I own a gun. Have done all my life. Shotguns, rifles, pistols of all calibers and kinds. I have not known even one of them to jump up, run outside and shoot anyone. And I think I'd know if any of them had.
It has been asked, "How could anyone argue against child-proof locks on guns or gun owners securing their weapons against theft?" This question betrays an almost complete innocence of insight into the nature of guns, of using guns, of panic, and of the mind of a criminal.
Let's say it's the middle of the night. You're asleep. Suddenly, you hear the sound of glass breaking, wood spintering! Your home is being broken into. You hear footsteps coming closer in the darkness of your sleeping home. Oh, shit! There's more than one of 'em. They're talking about stealing the silver, all the electronics and, if they have to, they'll kill because they're drug addicts nearing the horrors of heroin withdrawal. A heroin addict will do anything, ANYTHING to avoid that horror.
Or maybe they're just plain insane. Do you think Hannibal Lecter types are only dreamed up by screen writers? There's really none of them out here among us, are there?
Can you imagine the panic that seizes you? You can't breathe! Your heart is pounding so hard your blood pressure shoots to near unbearable limits! They're coming and they're getting closer. In the dark, they crash in to the table in the hall, knocking it over. They're coming and they're making noise and they don't care. You realize your life is in immediate, clear, and present danger. And you remember your two children are asleep in their own bedroom. God, you hope they're asleep. Panic is so overwhelming you can't think!!
Where is that pistol you bought? Locked up in a safe in the den? And the bullets? In the top of your closet, the very top. You know you need the short stepladder, the one in the kitchen, to reach the bullets. But the path to the kitchen is blocked by the drug-starved street junkies stumbling around just outside your bedroom door.
Your little girl, the thirteen year-old one with the beautiful, large liquid brown eyes screams.
OR
Let's say it's the middle of the night. And the scene above begins to play out. You retrieve your loaded pistol from its locked fire-proof letter safe under your bed and step into the hall, the one down which the intruders must come to reach your life's treasure in the next bedroom. You'd better be willing to shoot to kill. For it's not a matter of having a gun that stops a criminal, its the fact that you're willing to use it that stops the criminal. And if you don't, if you think you'll just shoot him in the leg to stop him, think again. You may wound the bastardl. Now, because you just can't kill him, he springs across the surprisingly short distance that separates him from you, snatches the gun from your trembling hands and beats you to death with it, or just shoots you.
Now you've got an ARMED, dangerous spaced-out criminal in your home with your children. And you gave him the weapon. If you're not willing and determined to use a gun, don't bring one home.
AND THAT'S HOW ANYONE COULD ARGUE AGAINST CHILD-PROOF LOCKS OR GUN OWNERS SECURING THEIR GUNS AGAINST THEFT.
In order to own a gun, you should be able to think further into the future than the end of your nose. Criminals aren't politically correct. They WILL NOT wait patiently while you go retrieve your gun, your bullets and take time to load and point the weapon. Criminals don't obey the law. That's why they're called outlaws.
I do wish you gun-grabbers would get a grip on yourselves.
And Wasa, old buddy, you helped me. So I'll help you. Would you post me direct?
Francois
Oh, yeah, pacifist? The thought never crossed my mind. If I had it to do over again, I would have become a naval aviator.
