Comments | debatification: Armed and Ready

olpluvr in debatification

Armed and Ready

Sep 04, 2005 12:51

What are your views on safety- from the public... aka "self-defense/ protection"?

Many people (moreso in the USA- or it might be a myth) protect their families by owning guns. When an intruder enters the house, they have the option to use and ensure that their family is unharmed. But is this a good idea, especially with children in the house? With ( Read more... )

Comments 3

moshiicake September 5 2005, 00:10:45 UTC

A frying pan will work much better than a gun ;)

I don't like guns; I am friggin' terrified of them. I don't want to visit the States because I've heard gun crime happens so often that it doesn't even make the news. If I had one in my house I would feel more afraid that an intruder would use it, or that my family would find it and hurt themselves.

As for dangerous neighbourhoods... well, I've gone to Brixton for gigs here before, and that's the most dangerous place I know. I've never had to encounter anything dangerous, and I don't know what I would do if someone demanded a purse from me. However, I feel safe knowing that firearms aren't legal here, so it would be harder for a criminal to threaten me with on. Anyway, I'd give my purse over my life any day. I keep all my valuables in my bra.

olpluvr September 7 2005, 15:18:38 UTC

I can definitely relate to the guns being frightening. You hear too many stories of children getting a hold of their parents' guns, not knowing they are equipped, then they play "Cops and Robbers". Then it's Game Over. I recognize that children can make the same mistake with any weapon, but it's the ignorance about the severity of guns that is a worry. With a knife, a child (maybe not a 2 year old) can comprehend that one slice equals harm, but if they find a gun they think of the "fun" danger and could think that it couldn't be cocked and ready.

In terms of whether or not a person should keep a gun in their own house in case of an intrusion, I am really torn. In one instance, you could lock it up in a closet so that it couldn't be found by a child but then again, what's the point of having it in isolation because when a person breaks in, you wouldn't have enough time to fumble with a key to your safe or to remember a combination to get possession of the gun. It would be a commodity you would need closeby, like in a dresser, so you ( ... )

jargon October 6 2005, 04:21:50 UTC

This is particularly interesting with Florida just signing into law the new "Stand Your Ground" law. In many states, it's legal to shoot-to kill-intruders in your house or apartment if you feel your life, or the lives of your loved ones, is at stake. I feel this makes sense. It's somewhat in spirit with the second amendment.

Now, in Florida, anyone carrying a weapon is permitted to use lethal force to defend themselves in public places before trying to escape. I'd like to thank Gov. Jeb Bush for unnecessarily endangering the lives of the millions (and I'm not making this up) of people who visit sunny Florida every day ( ... )