The big picture is this: for every defense of home invasion or good citizen stopping bad guys on a campus or Luby's Cafeteria with guns, there are hundreds or thousands of accidental deaths caused by misuse of the weapons. The unexpected spouse coming home a day early from a trip, the children playing with the guns, the momentary passionate response to a family argument, the many suicides that may or may not have been gone through with had easy access to a gun not been at hand-all these things make it more likely overall for a bad result to happen than a positive one. But if people are breaking into a home at 2 a.m. and the homeowner has a gun, I would fully expect them to be shot by the homeowner, and I don't feel real sorry for them.
There's statistics bantered back and forth on home gun safety and anecdotal review show most home gun accidents with poorly trained gun owners or poor security of guns in the home. I wonder if there are any studies that show incidence of death or injury with a certain minimum gun training and safety measures (i.e biometric gun locks, gun safes, family training on gun safety, etc). Also, are there effective non-lethal defenses against an armed intruder. E.g. If your in my house with a bat or tire iron and I have a taser, I likely win. If you have a gun then ????.
Let's just put it this way: more than 20,000 gun deaths per year in the U.S., how many of them were justifiable shootings of perps? If there was a hundred or two I would be surprised. Anyone have a stat?
I grew up in a small town and "anecdotally" knew two victims of accidental gun deaths. As a young adult covering courts and criminals I saw about two dozen incidents of family fightrs or acquaintance arguments that became homicides because of an easy-to-use high quality weapon. I encountered one incident in the community I was covering where generally-law abiding citizens used threat of deadly force from a handgun protect themselves and their property. Based on the anecdotes, most folks would be safer without the guns. But I'm almost 50 and I've seen much more focus on safety among citizens who choose to be gun owners. Kids who hunt get terrific gun safety courses. People licensed to carry really know how to use the weapons and are prepared in an emergency. A gun loaded with a bullet in chamber in the chamber in a nightstand accessible to children doesn't happen as much. I don't see 16- year-old driving around with a shotgun and a rifle in the pickup gun rack. (Hey I used to do that ...)
If someone is of the disposition that it wouldn't bother them to shoot or kill someone breaking in thier house or they are of the disposition that they would not like to do it, but would shoot or kill someone breaking into their house, why do you resort to name calling, example "Rambos"? Would it not be just as accurate to claim that those who are opposed to it are "*******"? I have liberal and conservative friends who fall into both catagories. Some people, wheter by genetics or upbringing are comfortable with acting and reacting with force (even deadly) and other friends that it is just not in thier makeup to ever do that. So calling them Rambo's or ******* doesn't advance the discussion IMO.
in all fairness, about 2/3 of the attendees of Six Flags Magic Mountain in LA are gang members wearing raiders jerseys. So there may be some crossover already.
A little light on the situation: www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/09/09/0909sanmarcos.html
I called it on page 2. Mr. Homeowner defending his family is really a Barksdale wanna be killing a few Omar wanna bes.
It was obvious from the beginning. The guy was an idiot for putting himself into a situation that greatly increased the chance of something like this happening. He will pay dearly for it. The intruders still had no more right to try and rob (or possibly kill) the homeowner than someone interested in retrieving their stolen bike from a neighbor.
he was still protecting his family of pot plants, in his own house. that last part , in his own house, makes me fret not for the intruders, teens or not. Don't break into the house of someone else and you are less likely to get shot. It really is that simple.
Seriously, a little risk management in school might go a long way in helping these POS's make better decisions in life. Of course better parenting helps to. Just have a series of short lectures. Like, how not to get your *** shot 101. How not to end up in prison...etc.
So it would appear the constitution protects the right to shoot people who try to rip off your hydroponic pot plant operation in your attic. Which amendment is that again?
Stats on Firearm deaths from our trusted government So it is split down the middle between people that intentionally kill themselves and people that intentionally kill others per the Dept. of Justice. The children 14-Under category is the only remarkable part. Nearly a quarter died unintentionally. In aggregate, however, it is misleading to say firearm deaths in the U.S. have any real association with misuse or accidental discharge. Terminally depressed folks couple with mindlessly violent gang-bangers to drive our firearm deaths.
so...now there is more sympathy for the kids because they were trying to steal pot? looks like they were getting involved in the drug trade as well. good riddance to them all. ill probably have trouble sleeping tonight. i better get a prescription for some ambien.
