Here's my statement on everyone packing heat.

[Bicoastal]

If the day comes when every single American in every single public area (such as a mall, school, or workplace) is armed and dangerous, out of fear that one of the other armed and dangerous gunslingers may not be quite as sane as they are...

...that will be the day when we will know our society has collapsed and our civilization is dead. Until that day comes, I for one would rather die of multiple gunshot wounds than spend my life paralyzed by a tangible fear of the unknown.

[slackmaster]

1. Big Straw Man

Nobody is suggesting that everyone should carry a weapon.

[Bicoastal]

2. They've been saying EXACTLY that in FreeperLand.

This isn't necessarily a rebuttal to anything said on here.

[slackmaster]

4. Just curious, can you substantiate that with a link?

Even one person in FreeperLand saying that literally everyone should be armed?

I suppose it's possible that someone might say that, but meaning it literally?

[unpossibles]

10. of course not

they really only want the white, Christian, Republican folks armed. I mean come on; let's be real here.

[Bicoastal]

14. You joke....

But that's not far from the truth. What they're basically saying is "all GOOD people should carrying guns in public places." So if we assume the BAD people are already armed and dangerous, doesn't that make a grand total of everyone?

[slackmaster]

18. Not to put too fine a point on it, but misrepresenting what someone has said weakens your position

:hi:

[Bicoastal]

22. Where did I represent?

"They really only want the white, Christian, Republican folks armed. I mean come on; let's be real here."

That IS really what I've been reading at FR. They don't want liberals or muslims or people who live in inner cities or other "undesirables" with guns. They want the "Good guys" to be packing heat.

And so I maintain that their urge to arm the morally-upstanding, law-abiding "good guys" against the "bad guys" who are packing heat BECAUSE they aren't law-abiding or morally-upstanding...logically, it will mean that everyone will be packing heat everywhere.

Oh, and a :hi: to you too.

[unpossibles]

25. I agree with you, for what that's worth

Yes, I am aware that they do not literally say "arm everyone" but I have seen many statements which do essentially say what you're saying, along the whole "an armed society is a polite society" thing.

Problem is, while the majority of gun owners I know are very level headed and responsible there are some real nutbars I know who own guns and whom I don't trust, even though they probably think they are responsible gun owners. I've seen people do some really stupid & dangerous things when angry, and I am not sure that everyone walking around armed is a great idea.

Honestly, I am fairly neutral in this issue - I have no problems with gun ownership in general, even though I find some of their arguments weak and illogical. The same can be said of the strict gun control crowd too, imo, but I probably lean a bit more toward control in that I'd honestly like to see more education and licensing involved in ownership.

Honestly, I'd be even happier with just fewer people deciding that they should not own guns, and admitting that although they have the right to own one, they don't really need one, and that they statistically lead to more problems than they solve. I won't hold my breath though.

[slackmaster]

26. I will take your word for it, but your OP contained an exaggeration

I want good guys to be armed, but only ones who want to be.

[madokie]

3. I like that

[Tejas]

5. I do not see

you moving to Switzerland in the near future.

Do they have malls?

[bunkerbuster1]

8. Yes, there are malls in Switzerland. No, they don't walk around packing heat.

I don't know where you got that idea.

from Wiki: "members of the armed forces keep their rifles and uniforms in their homes for immediate mobilisation, as well as 50 rounds of ammunition in a sealed tin, to be used for self defence while traveling to the mobilisation points."

They're not walking around shopping with their firearms.

[Tejas]

16. malls vs military - want to try again?

Is CCW not an option in Switzerland?

Is CCW prohibited?

Are firearms allowed in the home?

Are they allowed in Swiss malls?

Is Switzerland just like D.C.?

[bunkerbuster1]

21. Don't know, don't really care.

I rarely met anyone in Switzerland who carried, period.

[ThomWV]

6. Armed does not necessarily mean dangerous

[Bicoastal]

7. deleted

deleted--that was a weird glitch.

[LiberalArkie]

9. Wasn't there a town that required everyone to carry a gun at all times?

[Tejas]

19. Georgia comes to mind, but not

sure about the carry at all times part. Maybe had to do with every household "required" to be armed.

?

[Ghost in the Machine]

24. Kennesaw, Ga...

Gun Ownership Mandatory In Kennesaw, Georgia
Crime Rate Plummets

by Chuck Baldwin


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The New American magazine reminds us that March 25th marked the 16th anniversary of Kennesaw, Georgia's ordinance requiring heads of households (with certain exceptions) to keep at least one firearm in their homes.

The city's population grew from around 5,000 in 1980 to 13,000 by 1996 (latest available estimate). Yet there have been only three murders: two with knives (1984 and 1987) and one with a firearm (1997). After the law went into effect in 1982, crime against persons plummeted 74 percent compared to 1981, and fell another 45 percent in 1983 compared to 1982.

And it has stayed impressively low. In addition to nearly non-existent homicide (murders have averaged a mere 0.19 per year), the annual number of armed robberies, residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, and rapes have averaged, respectively, 1.69, 31.63, 19.75, and 2.00 through 1998.

http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/2nd_Amend/crime_rate_plummets.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As bad as I hate to link to them, check out this freeper thread for more statistics on Kennesaw:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1818862/posts

[aikoaiko]

11. armed and dangerous.....

:eyes:

[karlrschneider]

12. Go to hell. You are not getting my gun.

:puke:

[Ghost in the Machine]

13. The biggest mistake/misconception with this train of thought is that

people own/carry guns out of fear. That's simply not true. Period.

It goes back to the same old questions:

Do you have:

A fire extinguisher in your home?

Smoke alarms?

Burglar alarms?

Insurance on your home?

Insurance on your vehicle?

Alarm on your vehicle?

Do you lock your doors at home?

If so, what are you SOOO afraid of?

Are you so paranoid that you think you can't leave your house without thinking someone will break in?

Are you such a bad cook that you can't cook without fear of setting your house on fire?

Are you so paranoid that you think someone is just lurking around waiting to steal your car or your stereo when you park it?

Why do you live in such fear??.... What's that? You *don't* live in fear of these things? You're just *being prepared*, just in case?? There's your answer to why a lot of gun owners own guns. The rest own them because they like to hunt or target shoot.

Stop spreading the myth of fear... it'll serve you better to have a true understanding of why people own and carry weapons.

[Bicoastal]

17. There is a difference between keeping a fire extinguisher handy in the house...

...and carrying one on your person at a mall or workplace in case of a fire. That IS paranoia.

"Bad comparison--a mall or workpalce already HAS fire extinguishers!" You'll probably say. Yes, and the mall and workplace also already has security--and I trust them to get the job done.

Keep your own fire extinguisher or your own gun at home if you want to, it's none of my business. But please leave it there.

[Tejas]

28. stick a fork

in you, you're done.


"Yes, and the mall and workplace also already has security--and I trust them to get the job done."



good luck with that.

[quip]

15. Guns are dinosaurs

How do you feel about non-lethal protection, such as Tasers, or any other effective self-defense mechanism that will no doubt be invented in the future?

[quickesst]

20. I don't understand....

your statement.

"Until that day comes, I for one would rather die of multiple gunshot wounds than spend my life paralyzed by a tangible fear of the unknown."

I certainly would not like to die of multiple gunshot wounds under any circumstances. I'm also not going to spend one minute, much less my entire life, paralyzed by a tangible fear of the unknown. Believe me, if there were a hail of gunfire coming your way, the choices you have given yourself will instantly be pared down to one. Living to see another day. I suspect, if faced with an actual situation, and your choice of escape by "dying in a hail of gunfire", the "fear of the unknown" will seem a welcome alternative. There is a big difference stating what you would do in a given situation, and what one would actually do if the situation were to become a reality. My opinion. Thanks.
quickesst
On edit: I actually do understand your statement. Perhaps I am a little taken aback by someone giving in to fear so easily.

[Bicoastal]

23. Maybe I should have worded it a bit differently.

Perhaps what I mean is "I for one would rather risk dying of multiple gunshot wounds on a daily basis than spend my life paralyzed by a tangible fear of the unknown.

Because that's what going to a public place is--a calculated risk against the small but finite odds that a pyschopath will start shooting in all directions.

Does that make more sense?

[Tejas]

30. If you find yourself

in the position of being "paralyzed by a tangible fear of the unknown", it might be time to "talk to someone".

[alarimer]

27. Concealed weapons should not be allowed

I want people with those permits to have to carry them in the open. That way I can avoid them. I don't trust them at all.

[Tejas]

31. Then you shouldn't trust

police officers either. Most states that have concealed or open carry require that holders go through the same extensive background check as LEO's.

[cgrindley]

29. I'd rather be armed than trust anyone

I don't trust people. For the most part, and I'm not ashamed to say so, but I don't even like people. I certainly don't instinctively feel goodwill to people I don't know.