When CCW saves peoples lives thread.

[mar1t1me]

Imagine if the people in the Colorado Movie theater massacre were armed, do you think that asshole would be able to kill 50+ people..I don't. Same concept goes with Columbine, Ohio State, etc.

First, there were not 50+ deaths. "Only" 12, which still sucks very much.

But had there been more guns in the theatre, we could have probably expected more deaths.

These hero fantasies are utterly delusional. Unless the shooter just happens to open up in a way you have clear field of fire, (there are probably innocent targets behind them, too!) then you, there in the dark, as chaos ensues, gun drawn, unable to see the shooter clearly, might well add to the carnage. That would be great, wouldn't it? Kill someone's kid? Someone's mom....? Have to live with that the rest of your life.....?

You are at more risk driving around in your car than you will ever be of being in a situation where having a gun handy will save you. Still have a car, though, right? You are more likely to die in a swimming pool than at the hands of an unknown assailant, but pools are still legal.....

[deutschman]

Good thread. I really think there needs to be more light shown on positive aspects of gun ownership and self defense.
I have a lot of mixed, conflicted feelings about this subject. I grew up in SF CA, my parents are very VERY liberal, and I went to an extremely liberal school. How ever I have always had more (hate to label things like this) conservative views on many subjects which has put me in hot water a few times.
It is really sad that kids and other innocent people get hurt by negligent gun owners. How ever, I feel that in the long run its not the gun that is the problem. The problem is the owner. It is not our job to protect stupid people (or their direct family) from them selves. They could just as easily kill their kid by leaving prescription drugs out or letting their kids play in the street. Before you tell me we have a right to protect kids from their parents think on this. Would you pass a law that would stop people from feeding their kids to death with Mountain Dew and McDonalds?
How ever I do think there needs to be some solution to keeping guns out of the hands of people that will harm others with them. Dont ask me what it is. I dont know. How ever I feel the answer is not taking guns away from everyone, and I also feel that the answer is not giving everyone more guns. The first will lead to criminals having the upper hand, and the second is just a civilian arms race that wont go any where positive. There has got to be some middle ground... Right?

[Todd Black 88]

I read this story just after I started this thread. Florida of all places.


Maybe its a good way to clean up the gene pool a bit. Because there is a lot of Stupid people with guns in this country!

Ftfy

[oliver.r]

i came in here expecting to read about wheels

[mrsleeve]

So....I've got Friday afternoon off work. I think I'll go see about getting my CCW.

Question: Online classes? Any good?

I'm a life member of the NRA (dad is an endorsement member, IIRC), and I grew up around guns and regularly go to the range. I don't hunt though, but may be persuaded to one day by the GF's step father.

I don't own a handgun, but was looking at Glock 38 and 39. I really want a .45. Taurus was on the list too. I'm not a fan of revolvers.

School me. I'm more into my old Mosin and SKS, handguns are new to me.

You will have PM sometime tonight on this

[rattfink81]

As a prior military and current LEO I tell people who want to carry concealed or even just have a firearm for self defense is pick a firearm that fits you(a .50 desert eagle is a shitty choice for a 80lb shooter) and your needs(being easily concealable versus it sits next to your bed) next practice, and not just shooting paper but drawing it from where you keep and learning to clear failures/malfunctions and proper safety. Muscle memory kicks in when the shit gets real.

[slammin.e28]

So....I've got Friday afternoon off work. I think I'll go see about getting my CCW.

Question: Online classes? Any good?

I'm a life member of the NRA (dad is an endorsement member, IIRC), and I grew up around guns and regularly go to the range. I don't hunt though, but may be persuaded to one day by the GF's step father.

I don't own a handgun, but was looking at Glock 38 and 39. I really want a .45. Taurus was on the list too. I'm not a fan of revolvers.

School me. I'm more into my old Mosin and SKS, handguns are new to me.

[mrsleeve]

Bad shoot, guy is going to spend 10-15 in prison, Castle law will not save him, nor should it.

[Charlie]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/man-shot-at-st-pete-pizza-joint-had-been-complaining-about-slow-service/1266589

CCW and Stand Your Ground saves a man from late pizza, thank god.

-Charlie

[Grant318is]

Not going to jump in to a long debate with you cele. I will say this: I hope you are never in a situation where having the means to defend yourself (whatever they may be) could have spared you a lot of trouble/you life. Its easy to claim that anyone who caries a handgun is a fearmonger that goes around making assumptions about everyone. What's hard is getting out a situation by basically telling the attacker that you think people shouldn't own guns.

I do not carry a weapon at all times and I do not have CCW permit. I have been in several situations that could have ended badly had it not been for good luck. I hope to God that I wont have to injure someone else in ANY circumstance, but if felt like my life depended on it, you bet your ass I would pull the trigger.

[cale]

You continue to work on an unwarranted assumption which preys on fear, an assumption that most Canadians are having a laugh at.

Keeping the joke alive sleeve, one post at a time. Let's see what way you can twist it to justify his over reliance to his gun next.

[mrsleeve]

You have a cop ( or mountie to you guys ) that kis a 20 year veteran of the job. Cops are trained to read body motions and determin intent from that and with 20 years on the job that I am sure been hooned a bit over the year I. Think your discounting these facts way too much. Kzoo is not that rough of a town, though it has its neighborhoods. (I was born there).

I am normally the 1st to bitch when cops are all too gun happy, which many are when they are on thee job and out looking for trouble so to speek, this is may be one of those types of officers, but you can't say that based on his letter.

[cale]

Must've been criminals, he's lucky to have escaped with his life.

Your response tells me you've missed the point, and that is that we are laughing at how easily this gun loving American assumed this was a hostile interaction and that it necessitated a firearm. Even if the two guys in the park weren't promoters, they were still just two guys in the park. Had their intentions been hostile, they're the worst criminals ever if they just walk away when their potential victim tells them too however anyone with some common sense would see that they are very likely not. You're attempting to prey on the same assumption of vulnerability that he was, that's what we're laughing at here...the desperation is pathetically amusing.

[mrsleeve]

Yet the acctual intentions of the men have not been asertained and your position has been contested that they were just giving out free passes. Yup must be a crazy man with out his gun from kzoo that is the problem here....... not the knee jerk conclusion of over reaction by a perceived point of moral and intelectually superior populace

[cale]

Letter from a recent US visitor to Calgary during the Stampede. Basically he's a tourist used to carrying his gun who instinctually reached for it when approached by two not only harmless, but actually generous Stampede (huge rodeo) promoters in a park. Goes on a rant about how unprotected he was in what could have been a bad situation, but was actually a very friendly one. Pretty much everyone in the country have gotten a laugh out of this, all seven hundred and thirteen of us.

I recently visited Calgary from Michigan. As a police officer for 20 years, it feels strange not to carry my off-duty hand-gun. Many would say I have no need to carry one in Canada.

Yet the police cannot protect everyone all the time. A man should be al-lowed to protect himself if the need arises. The need arose in a theatre in Aurora, Colo., as well as a college campus in Canada.

Recently, while out for a walk in Nose Hill Park, in broad daylight on a paved trail, two young men approached my wife and me. The men stepped in front of us, then said in a very aggressive tone: “Been to the Stampede yet?”

We ignored them. The two moved closer, repeating: “Hey, you been to the Stampede yet?

I quickly moved between these two and my wife, replying, “Gentle-men, I have no need to talk with you, goodbye.” They looked bewildered, and we then walked past them.

I speculate they did not have good intentions when they approached in such an aggressive, disrespectful and menacing manner. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ they did not pull a weapon of some sort, but rather concluded it was in their best interest to leave us alone.

Would we not expect a uniformed officer to pull his or her weapon to intercede in a life-or-death encounter to protect self, or another? Why then should the expectation be lower for a citizen of Canada or a visitor? Wait, I know – it’s because in Canada, only the criminals and the police carry handguns.

Walt Wawra, Kalamazoo, Mich.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/09/walt-wawra/