance of being
struck by lightning and surviving.
There was never one amongst any of our customers in that period;
although there were several that went the other way - homeowner or
family member killed or wounded with a gun kept in the house "for
self-protection".
I'm a supporter of Second Amendment rights.
I just don't think enough attention is paid to the first part about
"well regulated" - in its original sense "trained and organized" - gun
owners must be frequently and rigorously trained in firearms use.
Which means to me, when NOT to shoot should have as much or more
emphasis as how to shoot when you must.
I don't own a gun myself.
I consider buying one a waste of money if I'm not allowed to shoot who
I think deserves shooting. And I'd feel a damn fool if someone lurking
in my home shot me with a gun I'd provided.
Oh come now, you can shoot anyone you wish. You just have to be willing
to accept the consequences. That's what separates the sane from the
insane, and the desperate from the comfortable..
--
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interface subtly weird.\par
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