I moved to Colorado about ten months ago.And though I am a native Texan, Colorado is my adoptive state. In my 31 years, 18 were in Texas and 12 were in Illinois, so that should tell you something. I love this state and the people in it. Just as the people of Texas are my people, the people of Colorado are my adoptive people. Recently, my Colorado people have suffered through forest fires. And now they’ve suffered through an horrific tragedy. My upbringing has been between one of the most conservative states in the union and one of the most liberal, as far as gun laws go. So I have a lot of friends on both sides of the gun issue that want to share their thoughts. And you know what? You can shut up about gun control for a day or two.
[Edit: July 26]An introduction to what you’re about to read
I wrote this article around midnight last Saturday. I live 20 or 30 minutes from Aurora. I know the theater. What happened wasn’t a piece of news, it was an event where live. By midnight, Saturday, my friends in Illinois and Texas had already decided the fate of gun control for this country. I was fed up.
I am a web developer by trade. My blog averages 30 or 40 hits a week and suddenly, I was getting hundreds of views on this article. Business Insider picked it up and wanted to interview me. Because I am weary of what the media will write, I wrote the follow up article “I’m a hypocrite…” where I explained the reason I own an AK-74 was for fun and proposed that mandatory training should be the only regulation we need. Fox News emailed me this morning and posted my blog post on their site (with an incorrect title). And now I’m averaging 150 hits a minute.
What I wrote was a reaction to both the arguments for gun control and for concealed weapons. Both arguments have flaws and I wanted to rationalize the issues with both. If you’re looking for my position, it’s the one where I have a 9mm Sig on my hip and an AK-74 in my hands.
And yes, I know an AK isn’t an assault rifle. I’m not an expert.
My wife served six years in the Air Force, including time in wartime Bosnia. I applied to three different branches; I am unable to serve due to a medical condition. Saying that I don’t love the country, 2nd amendment, or freedom isn’t nice and it isn’t true. Now… please put yourself in the context of a Saturday night in a suburb of Denver and keep reading.
[end of edit]
You can shutup about gun regulations and gun bans
I own an assault rifle, two handguns, and a shotgun. And of course, I purchased them all legally. I have a college degree and I don’t have any criminal history beyond speeding tickets. If you’re looking at a background check, I’m no different than James Eagan Holmes. Compare resumes and you’ll pick him; he had a better GPA than I did and actually pursued a higher education than I have.
The difference between James Holmes and me is that one of us walked into a theater and murdered people. One of us wanted to make our home into a giant bomb to kill our neighbors. One of us values human life. There’s no law on the planet that will change how a man values the life of another. Outlaw online sales, assault rifles, guns, liquids over 3 ounces, and he still would find a way to murder.
You can shutup about how concealed carry fixes everything
Colorado isn’t much different from Texas as far as gun laws are concerned. In fact, Texas is the only state in the union where open carry is illegal ( the ability to carry a gun in public for all to see). Concealed carry is legal and fairly easy to obtain in the state of Colorado. In fact, my wife and I went through the class. Our course was taught by a police officer and firearms instructor; he was rarely qualified to educated us on conceal carry rules and the actual gun laws in Colorado.
So here’s a few things you should know:
- It is perfectly legal to conceal a firearm in a movie theater in Colorado if you have a license
- Colorado concealed-carry classes aren’t required to be taught by law enforcement
- Colorado concealed-carry classes don’t require that you demonstrate proficiency with a fire arm
- Colorado concealed-carry classes don’t require that you even shoot a firearm
You can shutup about how things would have been different if someone had a gun
I’ve fired and used guns my whole life. I don’t claim to be an expert or even overly proficient. And though I have shot a few thousand rounds in my life, I don’t think that would matter for me or others in this situation. So here’s what you soon-to-be heroes with conceal weapons permits should know:
- You’re not Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer, or Bruce Wayne. Situational awareness takes training that you don’t get as a civilian. You won’t recognize a threat until it’s too late.
- Unless you’ve trained with the exact weapons system you’re carrying,
you’llyou could miss. It takes hundreds of hours with a firearm to really be proficient. Do you know what you’d do if it jams? Can you reload before the last round leaves your chamber? How many rounds in your magazine? Have you even practiced drawing your weapon if it’s concealed? Now think about doing this in a firefight. - Proficiency deteriorates without practice. When was the last time you fired your gun? Police and military practice regularly for their jobs. You do it irregularly for fun.
- A thousand hours on the range aren’t the same as a hundred seconds in a real shootout. Can you recognize the threat, obtain a site picture, and neutralize the target with a gun pointed at you? Police and military don’t just learn how to do this once, they actually train in these situations.
- There’s a solid chance you won’t even pull the trigger. There is huge psychological trauma associated with taking a life. Estimates are that between 1/3rd and 1/4th of guns on the battlefield in WWII were never shot. There are even police officers and soldiers who have been killed because they didn’t have what it took to kill.
- Even if you train with your gun, you do it until you get it right. Police and military do it until they don’t get it wrong. You’re just not ready like they are to use your gun. Your reaction may not be the same as someone who’s trained for this.
I really don’t care what you think could have been different
Real people died. This isn’t the time to run your mouth about politics and gun control. And while my friends are alive and well, some of their friends and family aren’t so lucky. This is real to me.
So yeah…I’m betting that 100% of people getting shot would like to have a way to protect themselves. Not one person there was thinking, “I wish it were harder to get an assault rifle…maybe we should repeal the 2nd amendment.” They were running for their lives and praying for deliverance. Every person there wanted a way to end the violence. This is about surviving a shootout, not repealing guns.
I don’t give two craps what you think you would have done if you were there. You weren’t. Hundreds of others were. They could have been armed, and maybe some were. Just a gun isn’t enough. Even if you’re police or military, there’s a difference between training for this and experiencing it. Unless you’ve experienced a fire-fight, shut up.
Just shutup about Colorado
I live in the Denver area, and not very far from Aurora. On July 20th I woke up with the news and was scared for the lives of my church family. I’m not affected nearly in the same way these victims are. But I may meet these victims and their families. My wife may go to work with people who were there. Families of victims may visit my church. This isn’t something that happened on the news. This is something that happened where I live.
I could have been there. I could have had a gun. I could have done something.
But I wasn’t there.I wouldn’t have had a gun (because I don’t have my license yet), and I don’t have a clue what I would have done.
So all I can do is shutup and pray. So should you.
[July 24, 2012: UPDATE: I’m a hypocrite. Rob Wile from Business Insider had a 45-minute interview with me on the subject of gun control]
[July 24, 2012: UPDATE: here’s a follow up blog post I wrote which summarizes my interview with Rob: ]
[July 25, 2012: UPDATE: Here’s the article on Business Insider]
[July 26, 2012: UPDATE: Fox news asks permission to repost part of the blog, and subsequently the world hates me. ]
[July 25, 2012: UPDATE: On account of the factual issues and general thoughts of what’s been written, I’ve written a small summary of corrections for you to review]
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I am a horse farm owner and just had time for a cursory glance at the whole thread. For those of you who advocate complete bans on firearms, bear this in mind: Mexico has some of the most restrictive gun ownership laws in the world. So tell me…how’s that working out for them? (btw, only about 17% of the firearms used by drug cartels there come from the U.S., a fact almost always left out by liberal media.)
Here in Kentucky, CCW permits require a background check, a range qualification and a class. Loaded weapon in your glovebox is permitted by all citizens except those who are specifically restricted, (convicted felons, etc.) as long as you declare it if pulled over by law enforcement. Our gun-related crime rate is actually very low here except for major metro areas like Louisville, where they probably average like the rest of the country. Anyway, back to work. Nice post Frank.
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You write like an 8 year old. “Shut up?” Really? Saying “shut up” over and over? Get an education, my friend.
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Mr. Taylor,
I read your thoughts here and I have seen that you have made a huge number of assumptions. You assume that just because someone is NOT a police officer or former combat vet that they are NOT aware of their surroundings… that if they are not “trained on the weapon system they’ll using” they will miss… in fact your entire blog post is full of assumptions that are at best 50/50… you seem to forget that just a week earlier a 71 yo man saved the lives of at least a dozen people from TWO would be violent assailants.. by his use of HIS concealed fire arm, and he did it with quick judicious force and determination. You assume too much and judging by the blog post you have come to these conclusions because,I believe, you are being mislead by the liberal socialistic lame stream media that aims to do nothing more than promote liberal ideology. Gun control and disarmament is one such liberal agenda, and as such they are using this tragic situation to further their position and they will (as barrack ali hussien obama has already done) called for “common sense, for the public safety, i still believe in the right” rules that further restrict gun owners. What liberals and politicians do not realize is that criminals will commit crime with what ever resources they have available. This nut job in Colorado was supposedly an extremely smart an intelligent person involved in post graduate studies that as reports have indicated included chemistry and biology .. so much so that it is quite possible that had he thought differently he could have constructed chemical and or biological weapons to use in this attack instead of a firearm. that being said what is it you would have done… restrict access to education on the FEARS that someone might construct a chemical or biological weapon, would you register a persons name address and all his personal information in a data base of KNOWN educated individuals with knowledge of chemistry and biology just in case someone does construct a homemade WMD? can you see where this kind of thinking is leading? The only reason this nut bag did what he did was simple, he was mentally unstable and the SYSTEM let him through the cracks… it happens.. WHY? because we do not want to start probing everyone’s every statement or action, there were plenty of clues to the mental stability of this guy out there but they were missed… and THAT has NOTHING to do with my owning a gun or rifle and being allowed to carry concealed OR being aware of my surroundings… As you said we should all pray for the victims.
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I carry whenever possible. I train 2 or 3 times a month, and I believe I would have taken the shot.
I’ve talked to other CCW guys, and they agree with me that when you carry, it makes you much more aware of your situation and you’re constantly asking yourself, “What if?” It’s much the same as driving down suburban road and you constantly ask yourself, “What if that car pulls out, or, what if a kid runs out between those cars?” If the car does pull out, or if the kid runs into the street, then you’re much more equipped to handle the situation. Actually carrying a weapon for protection, along with training and practice makes you better everyday.
I highly recommend that all decent Americans get their CCW along with a good weapon they’re comfortable with, and train regularly.
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My biggest problem is how this guy ever got to put his misguided thoughts in print.
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Once I’m in print, I’ll let you know how it happened.
Did you read the introduction?
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Great article, it caused a lot of good debate and has made us all stop and think one way or the other. Thanks!
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It was too early to be debating. Grieving and panicked people are rarely as coldly rational as people need to be to have this discussion. For concealed carry to be a deterrent criminals must believe it is a threat to them and they must consider their life to have value. Not normally the case with mass murderers. A person with a gun and very little training can halt an attack in progress. Even without hitting anything. Somtimes just providing opposition is enough. All it takes is a willingness to get close and shoot. Each situation is unique. Mentally deranged people sometimes kill. With knives, guns, bombs, or poison. The core problem is mental illness or simple evil. There is no easy answer.
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Concealed carry does work. In Florida, just a few weeks ago in Ocala, two thugs came in armed in an internet cafe late at night and were rounding up people, most probably to rob them. An elderly man who had a concealed gun with permit opened fire on them with the result that both thugs were injured and are now in jail.
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Mr. Taylor,You are so full of hoo ha. While you are certainly entitled to your opinion, that is exactly your opinion, and certainly not the opinion of everyone else! Perhaps before you open your big mouth about how an ordinary citizen could or could not have made a difference in Aurora you should do a little more “research” on the topic. Until then what you espouse is complete an utter balderdash.
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I am unfamiliar with “hoo ha”. Excrement, malarky, BS, caca, and doo doo are terms I am familiar with. But your “hoo ha” escapes me.
I don’t have a big mouth. I’m a small guy (5’4 on a good day).
I guess you didn’t read the introduction (that thing at the beginning that tells you what you’re about to read).
I’m going to say this again. I was frustrated Saturday night, when people were still in the hospital, at people across the country conjecturing what would have gone right if someone had a gun.
People are shot. Lives are ruined. People in another state telling me that their lives wouldn’t have been ruined if they had a gun is more than a little rude.
Give the families time to grieve before you decide that you and a concealed weapon would have stopped a man with an AR-15, 2 handguns, and a shotgun dressed in tactical gear.
Everyone here seems to think I believe CCW doesn’t work or that it’s an awful idea. I don’t think it’s awful, I fully support it! And I think it does work! I don’t think it’s time to be an armchair hero just yet.
I’m not a journalist. I’m not even a professional blogger (notice there’s no ads here?). I make websites for a living. Before Saturday, I didn’t have an opinion people cared about. Now I have an opinion with which people care about disagreeing.
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I have to share this for all who think training is the only way to learn cool hand. It helps but its not the real deal. My wife, a nurse,was in traffic,waiting to merge. Two femles in their car behind her kept blowing the horn of the vehicle. my wife stayed calm and eased into trafficwhen it was safe. The driver behind cut around my wife’s vehicle and swerved in front of her slamming on the brakes and both roughlooking black females got out out of the car and approached my wife’s vehicle. My wife has never been trained to use her pistol and has shot it only once before -several years prior to this incident.as the two would be assailants got about to the front of my wife’s car she pulled her 357 up with both hands and motioned for them to come on and settle up.They wised up and went back to their vehicle – quickly.we now call her dirty Harriet when retelling the story.My wife has a cc permit. She kept her head and did what she needed to do. You don’t hear about incidents such as this that occur nearly seven thousand times a day all across america. It supports the right and the need to carry. Police do not stop crimes generally – they solve them. Their presence is worth much but rarely are they able to insert themself in an unfolding situation in a timely manner. I am trained by the U.S. army – and shoot regularly. Not sure I would have reacted as well.Anybody who goes around telling people to shut up has lost me as a reader or listener.
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The original author at the top is a person I would like for a neigbor. I too own guns including an assault rifle. I also have a CW permit in NC.
None of us knows how we will react in a situation. Some guns were not fired in WWII, but most were out of necessity. I am as proud of those that did not fire as i am of the shooters. Allcame together to do what they had to, and it is our job to maintain what they passed on to us. One lunatic should not be alloweed or given the voice to take our rights. Nor should we be ever weak enough to allow it.
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FYI, you can carry open in Ky.
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The title of your article is ‘Why I own an assualt rifle’ on FoxNews. You never answered that question. Is that just typical FauxNews propaganda or did I miss something?
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FauxNews propaganda.
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You are wrong on a few things. There are many states that allow open carry.
http://www.opencarry.org/opencarry.html
And if you get your CCL class from a reputable place in CO you will have to prove you can safely fire and handle a weapon. My course in CO did include a mandatory live fire demonstration. Please do a little research BEFORE you write.
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[sigh] Texas is the only state that DOESN’T allow open carry. I guess I should have phrased that differently. If it’s the one that doesn’t, I assume the others do.
My CCL class in Colorado didn’t require live-fire. (which surprised me).
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Wrong answer pal. Open carry is also illegal in California. For all intents and purposes so is concealed since most Sheriffs won’t issue permits.
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Mr. Taylor assumed many things without real experience. 99% of Law Enforcement Officers are not gun enthus and only shoot their guns once or twice a year for re qualifying. Most gun owners shoot their guns many many more times over that. Just because Mr. Taylor is too busy writing his blog instead of enjoying his other ‘hobby’ does not mean he represents 99.99% of responsible gun owners out there. A quick search on google news yield endless reports of defensive gun usage by everyday folks like himself.
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Don’t speak on my behalf. I can do that on my own.
I didn’t know that LEOs only shoot once or twice a year. The fact that I’m shooting more regularly than they is disturbing.
If that really is the case, that certainly justifies my argument that we need more training. Read, “I’m a hypocrite…”
“too busy writing my blog”. I’m not a professional blogger. Writer, or Journalist.
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Many people practice things their entire lives and fail to be great or even good at those things.
Some people will pick up a basketball and be unable to miss the hoop, some will be lucky to be 1 of 10.
Point being, don’t assume everyone is incapable of doing something just because you are. Also, don’t assume people with the responsibility of doing those things, are capable (police/military).
Dont carry if you aren’t proficient. Dont expect someone else to ensure your safety. Dont tell me I’m incapable of ensuring my own(and those around me). Dont stereotype gun owners.
I own guns, I own the responsibility of ownership as well.
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Someone needs to ask Trayvon how effective a civilian 9mm can be before they claim the NONSENSE this blogger spews.
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I am licensed to carry a concealed weapon in Missouri. I practice with some regularity. I am not Jason Bourne, or Jack Bauer. I know I can get my gun out quickly and fire it if needed. I guarantee you I have the ability to fire it effectively under pressure if the need arises. Had there been someone there with the faculties and the tool to get the job done, perhaps it all would have been different. For the sake of the victims and families, I wish with all my heart that someone like that had been there. The more conceal and carriers, the more likely that is to happen in a situation like that. For you to generically state that no one could possibly have done anything is idiotic, and has no basis in truth, considering the extraordinary things people pull off all the time. People are ranting about how he was invincible with his body armor, and so a weapn would have done nothign to help. HAH! Have you ever been hit by a .40 caliber round at 20 feet while wearing body armor? Hint, it doesn’t just bounce off harmlessly like in the movies. It will still rock your world! It would have made a difference. SO instead of shutting up, Im going to pray mightily for the hurting families of those people, and Im going to make sure my .40 is safely under my arm more often than I did before. I will leave the BS’ing your way out of it up to you.
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Mr. Taylor, I know this is a bit off topic … The caption in the photograph of the article on Fox News that linked here says: In this June 19, 2010 file photo, AK-47 assault rifle cartridges fill a box at a gun and knife show in White Plains, N.Y. (AP) I see some magazines for both M43 and M74 rounds, but no actual cartridges … probably one of Bloomberg’s people sneaked it … Just making an observation …
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didn’t catch that. I’ll let ’em know.
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I have read a few articles and blogs, and about a zillion comments from both pro and anti gun folks. What I have failed to see is this… as a tactical situation, the theatre scanario isn’t that difficult to resolve with the right frame of mind. A bunch of people say they would take the shot, maybe, but it would be a tough shot. Not really if you get behind the shooter, up close and personal. Remember, the shooter is blinded from the first shot by his own muzzle flash, and unless he’s wearing ear plugs, probably deaf too. In the dark, sneaking up on a blind, deaf dude who is actively shooting in a direction you’re not in ain’t that difficult. Get up there behind him, close enough that caliber won’t matter, and stop the threat. I can attest to the success of this approach; many years ago I won an LEO only scenario competition with this exact scenario and resolution.
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Iam not Jason Bourne, but Iam who I am and I know I could have at least sent some rounds in his direction to slow him down.
You may own guns, but you dont seem too willing to use them to defend yourself.
I am willing and Iam trained but Iam not a cop.
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Frank, I agree with some of the things you said. But some of it is dead wrong.
I’m not former miltary, or retired police, but I can hit a man-sized target at 100 yards 10 for 10 times, with any of my 9mm pistols. I’ve rolled running rabbits at 40 yards with one of those 9mm pistols. I can’t say I know I would pull the trigger, but put me ANYWHERE in a theator with a man-size target, and I will hit it with ANY servicable pistol. I would make a sizeable bet on that.
And by the way: Shut up about telling folks to shut up. You don’t want to hear it, no problem. Go hide in your basement, where headphones with light jazz playing all the time. Who cares? People are going to talk about important things, and this is important, whichever side you fall on the issue. So get over it, already.
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Mr. Taylor, I am in complete agreement with you that now is not the time to have a gun control debate. Your post makes many good points, however, you are quick to discount my skills in a given situation, assume that I will be completely ineffective in that given situation, and also assume that the perpetrator is trained as well as I am. Granted, he is shooting indiscriminately, whereas I would have to be more precise, but once I have his attention, his advantage goes away: he has to have the same focus or moreso than I do.
Perhaps a CCW permit holder wouldn’t have been able to stop the perpetrator from carrying out his attack, but how many lives could have been saved had he been distracted for just a few seconds?
My next point is not a knock on police and the fine work they do, and I’m not sure the evidence can be explained, but incident reports show that an innocent bystander is about twice as likely to be accidentally shot by a police officer than they are by a CCW holder.
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Why did the shooter choose the particular weapons? It was all about image. If he wanted to kill more people he could have brought in a bomb using the same cell phone ruse and back door. He could have left before it went off and easily escaped the scene. But then he would not have gotten his notoriety.
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How did this loser’s blog get picked up by the media? He’s an idiot with a victim mentality. I carry everywhere, all the time, when allowed by law and not prohibited by the property owner. I never go to places that make me leave my handgun behind (you listening Buffalo Wild Wings?) and since I make quite a bit of $$$ – those businesses are losing out. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would have engaged the theater shooter. Drop down to take cover and avoid the spreading gas (the chairs slow the dispersal of the gas), aim high to hit his head or armor, and if you miss the bullet flies harmlessly above any innocent people.
Regarding my AR-15 – yes it is designed for combat, not hunting. But just the fact that we own them puts fear in the hearts of the enemies of the U.S. They know if they attack us and win; they will have to fight well-armed patriotic Americans forever. They hate that – so they fund the anti-gun debate.
Finally – Zimmerman/Martin:
1. Following someone – legal
2. Carrying a legal gun – legal
3. Attacking someone for following you – ILLEGAL
4. Shooting someone who is attacking you – legal.
Clearly the only one that did anything illegal was Trayvon Martin.
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Hey hey hey, no name calling. My mother tells me I’m a winner every night.
As for how I got picked up by the media? no clue. I repeatedly told them (as stated in the article) I am not an expert and I am not a qualified opinion. I think it’s incredibly dumb that Fox News put my blog up (and incorrectly titled it).
Victim mentality? hardly. I wouldn’t own guns if I planned on being a victim. That’s for Chicago residents to figure out.
The fact that you know what you would have done in a tear-gas filled theater is where I have a problem. People are in the hospital, and going home from the hospital. They’re still deeply traumatized.
And YOU know what they did wrong. They didn’t have a gun.
This is where I get angry and start shouting “shutup”:
You’ve decided that a boyfriend would be alive with his girlfriend if HE had a gun. You’ve decided that a 6 year old would be alive if her FATHER had a gun. You’ve decided that it’s the fault of the victims for being vicitimized. That’s where I have a problem.
You weren’t there. You don’t know what would have happened if you had a gun. You THINK you do. But you don’t. And in the mean time, there wouldn’t be 12 families in mourning, ALL BECAUSE OF YOU.
If I’m playing the victim because I’m honest in admitting that I don’t know what will happen after I attempt to neutralize a threat, I guess I am. I’m the one guy with a CCL that admits that I might not make it out alive in a firefight. Everyone else is bullet proof and a dead shot at any range, regardless of training.
If you think I won’t draw because my wife or I am being threatened, you’re wrong. I don’t ever plan on letting my family or me being a victim. That’s why I have guns.
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Thank you for your reply. I respectively withdraw the “loser” tag, however I still maintain that your post sends a defeatist message. Like it or not, the message you are sending to the unarmed populace is “you don’t know what you would do, you are not a good shot; why worry about it”.
FYI – any gas has a limited dispersal determined by the volume of the release zone – the high ceilings in a theater mean most of the air in the theater is not occupied by people – so the gas is inefficient as a disabling agent. Additionally, the seats delay the dispersal at ground level (like putting corners in your duct work – it backs up the a/c in your house and makes it less effective). So, the gas is much less effective as a disabling agent – it is really more of a panic starter. I’ve been with large groups who were subjected to highly concentrated gas (military) and we all maintained our composure – granted; we had a heads-up, but the truth is the gas is not that bad.
I consider my decision to carry a concealed firearm as a grave responsibility. I will not use or even brandish it unless absolutely necessary, but I would not be able to live with myself if I did not use it to help the innocents. If I die: so be it. I’ve had a good and productive life. I’m not a hero and do not want to be. But I will not run from the fight if I can help save lives. I may fail and not help even a little, and I may even die in the process. But I would not run out with my gun snug in its holster while innocent people are being shot.
In the theater you would crouch low and aim high. This keeps innocent people out of the line of fire, and you stay out of the most concentrated gas.
When you start carrying on a regular basis I think you will understand my position a little better. I welcome your decision to join the ranks of “armed citizen” and pray you never need to draw your firearm in self-defense.
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The model that has been used in America is to arrest all minorities for anything including traffic tickets and the like to disqualify them from owning weapons legally. The racist lawyers and legislators has fixed it so that only crazy and paranoid white men can own guns. If everyone has the right to bear arms why so many restrictions on minorities? Because it’s designed that way.
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[CENSORED: Sorry, no profanity, even if you fake it]. No minority is excluded from owning a weapon just because of their skin color. The place you choose to live, the crimes you’ve committed, etc. dictate that. Put your race card back in your wallet and shut up. Most of us are sick of hearing about what a poor victim you are. If you want to point fingers, point at the African chieftains who traveled to Europe to protest the abolition of the slave trade. Get mad about Robert Mugabe’s revolution against white property owners in Zimbabwe that left thousands of his own countrymen without jobs and thousands more raped and murdered. Quit whining about the evil white man keeping you down. It’s a lie straight from the pit of hell designed to give the weak a reason to cry about being victims.
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Billy Davis – that’s a bunch of racist crap and you should know better. You sound like that Va. congresscritter who said she is teaching her children that white people are racist. She doesn’t even realize the she is racist, and is teaching her kids to hate white people before they even get the chance to make their own observations.
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Unless that can be fired in full auto mode it isn’t an Assault Rifle. Assault Rifles have been heavily regulated since 1934
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As has already been said, you can’t generalize about what kind of person will successfully defend themselves or others in a firefight. Just being a police officer or military member doesn’t mean you’ll have what it takes, and being a civilian doesn’t mean you won’t. Self-defense is like fishing here in Alaska. No one ever caught a fish sitting on the couch. You have to get out there and put a line in the water. Doesn’t guarantee success, but staying home guarantees failure. Carrying a weapon doesn’t guarantee you’ll successfully defend yourself or others if and when the need arises, but NOT carrying one guarantees you’ll fail.
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Halleluiah brother.
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Some good points here. I don’t think pistols, hunting rifles and shotguns are the problem, but the assault rifles. Especially with high capacity magazines. Look, you can say what you want about the founding fathers and 2nd amendment. But the the ‘Right to Bear Arms’ was written at a time when even the more skilled riflemen could only fire three shots per minute. A single man with a musket couldn’t walk into a crowded public place and kill scores of people. He would either be shot or easily rushed and taken down by hand after a single shot. I’m not saying banning assault rifles will end every North Hollywood Shootout, Columbine or Aurora Theater massacre. In fact, one gunman with two semi-auto pistols was able to kill over thirty innocent people at Virginia Tech in 2007. What i’m saying is, we should at least try and make assault rifles nearly impossible for criminals or people with mental illnesses to obtain. Right now you can buy an AR-15 relatively easy. It’s a joke. Why can’t we create more rigorous background checks and maybe look into people who are buying loads of high capacity magazines and ammunition. Not saying we should invade their privacy and stalk them for stocking up on ammo. But just check and make sure they’re not planning on taking out an entire movie theater, political rally or city block. If they have a legit reason for buying dozens of 20 or 30-round magazines and thousands of rounds of ammo in a short period of time (like maybe they run an outdoor gun range where people can come and rent AR’s to shoot for recreation), then leave them alone. But if it’s some middle-aged man who recently went through a divorce, was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and a few concerned friends, relatives, neighbors. Then maybe law enforcement (like the ATF) should take deeper look into why this guy is may not only be buying enough munitions to bring hell to his community, but he’s also obtained full tactical gear… That could be a red flag. Just saying.
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Zow – your ignorance is blinding. The founding fathers wanted us to be able to defend ourselves against rogue governments. The fact that we have AR’s intimidates the enemies of America and freedom. They know that if we are conquered they will still have to fight well-armed patriots forever. That is why the anti-gun lobbies got so much money from overseas special interests during the cold war. I’d be willing to be the terrorists don’t like it very much either.
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It is inaccurate to say what you said about concealed carry. The theater where the shooting occured has ( and had) a gun ban in place. You are not allowed to bring in your concealed carry weapon into the theater.
And you’re also wrong about the concealed carry courses – you are indeed required to show proficiency, as well as fire a firearm under the observation of the people you are taking the course from.
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Jacen, I didn’t have to show proficiency at my course. That’s the experience I have to work from.
And, the legality of CC in a theater with signage prohibiting it is an open topic. My instructor for the course said it was legal, but others are stating it wasn’t. I need to research this issue more.
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I totally agree that no one can know ahead of time just what they will do in such a situation. The bravest can run and the most fearful can stay and fight.
However, I, for one, want the chance to protect myself if such a thing happened in my presence. I don’t like being disarmed, period! The holmes’s aren’t and there is no feasable reason I should be. The founders meant for ‘the people’ to be armed. And not just for run-away gov. as we are seeing now, but for the idiots like holmes and his ilk.
But most early comments have been about more gun laws. What, so these perps can break more at a time? Will that make a difference to the target of these scum? No, but it may make some pol get re-elected when he should be turned out!