Why on Earth do you need a gun!?

[DDGator]

This just ocurred yesterday not far from where I live and work:

St. Pete Times Story -- Multiple Murder at Radio Shack

People sometimes ask -- why in world to you need to carry a gun? Or -- why would you ever need a gun when you are out shopping in the middle of the day? Are you THAT paranoid?

My new -- close to home -- example is described in the above story. Two people killed and one critically injured in a random act of gun violence in a Radio Shack store in my neighborhood.

God knows any one of us could have been the first person shot "without warning." I certainly hope that if I was victim No. 2 or No. 3 -- that I would have stopped this before it got to me or someone else. Or died trying...

God bless the victims and their families.

 

[R.H. Lee]

random act of gun violence

What does that mean? I have never heard of a "random act of knife violence", for example. Or a "random act of baseball bat violence", either. Does a gun have some special powers that enable it to commit uncontrolled violence??????

Please don't parrot the leftist phraseology.

Thanks.

 

[MAUSER88]

Some sheeple just don't get it!!

 

[Billmanweh]

maybe I can help explain it.

people in your area have heart attacks all the time, but you wouldn't consider carrying a defibrillator around in a backpack 24/7.

all kinds of things could happen to you when you're away from home, it's called "life". people are curious that the thing you most want to be prepared for is shooting someone.

 

[Ktulu]

These men say it better then I ever could...


"The unarmed man is not just defenseless, he is also contemptible." - Machiavelli


"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it."
-Jeff Cooper


"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." --Ted Nugent

 

[DDGator]

Yeesh.

I don't need a backpack to carry around a gun... I don't think that is very practical. I am C.R.R. trained and would be happy to assist someone in need. In my car I also carry tools, jumper cables, a jacket and various other items to help myself or others.

Based on the reaction so far, I am sorry I posted my thoughts. Nevermind.

 

[B36]

Principals of Personal Defense

Written by Jeff Cooper, covers the situation on page 1 in the Introduction and I quote:

"The number of sociopaths in a stipulated population varies widely, but we can take a figure of one in one hundred, for simplicity's sake and not be far off. About one person in one hundred will, under some circumstances, initiate a violent attack upon another, in defiance of the law, for reasons that seem sufficient to him at the time. Take the able-bodied male population of your community, divide it by one hundred, and you have a fair approximation of the number of possible contacts who just might take it upon themselves to beat your head in."

If you really think you can avoid that one percent every day all of the time, all of your life, perhaps you do not need to carry a gun.

Freedom is all about having the right to make decisions. The decision is yours.

Knife attacks, lots in other countries and some here too.

 

[grnzbra]

people in your area have heart attacks all the time, but you wouldn't consider carrying a defibrillator around in a backpack 24/7.

If I were the victim of a heart attack, would I be able to use the defib on myself?

It's not a matter of preparing to shoot someone; it's a matter of being prepared in case someone attacks me.

 

[Werewolf]

Based on the reaction so far, I am sorry I posted my thoughts. Nevermind

Don't be sorry. It was a good post and was an excellent example of why one needs a gun.

I'm a bit mystified at some of the reactions too - especially the one about the defibrillator.

Perhaps they misunderstood your post, were being sarcastic or are just anti's at heart.

 

[Billmanweh]

trust me, I understand completely.

he asked why people wonder why you need to carry a gun and I'm telling him why. again, there are a thousand things that you could prepare for when you're away from home, and if shooting people is in your top 5 or so, the average person who isn't concerned with shooting anyone will be taken aback a little.

think of it this way. how much more likely are you to be in a car accident than to be lethally assaulted? MUCH more likely. but how many people here spend as much time studying which would be the safest car, the best performing tires, taking defensive driving courses, studying insurance coverage, etc....versus spending hours shooting, picking a gun, studying ballistic reports on different ammunition, etc. it's so unlikely that you would ever need a gun to defend yourself that it's just a little odd to spend so must time and money and energy on that one possibility. people who aren't interested in guns just think it's odd.

it doesn't mean you can't do it, but it's odd.

 

[Billmanweh]

I'm a bit mystified at some of the reactions too - especially the one about the defibrillator.

people in his area have heart attacks MUCH more often than they are shot. so why is he carrying a gun instead of a defibrillator?

 

[Gordon Fink]

[H]ow much more likely are you to be in a car accident than to be lethally assaulted? MUCH more likely. but how many people here spend as much time studying which would be the safest car, the best performing tires, taking defensive driving courses, studying insurance coverage, etc.…

I did all these things before I ever bought my first gun. Living in California, I’m also wearing a seat belt much more often than a gun.

Nevertheless, you made a good point, Bill.

~G. Fink

 

[Justin]

people in your area have heart attacks all the time, but you wouldn't consider carrying a defibrillator around in a backpack 24/7.

There's a movement underway to make defibrillators as publically ubiquitous as fire extinguishers. Heck, I've even seen them mounted in plain site at the local airport.

Last time I checked, I didn't see a rifle hanging in a glass case with a sign saying "In case of violent attack, break glass."

 

[benEzra]

think of it this way. how much more likely are you to be in a car accident than to be lethally assaulted? MUCH more likely. but how many people here spend as much time studying which would be the safest car, the best performing tires, taking defensive driving courses, studying insurance coverage, etc....versus spending hours shooting, picking a gun, studying ballistic reports on different ammunition, etc. it's so unlikely that you would ever need a gun to defend yourself that it's just a little odd to spend so must time and money and energy on that one possibility. people who aren't interested in guns just think it's odd.

(1) Some of us put thought into both. My Toyota Camry wears Goodyear Eagles for that very reason--they give vastly improved braking and handling than "family car" tires, make the car a lot more surefooted, and have allowed me to avoid at least one accident that otherwise would likely have occurred. They also make the car much more fun to drive. My car also has a fire extinguisher mounted in the trunk. Not obsessive, just responsible.

(2) I have been licensed to carry a firearm for several years. I have not obsessed about it, but I HAVE thought deeply about the responsibility involved--to understand the law, to choose the best equipment, and so on. Not obsessive, just responsible.

(3) A lot of us who are members here probably own firearms for both utilitarian AND aesthetic or "hobby" type reasons. Someone who owns a gun solely for protection, who doesn't enjoy shooting them and tinkering with them and talking about them, isn't going to be posting much on a gun board that's not politics-related.

(4) Proficiency with firearms is a martial art just like Isshinryu Karate or Tae Kwan Do or Kenpo or Tai Chi, and can gives a sense of accomplishment and competence just like any other human discipline. Some people pride themself on how well they can smack a small white ball with a stick on a golf course. Others pride themselves on how accurately they can shoot a firearm.

Just some random thoughts.

 

[R.H. Lee]

I wonder how long before some nutcase uses an easily available defibrillator as a weapon?

 

[molonlabe]

"I just want you to know that Justin was a good boy."

The only good part about this is.

After allegedly shooting his victims, Justin Cudar then turned the weapon on himself and died at the scene.

Allegedly????

Good boy. He is a freakin nut!

 

[Andrew Rothman]

"What made him do that? I feel sorry for my whole family and the families of the people involved," [the shooter's cousin, Bill] Hughes said. "I just want you to know that Justin was a good boy."

...Except for the habit of slugging, throwing steel bars at, and shooting people, that is.

One has to wonder what his definition of "bad" might be.

Also, where was this concerned family when he was showing "anger management" issues?

 

[Sleeping Dog]

RileyMc, never bring a defibrillator to a gun fight!

Actually, I wonder if it would act like a taser, but you gotta get both paddles on the bad guy at the same time, after it charges.

On second thought, the gun sounds like a better idea.

Regards.

 

[Pebcac]

people in his area have heart attacks MUCH more often than they are shot. so why is he carrying a gun instead of a defibrillator?

That's comparing apples and oranges. Carrying a defibrillator around would be primarily for someone else's benefit, unless DDGator is personally at high risk of a heart attack. Then in that case, he would have to hope that some bystander would know (a) that he's having a heart attack as opposed to some other ailment; (b) that he has a defibrillator in his backpack; and (c) how to use said defibrillator.

Carrying a firearm as a private citizen means taking responsibility for one's own personal defense. If you can help someone else out, great, but that's not the primary focus, and must be approached with a degree of caution as you cannot often know all the circumstances.

Some people will either not see the distinction, or will think it of little importance -- until they face violent crime on their own. On the other hand, lots of people carry guns in their purses or glove boxes who are not "gun" people.

 

[mnrivrat]

I'll let the EMT's do what they do best and I will do what I do best. If my CPR training isn't enough to help someone , than I at least know I did what I could.

I don't carry to protect others, and I don't carry so I can shoot other people - I carry to protect myself . The same reason I wear seatbelts when driving.

Carrying is just another level of protection - for those who feel they don't need it - don't carry !

 

[Stand_Watie]

Dick Cheney and millions of other Americans wear portable defibrillators (pacemakers).

People should assess their own risks and act accordingly.

 

[Eskimo Jim]

To answer the question in the title of the thread, same reason why I wear a seat belt in the truck, watch out for what other drivers are doing, wear ear protection near loud noises, wear a helmet when on a bike, wear boots on a construction site/doing work, stand back from the BBQ/fireplace etc etc

I'm sorry for "Preaching to the choir" sort to speak

-Jim

 

[Bobarino]

about that defib thing, a defib is used AFTER a heart attack. it does not PREVENT a heart attack as a firearm can PREVENT an attack. i don't carry a gun shot wound specific first aid kit to deal with it after the fact, i carry a firearm to prevent it in the first place. as far as heart health goes, thats why many of us excercise, eat right, don't smoke etc. we can't be prepared for every eventuality every moment of every day. we pick and choose our priorities. spare tires, seat belts, tire chains, fire extinguishers, extra water, and firearms are a few of my chosen tools. if you choose a defib, good on ya. thats your priority and thats just fine. good luck using it when in the middle of a heart attack, when you're incapacitated though. try the salad instead of the burger. its easier to deal with than lugging a defib around with you.

Bobby

 

[Billmanweh]

I never used the word "obsessive" or even put any negative connotation on carrying a gun. He asked why the general public looks upon CHL holders as out of the ordinary and I tried to explain it. I have a CHL, and in Texas that puts me in about a 1% minority. For better or worse, a civilian carrying a gun is unusual and out of the ordinary.

 

[Trebor]

I tell my CCW students that if they carry a gun in an effort to improve their personal safety, they should also learn first aid and CPR, wear their seat belts, and try to stay in shape. They don't HAVE to do these things, but they are more likely to need a seat belt then a gun and more people die of heart disease then violent crime. A defensive gun is just one way you can make yourself safer.