Our gun culture ignores the reality of guns

[Starboard Tack]

Our gun culture ignores the reality of guns
By Glenn Selch
Posted: 07/17/2013 01:00:00 AM MDT

During my eight decades on this third rock from the sun, I have been in cities and rural areas in all 50 states and on six continents and have never been faced with a need to violently defend myself beyond a fist to the nose of a bully. Those occasions were in my teens. The only times I have felt afraid was when a couple of my law-abiding Rambo wannabe friends bragged about their "packing (licensed) heat."

Beginning at about age 12, I hunted with a .22 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. There were three un-breakable rules (which many people seem to ignore these days): never point a gun at anything or anyone you don't intend to shoot, never take a loaded gun in the house and always assume that all guns are loaded.

While serving 3 ½ years in the U.S. Army (post Korean War) I qualified with all of the late '50s individual weapons and several crew-served weapons. It is sad to see how many current activists, politicians and talking-heads haven't even bothered to learn the difference between automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Nor between a clip and a magazine. Probably 95 percent of the pistols and rifles produced since 1940 are semi-automatic. Defining an "assault" weapon by appearance is totally meaningless. It is silly to defend the need for high capacity magazines for self-defense or hunting. If you can't hit a moving target during three or four shots, you should be quickly surrendering to your aggressor or giving up on your hunt.

Perhaps sane, non-felon Americans should have the right to keep and bear individual firearms, preferably openly rather than concealed. But the argument that the 2nd Amendment has anything to do with target practice, gun collecting, protecting oneself from muggers, stopping public massacres or game hunting is utter nonsense! Nor was it intended to defend against foreign invaders

more at ... http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_23672131/guest-opinion-our-gun-culture-ignores-reality-guns?

Pretty much sums it up for me.

[katmondoo]

1. I live in Florida and I started to think today about how many

Blacks are issued a concealed weapon permit in this State. I doubt if there are more than a few if any at all. Does anyone know?

[premium]

3. I don't think any state does a breakdown of CHL holders by race. nt.

[GreenStormCloud]

33. Texas does.

About 7% of CHLs issued are to blacks. 2% to black women, 5% to black men, in 2012.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/chl/reports/demoreportscy12.htm

[Jenoch]

4. I don't know what the number is

but if someone does not have a criminal record, they would be issued a CCW in Florida as they are a shall issue state. Is there any information out there to contradict that statement?

[spin]

7. I don't know where you could get any statistics on the race of those who have carry permits ...

in Florida but I know several Blacks who have one. My boss before I retired had one. My next door neighbor who rented the house beside ours for a while had one.

One advantage of "shall issue" concealed carry is that it largely eliminates racism by the issuing authorities.

[gejohnston]

10. True, of course there are sleazy instructors

there was guy in Port Richie a year or two ago that actually had the balls to advertise "$60 and white". Needless to say, that attracted the attention of FDLE. He isn't a certified instructor anymore. That isn't the best of it. One of his employees expressed his concern about accounting and inventory control irregularities to the ATF. He doesn't have an FFL anymore. Now he is living in a secure gated community and probably working for FPI.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

13. Shines a whole new light on...

...the idea of a gated community.

[Bay Boy]

8. That is a ridiculous comment...

...what would lead you to even think that? Do you think honest law abiding black citizens of Florida have no interest in getting the permits or that the local governments would deny them?

[jeepnstein]

2. Elmer Fudd is a blogger now?

[sarisataka]

5. Intriguing article

it includes many "NRA talking points" but presents a different opinion.

My biggest beef would be the statement {I}"have never been faced with a need to violently defend myself". I do not doubt that it is true, but each person is unique. To paraphrase: A person never needs to use violence to defend themselves, until they do.

[Eleanors38]

6. Intelligent discussion starts with his old, disproved "militia clause" argument? Hardly...

I hunt with my guns, target shoot (usually in connection with sighting-in hunting rifles, or testing shotgun slugs), plink, and keep arms for self-protection. It is my right to do these things, though the arms I have would in all likelihood be insufficient for well-regulated militia duty, thus requiring me to purchase an AR-15 or AK-47. But Selch has trouble reconciling the rights of the individual, and the powers of the federal government because, I guess, the two concepts are in the same sentence.

The Second is a right of the people as "people" is understood in the rest of the constitution: Individuals. And the right is just as safeguarded for individuals as is speech, assembly, the right to be secure in your home, the right to due process, etc. What Selch is pushing is that this right is somehow "common" and conditioned. That approach to rights is not how any of the rights in the B of R are interpreted by the Courts. And that "commonality" he presupposes comes from the "militia clause?" No, it doesn't. The militia's functions and authorities are described in Article 1, and the federal government is reminding, announcing, letting everybody know, that IT depends on the Second to carry outs its duties, not the other way around.

The incorporation of the national guard into the U.S. military did not then nor does it now do away with militia, but in any case, the Individual Right remains.

[jmg257]

9. Great - another one who thinks the militia, made up of everyone, should have the firepower

to overcome the huge martial arm of the national govt.


psst - the 2nd was to assure the removal of any pretext for maintaining a large martial arm of the national govt, by assuring well regulated militias would exist, to serve as the 1st line of defense, yes - against foreign invaders.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

11. It's nice to know that since...

"The American Civil War proved for all time that the U.S. government could prevail over even a very large number of armed citizens and that brother can be persuaded to fire on brother -- literally!"

...that all the wars the US has engaged in since have been a waste of time, manpower, effort and blood. The US military will always prevail over any other force. I guess the Brits could have stayed home during WWII and the Canadians that were an important help in Afghanistan did little more than waste 158 lives.

Damn! Learn something new every day. What? There's a war? Just call the US problem solved.

[Starboard Tack]

12. Amazing exprapolation there, I must say.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

14. Why, thank you

I'm just not sure that Mr Selch thought his implications through.

[Starboard Tack]

15. I guess I didn't either. Still don't.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

16. I wouldn't worry about it

[ileus]

17. it's only takes once...

better to have and not need, than need and not have.

[Starboard Tack]

18. Don't forget to train, train, train.

[ileus]

19. I think anyone serious about safety includes that...

[Starboard Tack]

22. Anyone serious about safety teaches their kids about condoms, not how to kill humans.

Anyone concerned about safety doesn't call a gun a personal safety device, but rather a personal endangerment device.
Anyone concerned about safety doesn't spew NRA bullshit.
Anyone concerned about safety thinks very carefully before picking up and carrying a loaded weapon, knowing that such an action may well turn them into a killer, or may turn them into being dead.
Good luck out there, big guy, and don't forget to train, train, train.

Now, go get'em!

[ileus]

23. you seem confused..

Guns are for three purposes

Saving lives
Hunting
Target / plinking family fun.

I'm still up in the air as to what to call my EDC.

PSD personal safety device

PPE personal protective equipment

When keeping the family alive you don't want to skip on quality. That's why glock is so popular "If cops trust them with their lives it's good enough for me."

But like you say the firearm is only one element in being prepared to save your life or the life of a loved one. Second is keeping the right mindset at all times to assure you're not caught in a position that requires deployment of your PPD, and using your noodle when the chips are down to assure a good outcome. Finally like you said...train train train. Safety first and carry on.

[Starboard Tack]

24. I like your sig line.

It's the only indication that you may not be quite as loopy as you appear. Well, that and the Dodgers logo. I hope you don't take your LKD to Chavez ravine.

[ileus]

25. Thanks ST

[rdharma]

20. Training in front of a mirror is very effective

[Starboard Tack]

21. Training how to use a condom is even more effective.

[hansberrym]

26. So the "reality" of guns is that guns can only protect us from the federal government? Or is it

foreign invaders? That guy cannot make up his mind.

[rrneck]

27. The best way to lose a fight

it to spend a lot of time telling yourself you will lose a fight. That way the other guy wins knowing that a fight will never happen.

The best way to win a fight is to fight like there is no tomorrow, because if a fight happens that will be the case. And the best way to avoid a fight is to let the other guy know that's how you will fight.

There are people in the world who will not hesitate to use force to get what they want. Take it off the table or sooner or later you'll have it for dinner. Whether or not you get to use silverware is up to you.

[Starboard Tack]

30. Why would anyone want to get into a fight, let alone lose a fight.

Fights come in lots of different flavors, but rarely achieve desired results, even when won. If one chooses to engage in a gunfight, and wants to win, then I advise having the best gun for the occasion.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

31. Everyone wins when...

...when we all follow rule #26: "Your number one Option for Personal Security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation." (USMC Rules of Gun Fighting)
http://www.snipercountry.com/articles/gunfightrules.asp

[rrneck]

32. Not wanting a fight

doesn't mean you won't get one.

[locks]

28. Aurora Colorado

Today and yesterday many people came from around the nation to remember the ones who died and all those injured for life a year ago in Aurora Colorado. They came from Littleton CO and Newton CT and so many towns and cities all around our beloved nation where thousands have lost friends and relatives and neighbors to senseless gun violence. They came to say "We stand with you; we are working hard every day to control guns and the violence around them. We want to be able to say with you "Never Again."

They were met by the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and other gun people who had the unbelievable and utter gall to say to the mourners "Your loved ones would not have died if someone in the theater had been carrying a concealed gun like the one the shooter used." To most DU'ers and most Americans this is complete insanity.

[Straw Man]

29. So sorry that someone had the gall to disagree with you.

Let's just define disagreement as insanity, shall we? So much easier than having to address counterarguments. When push comes to shove, we could just lock the dissenters away in secure facilities where they won't bother anyone.

[AtheistCrusader]

34. "and have never been faced with a need to violently defend myself beyond a fist to the nose"

I'm not sure what to make of this first:

Author cited in the OP is suffering from Normalcy bias, or the author in the OP is a violent person.

I've been here nearly 4 decades, and I don't go around punching people, bully or no.

[rl6214]

35. I'm sure it does.