mguar said:
Other civilized Nations do not have the issues we do. Perhaps we need to follow their lead?
They also don't already have millions of already obtainable illegal guns in the street. These guns aren't going anywhere. Controlling the sale of legal guns isn't going to make the necessary impact, therefore the opposite direction is the way to go. Yes. More legal firearms in the hands of more good citizens.
N Sperlo wrote:
mguar said:
Other civilized Nations do not have the issues we do. Perhaps we need to follow their lead?
They also don't already have millions of already obtainable illegal guns in the street. These guns aren't going anywhere.
How do those guns get into circulation? With many agencies running destroy programs for illegal guns, you'd think they'd be making a dent.
JoeyM
SuperDork
8/9/12 8:31 a.m.
Bobzilla wrote:
In reply to mguar:
N Sperlo wrote:
mguar said:
Look, there are one or two people here who are stirring the pot to keep the conversation going. One of them in particular has a history of doing this. I wish we'd all just ignore some people.
Otto Maddox wrote:
Bobzilla wrote:
In reply to mguar:
Really... that's just a psychotic rant. There's something that many (likely most) firearms owners and carriers practice. It's called "Situational Awareness." Armed or not, I like to keep that on. It's saved my ass many many many many many times from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Peter Parker called it his Spidey Sense. It's basically paying attention to your surroundings, watching people and their habits and actions. Does it work 100% of the time? Nothing does. Does it help more often then not? Well, I'm still here.
It's like driving a race car on track. Are you head down, looking only at the end of your hood? Or are you heads up, looking ahead, reading the traffic? Same with being in public.
If you're that scared to be in public,well I don't know what to tell you except maybe seek therapy.
Maybe you have an amazing sixth sense that protects you but what about old ladies and little kids? I don't want to walk around like I am potentially entering a lethal situation at any moment. I like to lollygag and ponder stuff like V8 944s and whatnot while I go about my daily business.
Again, do you keep your head down and drive off the nose of the car or do you look ahead? Do you not also have other thoughts that happen when doing that as well? Like How well the tires are gripping, or the engine note is a little off, or wow it feels good here? Same thing. When you decide to no longer be a victim and take the steps necessary to not be a helpless victim again, SA just becomes natural. I still enjoy everything around me. In fact, I would say I enjoy it MORE because I am actually AWARE of my environment.
To me, SA is like riding my motorcycle. You get an almost "hyper-awarneness" of everything around you on a bike that you don't get in a car. The smells, the sounds, the air, the motion..... it's all intensified on a motorcycle. Transfer that feeling to your everyday life and it rocks. You can appreciate things more, and you notice more. You don't miss the chick that almost had a boob pop out, or the kid screwing around falling into the fountain.... because you are actually paying attention to LIFE.
But hey, if you just want to meander through life missing most of it, that's your right and I'll defend your right to do so. It's just not my choice.
Bobzilla wrote:
Otto Maddox wrote:
Bobzilla wrote:
In reply to mguar:
Really... that's just a psychotic rant. There's something that many (likely most) firearms owners and carriers practice. It's called "Situational Awareness." Armed or not, I like to keep that on. It's saved my ass many many many many many times from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Peter Parker called it his Spidey Sense. It's basically paying attention to your surroundings, watching people and their habits and actions. Does it work 100% of the time? Nothing does. Does it help more often then not? Well, I'm still here.
It's like driving a race car on track. Are you head down, looking only at the end of your hood? Or are you heads up, looking ahead, reading the traffic? Same with being in public.
If you're that scared to be in public,well I don't know what to tell you except maybe seek therapy.
Maybe you have an amazing sixth sense that protects you but what about old ladies and little kids? I don't want to walk around like I am potentially entering a lethal situation at any moment. I like to lollygag and ponder stuff like V8 944s and whatnot while I go about my daily business.
Again, do you keep your head down and drive off the nose of the car or do you look ahead? Do you not also have other thoughts that happen when doing that as well? Like How well the tires are gripping, or the engine note is a little off, or wow it feels good here? Same thing. When you decide to no longer be a victim and take the steps necessary to not be a helpless victim again, SA just becomes natural. I still enjoy everything around me. In fact, I would say I enjoy it MORE because I am actually AWARE of my environment.
To me, SA is like riding my motorcycle. You get an almost "hyper-awarneness" of everything around you on a bike that you don't get in a car. The smells, the sounds, the air, the motion..... it's all intensified on a motorcycle. Transfer that feeling to your everyday life and it rocks. You can appreciate things more, and you notice more. You don't miss the chick that almost had a boob pop out, or the kid screwing around falling into the fountain.... because you are actually paying attention to LIFE.
But hey, if you just want to meander through life missing most of it, that's your right and I'll defend your right to do so. It's just not my choice.
Well, that's just the thing. I want to stop and smell the roses instead of pondering urban warfare.
In reply to JoeyM:
I don't think the guy is a troll. I can't say I agree with him always, but he seems pretty consistent in his ideology. And he argues the issues without attacking people personally or getting angry.
PHeller wrote:
N Sperlo wrote:
mguar said:
Other civilized Nations do not have the issues we do. Perhaps we need to follow their lead?
They also don't already have millions of already obtainable illegal guns in the street. These guns aren't going anywhere.
How do those guns get into circulation? With many agencies running destroy programs for illegal guns, you'd think they'd be making a dent.
You'd think, but not enough if a dent. They will continue to circulate regardless of how strenuous regulations get. They get stolen, modified, etc. And become illegal and cheap. Not enough can be done fast enough and if it were attempted, I could guarantee it would backfire.
The right to keep and bear arms is a logical corollary of the natural right of self defense, not a right granted by government. It is recognized and protected in the Constitution, not created.
No defense is perfect for all situations or prevents all attacks. Flu shots don't stop AIDS, or even all forms of flu. For most folks, though, the shots are still a good idea.
Attempting to stereotype those who wish to defend themselves as paranoid is intellectually dishonest.
The idea that one cannot possibly effectively defend oneself and others with a firearm is demonstrably false. It happens every day. Every situation is different, certainly. Situational awareness is key.
Oh, and other "civilized" nations do have the issues we do - and more - but with their own regional twists. They have hot prowls and home invasions, mass murders,serial killers, and maniacs on buses just like we do. They also have government censorship of the news, laws against criticizing certain families and institutions, and restrictions on other freedoms we take for granted. I don't want to go in that direction, thank you.
Otto Maddox wrote:
Meanwhile, as we argue, other constitutional rights get trampled upon.
I'm glad they will defy the new bill. Hopefully they won't go peacefully when the po-lice try to take them into custody.
Not something I'm worried about anyway. Let the authorities handle them.
JoeyM
SuperDork
8/9/12 9:23 a.m.
Otto Maddox wrote:
In reply to JoeyM:
I don't think the guy is a troll. I can't say I agree with him always, but he seems pretty consistent in his ideology. And he argues the issues without attacking people personally or getting angry.
My complaint isn't his ideology or his temper. I dislike it when people try to prolong arguments after it is already apparent that no form of consensus will be reached. This is especially irking when the method used involves repeating things that were addressed earlier, hoping people will rebut these statements (again). He's not the only offender, just one of the most frequent, and one who has admitted in the past (see link above) that he draws out threads because he thinks it is interesting to keep people talking.
Otto Maddox wrote:
Well, that's just the thing. I want to stop and smell the roses instead of pondering urban warfare.
Is that what you think SA is? You're not even close. But you can go ahead and think that all you want. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it is misguided, uneducated and wrong.
yamaha
HalfDork
8/9/12 9:33 a.m.
Otto Maddox wrote:
Well, that's just the thing. I want to stop and smell the roses instead of pondering urban warfare.
Simple solution, quit pondering it. It will only bring additional stress to an already stressful life. Take time to stop and smell the roses.....I always do.
SA has saved me time at checkouts, found good parking spots, avoided more than my share of confrontations, left parties before they got bad enough to get busted by cops (in college MULTIPLE times), left bars before the fights broke out, etc. It's not about "urban warfare" at all. It's just being aware of your surroundings. Period.
Bobzilla wrote:
SA has saved me time at checkouts, found good parking spots, avoided more than my share of confrontations, left parties before they got bad enough to get busted by cops (in college MULTIPLE times), left bars before the fights broke out, etc. It's not about "urban warfare" at all. It's just being aware of your surroundings. Period.
I am not arguing with you on that. I think you are right. I just think expecting everyone in society to have SA is pretty far-fetched.
Bobzilla excellent posts on situational awareness. Thank you sir. As you have mentioned no it doesn't work all the time but it does work and after awhile becomes a reflex. Heck I was at the store and an old lady ahead of me in the check out knocked a bottle of something off the belt and I caught it before it hit the floor. She was amazed but it was just a reflex. I have been at gatherings and started to see little kids running to the street while I was talking to someone and I ran off to stop them. Being aware of your surroundings is not just about looking for threats. Photographers will use it to find that perfect picture of a small detail someone else would miss or to help predict the movement of a subject to get that perfect shot. As mentioned race car drivers use it to be aware of what is happening with their cars on the track. The list of ways it can be used could go on and on.
Just because you are armed and aware of the world around you does not mean you for some reason cannot enjoy the little things in life. I do on a regular basis and in general I am a happy sort of guy. Heck I have been shot at, stabbed, beat with a rock and smacked in the face with a d cell flashlight and I am still a happy guy that is not paranoid about going out. I have saved peoples lives and homes. I have been attacked and threatened more times than I could count. I have been in fights where people lost teeth and bones were broken. I am still here a happy guy just doing what I do and being who I am. If you don't like it tough. I wasn't put here to make you happy and be who you want me to be. I am here to be happy and live my life my way.
yamaha wrote:
Otto Maddox wrote:
Well, that's just the thing. I want to stop and smell the roses instead of pondering urban warfare.
Simple solution, quit pondering it. It will only bring additional stress to an already stressful life. Take time to stop and smell the roses.....I always do.
That was a hypothetical. I live in a private community where the only crime is vandalism by miscreant rich kids with uncaring parents.
yamaha
HalfDork
8/9/12 9:51 a.m.
Otto Maddox wrote:
I am not arguing with you on that. I think you are right. I just think expecting everyone in society to have SA is pretty far-fetched.
Perhaps the rest of society should be taught.......or let darwinism take its course.
Otto Maddox wrote:
That was a hypothetical. I live in a private community where the only crime is vandalism by miscreant rich kids with uncaring parents.
You never know that is all there will be for sure....
Otto Maddox wrote:
Bobzilla wrote:
SA has saved me time at checkouts, found good parking spots, avoided more than my share of confrontations, left parties before they got bad enough to get busted by cops (in college MULTIPLE times), left bars before the fights broke out, etc. It's not about "urban warfare" at all. It's just being aware of your surroundings. Period.
I am not arguing with you on that. I think you are right. I just think expecting everyone in society to have SA is pretty far-fetched.
I never said I expected anyone to use it. I am merely saying that it is something that is very handy about saving your ass when needed.
yamaha wrote:
Otto Maddox wrote:
I am not arguing with you on that. I think you are right. I just think expecting everyone in society to have SA is pretty far-fetched.
Perhaps the rest of society should be taught.......or let darwinism take its course.
Otto Maddox wrote:
That was a hypothetical. I live in a private community where the only crime is vandalism by miscreant rich kids with uncaring parents.
You never know that is all there will be for sure....
No, you don't know for sure. That's why the BoyScouts taught us to "Be Prepared". Can you prepare for everything? Nope. Can you be more prepared than 90% of Society is at this moment? Hell yeah.
Ross called this sixth sense "unagi" -
Otto Maddox wrote:
Ross called this sixth sense "unagi" -
questionable male behavior here.
Why would someone name a sixth sense after japanese freshwater eels?
yamaha
HalfDork
8/9/12 11:18 a.m.
pilotbraden wrote:
Why would someone name a sixth sense after japanese freshwater eels?
Being clever was easier before wikipedia.