Is the private ownership of a gun wrong?

[PAkev]

I am living today because a GUN saved my life.

Last year I was having consistant problems with bears damaging and robbing my bee hives and therefore made it a point to carry a handgun for my personal protection. Sure enough as I was working my beehives, a big black bear began advancing toward me from about 30 yards away. I was certain that he was ready to begin charging at me when I pulled my gun out and shot him before things got too ugly.

More than five times the amount of kids die each year from drug overdoses than gun shots. So by the same mentality of some posters reasoning means we should be stuffing dope in their parents mouth.

[rep]

I

There are very few accidental knifings each year. If you take away guns, it's a lot harder to kill someone. You have to get right up close, and it takes some effort.

Comming from a long line of law enforcement officers and immediate family members who are currently law enforcement officers, the rule of engagement is "anyone who gets within 15 feet of you with a knife you should shoot to kill" because you cannot stop them if they rush you and they can and will kill you with a knife because there is no warning and often knives are conceled or palmed.

If you really have a death wish rush a law enforcement officer with a knife and see how quick your shot.

Rep

[coda]

Comming from a long line of law enforcement officers and immediate family members who are currently law enforcement officers, the rule of engagement is "anyone who gets within 15 feet of you with a knife you should shoot to kill" because you cannot stop them if they rush you and they can and will kill you with a knife because there is no warning and often knives are conceled or palmed.

If you really have a death wish rush a law enforcement officer with a knife and see how quick your shot.

Rep

You've done a pretty good job of proving Spex's point. The reason cops shoot people charging with knives is because they've (the knife wielder) has already made the decision to do harm, same goes for any contact weapon. Whatever you may think it actually takes a lot of effort to kill someone with a knife whereas killing with a gun is relativly easy and often regretted, few who kill with knives regret the killing only the getting caught.

That said, I'm pro gun ownership, pro gun registration and pro longer jail terms for people comitting crimes while wielding a weapon (or any type).

[coda]

I was certain that he was ready to begin charging at me when I pulled my gun out and shot him before things got too ugly.

How were you certain it was going to charge? What caliber gun did you use and how many shots did it take to put the bear down?

[chip anderson]

You folks in England what says they in tempted to come to the U.S. for higher wages, remember us rednecks got guns and I am sure you would be too skerit to be here.

Say home.

[QDO1]

You folks in England what says they in tempted to come to the U.S. for higher wages, remember us rednecks got guns and I am sure you would be too skerit to be here.

Say home.

whats the last thing a red neck says... "hey guys... look at what Im just about to do"

[Jacqui]

Even though I'm Gawdawful Liberal, I'm all for gun ownership.I grew up in Northern Canada where guns were a tool, they still are to me.

Would I use one against another person?? If need be. I haven't use a gun as a weapon since my time in the military, but if needed I would again.

[Spexvet]

Originally Posted by Spexvet

There are very few accidental knifings each year. If you take away guns, it's a lot harder to kill someone. You have to get right up close, and it takes some effort.

Comming from a long line of law enforcement officers and immediate family members who are currently law enforcement officers, the rule of engagement is "anyone who gets within 15 feet of you with a knife you should shoot to kill" because you cannot stop them if they rush you and they can and will kill you with a knife because there is no warning and often knives are conceled or palmed.

If you really have a death wish rush a law enforcement officer with a knife and see how quick your shot.

Rep

Where have you described "accidental knifing"? You can't be killed from 15 feet away, unless the weilder has a 15 foot reach. Wow rep, where have you been lately - not making sense elsewhere?

[chip anderson]

The police point of view is that person with a knife can cover 15 feet quicker that you can draw, aim and fire. As you may have noticed the police are terribly afraid of the perpetrators. Can you immagine sending a swat team and 20 other policement to arrest a single armed perpetrator? Did you ever see how many people poured how many bullets into John Dillinger?

I would have great trouble feeling that it took five people (if I were one of them) to arrest a single 125 lb. female. Look at how many "security people" we have at hospitals, airports and other public places. Once none or one or two people were all that would be at such institutions. Of course that was when a few of the law abiding public would be armed in such places and would probalbly help.

Chip

[For-Life]

Even though I'm Gawdawful Liberal, I'm all for gun ownership.I grew up in Northern Canada where guns were a tool, they still are to me.

Would I use one against another person?? If need be. I haven't use a gun as a weapon since my time in the military, but if needed I would again.

It is interesting because gun ownership in Canada is not low. Only for handguns it is low. But we have like no gun crime. The only shooting we have had in my city that I know of is that last month the cops had to shoot someone in self defense.

[Chairtime]

I am living today because a GUN saved my life.

I am living today because I have never had a gun fired into my head.

[Roy R. Ferguson]

Hi All:

If Mr. Madill had simply surrendered his money, his pizza, and possibly his life, a child would be alive today.

WARREN — One teenager is dead and another wounded after they tried to rob a gun-carrying pizzeria owner with a knife, police said.
Authorities were not releasing the names of the teens Tuesday to ensure their relatives had been notified.

Police Chief John Mandopoulos said a 16-year-old Warren boy was found dead about noon Tuesday in the 1500 block of Kennilworth Avenue Southeast.

A 17-year-old boy was released after treatment at Forum Health St. Joseph Health Center. He suffered a gunshot wound of the left side Monday night.

Eugene W. Madill, owner of Mr. B's Pizza on Youngstown Road, told police he was making a food delivery at 1546 Kenilworth about 11 p.m. Monday.

Mandopoulos said the house was vacant but the lights were on and it appeared to be occupied.

"It looked normal," the chief said of the house.

Madill said he was confronted at the door by four males — two inside the house and two outside — wearing either do-rags or ski masks. They forced him into the residence and onto the sofa, the only piece of furniture inside.

They were beating him with their fists when one pulled a knife and demanded money, Madill told police. He said he pulled a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol handgun from his waistband and fired several shots as the would-be robbers fled.

He has a state permit to carry and conceal a firearm.

According to the police report, Madill returned to his shop and called police.

A black do-rag was found in the driveway at the shooting scene.

After the attempted robbery, the 17-year-old showed up at St. Joseph's. He wasn't arrested because police could not link him to the attempted robbery, Mandopoulos said.

The chief said the body of the 16-year-old was found next to the house Tuesday. He apparently fled the house, tripped on a bicycle and fell.

The streetlights had been shot out, the chief noted, and the area was dark.

Roy

[Jacqui]

Think about this:
A. The number of physicians in the US is 700,000.
B. Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year is
120,000.
C. Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171. (US Dept. of
Health &Human Services)

Then think about this:
A. The number of gun owners in the US is 80,000,000.
B. The number of accidental gun deaths per year is 1,500.
C. The number of accidental deaths per gun owner 0.0000188.

Statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than
gun owners.

FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT
LEAST ONE DOCTOR.

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat.
We must ban doctors before this gets out of hand.
As a public health measure, I have withheld the
statistics on lawyers for fear that the shock could cause people to Seek medical attention.

[QDO1]

Think about this:
A. The number of physicians in the US is 700,000.
B. Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year is
120,000.
C. Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171. (US Dept. of
Health &Human Services)

Then think about this:
A. The number of gun owners in the US is 80,000,000.
B. The number of accidental gun deaths per year is 1,500.
C. The number of accidental deaths per gun owner 0.0000188.

Statistically, doctors are approximately 9,000 times more dangerous than
gun owners.

FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT
LEAST ONE DOCTOR.

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat.
We must ban doctors before this gets out of hand.
As a public health measure, I have withheld the
statistics on lawyers for fear that the shock could cause people to Seek medical attention.

please add in the stastitics for "non accidental" deaths and injuries

The doctor is inherrently trying to do good, and has a very complex job, so the accidents are to be expected. Doctors do strive to reduce errors, whereas a loaded gun is an error waiting to happen.

However, here is an interesting statistic for you... as many people were killed accidently with guns last year, as by the recent hurricane

[chip anderson]

Yes, but perhaps they were all bad or atheists.

[QDO1]

Yes, but perhaps they were all bad or atheists.

who?

[chip anderson]

Those done away with. If so they won't be missed, so why worry?

[QDO1]

Those done away with. If so they won't be missed, so why worry?

that is such a christian attitude ...

[chip anderson]

What would you know about a Christian attitude?

[Spexvet]

The difference between a conservative republican and me: while I disagree with people walking around with handguns (especially Chip - I'm sure he thinks I'm bad) I will not try to legislate to prohibit them.

[QDO1]

What would you know about a Christian attitude?

Chip

I am a meat eater, that doesnt preclude me from understanding the principles and values of a vegetarian

I have some thing for you to consider... Most athiests, like myself for example, are free thinkers, that means some of us probrably have more balanced and reasioned values than a lot of christians. We have come to this often socially difficult position, not because of what our societal infulences are, but because we choose too

We choose a lot of other things too. I choose not to have childeren, I choose to be tollerant of people that are different to me, I choose not to be racist, sexist, genderist, ageist etc. I choose to be basically a internal pacifist. Many of my chosen values are seen in different religions, including christianity

This subject about guns is quite narrow, and I can't see how - from the christian view which implicitly states "do not kill" and "love your neibour" - why any christian would want to have anything to do with a gun, which principly are designed for shooting at things / killing people. would Jesus want a gun? what would he do if someone pulled one out on him? The christian religion preaches one thing, and its adherants often say and do something else

I do accept the "a gun is a tool for hunting" philosophy. But perhaps guns should only be available in a limited sense to licenced, well trained people that work in that industry

[chip anderson]

Remember we owe our freedom, not to congressmen, diplomats, Christians, Jews, money or anything other than a man with a gun. That's why you limeys don't tell us what to do anymore, that's why the Spainiards are in Spain, Why the Mexicans were and probably why they will return to Mexico, it's why we don't speak Japanese, or German. Most of this was accomplished with citizens using personal guns. You limeys cried for us to send you our personal pistols in WWII because you had been foolish enough to disarm yourselves. None of the freedoms we have were put into force with pen and paper, or speaches unless backed up by a man with a gun. Thank God for soldiers and armed citizens.

If you want to be docile wimps over there, fine. Just don't think we are this foolish.

Chip

[QDO1]

Remember we owe our freedom, not to congressmen, diplomats, Christians, Jews, money or anything other than a man with a gun. That's why you limeys don't tell us what to do anymore, that's why the Spainiards are in Spain, Why the Mexicans were and probably why they will return to Mexico, it's why we don't speak Japanese, or German. Most of this was accomplished with citizens using personal guns. You limeys cried for us to send you our personal pistols in WWII because you had been foolish enough to disarm yourselves. None of the freedoms we have were put into force with pen and paper, or speaches unless backed up by a man with a gun. Thank God for soldiers and armed citizens.

If you want to be docile wimps over there, fine. Just don't think we are this foolish.

Chip

that is the attitude of the schoolyard bully. "Im bigger, harder and tougher than you, so that makes me the boss, you are wrong, I am right, step out of line and i will give you a pasting"

Tell me - who defended the rights of the indigenous peoples of america from your "freedom". Your "freedom" was expensive, and cost a lot of people, a lot of lives

We are too far away from the formative events in history to say what or who is right and wrong in an individualistic way now, but equally we are far enough away from those events to have evolved a more grown up attitude to arms

[For-Life]

Chip, it is a good analogy, but then by that you would have to say that we are fighting a war within our nations. Now why would the most powerful nation in the World have wars within its nation?

[spartus]

Perhaps rather than using words to argue with Chip, we should just kick the crap out of him until he agrees.

Not that I'm advocating violence, but it is the logical extension of his argument. Whaddya say, Chip? You, me, a lead pipe and the free exchange of my ideas:

"PEACE--" *THWOCK!* "--is the--" *SPLAT!* "--ANSWER!"