Massive School Shooting at an Elementary School

[Regulus]

Actually, the Supreme Court has ruled twice in the past five years that we do have the right to handguns. Which means banning guns is as unconstitutional as banning free speech and abortion. But they did say restrictions can be placed upon them.

Well, legally, yes. Ethically, I think no.

But who is to decide who actually needs a gun? Does a mother living in a bad neighborhood need one? Because that is more than 0.01%

Why would a mother have a gun? That seems like a recipe for disaster to me. I'd never trust my own kids with a gun, especially if they played games like Call of Duty.

But, ultimately, if you say you need a gun, it all comes down to this:

You're saying you need to kill someone, or some animal. Unless you're buying it strictly for the range, and in that case, you don't need lethal ammunition, there's just no other reason.

I can understand owning hunting rifles in rural areas. I cannot fathom the idea of needing a hand gun in a populated area. Even if it's a bad neighborhood, that doesn't make it okay to kill someone. The only time it would ever be okay is if you're being attacked, and in that case, having a gun does nothing but escalate the conflict.

Guns are also equalizers. If a woman was being attacked with a knife, could she stop her attacker with a knife? Now how about with a gun?

Yeah, I think so. Especially a woman with children.

There are some things you just don't want to mess with. Even an unarmed woman is one of them. Because of adrenaline and all that.

[DGFone]

Why would a mother have a gun? That seems like a recipe for disaster to me. I'd never trust my own kids with a gun, especially if they played games like Call of Duty.

Actually, Call of Duty is a great system where you can sit down with your kid and have an adult discussion about guns. They get introduced to them as a toy, and you teach them about the real deal.

Hint: Guns do not behave as they do in CoD. But if you teach people properly about guns, there's nothing to worry about. Or to put it this way: You live in a house with guns? You don't need to worry about the people in it accidently discharging it. It's when you have guests over who never held a gun that you need to worry about.

Guns are also equalizers. If a woman was being attacked with a knife, could she stop her attacker with a knife? Now how about with a gun?

Yeah, I think so. Especially a woman with children.

There are some things you just don't want to mess with. Even an unarmed woman is one of them. Because of adrenaline and all that.

Yesterday a person was found dead in the big city near where I live. They were stabbed no less than four times. I don't think all the adrenalin in the world will help there. A gun would.

Besides, say the woman and her child got attacked. In a burst of adrenalin, she fights off the intruder, but gets a massive beating for it. How do you think it will help the kid if she dies afterwards because of that?

Why do you think getting a gun, and shouting "I'm armed!" very loudly is so important? The shout alerts the other person that you know what's going on, and you are prepared to fight. The gun is important so that they know you're not bluffing.

With a gun, ol' granny can beat any crook any day of the week.

[Carl]

Guns could be useful in some few circumstances, but we would be generally safer without them. Also, the issue with the government about guns now is about MILITARY GRADE weapons- civvies definitely don't need those, so people should stop crying over that.

[DGFone]

What if the intruder has a gun (too)? This sword is double-edged...

Do the obvious thing: Warn them off. If it doesn't work, shoot first.

[Regulus]

Actually, Call of Duty is a great system where you can sit down with your kid and have an adult discussion about guns. They get introduced to them as a toy, and you teach them about the real deal.

Hint: Guns do not behave as they do in CoD. But if you teach people properly about guns, there's nothing to worry about. Or to put it this way: You live in a house with guns? You don't need to worry about the people in it accidently discharging it. It's when you have guests over who never held a gun that you need to worry about.

You're joking, right? Most kids aren't even mature enough to speak a single sentence without dropping the F-bomb twice.

You know how kids throw sticks and stones at each other. Just imagine if they had guns. It doesn't matter how responsibly you tell a kid to use it, how many kids actually listen to adults?

Yeah, that's why I'd never want to be a parent.

Yesterday a person was found dead in the big city near where I live. They were stabbed no less than four times. I don't think all the adrenalin in the world will help there. A gun would.

Besides, say the woman and her child got attacked. In a burst of adrenalin, she fights off the intruder, but gets a massive beating for it. How do you think it will help the kid if she dies afterwards because of that?

Why do you think getting a gun, and shouting "I'm armed!" very loudly is so important? The shout alerts the other person that you know what's going on, and you are prepared to fight. The gun is important so that they know you're not bluffing.

With a gun, ol' granny can beat any crook any day of the week.

I've got to go buy groceries tomorrow. I guess I better take my M-16 with me, just to be safe.

Do you actually think like that?

[DGFone]

You're joking, right? Most kids aren't even mature enough to speak a single sentence without dropping the F-bomb twice.

That's what's called parenting fail. If you raise your kids up properly (translation: discipline), you won't have to worry about them, and will be able to trust them where you won't trust their friends.

Yes, discipline hurts the kid in the short term. In the long term, it pays off with interest. As usual, ban the thing that you're worried about instead of changing your lifestyle to fit the real world.

I've got to go buy groceries tomorrow. I guess I better take my M-16 with me, just to be safe.

Do you actually think like that?

1. I never said an M-16. I would be satisfied with a small 9mm if I was worried about where I live.
2. Yeah, I would rather think like that, than find myself thinking that because of a bad neighborhood, and realize that the only armed people around are the crooks.

[DGFone]

^ If you actually tried that, you'd realize just how easy that is. Aren't you of all people supposed to know what it's like to have a gun pointed at you? If you're a crook, and you're relying on your target to be unarmed, what are you going to do when they point a gun of their own at you?

I suspect you'll run. Crime averted. Rounds fired: 0.

[Carl]

^ Not true. Oftentimes, when crooks think their target is armed, they tend to fire quicker to prevent themselves from getting shot while still committing their crime.

[Regulus]

I wouldn't be so quick to assume that parenting is that easy. That would be most unwise.

1. I never said an M-16. I would be satisfied with a small 9mm if I was worried about where I live.
2. Yeah, I would rather think like that, than find myself thinking that because of a bad neighborhood, and realize that the only armed people around are the crooks.

But do you carry a 9mm around wherever you go?

[DGFone]

When a gun gets pointed at you you'd better keep perfectly still.

One move and you're dead.

And what if you have a gun of your own? The simple act of defiance, of showing that you won't cooperate and you will fight back, works wonders.