The Second You Buy A Gun Fear Is Yours

[Travis Coates]

Just watched an interview Jody Foster gave when she was making “The Brave One”. One of the comments she made displayed her total lack of understanding of shooters. She said “The second you buy a gun fear is yours” “You step into a culture where you’re in danger both to your self and everyone around you.”

I thought it was really interesting that she would just spout her opinion like that. Especially given that the out takes they showed of the movie, scenes where she was just standing on set waiting for the next take, she demonstrated some of the worst gun handling I’ve ever seen.

So are we a culture of fear? Is fear our’s? (Yes. I know the answer but I thought this would be an interesting topic)

[katandmoon]

1. Fear? Try paranoia. Encouraged in no small part by the gun lobby, never lacking for fertile soil.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EC]

10. I agree with that comment

it is paranoia...people who have guns for protection in most areas of the country are afraid of everything....the chances of being attacked are minimal in most areas and I sure hope people aren't thinking of using guns for property crimes...

[Travis Coates]

17. Defend your argument HOW am I paranoid because I own a gun

and choose to carry it daily?

[EC]

22. Why do you carry it?

Are you afraid of being attacked?

[Travis Coates]

25. No more than I'm "afraid" of getting in a car accident

and choose to wear a seatbelt every time I ride in a car. I carry a gun because I have been attacked and both times was able to defend myself W/ out firing a shot.

Now I invite you, again, to defend your assertion that carrying a gun makes me paranoid

edited for clarity

[AtheistCrusader]

38. Same reason I carry a CPR mask, a first aid kit, and a airway.

'In case shit'.

A gun, like all that medical equipment, is a tool for solving problems that may arise.

I could leave the gun at home, but should a problem arise that has a firearm as a lawful, reasonable solution, it will be sorely missed.

Doubly so, since I am trained, willing, and legally capable of carrying it.

[gorfle]

124. The "fear" canard.

We are humans living in a modern society. As such, mankind has developed a plethora of tools that are within the means of most of us to help us deal with adversities we might face in life. For example, we have spare tires in case of a flat. We have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in case of fires. We have carbon monoxide detectors in case of furnace malfunctions. We have first aid kits in case of injury. We have insurance policies in case of loss.

All of these things are tools that modern humans can avail themselves to at a minimal cost, and many people choose to do so because even though the risk and chance of needing to use them is small, the consequences of needing them and not having them are great.

I suppose you could say, in the broadest of terms, that the decision to purchase any of these items is a decision based on fear. But most people who buy a fire extinguisher or a carbon monoxide detector are not experiencing any of the symptoms of fear, nor are they acting irrationally. They have made a reasoned assessment of the cost and benefit of the risks and the cost and benefit of the tools to mitigate those risks and decided that it's cheap to have the tools available in the unlikely chance they are needed.

Owning a firearm is precisely the same. Most of us in the United States are law-abiding, and thus unlikely to be a victim of assault. There are certainly some people who live in "bad neighborhoods" who are more likely to be victims of assault, and there are certainly some people in certain lines of work who are more likely to be victims of assault, like taxi-cab drivers, pizza-delivery drivers, lawyers, psychologists, psychiatrists, sex workers, and others. But most people are probably at low risk of being a victim of assault.

But here is the thing (and the nice thing about living in America): It is the freedom of every person to make the choice for themselves whether or not they need the tools to guard against assault. In most places in this country no one gets to decide for me whether or not I really need the tools for self-defense or not.

[GreenStormCloud]

20. My probability of being attacked is small, but the consequence is huge.

Every time someone starts talking about how unlikely a person is to be attacked, they always leave out how big the consequence is. Since getting attacked could mean getting killed, then I choose be ready to defend myself.

[EC]

23. That's crazy...

if chances are minute and you aren't in a bad area....why would you be attacked?

[Travis Coates]

26. The reason you might be attacked is irrelevant

the fact is that it can and does happen. Most people don'twin the lottery but for the few who do it affects their entire life.

[EC]

42. No it's not

if you're out looking for trouble or a fight...that's relevant. If you're walking in a bad neighborhood after dark - alone - that's relevant.

[Travis Coates]

47. True

But I don't do things like that. Although there was a time in my life where I lived in a horrible neighborhood ans had no option but to walk to work and walk home late at night. Was I looking for trouble?

[EC]

51. No, then you needed protection... n/t

[X_Digger]

33. Your chances of being attacked are higher than the chances of having a house fire..

.. are people who own fire extinguishers more paranoid?

quoting myself-

In the US there are 350,000 residential fires every year, and there are ~105,000,000 homes. Odds of a home fire? 1 in 300.

http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Fire-Prevention/fires-factsheet.html

According to the DOJ, the rate of being the victim of a violent crime is 20 / 1,000 overall (as high as 27 / 1,000 for some groups like african americans.) That comes out to 1 in 50.

http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=1743

[EC]

37. Yes

I worked in homeowners insurance...what a rip-off if you are buying just for fire. You'll need the liability insurance more than the fire and the rest of the policies don't cover anything, anyway.




I also find home alarms useless...

[X_Digger]

40. Please re-read.. fire extinguisher, not fire insurance. n/t

[EC]

43. a carton of salt is much cheaper... n/t

[X_Digger]

59. Nice dodge.

I'll ask again- are you asserting that people who keep fire extinguishers handy are paranoid?

If so, I'm done, you can't argue with that level of wrong-headedness.

[PavePusher]

35. I've been a victim of crime more often...

than I get flat tires. Yet I still care a spare tire with my car.

I must be crazy, right?

[AtheistCrusader]

39. We don't control when, how, or why we are selected as a victim.

Any more than I control when, how, and why I might come across someone suffering a heart attack or similar distress.

Therefore, I carry a CPR shield for my protection.
Same with a gun.

[GreenStormCloud]

62. Criminals drive, and so do I.

First, you ignored my statement that the consequences of losing the victim selection lottery are immense.

Second, I am mobile, as are criminals. Crime doesn't confine itself to only bad neighborhoods. I can not predict if and when I may lose the victim selection lottery, so I am prepared if it happens.

[spin]

107. I've lived in "good" areas and "bad" areas ...

and I have never had to use a firearm for self defense in the 45 years I owned them. I don't really expect that I will ever have a reason to use one.

I own firearms primarily for the reason that I like to target shoot. I do also have loaded handguns in my home for self defense.

My daughter used one of those handguns to stop an intruder who was breaking into our home by forcing a sliding glass door open.

He was halfway in when she confronted him in the kitchen and drew down on him with a large caliber S&W revolver. He fled.

I am thankful for the fact that I had the foresight to install a burglar alarm and also that I had taken her to the pistol range many times to give her the skill and ability to handle a handgun.

I know plenty of firearm owners and only a very few have ever had to use their firearms for legitimate self defense in civilian life. In the two cases I can think of, no shots were fired and the presence of a firearm deterred the attack. Both of the people who were armed had Florida Concealed Weapons Permits.

The first incident involved a road rage situation where a co-worker was threatened on his way to work. He had angered another driver who got out of his car at a stop light and approached my friend's car with a tire iron in his hand. My friend reached in his glove box and grabbed a 9mm pistol. He placed his gun hand on the steering wheel in view of the angry attacker who noticed it and returned to his car. My friend was blocked by traffic from merely driving away.

The second incident involved an attempted robbery in downtown Tampa on a Sunday morning. Two of my friends were using a metal detector to examine a site where a building had just been torn down. An individual walked up, displayed a large knife and demanded their money. One of my friends pulled his light jacket aside to reveal a .45 auto in a shoulder holster. The robber turned and walked away muttering some obscenities.

But such incidents are rare and you can choose to go with the odds and not own a firearm or get a concealed carry permit if your state allows it. It's your choice and chances are that buying a firearm would mean spending money that you could put to better use elsewhere.

I have no problem with people who choose not to own firearms, in fact I would rather see most people who will not take the time to become proficient with their firearm simply avoid ownership.

As Jeff Cooper, a famous expert on small arms said:

"Having a gun and thinking you are armed is like having a piano and thinking you are a musician"

[Travis Coates]

32. Did you notice

How quiet he/she got when asked to present factual evidence?

[rrneck]

74. Bingo. nt

[TPaine7]

53. What do you think of people who own fire extinguishers?

I know several people who have been feloniously assaulted in ways that would have justified deadly force. I even know someone who used a gun to chase off a would-be rapist.

I know no one who has nearly lost their house due to fire, or had to use a fire extinguisher in their house.

[gorfle]

123. Why not use a gun for property crimes?

I make no apologies for supporting the use of deadly force to defend property.

Everything I own represents a portion of my life that I exchanged in order to acquire it. These portions of my life are irreplaceable. Someone who steals or destroys my property is thus stealing portions of my life. I will not give up one minute of my life to sate someone else's unchecked greed.

I'll be happy to agree with anyone who doesn't value their life more than my property, and help them confirm their valuation of themselves.

[SteveM]

8. Your stereotyping of 80,000,000+ Americans is duly noted. nt

[Walk away]

137. +1

[jazzhound]

138. As dishonest as you clearly are, when you walk away

why don't you make it a long walk on a short pier.

What folks like you spin as paranoia is simply the absence of arrogance. The arrogance that assumes that a violent assault which is guaranteed to occur will happen to "the other person".

[Abq_Sarah]

2. So says the woman

Who hires people with guns to ensure her safety.

[leftofcool]

3. Yep, and the second you take that first sip of wine, you are

an alcoholic, the minute you buy your first joint, you are a pothead and when you buy your first HDTV, your brain will turn to mush. Thank you Ms Foster, but no, guns don't cause fear, make you fearful, or make you dangerous, people do that. And, it is usually people like you who tell us that we should fear that are making us fearful.

[Ganja Ninja]

4. A gun is merely a tool for protection or hunting or whatever.

If you're afraid of it then you probably shouldn't own one.

[EC]

14. Not afraid of the gun...

afraid of everything else in the world....really believing that every moment of every day you are in danger...that's crazy...

[Travis Coates]

15. I don't think gun owners feel they are in danger every moment

But the very few times I was in enough danger to need a gun I didn't know before hand it was coming and nothing but a gun would have sufficed. I don't own fire extinguishers because I feel that I'm in danger of a fire every moment of every day but if a fire ever starts in my home I doubt anything else will be quite so useful for putting it out.

[EC]

45. I'm thinking the ones that have to carry a gun at all times

do think they are targets all the time....

[Travis Coates]

48. I do carry a gun at all times

It's easier to just put it on in the morning and be done W/ it than to have to worry about it.

Also, feel free to give some actual examples of gun owners who feel that they're a target all the time

[EC]

50. You obviously... n/t

[Travis Coates]

56. What I'm hearing you say is

"I'm sorry but I can't back up my argument Travis"

I don't think I'm a target all the time but since I don't know when I will be a target, I choose to be prepared.

You realy should quit while you're behind

[X_Digger]

61. How's your crystal ball? Mine's on the fritz.

If there were a day circled in red on my calendar where I would know that that day, I'd need to defend myself with a firearm, when that day came around, I'd turn off the alarm clock and pull the covers over my head.

I take precautions against being a victim of violent crime. Some of that is just being cautious- staying out of high crime areas; shopping in daylight, or parking close to an entrance if at night; I practice situational awareness at all times.

I carry for the circumstances that I can't foresee. If I could foresee them, I would avoid them.

From other responses you've made, it appears as though you think violent crime only happens in 'bad neighborhoods'. How naive.

[GreenStormCloud]

64. I don't think I am a target all the time.

But the only way to have it on me when I am a target is to have it all the time.

Let's say I leave home to run five errands. Let's say that only one of those errands is in an elevated risk area. The only way to have the gun on me in that area is to have it on me in all five. So it is easier to just the guns on and not worry about if I will or won't be going into what areas. Carrying all the time simplifies the question.

[PavePusher]

21. That must be why I always wear my seatbelt...

Because I'm afraid that every other car is going to crash into me... Or something.

[EC]

24. And I'm sure that seat belt is a danger

to everyone else around you?

[Travis Coates]

27. Please elucidate

How, specifically, is my gun a danger to everyone around me? In any given situation the only other person who knows I'm even armed is my wife.

Depending on where you live it is likely that you interact or are in close proximity to someone who is armed every day and just never know it.

Spelling

[X_Digger]

34. Feel free to set those goal posts down, they must be heavy.

Do you concede the point that being prepared for an unlikely event is not equivalent to paranoia?

[GreenStormCloud]

65. How is me being armed a signifigant danger to others around me.

Are you aware that you are in greater danger of being struck by lightning than of being illegally killed by a CCW holder? Lightning is 27 times more dangerous to you than people with CCW permits.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=118&topic_id=278818

[gorfle]

125. That is an entirely different argument.

And I'm sure that seat belt is a danger to everyone else around you?

Since you did not comment on the fact that people who wear seatbelts all the time are not afraid of being in a car crash all the time, I assume, then, that you concede that just because someone carries a firearm all the time does not mean that they are afraid.

Whether or not the tool is dangerous or not is another argument altogether, which I'll be happy to discuss once you agree that fear is not necessarily a driving motivator for people who carry firearms.

[SteveM]

36. I have read your comments. Respectfully, you really need correction...

You throw around terms like "paranoia" and "crazy," after you have blatantly constructed a straw man from your own stereotypes and prejudices. Over 80,000,000 American citizens own guns; many are liberals, many you know, many are on this web site (far more than who post in this forum). Do you have so little faith in your fellows that you can so simply and recklessly call that many people "paranoid" or "crazy?"

By now you have read the comments likening a firearm for home defense as a form of insurance. I have insurance on my 62-year-old frame house. Am I paranoid that it will burn down? No. I have a reasonable fear that it could (original paper-wrapped wiring). I also have a revolver near my bed. Am I paranoid that someone will break in my back door, not twenty feet away? No. I have a reasonable fear that it could happen (some neighbors have been broken in-to, and it's a "safe" neighborhood).

This should suffice, but I must strenuously object to the use of "paranoia" as a cheap-seat ticket to intellectual smear. "Paranoia," to most, is an unreasonable fear in the face of the potential threat. There is nothing unreasonable about millions of Americans keeping a firearm for home defense (or in the case of some, self-defense off-premises). Those people are all around you, and some may be your friends. To go further and call millions of people "crazy" indicates that you are into full-blown culture war, which is the font of prohibitions (of ALL sorts) and tagging millions with a scarlet letter; in this case, "G."

I respectfully suggest you examine your own motivations and fears and try to come to grips with them. I have nothing to offer beyond this, though you could stand to go to the range, rent a firearm, and ask for some instruction. Knowing about the things (and people) one hates goes a long way to neutralizing a lot of anger.

[EC]

52. You're probrably right

but I still feel that many people create monsters that aren't there or spend money to protect themselves against a one in a million occurance...

[SteveM]

54. Monsters are indeed created. But I'm not one.

[GreenStormCloud]

66. One in a million? You need to review the crime statistics.

Last year, there were over one million violent crimes in the U.S. Since our population is about 300 million, then the raw odds are 1 in 300. That can then be adjusted for personal factors, such as lifestyle, place of residence, etc.

And you continue to act as if the odd were the only thing. You ignore losing that lottery is a really, really, big deal.

[Travis Coates]

104. Don't bring feelings to a fact fight

You have the right to your feeling but don't ask me to alter the facts of my life because of them.

[jazzhound]

109. There is a reasonable question pending in post #34.

Do you have the guts to deal with it?

[AtheistCrusader]

44. I'm not afraid. Why would I be? I've got a gun.

[Abq_Sarah]

82. I guess some of us

Are just trying to figure out why you invest emotion in an inanimate object to the point where you accuse people who have that object of being paranoid.

[On the Road]

6. Whatever Jodie Foster's Character Said or Did

I buy the basic argument.

I would feel more afraid of the dangers of having a gun around the house than of the dangers that a gun wout prevent. And I live in South Baltimore.

[armueller2001]

7. Dangers of having a gun around the house

such as...?

The gun emitting powerful mind control waves that make people go nuts and kill their family?

[Common Sense Party]

29. My gun started spewing millions of gallons of oil into my basement.

That's when I knew it was dangerous.

[On the Road]

78. You Really Have to Ask?

Hint: Don't imagine what might happen. Pay attention to what does happen. And to human nature. And to Murphy's Law.

[SteveM]

12. Please explain. I don't experience the upshot of this "basic argument."

[On the Road]

79. The "Basic Argument" is That

statistically, a gun kept in the house is more likely to result in injury to a member of the household than to prevent injury by crime (which is the context of the thread).

I'm not opposed to or afraid of firearms, BTW. I used to teach riflery in a YMCA camp. I just don't want one in the house permanently. A loaded gun is a bad thing waiting to happen.

[Travis Coates]

80. Care to cite your statistics? NT

[On the Road]

81. No.

I really didn't think it was a matter of contention.

And honestly, I'm really surprised that post resulted in those three responses. I've posted similar sentiments in a Guns thread and only got respectful disagreement. People in this forum must be really on edge.

[PavePusher]

88. F.Y.I.

That statistic you allude to has been debunked quite thuroughly here and elsewhere. It is simply not true.

I can't believe no-one brought that to your attention before.

Perhaps there is a reason you don't wish to cite to it?

[Travis Coates]

89. It is a matter of contention because several studies

Claiming such have been discredited. If you make the comment that "statistically a gun in the home is more likely to harm the home owner" you should expect to be asked to verify your claim.

[SteveM]

149. But you should. You made a contention. Defend and support it...

This is the foundation of sound argument; one cannot assume a "fact" is divinely manifest because they heard the "fact" somewhere, uttered by someone.

Similar "facts" include "more guns = more crime," when the statistical evidence overwhelmingly fails to support this bumper strip slogan.

I hope I am not being disrespectful by posting this.

[armueller2001]

87. How did you come to this conclusion?

You state that a gun in the home is more likely to injure a family member than to prevent injury.

Is that a fact? How do you know?

[gorfle]

126. The biggest statistical determinator of firearm violence.

The biggest statistical determinator of firearm violence is not whether or not you have a firearm in your home.

The biggest statistical determinator of firearm violence is prior criminal history!

http://site297.mysite4now.com/clrwebsite/Joomla1.5/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=138:kates201086&catid=20:firearmsinc&Itemid=20

People who commit murders with firearms are over 90% likely to have extensive criminal histories, including, on average, 4 felonies.

No doubt such people also have houses, and keep firearms in them.

[spin]

151. If you are uncomfortable with a loaded firearm in your home ...

than you should not allow one.

Many people are uncomfortable with owning a Pit Bull because of their reputation as a dangerous animal. Other people have owned Pit Bulls all their life and have had no bad experiences.

Forty five years ago, I made a decision to have loaded firearms in my home. So far none of my firearms have injured a member of the household or for that matter anyone. One handgun was used by my daughter to stop an intruder from entering our home. No shots were fired, she drew down on the individual and he ran.

Most people can go through their life without ever having a need for a firearm. Some people suffer from a range of problems that can make gun ownership dangerous to themselves and others. In many cases not having a firearm in the house is a damn good idea.

[GreenStormCloud]

67. That's your choice. Please don't try to force your choice on everybody else. N/T

[On the Road]

77. Not Force My Choice on Others?

OK. And?

[spin]

83. Guns are not for everybody ...

You have evaluated your situation and have determined that gun in your house is more dangerous than the chances of a person breaking in to your home and threatening you with severe bodily harm or death.

Many other people have made a different decision based on their own knowledge of their own personality and the personalities of the other people who live in their house and the threat level of the neighborhood they live in.

Of course, many of the people who have a firearm in their house are people who engage in the shooting sports. They may be hunters or target shooters or just people who enjoy pinking at tin cans. Some of these people secure their firearms in a manner that would make using them for self defense difficult and some have ready access to a loaded firearm in case of an emergency where the use of a firearm would be appropriate.

I've enjoyed target shooting for years and I am one of the people who have a loaded firearm that's secured in a lock box that I can quickly access. I also have a concealed carry permit and I carry.

I don't live in fear of being attacked. I actually believe and hope that it's unlikely that I will ever have to use a firearm in self defense. But I am familiar with gun safety and accurate shooting and I have invested the time and money to obtain a concealed weapons permit. It would be illogical for me NOT to carry.

I see absolutely no problem with your decision to not own a firearm. I hope that you are as open minded and see no problem with those who after careful consideration have decided to have a firearm in their home or to legally carry one in public.

[virginia mountainman]

9. What is this fear you speak of??

I, like everyone in my family, and the vast majority of my neighbors and friends, have ALL, been around guns our entire lives??

I have guns, that where in my family's possession from the late 1800's... In other words, my family owned them, before I, was even a distant thought...and now I own them...and soon my son will own them... Why fear them??

What is this "fear" you speak of??

Do you get it when you DON"T buy a gun?? Like when you get given too you? Or they are yours by birthright?? When does the "fear" start???

Why would anyone "fear" an inanimate object???

I wonder what a psychiatrist would say about fearing an inanimate object??

[yellowcanine]

11. I would hope that someone who hasn't had any gun training would be afraid of handling a gun.

A little healthy fear can keep a person from doing stupid things.

I feel the same way about people trying to ride motorcycles without proper training.

[damntexdem]

13. Yeah, where does Jody get the nerve to tell simple truths just like that?

Doesn't she realize that such truth is politically incorrect?

[Common Sense Party]

30. What truth?

Bullshit, infantile opinions...yes, she spouted those.

Truth? Not a bit.

[Euromutt]

119. The word you're looking for is "truthiness," not "truth"

As in, something that one holds to be true because one wants it to be true, without regard to logical reasoning or empirical evidence. Ms Foster was telling "simple truthinesses," not "simple truths."

[jazzhound]

130. +1,000,000

:thumbsup:

[Euromutt]

146. Stephen Colbert did us all a massive service by inventing that word

It captured so perfectly a phenomenon I'd been observing all over the political spectrum before.

[rrneck]

16. An interesting statement considering the content of the movie. nt

[Travis Coates]

18. If you get a chance watch the interview

Jodie did not intend "The Brave One" to be received the way it was it was supposed to be an indictment against gun owners.

[AtheistCrusader]

46. Really, I thought it was an indictment against a corrupt cop boyfriend?

[Travis Coates]

49. Nope

She stated in a few interviews that the idea was to show how owning a gun warps your mind and makes you a danger to society (loose translation)

[AtheistCrusader]

55. Someone's mind ended up warped all right.

[Travis Coates]

57. Here's a link to an interview

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20051361_20051365_20054140,00.html

[gorfle]

129. A interesting quote from the article

"What do you think is the larger social commentary of The Brave One, which in some ways plays as a straight-up Dirty Harry revenge movie?
Here's my commentary: I don't believe that any gun should be in the hand of a thinking, feeling, breathing human being. Americans are by nature filled with rage-slash-fear. And guns are a huge part of our culture. I know I'm crazy because I'm only supposed to say that in Europe. But violence corrupts absolutely. By the end of this, her transformation is complete. ''F--- all of you, now I'm just going to kill people with my bare hands.''"

The problem with this sentiment is that it completely ignores the reality of the savage human animal. Throughout recorded history there have always been people who cannot or will not hold their desires in check, and they will visit brutality on their fellow men to sate their desires. Whether it is in pursuit of money, power, sex, or food, there have always been people, either out of desperation or greed, who are willing to use violence and barbarity against others to get what they want.

This is an undeniable fact of human existence.

Some people, like Ms. Foster, get so used to the trappings of civilization, and are so far removed from savage barbarism, that they forget this fact. In fact they come to believe that the basic condition of human existence has actually changed.

They are wrong.

Every day the news is full-to-the-brim with stories of men taking what they want from other men through violence, intimidation, and coercion.

Invariably, throughout history it has always taken people backed by the force of arms to control those kinds of people, and so bring some measure of security to the good people of society. It is sad, but "thinking, feeling, breathing human beings" have always had, and continue to have to stand up to the savage among us, and that almost always requires the force of arms.

I like Jodie Foster. From the rest of the interview it seems like she is intelligent. But I disagree with her utiopian ideal.

[rrneck]

72. I'm not surprised.

Movies are a directors medium. But then again, Jodie Foster is a seasoned actor and has been in the business for a long time. How did she think a story about a vigilante woman remake of a Charles Bronson movie would be received?

If she's that disappointed she needs to fire her agent.

[spin]

152. Maybe she was just interested in making money ...

and now is covering her ass so that she doesn't look bad to her friends who oppose firearm ownership.

[PavePusher]

19. Jody Foster = Flaming Hypocrite

I notice she's never turned down a paycheck for acting in a movie with guns...

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

28. The second you watch Jodi Foster movies boredom is yours.

[Travis Coates]

31. Silence of the Lambs wasn't boring.

Neither was "Maverick". I will give credit where it's due Jodie (IMO) is a fine actor I just think her position on guns is ludicrous

[one-eyed fat man]

41. whoa'???

The plot line of this movie has Jodie Foster's character unwilling to wait to buy a legal gun. After buying one on the black market, she becomes a vigilante killer. So now we have an estrogen fueled version of Charles Bronson as an avenging angel. In the end she escapes justice herself when her boyfriend cop finally discovers she is the vigilante and falsifies evidence to frame dead bad guy, after giving her his gun to execute the last malefactor.

What "reality" gun culture or otherwise does this represent? Secret death squads of rogue cops and revenge driven gun owners hunting the streets for evildoers? This is beyond the even the most lunatic ravings of the most addled anti regularly spewing drivel in the Gungeon, or is it?

Anyone who can ascribe any deep philosophical meaning to another rather formulaic film where obviously guilty bad guys get deservedly blown away to the guilty delight of the audience needs to realize these things only happen in "reel" life.

[safeinOhio]

58. To be fair

many and most gun owners aren't all of that full of fear or paranoid. On the other hand, to explain the huge number of people that purchased so many guns and ammo after Nov 8 2008, fear and paranoia of a scary Black President is the only possible reason. I see no problem with carrying to protect the family and self, but that does not mean many that do are not overly scared. I'd guess there are many, many valid and invalid reasons involved. Looks like most posters make the issue black and white.

The answer to your question, "so are we a culture of fear", is yes and no. Compared to other cultures we are most likely on the higher end.

[PavePusher]

60. The Racism card again? Seriously?

How about the fact that a lot of people (the President included) who's entire political resume indicated an anti-Second Amendment stance, were now in office?

Come on now....

[safeinOhio]

63. You are 100% correct

A false belief that he will strip 2nd rights led to fear and paranoia.
False, yes. He has not stripped any rights in office. His only act was to sign a law that allows CC in National Forest. Proof that all those fears and a paranoia were just that. I remember reading the NRA mag in a barber shop back in that Nov. Talk about spreading fear and lies.
It is a fact that polls showed that almost 20% of Americans said they would not vote for a Black man for president. It may not be a fact, but I'm sure it is a good guess that many of those were among those that have gone out and purchased guns and ammo in the last 2 years. Sorry if you want to deny racism in America, you have your eyes closed. It is a fact in this country.

Now, you can come on now.....

[X_Digger]

70. Simple question..

Was a reinstatement and making permanent the failed "assault weapons" ban posted on change.gov then whitehouse.gov Until May 2009?

As the US Senator from Illinois, did he ever vote for a bill supporting the right to keep and bear arms?

Is this clip really not Obama? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-4jqZSEo0Q

[safeinOhio]

103. and yet, Obama

beat McCain. Sorry about that.

[X_Digger]

105. Matrix-worthy dodge. Here, let me remind you..

You said-

"to explain the huge number of people that purchased so many guns and ammo after Nov 8 2008, fear and paranoia of a scary Black President is the only possible reason."

Perhaps you want to retract that in light of the demonstrated anti-second-amendment statements made by IL Senator Obama, US Senator Obama, Democratic candidate Obama, President-Elect Obama?

"Only possible reason"? Really? You gonna stick with that stinker, still?

And nice step right up to the edge of Skinner's new rules. Careful you don't stick a toe over that line ("Suggesting that any group of DU members are not Democrats, liberals, or progressives. Suggesting that a particular point of view is required in order to be a Democrat, liberal, or progressive.")

[safeinOhio]

112. Sorry you misunderstood my point

My point being that McCain changed on immigration reform and campaign reform. Obama changed after he was seeking national office, not Illinois office. A purist on 2nd rights? No. But a view twisted by right wing and NRA propaganda? Yes. Propaganda that scared many? Yes. Show us any action he has taken to take away your guns as President. Is fear of something that has and never will, not, paranoia? Very well could be.

I think if only the word "Black" was removed, the statement would be more than true or at least less offensive. You prove it. Fear and paranoia that the President was gonna take away guns or ban the sale resulted in a huge increase in the sale of guns and bullets. What else caused it?

[PavePusher]

114. Has President Obama initiated or encouraged any actions...

restoring/expanding firearms rights in any way? Has he retracted any of his previous anti-Rights statements? Has he publicly stated that unreasonable restrictions such as those of D.C. and Chicago and New York and New Jersey and California should be stricken?

No?

Then count me as unconvinced, active and vigilant.

[jazzhound]

116. "What else caused it?"

The state of the economy and fear of social instability springs to mind. I think a lot of folks assume that crime will increase as economic times get tougher, even though this did not occur during the Depression. I did a little research of my own when gun sales and ammo began the spike in the months prior to President Obama's election. One phone call in particular was quite instructive. I ended up speaking with the manager of a large local shooting range/firearm dealer who is an officer with a firearm dealers association. In California, first time firearm purchasers are asked to put in writing the reason for their purchase on one of the many forms required for the sale. Roughly 50% stated that concern that the new administration would curtail gun rights drove their purchase, and the other half stated personal defense as their motivation for the purchase.

[Caliman73]

134. I live in California...

I have never been asked to provide my reason for purchasing a firearm and I am a relatively new owner. I believe that there are only 2 forms you have to fill out when you purchase a firearm. Now, to purchase a handgun in California you have to have a basic handgun safety certificate and have to perform a safe handling demonstration. You can only by one handgun every 30 days and you have a 10 day wait period on any firearm purchase.

Things are not great in California, but unless this change is very recent, you don't have to say why you are purchasing a firearm.

[jazzhound]

136. You could well be right about that.

I'm operating on what this dealer passed along to me, and it's possible that I misinterpreted something that he said.

At the time he made the remark I scratched my head a bit because I didn't recall seeing such a question on any of the forms, but my memory isn't that great --- too many cranial impacts --- so I took his word for it.

[X_Digger]

122. I, too, take him at his word.

"What else" could cause it?

His words. His VP's words (you know, one of the authors of the 1994 fraud). His website(s). AG Holder's words. SoS Clinton's words. Speaker Pelosi's words. DHS Sec Napolitano's words. The party platform's website.

Not to mention that the last time we had a democratic president, he signed the 1994 "assault weapons" ban.

Is it really such a stretch to expect more of the same of what we had in the past? You're deluding yourself if you think not. Like others here, I didn't expect it to be a priority, but if the economy keeps on improving, unemployment moves in the right direction, we get significant regulation of financial markets, etc- I could see more gun control gaining legs.

[SteveM]

150. It amazes me how "paranoia" is used to refer to standing policy concerns...

The statements of policy-makers and the Democratic Party are real and pretty much up-to-date, yet many folks seem to blithely walk past them and state a would-be truth ("truthiness?") that all that stuff doesn't really mean a thing. So, along these lines, if Theodore Bilbo had run for and been elected to the office of the presidency, and said he was no longer going to threaten the rights of blacks, and his supporters said the same, would the average Democrat in these pages have felt reassured? Would the would-be supporters of Bilbo attack those feeling otherwise as "paranoid?"

Whatever the descriptors for the responses to these RKBA threats, "paranoia" is not one of them.

[PavePusher]

75. Do you think that the sitting President believes in restoring/expanding Second Amendment Rights?

Do you think that he would have signed, or Congress would have passed, the Park Carry legislation, had it been a stand-alone bill and not a rider to some desperately needed economic reform?

Do you believe that President Obama would not ban both open and concealed carry and "assault weapons" if he thought he could do so with commiting political suicide for both himself and his Party?

If so, you are being most astoundingly disingenuous.


I will not disagree with you that racism does still exist in America. As a caucasian male who has traveled extensively on four continents, I have been exposed to it in some decidedly odd ways. (After living in central Africa for three years and returning to rural New England, was called "spear chucker" and "porch monkey" by other caucasian kids. Huh.) Before and after the '08 election, I spoke with many people at gun shows and shops in Arizona, Utah, New Hampshire and Vermont and at my USAF base here in Tucson; there were many mentions of the President's actual and perceived firearms policies, I never once heard race discussed or denigrated. I will admit this is only anecdotal, and represents a very small number of rather non-random people, so I am not prepared to fully deny your assertion, but I surely take it with a bushel or two of salt.

[safeinOhio]

91. I take him for what he said in 2008

when he was running for national office. It may have been different representing local voters.

Obama, disagreeing with the D.C. government and gun control advocates, declares that the Second Amendment's "right of the people to keep and bear arms" applies to individuals, not just the "well regulated militia" in the amendment. In the next breath, he asserts that this constitutional guarantee does not preclude local "common sense" restrictions
Campaigning at Iowa's Cornell College on Dec. 5, he asserted that the Second Amendment "is an individual right and not just a right of the militia." He has repeated that formulation along the primary trail, declaring at a Milwaukee news conference before the Feb. 19 Wisconsin primary: "I believe the Second Amendment means something. . . . There is an individual right to bear arms."

I don't think it is disingenuous to take him at his word in 2008. What is disingenuous is to state what you "think" he means and will do. I see no movement in the direction that the NRA insisted that he would do upon taking office. That has been proven wrong by the facts. Yet, many are still pushing fear and paranoia by thinking they are mind readers and "knowing" what he really wants to do.

I have worn an Obama shirt to the range and have gotten the most racist comments one can imagine. I have worn the same shirt to art shows and nothing. I suggest you try wearing one to a gun show and see if you get any reaction.

[GreenStormCloud]

95. Nice tap dancing.

In the same speech that you reference, Obama claimed that DC was an example of those common sense regulations. He put forward the opinion that the DC ban was constitutional.

[safeinOhio]

101. Until the SOTUS made that decision

the ban was constitutional. The ban was instituted by elected local officials that were elected by the people of DC. The court knocked it down as happens with issues every day. It was constitutionally illegal to give drugs to hasten death. The court changed that to and it is now legal to do in several states. That is the way our system works.

[X_Digger]

106. Was he lying then, was he lying before, or did he suddenly change his mind?

http://www.ontheissues.org/IL_2004_Senate_3rd.htm

"Let’s be honest. Mr. Keyes does not believe in common gun control measures like the assault weapons bill. Mr. Keyes does not believe in any limits from what I can tell with respect to the possession of guns, including assault weapons that have only one purpose, to kill people. I think it is a scandal that this president did not authorize a renewal of the assault weapons ban. "

http://www.ontheissues.org/Promise_to_Power.htm

"I didn’t find that {vote} surprising. I am consistently on record and will continue to be on record as opposing concealed carry." Aug 14, 2007

[PavePusher]

113. And so you ignore his previous history?

Did he change his mind?

Was he lying before? Was he lying after?

Or is he simply a politician, all of whom will generally say whatever it takes to get elected, then turn their coats without even breathing hard. (As a recent example, I give you... Senator Gillibrand, on gun rights.)

Is he simply awaiting the right political winds to enact additional "gun control"?

Only history can tell.





Your challange of wearing an Obama T-shirt to a gun show sounds intriguing. I shall ponder that.

[jazzhound]

117. "Your challenge of wearing an Obama T-shirt to a gun

show sounds intriquing. I shall ponder that."

I once pondered "framing" an Obama bumber sticker on my car with a pair of the round NRA stickers on each side of it.

The fact that I don't have the cash to replace windows and restore paint right now was a strong disincentive.

[PavePusher]

120. Hence the "pondering".

But I don't think racism is the problem (at least at gun shows).

[Katya Mullethov]

121. You are absolutely correct

Red is just a color , -NOT- a race .

[GreenStormCloud]

68. Don't you think that Obama's extreme anti-gun record had anything to do with it? N/T

[Travis Coates]

69. Now don't let a few facts get in the way

Of a perfectly good opportunity to portray all gun owners as back wards, racist, right wing, rednecks

[Glassunion]

71. I'm fucked... A walking contradiction...

I'm a tech specialist, I'm black, left of center and I live in a small suburban city... And I carry a firearm. I should not be, I cannot be, I should explode. Isn't that what happens when matter and anti-matter meet? Shouldn't I be ripping a hole in that space-time thingy?

Just sayin...

[rrneck]

73. Data, check for a temporal anomoly...

there's some weird shit happening...

[Glassunion]

97. It's okay...

The dilitheum crystals in the flux capacitor were out of phase. I adjusted the array and checked again. I'm white, have a bunch of sheets with two holes cut in them, I'm now in the back woods somwhere and am married to my first cousin. Don't let the kneegrow take muh guns!!!

Fear and paranoia of a scary black president is the "only possible" reason indeed...

[PavePusher]

76. I refuse to enter your orbit, good sir...

as I would most surely depart this geometry... :evilgrin:

[safeinOhio]

92. Please go back and reread post #63

and show me how I "portray all gun owners as back wards, racist, right wing, rednecks". Thanks for the example of a "straw man" argument as I carefully pointed out most gun owners are not anything of the kind. Don't you let facts get in the way.

Now on second thought, disregard the "scary Black President" and tell me that fear and paranoia didn't play any part in the huge up tick in gun sales. All you folks have done is to prove my point in your still scary paranoid fear of what the President really want to do. It was still fear and paranoia driving it. Justified or not it is still what it is.

[Glassunion]

96. When a politician says that they are going to do something...

And they campaign on that platform, and they are elected, wouldn't one be able to conclude that they may keep a campaign promise? I know that at the end of the day they are just politicians and are prone to being liars.

Let's say for example that a candidate campaigns on a platform of abolishing alcohol. Then they are elected, would I be considered paranoid or afraid if I went out and stocked my basement full of booze? No, I would be forward thinking. Not to mention very popular.

So was it "fear" or "paranoia" to purchase a scary black firearm when the man I voted for was elected to office. Or was I just thinking a bit into the future? He did campaign on making the ban on scary looking rifles permanent. Or is he just a liar?

[safeinOhio]

99. In 2008 he campaigned on the

constitutional rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment. He stated that those rights extended to the individual and not just the militia. That is a fact.
That is a basic right. The making the old ban permanent has since be taking of the table. Bush said he would not "nation build" Nixon said he would not deal with the chinese. Reagan said he would not make deals with the Russians. Events change things, sometimes for the better. If you went out and bought a gun because you "feared" it would be banned as you say. You did it out of fear. Yes you would be afraid or paranoid if you bought booze because you were afraid and paranoid(if it never happened then it was unfounded fear or what would be called, paranoia.
I sold 3 guns because I thought the price was high based on fear. When the price of bullets went way up, I cut back to only what I needed and didn't stock up on way over priced bullets. Turns out I did very good by not following the crowd. Looks like my forward thinking paid off.

[Glassunion]

111. I'm glad your forward thinking paid off.

So did mine, I got myself a sweet scary firearm with a handle thingy and a flash hider thingy and a 30 round detachable magazine thingy and a pistol grip thingy.

I did not over pay, and in all honesty should have bought one sooner.

I would not state that I had "fear" that they were going to be banned. It was more of a concern. So be it. Why do you think he took the AWB off the table after campaigning the opposite?

And if he decides not to pursue te AWB than so be it. I had an unfounded concern. So what?

[PavePusher]

115. The concern is not unfounded...

if it's based on what the man said.

Simply because he realized, once in office, that it would be political suicide for the present, doesn't mean it won't come back.

[spin]

85. Many people who purchased firearms did not do so because Obama was black...

but because he was a liberal Democrat with a history of opposing firearm ownership and also because both house of congress had Democrat majorities. These people expected Obama and Pelosi to push for draconian gun laws.

I didn't expect Obama to put gun control on the top of his list of things to accomplish. So far I have been right. He has far too many important items on his plate to waste time and effort pushing unpopular and useless laws merely because some on the very liberal wing of his party favor them.

I did buy some new firearms since Obama was elected, a bolt action Mauser rifle, a double barreled 12 gauge coach gun and a .380 Ruger LCP as a birthday present for my son in law and a .22 cal mini-revolver for my daughter's birthday. I would have bought these same firearms if McCain and the Republicans would have won big in the last election.

[Travis Coates]

90. The Republicans are no friend to gun owners either NT

[spin]

98. Very true. Unfortunately the Republicans have a great propaganda machine ...

and all too often the NRA-ILA in its quest for funds portrays Democrats in a bad light.

Don’t Blame Liberals for Gun Control

by Richard Poe

NEWSMAX.COM - Anti-gun crusaders seem worried about the advent of a Republican administration. Heaven knows why. Republicans, in recent years, have managed to do nearly as much damage to the Second Amendment as Democrats.

In 1969, journalist William Safire asked Richard Nixon what he thought about gun control. "Guns are an abomination," Nixon replied. According to Safire, Nixon went on to confess that, "Free from fear of gun owners' retaliation at the polls, he favored making handguns illegal and requiring licenses for hunting rifles."

It was President George Bush, Sr. who banned the import of "assault weapons" in 1989, and promoted the view that Americans should only be allowed to own weapons suitable for "sporting purposes."

It was Governor Ronald Reagan of California who signed the Mulford Act in 1967, "prohibiting the carrying of firearms on one's person or in a vehicle, in any public place or on any public street." The law was aimed at stopping the Black Panthers, but affected all gun owners.

Twenty-four years later, Reagan was still pushing gun control. "I support the Brady Bill," he said in a March 28, 1991 speech, "and I urge the Congress to enact it without further delay."

One of the most aggressive gun control advocates today is Republican mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York City, whose administration sued 26 gun manufacturers in June 2000, and whose police commissioner, Howard Safir, proposed a nationwide plan for gun licensing, complete with yearly "safety" inspections.

Another Republican, New York State Governor George Pataki, on August 10, 2000, signed into law what The New York Times called "the nation’s strictest gun controls," a radical program mandating trigger locks, background checks at gun shows and "ballistic fingerprinting" of guns sold in the state. It also raised the legal age to buy a handgun to 21 and banned "assault weapons," the sale or possession of which would now be punishable by seven years in prison.

http://www.reformed-theology.org/html/issue11/dont_blame_liberals.htm

[safeinOhio]

93. In 2008 I sold 3 guns

and made a ton of money on them. I also offered bets at a gun store, $1,000.00 to any one there that they would not have one gun that they legally own at the time taken away by the government while Obama is in office. Every one of those loud mouths shut up and wouldn't put up. They didn't believe their own bullshit.

[spin]

100. It's a shame no one took you up on your bets ...

you could have made another ton of money.

[onehandle]

110. Right. And I believe we have had Democratic Presidents before this.

They saw the color of his skin and indeed saw a scary Black... man, would would be President.

And the guns and ammo started flying off the shelf.

Now Republicans are talking about the 'Second Amendment Option.'

[friendly_iconoclast]

128. Pay attention to Republicans about guns, but ignore what Pres. Obama has said about them?

Is that the line you would have us take?

[Glassunion]

143. You are full of yourself. You have it all figured out don't you?

Please enlighten me.

Remember the following before you reply.
1. I'm black.
2. I do not see the president as a scary black man. In fact no one I know does.
3. The Democratic president (you mentioned) before this one DID ban guns.
4. After I voted for the man, I did purchase a firearm that he sad that he wants to ban.

My point... I did not see the color of his skin, I did not think of him as scary. I did not find anything that had to do with race to determine anything. What I saw was someone who wanted to ban firearms (as did his fucking predecessor). Race had absofuckinglutly nothing to do with it. It was the words that came out of his mouth. Nothing more.

Now you can sit there with your self-righteous opinion about how the guns and ammo sales were fueled by racism, but I would have to say that you are lying to yourself. You want to believe that no right-thinking liberal would want to possess a firearm. That only bigots who are afraid of the kneegrows would possibly have a use, enjoyment or a reason to wish to arm themselves for whatever reason they choose to do so.

Why not look at the most simple of answers? He DID say that he wants to ban firearms. The last guy said the same thing and he DID ban firearms. Where does race play any part on this? You are inventing scenarios to further your point. Way to go!

[Taverner]

84. The gun is just a tool. I would have no fear if it were kept at an armory.

Not saying everyone should keep them in armorys, just that with kids in the house, I don't want one here.

[spin]

86. That's your decision and it's a good one ...

Some people who have children in the house do have firearms. Firearms can be safely stored in safes or lock boxes. Children can be raised to be safe around firearms.

There is always a chance that a child might misuse a firearm and it should be the job of the parent to evaluate the child carefully before they allow a firearm in their home. If they do decide to own a firearm, it's very important that they familiarize the child with gun safety and handling at the earliest age possible. Of course the firearm should always be stored safely.

[Taverner]

94. Agreed nt

[one-eyed fat man]

131. many decades ago I was a child

My brothers and sisters were also children. We didn't touch our father's guns except with his permission and direct supervision. We most assuredly knew better. The guns hung on a simple rack in the back hall.

He shaved with a straight razor. A stop hung in the bathroom. It was shown early on to be a dual purpose device. Our father used to keep his razors shaving sharp and for behavior modification in small children. It was seldom used, nevertheless, those occasions the corrective effects were memorable. I assure you it was highly effective as a deterrent.

[PavePusher]

132. "stRop"?

:evilgrin:

And yeah, I have some similar memories... :spank:

[one-eyed fat man]

139. Forgot to mash the "R" and fooled the spell Czech too nt

[GreenStormCloud]

145. Same memories here for Dad's razor strop.

BTW - A broad leather belt makes an excellent substitute for a strop. I sometimes use one for the final stage of sharpening a knife.

[Katya Mullethov]

102. Fear is what is MISSING from the equation

A totally rational fear of taking buckshot in the face and stomach while crawling in someones window after dark is sadly missing in some . But there is a renaissance afoot !

[spin]

108. If you live in an area where gun ownership is common ...

it's best to break into a home after you make damn sure that no one is there.

Criminal activity doesn't stop just because people own firearms, but often the type of activity changes. Criminals fear armed civilians far more than they do police.

[TPaine7]

141. + 1,000

[Euromutt]

118. Yet another reason why I don't rely on artistes to comment on social issues

I mean, I like Jodie Foster as an actress just fine, but I'm no more interested in what some performer has to say about a particular social issue than I am in the opinion of any uninformed "man in the street" on the news or in the comments section of some website.

Where firearms are concerned, Foster is prone to the magical thinking seen rather often in the anti-RKBA camp. That's all there is to it. Why else would your psyche (supposedly) undergo such a dramatic change "the second you buy a gun"? Why not before? Why not after having possessed it for a few months? And heavens, there are 80 million people who, merely by dint of owning a firearm, are a danger to themselves and everyone around them? At current rates of deaths from gunshot wounds (homicide, intentional self-harm, and unintentional), it would take over a thousand years for every gun owner in America to kill someone. It would take more than twice as long for every gun owner to kill someone other than himself.

Oddly, you don't hear anyone claiming with a straight face that "the second you get a driver's license <...> you step into a culture where you’re in danger both to your self and everyone around you," even though that statement would be far more defensible.

[spin]

127. While driving to Tampa from north Florida yesterday ...

I encountered numerous drivers on cell phones, including a driver of an 18 wheeler, who were using cell phones and some were testing. This was on a freeway in traffic moving at 75 to 80 mph.

In Florida some of these cell phone users probably had loaded firearms in their vehicle but I had no fear of the weapon in their glove box. The cell phone in their hand and the fact that they could not stay in their lane of traffic was what concerned me.

[jazzhound]

133. Now that I've had time to think about it, a suppressed

memory has returned.

After buying my first revolver, my hands were shaking so badly as I carried the box to the front door of my pad that I dropped it!!

Now I only shake like mad when I'm firing it on the range.

It's always about progress rather than perfection.

[spin]

148. When I bought my first handgun ...

I have to admit that I felt a certain fascination with it.

I handled it often enough that some would say I fondled it. I realized that this might be an unhealthy behavior so I hauled the revolver off to the range and run a couple of boxes of ammo through it. I returned home, cleaned the revolver and stored it.

I enjoyed shooting it but it no longer had that initial fascination, nor did I find the many other revolvers I've owned through the years items that I enjoy fondling. They are just basically tools and since I like target shooting could be compared to a set of golf clubs.

[jazzhound]

154. There I go again..........

...........leaving off the :sarcasm: tag.

[aikoaiko]

135. Jody Foster is correct (except for one small thing).

She makes the mistake of talking about others instead of simply acknowledging that when she possesses a gun she is danger to herself and everyone around her.

There are people like that. I don't understand how this delusional, fearful mindset occurs, but I accept it does occur in some people. I see it sometimes with people won't learn to drive. The power of an automobile sends makes them panic when they get behind the wheel. Apparently people like Jody Foster want to prevent other people (who don't have this strange response) from keeping and bearing arms because people like Jody Foster are emotionally and mentally incapable of the responsibility.

To them, I applaud their decision to not keep and bear arms if they know they are a danger to themselves and others.

But I am not a danger to myself or others when I carry my firearm and most gun owners aren't either.

[spin]

140. Guns are not for everybody ...

You have honestly evaluate yourself.

Guns are not for you if you:

1) have anger management problems.

2) live in a volatile relationship with a significant other.

3) abuse alcohol or other mind altering substances.

4) have a violent criminal record.

5) Suffer from a serious mental disorder.

6) are unwilling to take the time to become educated on gun safety.

7) are unwilling to store your firearms safely.


Owning a firearm for self defense is foolish if you are not absolutely certain that you could use it to severely injure or kill another individual who was attacking you in a life threatening manner.


People driving while using a cell phone especially if they are texting are a danger to themselves and everybody around them. I wouldn't be surprised if Jody Foster was guilty of driving while cell phoning.

[spin]

142. A quote from the interview ...

What do you think is the larger social commentary of The Brave One, which in some ways plays as a straight-up Dirty Harry revenge movie?

Here's my commentary: I don't believe that any gun should be in the hand of a thinking, feeling, breathing human being. Americans are by nature filled with rage-slash-fear. And guns are a huge part of our culture. I know I'm crazy because I'm only supposed to say that in Europe. But violence corrupts absolutely. By the end of this, her transformation is complete. ''F--- all of you, now I'm just going to kill people with my bare hands.''
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970406.html?categoryid=2508&cs=1

It's obvious that the people she hangs with are not gun owners.

[Katya Mullethov]

144. But are they full of rage and fear ?

Oh wait , no ..... that would be me .

[Euromutt]

147. Ditto for the scriptwriter(s), producer, etc.

Whatever happened to "write what you know"? Or, failing that, at least acknowledging that your work is 100% fiction, and not actually a realistic depiction of the human psyche?

[SteveM]

153. Some background on how Foster "displaced" fear -- with bodyguards...

http://www.pics-celeb.com/2009/12/jodie-foster.html

"Obsessed with Foster’ s character in Taxi Driver, Hinckley stated that he was in love with Foster and had shot the president as a way of winning her affection. Subsequently receiving death threats from several other deranged admirers, Foster had to be escorted around campus by armed bodyguards"

______

If I were her, I would have done the same. But I am not, and I couldn't.