I'm doing my duty as well. I own one P-89 Rouger (Stainless Semi-Auto 9mm) and one AMT Backup (Stainless Semi-Auto 45 Cal.)
Shoot in my backyard and will be training all three of my beautiful daughters on shooting and gun safety as soon as they're old enough to handle the recoil.

A 8 or 9 year old can handle the recoil of a .22 LR just fine. Time to buy a Ruger 22/45 or a MKIII Hunter, or even a .22 revolver.

No need for the expense and recoil of a centerfire for training. The .22 is basic and every gun owner should have at least two, a rifle and handgun.

The USA is heavily armed, at home, but to a lesser extent on the streets and almost not at all at work or in cooleges. So where do the "mass killings" we hear about happen, at the colleges and workplace. "Bad" is like a gas, it expands to fill the available volume, unless contained. Guns in the hands of adults and well prepared and stable youth [yes, there are such still] are the container for "bad and violent" people.
In the whole world, ONLY the USA honestly reports statistics on violence, murder and other actions. In most of the world, terror killings and killings by the government are not reported [or included] in reports on crime rates. Only the USA reports everything. The truth is we are pretty good, after a generation or two in the society. But we get a lot of "new" people here without our "adult societal" patterns.

"There is roughly one firearm for every seven people worldwide..."

There is exactly 8 firearms for every one person in my house, and that number will increase before I am done.

Don't fuck with the USA!!!!

Love it. Ted's a nut, but I love it. Hell, I've got about 25 myself. Way more than average, I guess. Feels totally natural.

It was disclosed after the Soviet Union self destructed that they knew that they could never occupy the U.S. because of gun ownership of Americans. On a side note it was disclosed that Ted Kennedy worked with the KGB to try and disrupt the reelection of president Reagan. No wonder the dhims want our guns.

Damn! I'm waaayy over average. 'Course about 5 or 6 have to do with my work.

I'm over average too, plus I have quite a few guns. Nearing forty. Oh, you weren't talkin about weight?
My wife was afraid of guns when we started dating. She now goes out regularly with me to plink with the .22s off the back deck. Last week I bought her a .410/.22 over under Savage. She has health problems, so I wasn't going to get her a 20ga.

"Walk softly and carry a big stick."

yep and them guns ain't just to take pot shots at Bambi

BE NOT AFRAID OF ANY MAN,
NO MATTER WHAT HIS SIZE,
WHEN DANGER THREATENS,
CALL 911, not,
ANNIE GET YOUR GUN!

I get such a kick out of your love of your guns!

It says to me, that without them, you'd have NOTHING!

What does that 1st Commandment say? "I am the Lord Thy God; Thou Shall Not Have Strange God's Before You." (Or something to that effect?).

Have you NO IDEA that YOU (not ME!!) contradict yourself?

According to me, you can have & use as many guns as you want; you just can't have it that you abide by the 10 while doing so.

I'll not support anything taking your guns away from you! But don't claim you are in compliance with the Christian-Nation concept. One or the other claims has GOT to be False. Y'know? Mutually-exclusive and all that?

For the record, I have shot and killed someone with a .45 pistol and it was a righteous-shoot; my bad is that 37 years later I have never been able to reconcile myself with my action & my beliefs.

My post is simply to share with you what might come to YOU one day.

In the whole world, ONLY the USA honestly reports statistics on violence, murder and other actions

denial : when you can't handle some statistics it's easier to say they aren't true.

denial : when you can't handle some statistics it's easier to say they aren't true.

Inferiority Complex: when you can't handle the fact that you were born in an inferior Country, it's easier to take a shot at an American's comment rather that to have an original one of your own...

an inferior country...
You mean, I only should be allowed to seat in the back of the bus ?

My implicit comment was : thoses statistics can be compared between countries, so the spread of weapons in your country ties in the spread of violence...

People are as bad or angry or dishonest in every country. But when two drivers yell at each other in some countries, it ends with a punch in the face. In other countries, the two drivers bear a gun and it ends with a murder.

You mean, I only should be allowed to seat in the back of the bus ?

That's not what I said or implied at all Prosper. I'm not sure what page you're on, but the last I heard French isn't a race, as you imply that I'm being "racist".

I've just noticed that when Denny has a pro-American post that you obviously can't understand or relate to, your only recourse is to bash upon someone else's comment, rather have an original comment of your own. Why are you so down upon the United States, Prosper?

People are as bad or angry or dishonest in every country.

I agree completely.

But when two drivers yell at each other in some countries, it ends with a punch in the face. In other countries, the two drivers bear a gun and it ends with a murder.

Are you trying to tell me that it's impossible to be beaten to death in France? No one has ever been killed by anything besides a firearm? Are you against knives too? Brass knuckles? Baseball bats? Sling-shots? Frozen fish? Rubber-band guns? Just curious?

A well armed society is a polite society...

I think that the number for the USA is probably much too low. Let's face it, the proper response to somebody calling on the phone and asking how many guns you own is "Piss off!"
Methodology for this survey was a phone survey of just over 2500 homes. Yep, that's a realistic was to get accurate results!

I have over 100-Everything from black powder to a full-auto Uzi. Have had the Uzi for 25 years now, 21 of 'em its been full-auto. I've never known it to rise up & go off on a rampage on its own... I have about $1200 in the Uzi, including the license, I could get prolly 3X that for it now, if I wanted to sell it. Which I don't. It's simply a LOT of fun to shoot, which is something the anti-gun crowd never seems to get. Plus, the kick of having something not a lot of other people have...

Heck, I only have two: a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson, and a 20-gauge Remington Defender shotgun (it's made for home defense). Now all I need is a good rifle.

Elizabeth
Imperial Keeper

DanS, I am not a religious person but realize, respect and am damn glad that our country was based on Christian values. Having said that, I don't quite understand how being a Christian following the 10 commandments and owning a gun a mutually exclusive. And no, if you were wondering, I do not own a gun. I'm not against it, just never had the interest. However, if these Mooselimbs get much more of a hold on our country, I may have to go rethink it. As to your rightous shoot, I can't reconcile myself to how someone who is rightous in defending themselves or another person can have conflicts afterwards with respect to their religion. It's just another one of those hypocrital facts that make organized religion the sham that it is.

Ray:

I appreciate your thoughtful response.

My conflict is not with religion but with my belief system; the two concepts (R & B) are not interchangeble nor synonymous.

Which is why I posted as I did on this topic. It's a variation on that old "Be careful of what you wish for .."-thing.

I hasten to add that I am not advocating controlling guns or taking them away or anything remotely like that. I was once fully-checked out on a variety of weapons (M-14, M-16, M-60, M-79, .50Cal, M-1911A1 etc.) and had 'mad moments' when we could burn up as much ammo as we had and it was indeed FUN! I still favor today the AK-47 w/banana clip as an awesome assault rifle.

BTW, I noticed that nowhere in the original post or response any mention of stun guns. Are they considered firearms?

I'm sure this commentary could go on for 100 or more posts; maybe it should be a weekly feature? TWIG? This Week in Guns?

Regards!

DanS,
I'm still not sure if I understand the conflict you feel though. Let me ask you this, if you found out your preacher/priest/rabbi was accosted in an alley and he whipped out a pistol and shot the scumbag, would you think less of the individual with regards to their capabilities to truly be a man of the cloth or would you say "Good for you, you defended yourself"?

Prosper, Prosper, Prosper....

My implicit comment was : thoses statistics can be compared between countries, so the spread of weapons in your country ties in the spread of violence...

They can be compared. But you have to have some concept as to the honesty, integrity, and reliability of those statistics.

For instance, in the US, crime is likely to be inflated according to most police agencies reporting them - that way they can lay claim to the need for more tax money.

Also, the way the US system works, the suspect is usually charged with the maximum possible charge.

Now, in England, for instance, they minimize the reporting. I've already sent you an article previously detailing the French police having similar issues.

Why the difference? In large extent, because the UK and France police staffing decisions come from the Federal government, where the US, they come from the local.

The areas of violence in this country are small, disproportionate to the size/impact on the crime rate. But to notice the similarities is to be called all sorts of names and accused of all sorts of -isms.

That said, this has been a violent country. Before guns were widespread, while they were rare, and where they're restricted. In fact, the places they're most restricted have the most violence.

Meaning your example falls on its face.

People are as bad or angry or dishonest in every country. But when two drivers yell at each other in some countries, it ends with a punch in the face. In other countries, the two drivers bear a gun and it ends with a murder.

Fantasyland.

In the US, the exact opposite has been found to happen. The more guns are carried, the less "road rage" occurs.

(The last 3 "road rage" incidents concerning guns I am aware of actually involved police officers. As the Raging Party.)

Yes, there was "Blood in the streets" promised if we had concealed carry. Now 45 of 50 states have easily-aquired concealed-carry permits, 2 just have no permitting process. They're also the lowest-crime areas.

There's no blood in the streets, as much as it disappoints our French "friends".

By the way, how many cars were burned last weekend by the "youths?" (You never answer me, Prosper, and I'm serious. Our media stopped covering it.)

You believed your media when they reported France was burning. Why don't you trust them anymore?
Do you know how many cars burned last week-end in LA or Washington DC?

Prosper,
Why don't you just change your name to Retarded Girly Man Boob?

You and DanS. can spend your free-time-wide stance together while persuing manly things like seeing how far your head can really fit inside of your own asses, after that you can go bowling. But beware! Some crazed legally armed Americano may be out to take aim while you innocently slide over the line in those fab rented shoes.

Oh what horrors that you must have to endure while living here!? You poor dear.

Prosper:

As usual, you (intentionally?) misunderstood.

I didn't say I didn't trust the press, but it's been reported that now, if less than 100 cars are burned in a weekend, it's not considered news, and not reported.

So, I'm asking you, who's on the ground there and who can inform me, how many were burned, since I'm already aware that > 100 "isn't news".

There weren't any cars set afire in either LA or DC, but there were some trashcans set afire in DC.

Smoke and flames from a fire in the 2000 block of P Street NW caused "considerable damage" to two buildings early yesterday, authorities said. The incident was reported about 3 a.m. in an alley just west of Dupont Circle, said Alan Etter, spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Etter said firefighters found several trash cans burning in the alley and fire in the basement of an adjacent building that houses a Subway sandwich shop. The cause is being investigated.

But this gets back your inability to compare sources - there's demonstrable fact that the media doesn't consider it important to cover "yutes" burning cars in France unless they exceptionally exceed themselves.

But 5 would be big news in the US. And reported all over France. So, how many were burned?

Here is the definitive statement on Gun 'Control:'
http://www.save-now.com/news/archives/Charlton-Heston-Gun-Controle.htm
Sorry I can't embed the link. Nugent and Heston are my heroes, and I'll be damned if anyone is going to try and tell me what I can and can't do in terms of defending my rights and life. I've lost a daughter to an impaired driver, and I'm here to tell you that depressants kill a helluva lot more folks than guns do! Although my hunting days are over, my shotguns, rifles, and handgun are in the closet in case they're ever needed. And if you're so naive to think the reason the libs want your guns is to protect life, you deserve all that's coming to you when they're taken away.

The right of the people shall not be infringed....

I have been around weapons all of my life , from the early days of following my dad through the fields & woodlands while he hunted,to my current status of owning many weapons , possessing a concealed weapons carry permit, 45 year member of several shooting clubs, hunter safety instructor & benefactor life member of the National rifle Association.
As to just how many guns I own ...that is classified but I also am a reloader currently loading 11 pistol calibers, 16 rifle calibers 3 shot gun gages,also have a sizable number of rimfire guns,muzzleloaders & air guns. I think I am on the UN hit list. NONE of these weapons have ever been used in the commission of a crime, none ever will be.
As to self or home defense ....do not attack me or invade my home, you will be here when the police arrive, but you probably will not be able to answer any questions or hear them read you your rights.Enough said...I think you get my point.
This is something people in other countries do not understand.....maybe they ought to consider the likelihood of a takeover of this country by our government with suspension of our constitution & god given rights is not very likely nor is an invasion by a foreign power.

A country that does not trust its people enough to own weapons is but one step away from imposing a dictatorship, this is a principle differance between us & some European countries which have had multiple governments or republics as well as being occupied by other countries. Stupid is as stupid does..thank god our founders took the time to look around before adopting the constitution & bill of rights we have, it is truly unique & superior to any in place in the world today.

Eat your heart out Prosper!

Hey that was some nice Gun Control: Precision shooting with an Uzi.

But am I correct in assuming that it was a semi?

Also, Nugent has a pretty good argument about Corvettes: You don't need that either, but you have a right to it anyway.

Dudley1 is right on the money--again.

Unlike the First Amendment, which affirms six rights, the Second Amendment affirms just one right: the right to keep and bear arms. The Founding Fathers put it in so that we could defend all the rest of the rights. They also put it in so that if their descendants ever needed to overthrow an oppressive government--like they did--we could do it.

More practically, concealed weapons even the field. Women, the elderly, the weak, the small, and others have a chance--or are in a superior position--when armed and facing a young, strong, male attacker. This is a practical side effect that the Founding Fathers probably never thought of, because they never would never have imagined people so depraved as to target those who should be honored and/or protected, such as women, the elderly, etc.

As Unix-Jedi pointed out, violent crime is highest where the citizenry is unarmed, like NYC, Chicago, and DC. Every state that has passed so-called "shall issue" concealed carry laws has seen a drop in violent crime after the passage of those laws. Criminals, while generally of low IQ, are smart enough to realize that an armed victim is much more dangerous than an unarmed one.

Finally, is it more moral to allow yourself, your family, and your community to become victims of violent crime than it is to shoot in self-defense?

P.S.: The Sixth Commandment is properly read as "Thou Shalt Not Murder," not "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Big difference.

P.P.S.: I like Terrible Ted's comments about Jesse Jackson!