Another School Shooting -- Children Dead

The biggest advantage to having a semi automatic pistol in the home or on you're person is the effectiveness. I would bet that hardly anybody here would understand the differences of single and double action. Its a question of mechanics. A semi automatic pistol is easier to control. There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a semi auto pistol .I can tell you one thing for sure, it's better to have a gun and not need it than to need it and not have it. I have been licensed to carry a concealed firearm for 26 years. Thankfully I have never pulled my gun or pointed it at anyone. Its the last thing I would want to do. I also sleep with a loaded gun next to the bed. That gun is mandatory in my house. Do a search and look at the numbers of home invasions in this country. I live near Charlotte and its crazy. We just had one a few miles from my house and Im way out in the country. The coupe got tied up and had to sit there while there while some guys ransacked the house. A gun gives you a chance. Anybody who breaks into a home whie occupied is a dangerous threat and needs to be eliminated. They put themselves in harms way. If you break into my house the guy in my avatar will be the first to greet you. I will be along momentarily. Good luck. Thats just the country we live in. The guns are already here. We need to ask why so many people have no regard for other people. The shooter at the school was insane. My main concern are the people who would think nothing of taking someone's life or injuring them for just a wallet or a few bucks. Have you guys looked at whats going on in Chicago? They have the toughest gun laws anywhere. Yet it's a shooting gallery. The laws don't apply to thugs. I can't imagine not having a gun at the ready if I lived there.
If you live in a different country I don't think you can comprehend the situation here in the USA.

Another great post, jak! Thank you for clarifying on the semi-automatic pistol.

Your last sentence speaks volumes!


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I can understand that people want to protect themselves against a burglar, but the chances of an army invading your home is remarkably unlikely.

Actually Peter, the home invasions that have taken place here in the U.S. usually involve 2 or more individuals.

Last edited by Pete Dube on Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I can understand that people want to protect themselves against a burglar, but the chances of an army invading your home is remarkably unlikely.

Actually Peter, the home invasions that have taken place here in the U.S. usually involve 2 or more individuals. But that's nothing my 12 gauge can't handle. Then again, the mere sight of me in my underwear, my hair dishevelled, my winter beard half-grown (and almost all white these days) and a wild look in my eyes might be enough to send them fleeing for their lives!

You're right about it being multiple individuals doing the home invasions.I can't imagine what people go through while sitting there helpless.Several weeks ago in Charlotte an elderly couple was found restrained with duct tape in their home.Both were shot in the head.Last week an off duty cop was at home and somebody kicked his door in.He pulled his weapon and fired at the intruder.It goes on and on.We live in a violent society.Peope do need to be prepared for the unthinkable.

Once again there is an assumption here that the man who did the shooting was sane. He clearly was not, and clearly had mental health issues.

One major side of this issue is that the killer's mother should have been responsible enough to keep her rifle, pistols, and ammo locked away in a safe location where no one else could have gotten to them... especially knowing that she had a son with mental health issues.

I am still waiting to hear an argument from anyone on here as to why people should be allowed to have automatic or semi-automatic weapons in the home, or what can be achieved by having them in the home. I can understand that people want to protect themselves against a burglar, but the chances of an army invading your home is remarkably unlikely.

No argument from me. I appreciate you now differentiating "automatic/semi-automatic weapons" from the broad-brushed word "guns".

This was an argument that has been stated and reiterated on this thread from page 1. Perhaps if you had read the thread from beginning to end you would have realised this without barging in like a bull in a china shop.

I would like to make another comment about semi auto vs automatic weapons.Ownership of automatic weapons is not illegal in this country.It's more difficult to obtain them however.You have more paperwork and you must apply or a federal stamp for each weapon which is fairly expensive.An automatic weapon is outrageously expensive.They run into the thousands for each weapon.Very few people actually own them.I have been shooting all my adult life at gun ranges.Ive only known one person in my entire life that actually owned automatic weapons.Most people couldn't afford them.I only mention these things because the term automatic weapon is commonly tossed around.Its a rare occurrence to actually encounter any automatic weapon.

Once again there is an assumption here that the man who did the shooting was sane. He clearly was not, and clearly had mental health issues.

One major side of this issue is that the killer's mother should have been responsible enough to keep her rifle, pistols, and ammo locked away in a safe location where no one else could have gotten to them... especially knowing that she had a son with mental health issues.

I am still waiting to hear an argument from anyone on here as to why people should be allowed to have automatic or semi-automatic weapons in the home, or what can be achieved by having them in the home. I can understand that people want to protect themselves against a burglar, but the chances of an army invading your home is remarkably unlikely.

No argument from me. I appreciate you now differentiating "automatic/semi-automatic weapons" from the broad-brushed word "guns".

This was an argument that has been stated and reiterated on this thread from page 1. Perhaps if you had read the thread from beginning to end you would have realised this without barging in like a bull in a china shop.

It's really sad and pathetic that you're always eager to argue with someone. No wonder you refer to yourself as "poormadpeter".

Saying that I barged in on this thread like a bull in a china shop is childish of you and makes no sense.

Now please move on and stop your silliness.

This article was in todays paper.Why do these guys get so many chances?

"
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The 18-year-old arrested for shooting a Good Samaritan Wednesday has a long criminal record, and justice advocates are concerned.

Records show DeAndre White had just bonded out of jail Tuesday afternoon. Less than 24 hours later, he was back in custody on the new, different charges.

Police said White was assaulting his girlfriend Wednesday morning outside of a car parked at the intersection of Glory Street and West Sugar Creek Road. Officers said a couple called 911, but then decided to pull over to stop White from hurting his girlfriend.

That's when investigators said the teen shot at the strangers, hitting the female Good Samaritan in the leg.

Reports claim that White then sped off in the car, but was arrested across town on East W.T. Harris Boulevard after a brief chase ended with him crashing into a truck.

"This is not his first time assaulting a female," said Marcus Philemon of CharMeck CourtWatch. "He was out of jail for less than 24 hours and committing another crime. I'm outraged, that could've been my daughters. The public should be outraged."

CourtWatch members track bonds and sentencing of repeat offenders. Philemon said White, who has been arrested more than a dozen times in two years, is a textbook case of someone slipping through the cracks of the judicial system.

"If you look through his criminal history, almost all of the bonds end up being reduced or secured," noted Philemon. "He is a convicted felon and has four Failure to Appears. According to the guidelines, this individual should be given much higher bonds."

NBC Charlotte asked the District Attorney's Office about White, but since there are pending cases against him, it could not comment. "

Why do these guys get so many chances?

Because for the most part the judicial system is now a joke in the U.S. There are too many liberal judges and lawyers more concerned about crowded jail cells than protecting innocent victims.

If you live in a different country I don't think you can comprehend the situation here in the USA.

In which case it is about time America and American society looked in the mirror and did something about the situation.

Fighting fire with fire has never, in my opinon, worked.

The root of the problem needs to be found. In this case "why are there so many criminals in America?"

Unless people are willing to find the answer to that question, then easy answers regarding the problems associated with that are not going to be forthcoming.

The same issues came about here last year during the riots. The answer seemed to be "let's give the rioters longer jail sentences to make sure they are too scared to riot again" and NOT "what caused them to riot in the first place?"

The answer to that question is surely more important. And the issue is the same in America. Instead of saying "let's make sure we are all armed in order to fight the criminals", the issue should be "let's prevent people becoming criminals in the first place".

"the issue should be "let's prevent people becoming criminals in the first place".

I agree completely,but it's delusional to think we could ever achieve that.We can trace criminal behavior all the way back to the beginning of time.The world is full of bad people and it always has been.If anyhting it's only getting worse everywhere.Basic civility isnt as common as it once was.

"the issue should be "let's prevent people becoming criminals in the first place".

I agree completely,but it's delusional to think we could ever achieve that.We can trace criminal behavior all the way back to the beginning of time.The world is full of bad people and it always has been.If anyhting it's only getting worse everywhere.Basic civility isnt as common as it once was.

Then perhaps we should ask why it's getting worse. Where do the criminals come from? What parts of town? What can be done to improve the issues that there clearly must be in that part of town to cause people to turn to criminality in the first place? My guess would be that the majority of burglars are not people who live in million-dollar mansions. If that isn't the case, then there must be something in the lives of those who are less-affluent that cause them to turn to crime. Or are the the people who are less-affluent simply thugs? Of course that isn't the case, so somewhere there needs to be intervention in order to stop the vicious circle. In The Ghetto may be forty-odd years old, but it's message still stands in many cases: "this guy needs a helping hand, or he's gonna be an angry young man some day". If you don't give that helping hand, then the inevitable happens.

Check out what happened in the UK last year in the poor parts of London. The money that was given to youngsters in order to help them forward themselves and attend sixth form or college was taken away. Likewise, university fees tripled. Youth centres and clubs were closed or had money restricted. Unemployment was at its highest rate for years. And benefits were cut or restricted. The PM tells us that those in the poor areas of London and other big cities should help themselves and strive for a better life, and yet takes away all means for them to do so. And then there were riots. This isn't rocket science. If people have got no hope or no voice, then they turn to less traditional means, in this case crime. Is that the right thing to do? No, of course not. But you do sometimes wonder what other option they might have.

Am I from that part of town? Luckily, no. But I do know what it's like to hide behind the curtains and pretend we were not in every week when the rent-man or milk-man called because we couldn't pay them. And I do know what it's like to be exploited by banks for being desperate. And I do know what it's like to be hugely in debt with no-one willing to give you a hand to get out of that debt. I was lucky; I had creative outlets with which to express myself, and I was savvy enough to finally get myself out of that situation. And I was damned lucky once the debts were cleared (via bankruptcy I might add) to find someone who believed in me enough to accept me at university with virtually no relevant qualifications - and I haven't looked back. But it doesn't mean that everyone is that lucky.

Having said all of that, the case of the shootings last week was more seemingly related to mental health than the reasons given above. But this thread has seemingly gone beyond that particular case now.