Apparently I struck a nerve with my last post.
I've been called a "f'n moron", a "nutcase", and a Dirty Harry wanna-be over at Universal Hub.
Now, I will own up that I most certainly did NOT express myself fully in the last post, and closed it with an unfortunate choice of words. My apologies for that. "Armed to the teeth" was an irresponsible choice of words on my part, and I have regretted using the phrase all afternoon.
What I will not apologize for, however, is for having the temerity to suggest that I and I alone be responsible for my own protection.
Let it be stated thusly: I harbor ZERO "Dirty Harry" fantasies. I will go to my grave a VERY happy man if I NEVER have to draw my weapon. I hate carrying a firearm with every fiber of my being; it's an admission that I'm living in an imperfect world in which there are those that would do me harm for no reason of my own making. I hate that there are people out there who, through their own choices and actions, might put me in the position where I might have to employ deadly force.
However, I will also not cower in a corner, hoping for salvation to arrive before it's my turn to be executed.
And there is no way on G-d's Green Earth that I will allow harm to come to me or mine if there is strength in my body.
Others have said it much more eloquently (Marko or Tam come immediately to mind); I regret not choosing my words more carefully in my last post. I've given a false impression I would dearly love to take back but know I cannot. And I'll bear that in mind with each and every post I make on such serious subjects as self-defense.
I'll close with a thought I've seen that bears repeating: The gun is not the weapon, the mind is. The gun is merely the tool employed. One can be armed with naught more than their bare hands and a grim determination to come out alive; one can have all the "tactical" advantages that money can buy but still fall to a well-placed fist should the determination be lacking.
Thanks for listening. That is all.
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11 comments:
personally, i think your post was meant to be lighthearted and kind of a "one man for himself" sort of thing... with very, very bad timing. Based on the recent mall shooting in Omaha, i can see why people would point the nutjob you're not funny arrest this guy before he kills finger at you.
but like i said... i'd rather have you armed to the teeth at my mall than some segway riding security dude. heck i worked in a mall for several years and never ever felt safe unless i was working with one particular kid who was marine trained in hand to hand, and due to getting shot in the head was honorably discharged. when he was working with me, i believed i was safe, gun or no gun on his side.
again -- humor is in the timing. and your last post was unfortunately a couple o days too late to be funny, and right on time to be "uh, dude? you're nuts" to most.
cheers
c
oh, Jay...please ignore these ignoramuses. They are obviously the ones who would leave their safety in the hands of others, the ones who panic at the mere idea of a firearm - they have no idea what they are talking about. I found nothing wrong with your previous post. In fact, I completely agreed with you - two mass murders in less than a week? Who can we trust to protect us but ourselves?
Dude! We have to figure out if we can make it to the range in January. *grin*
I think "amusings" and "breda" covered everything about your other post. The anti gun contingent will jump on anyone posting anything pro-gun at the moment. Ignore with dignity.
;-)
As long as you use your weapon as a last resort; if you're being personally attacked, and use good judgment, thats fine by me.
I do have issue with the disregardful for [posted?] restriction on private property [the mall].
I also have issues with people with John Rambo fantasies, as they're more likely to get them selfs and others killed. I can see you're not one, but post like this do nothing but encourage that gun ho mentality, rather then a deep respect and obligation to safty and good decision making.
Anyways, I think we all need to realize that while this psycho on a rampage crap is pushed in our faces more and more daily, violent crimes as a while have been dropping to record lows in the past fifteen years. I really think if anyone feels "unsafe" while shopping at a mall, or going to school, they need to sit back and take a deep look into their soul. Your more likely to die in a freak accident on the way to or from the damn mall, but little thought is ever but into that, and even less preparedness...
You actually READ Universal Hub? That might be the root of your problem.
Anonymous, have you ever wondered if the overall drop in violent crime over the past 15 or so years has any relationship to the increase in states that allow law abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons?
It's not malls per se, but it's places where large numbers of people congregate that appeal to mass murderers. Especially large numbers of unarmed people. Which seems to be a common denominator in these incidents.
Anon,
I hope and pray that I never even have to come close to the kind of situation where I'd need to draw my firearm.
That said, you've raised a good point about the private property rights of the business owner vs. the privilege of my business vs. my inalienable right to protect myself.
I personally draw the line at what's legal; Simon Malls not liking the idea of me lawfully carrying a firearm for protection is not legally binding in the states I frequent said malls.
As far as the Rambo wanna-bes, believe me, no one wants those guys out of the gun-owning pool more than responsible gun owners. Xavier Thoughts, the last blog on my (alphabetical) blogroll, used to run a series called "Idiots With Guns" for good reason.
Permit me an analogy: I am also a motorcyclist. I've had my motorcycle endorsement for 13 years and owned and ridden a motorcycle ever since getting my license. I went through a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Course, passed it, and wear a helmet and protective gear anytime I ride.
NO ONE is harder on the "squids" - the idiot sport bike riders roaring in and out of traffic; lane splitting where illegal (i.e. MA), etc. No one. I view them as the single biggest reason that people hate motorcyclists - they see these pompous assholes on their 1200cc crotch rockets whipping in and out of traffic at speeds approaching triple digits and transfer that imagery to all motorcyclists.
Such that the next time I'm riding down a quiet street, they'll think nothing of backing out of their driveway directly into my path, because it's just one of those biker idiots.
The (fortunately) few bad apples spoil it for the vast majority of good, honest, law-abiding people.
In the case of the CCW holder, though, it's an EXTREMELY small group of "bad apples" - statistics show that folks with concealed permits are the most law-abiding of the law-abiding. We are the least likely to commit crimes of any demographic.
Which, when you think about it, really makes "No Guns Allowed" signs even less useful than tits on a bull...
Thanks for responding, BTW.
Jay,
Your assertion that the mind is your real weapon the gun is a tool is dead on, but you do need both. See this article: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7683781
It is about the female volunteer CCW holder that stopped the Colorado New Life Church shooter, while two male CCW holders drew but never fired. This guy was apparently carrying 1000 rounds of ammo, and there were 7000 people at this church! If not for this woman, with the tool and the weapon, we would be hearing about many more deaths. Those who had the tool but lacked the weapon were ill equipped to take the necessary action.
Of course, the media is busy spinning this by calling her a "Security Guard", but she was a parishoner, with her own firearm, volunteering along with others to help with security in light of the earlier shooting. The fallacy of the "gun-free zone" has never been more clear.
I have an unrestricted MA class A permit, and I view carrying a firearm as a heavy responsibility, and I do not undertake it lightly. I know that if I pull my gun, even if I am justified, that I will be arrested. I know that if I shoot someone, even if they are trying to kill me, that I will have to defend my actions. I am willing to accept that fate in order to protect myself, my family, and even a complete stranger. I have a lot to lose. I own a nice home in an upscale suburb. I am a law abiding upstanding citizen with a wife and kids. I have never been arrested. I haven't gotten a traffic ticket in over 15 years. Yet some fools who should be thanking people like you and I want to make us out to be the bad guys?
It does not matter that you wrote "armed to the teeth". From what I can tell, that was a statement of fact. Me too! That being said, nobody but the real bad guys have anything to fear from people like you or I.
What's Universal Hub?
http://www.universalhub.com
it is a clearing house, an aggregate, a portal of boston area (in reality, north to NH and south to the cape and out to west o'woostah) blogs.
the guy who runs it is a stand up nice guy. he crawls the web, has RSS feeds, finds and shares interesting blog posts from the hub area. from the moonbats to our favorite little gun nut (jay!) and everything in between.
i've found some great reads there, like jay. i've also come across some real jerks.
all told, it's a little microcosm of the world. with the saints and weirdos all sometimes getting along, sometime's throwin' down.
it's a good time.
Thanks. I'm not from the area, but any time I can point and laugh at frothing moonbats - well, it's worth a look.
Screw 'em Jay.
I'll say it: "In my area, concealed carry is essentially prohibited.
I do it anyway.
Yes, I am KNOWINGLY violating the letter of an illegitimate law, every time I leave my home.
The fact is that when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
I am never going to be forced to stand at the grave of my dead wife or child, and ask myself why I didn't do what I knew was right, and ensure that I was prepared to defend them if called upon to do so.
I will happily stand before a jury of my peers and explain why I chose to violate an illegitimate law in order to ensure that my family did not become statistics.
Bearing in mind that the latter will never happen unless it has been necessary for me to draw and use my well-concealed weapon, I have no fear of the outcome.
Should I be wrong, and end up in prison, I will happily serve my time knowing that my wife and children are all alive and well to enjoy theirs.
It's called sacrifice. It's what every good man (or woman) should be willing, and READY to do for their family.
If necessary, I will die on my feet, defending my family, rather than on my knees begging for them to be spared.
If that makes me "Rambo" then I am proud to wear the tag.
Sticks and stones...
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