Originally posted by Maverick
Spook,
I used to think you had your head on straight. After seeing a few of your later posts I have serious doubts. Do you use a firearm at work or do you follow your convictions and go about the streets unarmed? Since when does punishing the many for the transgressions of the few become justified?
Mav, I use a Glock 19 amongst many things at my disposal. In 15 years, Ive pulled it (to use it) more than once in that time.(dispatching animals excluded. ). Ive fortunately never shot anyone with it.
Laz, Toad and the boys in the majority here, simply have no idea and do not know. Neither do I want any of them to know either. The closest most of these people have come to an aggressor in their sights is a Buck in the woods whose only defence was to stare at them with big brown watery eyes down the length of their scope before they killed the mighty beast that once inspired admiration and awe and now inspires flys. I expect their responses.
As an ex-Police Officer yourself with many years experience, I find it hard to imagine you supporting the every gun to a household arguement. You know what its like going to a domestic where the seemingly quiet man who's lived in the street for the last 20 years suddenly learns his wife is bouncing the next door neighbour and running off with the kids. You know what their like when they got a gut full of grog and all common sense has left them. When they threaten you with death by Cop or Murder/Suicide, kids and all. These people are not unusual.
The Circumstances that rationalise the mentality of seemingly normal people to use firearms are many and varied. The ability for these weapons to fall into the wrong hands is a serious possiblility in the States.
We know it happens. We know that it isnt going to be Laz or Toad or anyone else here going to get these weapons off them. Its going to be me and you. Not sure about you, but im not crazy about that aspect of the profession
Shooting a teenager to dumb or whacked to listen and respond. Shooting a family man, who's only crime is his inability to deal with the emotional problems in his life. Shooting the quiet citizen who lives in a world of pain that doctors cant heal and he hasnt got the guts to go off to a quiet corner of the planet and take himself out. Im not talking about Criminals here. We're talking about those people who live next door to us. Who you see in this thread, who fly the sim around you. Everyday, normal happy joes. Normal people in abnormal situations.
Thats my beef about firearms in their house. Most gun owners are responsible. The bolts away from the longarm. The Ammo away in another place again. Everythings, ship shape and secure.
So how the hell are they going to defend themselves when the world turns to sh*t at their doorstep ? Its not. But the loaded handgun in the desk drawer will, wont it.
That quiet afternoon at the pub that goes berserk upon coming home to a missus with a broomstick in her hand may just be enough of a catalyst to start the chain of events that lead to them death of him or her by your their hands or yours and mine.
I like weapons. I like firearms. I'm a previous gun owner. Ive been around them the majority of my life, at home, in the military and on the Force. I know them well. I also know human nature as you do. I know that the gun isnt going to leap up and shoot me less I play with it. So im not blaming the guns. Just the people.
Thats why I dont want them in my neighbours house or in mine. People do NOT have safety catches. They do NOT unload an clear.
A very good friend of mine and work collegue, shot and killed a mentally ill man not more than 18 months ago. It would have been me, only I was several streets away searching for him.
For those who have no idea what its like to kill someone, and im not talking Military types as theirs is a different environment, with different circumstances all together with a different pain or motivation. It is not simply a case of pulling the trigger, filling out the forms and going to work the next day.
My mate has never worked a day on the road since. He was subject to ridicule in the courts, media and on the street with his family. Tho he was right in every aspect to shoot. He saved the life of another friend of mine and he did so only after his options were exhausted and his friend and he had copped a good beating. I would have pulled the trigger im sure. He was exhonerated after a lengthy exhausting process that took its toll on him and his family. Why should he or I go through all that bu**sh*t unnecessarily so you can have a firearm in your house that
a) if its held responsibly you will never get the chance to use it.
b) If its held irresponsibly, what the hell are you doing with it in the house or
c) that you have no intention whatsoever of taking to a gun club past present or future and will never see the woods past the vegtable patch in your backyard?
Laz. Heres a piccy of me playing with things I do not know. Its obvious to everyone here that I did screw up by putting a .25 pic where I should have put a .38. My mistake. Heres a real S&W .38.
