Gun Violence.

[TUMe]

Notice the title of this thread. Two words. Violence is running wild in our society. Guns are unquestionably the easiest way to perform it. The airman who helped stop the train terrorism was stabbed yesterday in California. I haven't heard why. One was killed in Arizona with a gun. Many will be killed this weekend nationwide. Even if we could get rid of all guns, it would take decades. Getting rid of violence in our society won't be easy either. But we need to get rid of the mind set where I am mad, hurt, different from you, wanting attention, narrow in my beliefs or a thousand other "reasons" so I'll just kill you or a dozen strangers who are black, Christians, students, marathoners, or just handy. Many think violence is fun or cool. Our society sells it, pedals it, and kids are raised around it. Black lives matter is okay, but the truth is People matter.

I saw a post on facebook from a distant in-law about a upcoming game with a team that was very good and had a top notch quarterback. His solution was that the quarterback had to be injured. Hit him every play even if it resulted in a penalty. But he had to be injured. The next morning I saw a quarterback was killed. Fortunately, it wasn't the one mentioned on facebook. I was happy to see that he hung over 50 points on the posters team.

That is one small example. But until violence is no longer thought of as a way to get swagger, build your gang, or just express your anger....

 

[TUBballJunkie]

I'll take my chances with your other tools of violence or your fists.

Literally anything can become a murder weapon. But unlike firearms, all those other tools have primary purposes that don't include ending lives.

 

[rabidTU]

Anytime we have a war anywhere on the planet, we will have a excess of weaponry - both legal and illegal. At that time, people believe they are unsafe and their only alternative is to find a way to arm themselves with whatever they can get their hands on. Recent examples are the French train. The beheading of the lady worker in OKC who was "avenged" by her boss with a gun. And now the Oregon shooter on a campus where weapons were not even permitted to security. Obama has done more for the "gun industry" than any president since Lincoln. History tells us that by and large, its up to "US" to protect "US".

Not long ago we had a pretty intense discussion on the movie "American Sniper" (and I'm not trying to re-discuss it now), but one of the lessens from that movie some folks should have learned was at the beginning when Chris Kyle's father described "three kinds of people in the world" - the sheep, the wolves and the sheepdogs" (who protect those that can't/won't protect themselves). The fact is that the wolves will always have the best weapons and will always seek out the places where the sheep frequent. Then there is the rest of us who have the "gift" of aggression and the ability to protect the sheep from the wolves.

Its odd how the media has pounced on Dr Carson for saying he'd rather be a sheepdog than a sheep. But the question needs to be asked back to them - "what would you do?".

 

[TUMe]

I'll agree to disagree. Hopefully, neither of us will have a chance to learn about being murdered. But I still believe the problem is too many people want to commit murder. I'm reasonably sure that neither of us goes to fake cage fights, shoots zombies on X-box or has passed an initiation on a street gang.

It's bow season now on deer, later primitive fire arms, then modern guns around Thanksgiving. Anyone who has ever hit a deer in the highway believes that deer season is a good thing. I don't know if it is duck season yet on the gulf but it used to sound like the fourth of July then. I will tell you that in several counties in Eastern Oklahoma virtually everyone has a gun. Many actually hunt for food. I don't like game and don't hunt. Squirrel dumplins I used to pass the plate without sampling.

I trust that you know that I would never harm another human being by choice. But people do break in on others. If I'm gone, have at it. I have insurance. But if I am here, either he or me or both of us are going to be in a bad way. My little dog is no threat but she can her a pin drop and can raise the dead when alarmed.

I have a friend who was alone when a drunk person tried to come in her front door, she told him she had a gun but he kept trying. Her next door neighbor came up behind him with a rifle and held him till the police got there. No shots were fired.

 

[rabidTU]

Here is what I tell my "significant other". If you are in the house and you believe there is a prowler or someone trying to break in, you do four things:

1. Get the cell phone and dial - 911.

2. Get the handgun and make sure its on safety.

3. Go to a corner of the room and be seated where you can see the door - weapon ready, but again on safety.

4. Chamber a bullet only when you are sure you'll fire it.

I've taught her well and she "can" handle a gun.

 

[rabidTU]

BTW, women should always have a gun handy when in the house. Generally, women don't have the physical ability to protect themselves as easily as a man, so they need that gun as an equalizer - Duh!.

IMO

 

[TUBballJunkie]

Yeah that's not really great advice at all nor does it make her any safer in reality either.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national...n-the-house-doesnt-make-a-woman-safer/284022/

I'm also not sure what any of these little anecdotes have to do with opposing ANY reform? NRA paranoia?

 

[rabidTU]

Yeah that's not really great advice at all nor does it make her any safer in reality either.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national...n-the-house-doesnt-make-a-woman-safer/284022/

I'm also not sure what any of these little anecdotes have to do with opposing ANY reform? NRA paranoia?

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We are going to have to disagree about her being safer. If you've ever had a relative who's been raped, violated, beaten etc. you might have a different position.

That's the good thing about the second amendment. You have the right NOT to have a gun in your house if you wish, but I, on the other hand CAN exercise that right. Other examples are - freedom of speech which you just exercised in opposition to my view. Please feel free to keep exercising that right you have. The strength of our system of govt is that we do not have to be the same, think the same or act the same as long as we do not break the laws we have on the books. The second amendment is a law that has been scrutinized over and over and most recently by another SCOTUS decision.

I hope that clarifies my position.

BTW, I don't recommend anyone publicly stating they don't have a gun in their house. Just a little advice "good people".

IMO

 

[TUBballJunkie]

Feeling safer isn't the same thing as being safer.

My generation has grown up with tremendous education and awareness on not being victims without going through life afraid or the best and safest answer being a firearm.

Zero reason to be patronizing. My friends' and family's guns aren't coming in my house or car either.

And again, none of this has a thing to do with making some changes. I'm not coming for your wife's lawful gun, good people.

 

[URedskin54]

I'm just waiting for reform proposals that would actually have stopped these mass shootings. Most of them are either redundancies(ie straw purchases) or would have had no effect (background checks). So far it seems only Obama has been brave enough to call for confiscation. I don't own a gun myself, it just seems to me that the impulse has been "do something!" rather than "do something that will actually make a difference."

 

[rabidTU]

TUBBJunkie- There don't have to be changes made - we are safer and better off with the const we have. We are safer because of that 2nd amendment.

And of course you have the right to disallow anyone from bringing any kind of weapon into your house/car. You have that right - absolutely! I'll defend that right for you even if you don't have the ability to do it yourself. Noone sitting in this chair would ever take that right away from you.

 

[TUMe]

Let me say this. Obama is said to be talking about background checks when a gun is purchased from a person who sells over a given number of guns a year.

I think that is fine. If Bass Pro has to do a background check, why shouldn't some guy at a gun show? I'm all for background checks and if a person sells guns at a profit, then a dealer's license should required. That's commerce and the government frequently regulates commerce. Pawn brokers, gun show people, etc. should be required to be licensed and have a background check themselves. Perhaps their license shouldn't cost as much a Cabela's.

I think that would help at the margins. Yeah, I'm prejudiced, because I don't go to gun shows or pawn shops. In fact, I haven't bought gun in years and have never sold one. I gave one to my son in a little anecdote in another post. He had a background check and a psychiatric evaluation before he was licensed for armed security. Of course, the psych eval was about as through as a school sports physical for junior high basketball.

But life is full of little anecdotes. Mrs. D. would rather be a little anecdote than a statistic. Her neighbor got there before the police. Being smart and careful is a must. My problem is not with your position, I hope it continues to work as well as it has. My problem is with people who want to ban guns and say the Bill of Rights was written by a bunch of old dead guys.

 

[goldfan83]

No bull loopholes. National database. 100% tracking and 100% checks. We do this with cars. The same can be done with guns which have one purpose and one purpose only to maim someone or something.

 

[TUMe]

No bull loopholes. National database. 100% tracking and 100% checks. We do this with cars. The same can be done with guns which have one purpose and one purpose only to maim someone or something.

I don't disagree with what you are saying, but your details are a bit wrong. There is no background check to buy car and no waiting period. I will however, go along with requiring checks at gun show and pawn shop. Those are the two main places that can be added.

But it does pose a lot of questions. How do you track old guns that were never registered. How do you know they exist. I think our president tried skeet shooting so I guess he killed or maimed a clay pigeon? There are Olympic sports that include shooting. Is it okay to kill a mad dog in a rural setting. Would you outlaw hunting alligators. They tried it for awhile and they became dangerous in some areas Now they have a quota. Same with deer to a lesser extent. A few deer run across the road and you miss all but the last one. Man has reduced their area and reduced natural predators. Guns also have a ability to deter. A small branch credit union is less likely to be robbed if there is a guard there with a gun.

But I still contend that the big problem is so many people who want to kill someone else. A tracked gun still kills. Since no one wants the death penalty how do you punish someone more for murdering with an untracked gun. You are tilting at windmills.