On 9/21/00, at 8:49 PM, Barbara Lamar wrote:
>I wouldn't use exactly the same labels as you did, David; but I do think
>it's important to recognize the difference between people who are trained
>to use a gun properly and who regularly practice that skill; and people
>who are not trained and current.
:
>IMO people who buy guns for self defense but don't learn how to properly
>use them are in more danger than if they didn't own a gun, for 2 reasons:
I think we're nearly in violent agreement. The list was not meant to be
comprehensive. I singled out "liberals who get a gun for self-defense"
as one of the most dangerous group of gun owners deliberately.
A pattern I've seen often: a long-time liberal is staunchly anti-gun. They
often have had no direct personal experience using a gun. They then either
become a crime victim or greatly fear that they will be. They reluctantly
buy a gun. They are afraid of the gun, and embarrassed to have compromised
their principles.
They resolve the cognitive dissonance with a compromise. They have the gun,
but they do not obtain suitable training. They do not practice. They do
not teach their children gun safety.
Consequently, their children are at risk. They are at risk. And innocent
by-standers are at risk.
>second, having the gun often gives people a false sense of security so they
>don't take as many precautions as they ordinarily would to avoid trouble in
>the first place. Part of learning how to use a gun properly includes learning
>the limitations of the gun and of oneself.
There are six or seven gun axioms that are carved on the lining of my skull.
One of them: never assume in a situation that if you are armed, you will
remain armed. Important corollaries:
Don't enter a situation armed that you wouldn't be comfortable entering
unarmed.
Have a fallback plan in case you are disarmed, your weapon fails, or you've
run out of ammunition.
A related axiom is never have a gun for self-defense unless you are ready,
willing, and able emotionally and technically to kill someone. You *cannot*
say "I'll just point it at them but I wouldn't really shoot" or "I'll just
wound them." If you feel that way, don't get a gun. You're needlessly
endangering yourself and others.
-- David Lubkin.
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