reply to post by C0le
reply to post by gunner36
reply to post by apc
reply to post by Raist
I have a question for all the pro gun people: Do any of you ever consider that if it were one of you who were suddenly fired upon in a crowded area,
that even if you were carrying, that you wouldn't have time and/or opportunity for an adequate response? How, even if you were "armed to the
teeth" (as some of you are fond of saying), would that fact improve your chances or the the situation?
I've thought about these types of shootings and I cannot come to the clear conclusion, that you seem to have come to, that theses types of situations
would happen less frequently if everybody carried weapons. Right now, with the current gun laws and the millions of guns that are already in
people's hands, these types of crimes still persist. It seems, to me, that they are becoming more prevalent. Gang bangers blow each other away
regardless of whether guns are present with their targets or not. In that scenario, guns are not regarded as a deterrent. Snipers couldn't possibly
care less if every single person in the country was carrying. Because of the way snipers choose their targets, it simply doesn't matter. They use
invisibility and unpredictability as their accomplices. The crazed gunman in a crowded public place scenario includes a mentally unstable suspect and
unpredictability. The suspect generally fires at people randomly, and usually at the persons closet at hand. If the suspect is mentally unstable to
begin with, why should the thought of losing one's own life cross the suspect's mind? That's something that would likely take place in the
suspect's mind before the rampage, not during, if at all. If the suspect is truly insane, then people carrying firearms may act as more of an
incentive than a deterrent. A psychopath would not have a care in the world, regardless of stability of mind. Period. When psychopaths set out to
kill, they kill, and if they are caught or sent to jail, they never show any remorse for their actions, simply because they are incapable of having
the emotion. Then there is the scorned employee or former employee scenario, where the suspect is temporarily insane and just as determined as the
psychopath to get those who the suspect believes are responsible for his or her condition. This type of suspect in the heat of the moment wouldn't
care who was armed either.
With the possible exception of the sniper, I do agree that these types of persons would be at increased chance to be lethally subdued. Albeit at
different degrees of probability. What I don't understand is how the conclusion can be made that these types of situations would somehow be
perceived as being better. Regardless of whether the suspect is killed, wounded, escapes or is jailed, the tragedy of innocent lives having been lost
would live on. Whether the victims were strangers or loved ones, a tragedy is a tragedy. To me, it seems that the only people who would be deterred
from committing these types of crimes would be rational and mentally stable people. With the possible exception of some gangsters, those types of
persons are not generally held responsible for these types of crimes.
Seriously, how would an armed citizenry necessarily also be a deterrent to
these types of crimes?
[edit on 3-2-2008 by Areal51]