While I agree that a gun will not save a ‘weak person’. I strongly disagree that carrying a firearm for self defense will most likely kill me. I have been licensed to carry and have carried a firearm for 30 years.

Due to past jobs I was frequently in ‘troubled’ neighborhoods late at night. I have had two occasions where presenting my firearm protected my well being. On one of those occasions I actually drew the weapon, on the other I merely opened my jacket far enough that they could see it. I have never had to discharge my weapon.

So, I am living proof that carrying a firearm can protect people from those that do others harm.

In the case of the theater attack in Colorado, if there had been a number of people carrying, chances are quite good that one of them would have been able to eliminate the threat and mitigate the damage. The danger there of course is that they shoot the wrong person.

There are no easy answers, but I can assure you that gun control will not prevent violence. In this case the guy had on the order of 30 homemade bombs in his apartment, enough to destroy the entire building. If he had not had access to guns and ammo he likely would have simply taken a bomb to the theater instead, with similar or worse results.

“but from the state, as well.

Good luck with that!”

It worked once, it could work again, if there were solidarity and the need arose. I don’t need luck, I carry her with me always.

So you are saying that violence would not occur without guns?

What planet do you come from? Look at TOTAL Intentional homicide rates.

The United States ranks about 35th on the list of Intentional Homocide Rates (any source).

Cite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

Certain countries, such as Ireland have a much higher gun ownership rate and a much lower violence rate. In Jamaica violent crimes actually increased sharply after handguns were heavily restricted and a special Gun Court was created. This shows regulating gun ownership is not the answer.

I believe that has a lot less to do with guns and a lot more to do with our culture. Unfortunately, there are very few willing to tackle the real issues (and that goes for a lot more than violence). Most just want to say “See I did something” without taking the time or putting in the effort to REALLY determine what the problems are and how to fix them.

Look at McVeigh, or others who used bombs, planes as missiles… Address the reasons people feel a need to perform these acts. Take away guns (which you can’t) and they will move to bombs or ???

Of course you think prohibition and drug laws are a bad example.

The question is why?

They clearly show that just because it is against the law doesn’t mean people will follow the law.

Take look at Jamaica, there they added significant gun restrictions and added a special “Gun Court” The violence rate went up significantly. Take a look at Ireland, the gun ownership rate there is much higher than in the U.S. yet the violence rate is lower. Japan, does have strict gun laws, but they also have a much more strict society in general and the lower rate of all kinds of violence in Japan can be traced back to their culture, which is generally a lot more respectful of others than the culture here in the U.S.

I have said it many times in responses on this thread.

Violence (of any kind) is much more an indicator of problems in a society that can not be legislated away any more than drug or alcohol use or speeding for that matter. Society must be united, and demand respect conformity, and personal responsibility. To date that is something the good old USA has refused to do, so we have these problems.

Actually, I sleep with a gun on my headboard, I carry a gun daily, and I have no children in the house. I was introduced to handguns by my father at about 8 years old. I was taught how to respect, shoot, clean, maintain and secure weapons properly. Could someone take my weapon and shoot me? Sure, and I could be struck by lightning too. I am not going to worry about either.

If there had been more like me sitting in that theater “carrying” the “Batman Shooter” would have been dead, and the loss of life and injury to others would have been much lower. True it would still be a tragic event. But he could have chosen to use a bomb too, he had thirty in his apartment.

I will freely admit that carrying a weapon is not for everyone. You have to have a cool head, be good with your weapon and be able to make sound judgments, you can’t be weak, or second guess yourself. But the bottom line is you could outlaw all weapons today and the problem would not get any better. The black market for guns, which already exists, would gear up in a week, and those wouldn’t be the legal handguns of today, but full auto models all around, with extended clips (think a 9mm or .40 full auto with 15 and 30 round clips).

Then where will you be?

No way to track guns, no way to even track the purchase of ammo, no taxes… Just like, shock, prohibition and the illegal drug trade. The only difference is more people would die.

The examples show human nature, which is way more powerful than any “gun law” could ever hope to be.