Guns don't kill people ....

[dmg1969]

You sound like a whiny crybaby when you say things like this. Oh, waaah, they're calling me unfeeling, irresponsible, insane. If that kind of "attack" is a problem for you, there's a super easy solution--stop "taking advantage of (part of) our 2nd amendment right". Easy peasy.

Nice argument. When you start resorting to name calling, it's a sign you're losing the argument.


Ahem.

Unless you're a fucking homicidal nutball like the asshole in CO and in WI. Your argument is faulty, sir. Carrying a gun does NOT make one MORE cautious and conscientious of one's actions. You may well be cautious and conscientious before and after carrying a gun, but it's not the gun that does it.

Let me ask you a question. Have you EVER carried a concealed weapon? If not, your argument is faulty because you can't speak from experience. I've been through it, so don't pretend that you know what you're talking about. I had a road rage incident where the guy was literally pounding on the steering wheel trying to get me to pull over. Why didn't I pull over, smart guy? Because I was aware of something called disparity of force as escalation of force. I did not want to put myself in the situation of possibly having to use my gun so I used evasive driving and lost the guy. So, if you don't know what you're talking about, don't try to act like you do. You just look stupid.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by dmg1969

I did not want to put myself in the situation of possibly having to use my gun so I used evasive driving and lost the guy.

Then where's the fun in packing heat?

BTW, what did you do to piss him off, and did you do it because you knew, in the back of your mind, that you had a gun to back up your shit?

[dmg1969]

Now you see, Spex...there you go again ASSuming. Why do you ASSume that I purposefully did something to piss him off? Because I had a gun? If that was the case, why would I have gone out of my way to avoid the guy? Actually, he was trying to pass everyone before the two lanes narrowed to one. He did not make it in time and had to get behind me. That sent him into an uncontrolled rage. I have never seen someone act like that behind the wheel. I seriously though he was going to ram me. I'll admit, I was scared. That's why I did NOT stop...I know what would have happened.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by dmg1969

Now you see, Spex...there you go again ASSuming. Why do you ASSume that I purposefully did something to piss him off? Because I had a gun? If that was the case, why would I have gone out of my way to avoid the guy? Actually, he was trying to pass everyone before the two lanes narrowed to one. He did not make it in time and had to get behind me. That sent him into an uncontrolled rage. I have never seen someone act like that behind the wheel. I seriously though he was going to ram me. I'll admit, I was scared. That's why I did NOT stop...I know what would have happened.

Sure, you were completely innocent.

[dmg1969]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Sure, you were completely innocent.

Oh Spexx, shove it up your liberal, gun-hating ass. It must be nice to know everything. You should run for Messiah.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by dmg1969

Oh Spexx, shove it up your liberal, gun-hating ass. It must be nice to know everything. You should run for Messiah.

This is the internet equivalent of cutting the guy off. Now say "I didn't do anything to make anybody mad". You cut the guy off, because you're self-righteous and the guy was being a dick trying to get ahead of you before the construction, and he should just get behind you in the line of traffic like all the other sheep. And you figured you could do it because if push came to shove, you could protect yourself with your gun. After you calmed down, you realized what a jackass you'd been, and acted like a pussy by running away. We've all done it, just without the gun part. Admit it... you'll feel better.

I'm a liberal, gun-hater? It must be nice to know everything.

I don't need to run for Messiah. I AM the Messiah. You'd better get your shit together or I WILL be sending you to eternal damnation.

For the record, I don't hate guns. I believe that our society needs to take steps to reduce the chance that innocent people will get murdered. It seems to me that, while it won't eliminate it, reducing the number of handguns and assault weapons in the general population is a good start.

[Griff]

Talk of the Nation did a show on guns last week. A lot of it was from a public health perspective. Interesting factoid 60% of gun deaths are suicides. I found this page from the AFSP.

Firearms and Suicide

Although most gun owners reportedly keep a firearm in their home for "protection" or "self defense," 83 percent of gun-related deaths in these homes are the result of a suicide, often by someone other than the gun owner.
Firearms are used in more suicides than homicides.
Death by firearms is the fastest growing method of suicide.
Firearms account for 50 percent of all suicides.

I guess to me an interesting stat would be home invasions thwarted, although I couldn't guess what percentage of those are reported.

I see two competing narratives here which make us all less safe. The left demonizes guns to the point where people are prevented from being exposed to a culture of safe handling of firearms, while the right pretends that gun owners are by and large well trained at handling firearms. I'd like to see some thought go into reducing that suicide number.