If only there had been more good guys with guns

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(05-27-2017, 03:15 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: It's very possible, probable even, that he would have fled with my simply raising the blinds, my being armed or not.  Of course, there is the chance, however small, that he would not have.  In that instance my being armed would have been indispensable to my safety.  I was taught gun safety from a young age so the odds of a negligent discharge is likely less than the odds of the guy not running simply by my raising the blinds.



I didn't even have my finger on the trigger at that point, so shooting him wasn't yet on the table.


To be sure, I will absolutely concede that point.  Given that we both agree on this point it raises the real question; are the responsible gun owners who saved themselves from being the victim of a crime, and possibly their lives, worth the incidents in which people are accidentally shot and killed?  As someone who is going to fall on the side of personal responsibility for adults I am going to be in the affirmative on that question every time.  I can understand why someone would not, but, in saying so, they are taking away my right to defend myself responsibly due to the risk of another adult failing to be responsible and causing themselves or their loved ones injury.

As I have said many times, if you're going to restrict my rights as a US citizen it had better be for a damn good reason.  For me the reason that other people aren't going to be as responsible as me doesn't come remotely close to meeting that burden.

Interesting. Try to look at that from the other side. I see what you are saying about being a responsible gun owner and protecting your right to be such.

Consider a scenario like the one twenty year old you faced, but it is your twenty year old co-worker's neighbor who is not responsible or trained as you were. Gun on trigger he opens the blind, and points the gun. Then the dog behind him farts, he jumps and fires a round. Your coworker was walking out to his car just as this round fired. Your coworker startles, shooter fails to identify the target, just points at your neighbors driveway and empties the magazine. Good news, you coworker hit the driveway uninjured. Bad news, his vehicle is full of bullet holes. It seems like the same policies that defend the rights of 20 year old you defend the rights of this 20 year old nitwit. Not good. There has to be a better way.

As far as restricting our rights for no damn good reason, I imagine you aren't a fan of the "war on drugs." Are you? I am not. I know scores of people who use responsibly and see no reason to infringe on their rights because some people can't use responsibly. If everyone has a right to all the guns he or she wants - whether responsible with them or not, they should certainly have a right to all the drugs they want, imo. In fact, I would rather people exercise the right to get messed up than the right to bear arms.