Good evening,
So a few weeks ago this editorial appeared in my local paper:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinio...cle_8b74c4ae-f2bc-5976-b547-60381375af88.html
I generally don't like writing "Letters to the Editor" because opinions are like *******s, everyone has one and they all stink. But lately I feel the need to at least do something, especially when something is so one sided or incorrect.
So here was my response:
Mr. Robberson,
In response to your column "Urban survival tips for St. Louisans concerned about crime" and your opinion on guns, I quote:
"First, let me make clear that guns are not the answer. I managed to survive years in the most dangerous cities on earth without ever having carried a firearm. No matter how Rambo-tough you imagine yourself to be, you will not outdraw a person who has taken you by surprise and is already pointing a gun at you. Do not give that person a reason to pull the trigger."
First, congratulations on surviving some of the most dangerous cities without ever having carried a firearm. I'm sure there are more people with similar experiences. There are also people who haven't survived, through no fault of their own. Would things have turned out differently (for better or worse) if the victim had been carrying? We can only speculate.
Second, contrary to what you and the internet like to think and since we are giving opinions, the majority of people who choose to conceal carry are not trying to be "Rambo-tough." They have made a conscious decision to carry a firearm for personal protection with the hopes of never having to use it, but acknowledging the fact that a situation might arise in which they will need to apply deadly force. Sure there is a lot of rhetoric, especially on the internet. But the smallest groups typically make the most noise. As for being able to out draw, again that's your opinion and you're certainly entitled to it. But when it comes down to it, the choice belongs to the potential victim, not you. And there are certainly stories about people out-drawing the attacker, and I believe your P-D has even posted about them.
Lastly, criminals do not need a reason to pull the trigger. They will do it whether or not the victim is carrying a firearm or not. One only need to look at the shootings around Busch Stadium or the horrific carjacking on Washington Avenue to see that. Were those victims armed? Were they complying with their attackers?
Your editorial also refuses to acknowledge dozens of different scenarios where the attacker might not have a gun. Or might not yet have it pointed. Or there might be multiple assailants. Deadly force is not simply limited to firearms. And the decision to employ deadly force is easy to Monday morning quarterback. But in that moment, at that time, only the person standing there knows what is best, and has to live with the consequences of their decisison. You can have twelve different scenarios with twelve different outcomes, all based on the choices twelve different people choose to make.
I recommend reading In the Gravest Extreme by Ayoob Massad. That is if you truly wish to have an informed opinion. You can choose to disagree with me. You can choose to disagree with Mr. Massad. But hopefully it will give you a different view to consider.
So.... thoughts? Something I should add or edit? Thanks for feed back.
So a few weeks ago this editorial appeared in my local paper:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinio...cle_8b74c4ae-f2bc-5976-b547-60381375af88.html
I generally don't like writing "Letters to the Editor" because opinions are like *******s, everyone has one and they all stink. But lately I feel the need to at least do something, especially when something is so one sided or incorrect.
So here was my response:
Mr. Robberson,
In response to your column "Urban survival tips for St. Louisans concerned about crime" and your opinion on guns, I quote:
"First, let me make clear that guns are not the answer. I managed to survive years in the most dangerous cities on earth without ever having carried a firearm. No matter how Rambo-tough you imagine yourself to be, you will not outdraw a person who has taken you by surprise and is already pointing a gun at you. Do not give that person a reason to pull the trigger."
First, congratulations on surviving some of the most dangerous cities without ever having carried a firearm. I'm sure there are more people with similar experiences. There are also people who haven't survived, through no fault of their own. Would things have turned out differently (for better or worse) if the victim had been carrying? We can only speculate.
Second, contrary to what you and the internet like to think and since we are giving opinions, the majority of people who choose to conceal carry are not trying to be "Rambo-tough." They have made a conscious decision to carry a firearm for personal protection with the hopes of never having to use it, but acknowledging the fact that a situation might arise in which they will need to apply deadly force. Sure there is a lot of rhetoric, especially on the internet. But the smallest groups typically make the most noise. As for being able to out draw, again that's your opinion and you're certainly entitled to it. But when it comes down to it, the choice belongs to the potential victim, not you. And there are certainly stories about people out-drawing the attacker, and I believe your P-D has even posted about them.
Lastly, criminals do not need a reason to pull the trigger. They will do it whether or not the victim is carrying a firearm or not. One only need to look at the shootings around Busch Stadium or the horrific carjacking on Washington Avenue to see that. Were those victims armed? Were they complying with their attackers?
Your editorial also refuses to acknowledge dozens of different scenarios where the attacker might not have a gun. Or might not yet have it pointed. Or there might be multiple assailants. Deadly force is not simply limited to firearms. And the decision to employ deadly force is easy to Monday morning quarterback. But in that moment, at that time, only the person standing there knows what is best, and has to live with the consequences of their decisison. You can have twelve different scenarios with twelve different outcomes, all based on the choices twelve different people choose to make.
I recommend reading In the Gravest Extreme by Ayoob Massad. That is if you truly wish to have an informed opinion. You can choose to disagree with me. You can choose to disagree with Mr. Massad. But hopefully it will give you a different view to consider.
So.... thoughts? Something I should add or edit? Thanks for feed back.
