Post #124,204
11/4/03 11:11:10 PM
11/5/03 12:22:45 AM
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Good story. I'm glad it turned out well!
The odds of a PCP-addled serial killer picking your particular house to attack, when you're home, when you're in a state to do something about them being there, are pretty low - even in the worst neighborhoods.
It's important for our inthane friend to realize that there are many, many possible tragedies that can occur with firearms, in addition to the obvious one of having to use them to protect himself and his loved ones from an intruder.
Guns have their place, and can be a reasonable thing to have at home in some circumstances. But it's something that should be very, very carefully considered.
My favorite uncle is a gun collector. He even has a 3 pounder cannon that he's fired at an artillery range. He's been around guns most of his life and has a great respect for them. But he shot himself cleaning a rifle once - he was lucky that the shell only grazed his index finger.... It only takes one mistake, one misinterpretation, one action without remembering something, to cause a tragedy.
[edit: typos]
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #124,207
11/4/03 11:52:25 PM
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Kids are a major consideration too
If they can get at the guns they will play with them. It matters not how much you have "educated" them or what punishments you threaten, or even what punishments you have handed out. If you hide them, they will find them. Well behaved kids or naughty kids, they will play with them, they are irresistable.
If the kids can't get at them, nor can you, at least not in "real time", so what's the point?
I have no kids and no kids ever visit here. I have loaded guns, but if kids even visited here I'd have to reconsider that.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #124,229
11/5/03 8:29:11 AM
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Finally...
Inthane ...Before anybody goes off raving on the advantages or disadvantages of gun ownership, these guns will go in a locked (combination) box, only to be removed for regular cleanings, or in the case of general civil disorder for home defense usage only.
Grygus ...If the kids can't get at them, nor can you, at least not in "real time", so what's the point?
Weapons have their place. However, locked up a weapon will only provide false security. You'd never have time to find the storage cabinet (or get to it), unlock it, load weapon, and prepare yourself to use it. Better to put bars on your windows and a vault door on the house. Prevent
Now if you're worried about civil unrest, get a good long gun and fade out into the country side. Sitting in the city would provide an opponent with too many opportunities to get you, and too many of them for you to defend yourself. Do I hear Montana calling?
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."
1 Peter 1:24-25
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Post #124,265
11/5/03 10:59:26 AM
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I figure if general civil unrest breaks out...
...there will be enough warning to do the whole "unlock 'n load" thing.
Home defense requires a good blade and an ambush point, not a gun.
In that final hour, when each breath is a struggle to take, and you are looking back over your life's accomplishments, which memories would you treasure? The empires you built, or the joy you spread to others?
Therin lies the true measure of a man.
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Post #124,288
11/5/03 12:58:28 PM
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General civil unrest
only really pounds on large cities. Small towns and rural areas hardly notice them, except that the supply of cool toys dries up.
If you're really concerned, move yourself to a city of ~50K people at the most. A city that small is unlikely to end up with large scale rioting, because it's way too likely that you personally know the people you're rioting against, and most people find that distasteful. The worst that happens in places like that is that the local elites (read: party bosses of whatever stripe) might find themselves getting strung up.
--\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca *\n* [link|http://consultron.ca|http://consultron.ca] [link|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] *\n* Kingston Ontario Canada [link|news://news.consultron.ca|news://news.consultron.ca] *\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post #124,344
11/5/03 5:22:51 PM
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A friend of mine has had a lot of guns
rifles, pistols all over the house, all loaded with one in the chamber with the safety off. His kid grew up amid that without incident. He always said and I maintain, that all weapons must be regarded as ready to go, so an accident cant happen.
thanx,
bill
"You're just like me streak. You never left the free-fire zone.You think aspirins and meetings and cold showers are going to clean out your head. What you want is God's permission to paint the trees with the bad guys. That wont happen big mon." Clete
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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Post #124,361
11/5/03 8:27:55 PM
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Having been a kid once . .
. . and remembering in great detail what the experience was like, that's a risk I wouldn't take.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #124,382
11/5/03 9:26:20 PM
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Of course, kids aren't responsible enough for firearm use
which is why they should start out with toy guns until they can demonstrate some responsibility of not aiming it at people. If they point it at someone, take it away from them. When they are old enough and can demonstrate responsibility they can move up to a BB Gun or Air Pellet gun under adult supervision only. Never let a child play with a real gun or have access to a real gun, you wouldn't let them drive a truck, why let them have access to a real gun? It is like playing with fire.
"Lady I only speak two languages, English and Bad English!" - Corbin Dallas "The Fifth Element"
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Post #124,409
11/5/03 11:03:29 PM
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in a real world
kids fire pistols at 3 or 4, respect the parents shotguns by being asked to shoot one at age 5 or so and encouraged to shoot regularly thru teen years. Only when the attitude of Oh well its shooting time again takes place will younguns have an atitude of its a tool. not a toy.
thanx,
bill
"You're just like me streak. You never left the free-fire zone.You think aspirins and meetings and cold showers are going to clean out your head. What you want is God's permission to paint the trees with the bad guys. That wont happen big mon." Clete
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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