Ironically, in 2009 I was in Manhattan, very late on a weekend night, as in walking back to where I was staying at 4 AM. BUT, there were loads of people out at that time of morning. Nothing happened.
Two weeks later, at 9 PM, I was mugged right outside of my home in my small city (30,000). Fortunately, as the mugger pushed my body down on the ground, he didn't get anything cause I always put my wallet in my front right pocket - a trick I learned from being in NYC, but continue to use everywhere.
Stephen, good post as always, but...We also don't think "I shot until I couldn't shoot anymore," while having a certain Popeye flair, are the words of a trained marksman.
The thing is, when a normal and more-or-less sane person is suddenly put in a life or death situation, he will respond as trained (if they are trained) and will keep shooting or keep screaming or keep pounding or whatever it is they thought of. Many police officers under fire have emptied their firearms without realizing it*. And soldiers. And people in a hand-to-hand struggle who win, whether they are the good guy or not. Think of the movie A Christmas Story, when Ralphie finally pops and takes on the yellow-eyed bully. His mom had to pry him off the poor little thug.
But yes, we should think about who has the firearms and under what conditions, given that most people will not be good at nuance (or fine motor control) in an emergency.
* Which is OK if they investigate a broken store window and somebody starts shooting at them, but so very not OK if they panic when they stop a black man for a minor traffic offense, and the driver says "Officer, I am legally carrying, what do you want me to do?"
Yeah, I get that, I just don't see how that's fundamentally different than turning the tables. How is it consistent to say gun laws will prevent shootings but anti-abortion laws won't prevent abortions? Isn't the immediate retort that people will just get them done illegally and dangerously in back alleys? Much the same way gun folks day if we ban guns people will just get them on the black market? I realize there's a fundamental difference since people will always be able to create more people, but if we stop making guns and tear the factories down then guns will eventually disappear. It's just unsatisfying as an argument.
Mind, you might need to get up in the middle of the night to make more warm bricks. And they are always somebody else's chickens at two in the morning.
It was absolutely right when Lorne Michaels and SNL was dragged to filth to allow this horrid asshole Dan Crenshaw on their show to "rebut" some stupid joke they made about his eye-patch or some thing the previous week when he also voted for something horrible. They had this asshole on SNL, where he talked about civility and bla bla bla and this is why Lorne is spineless and SNL sucks. What a fucking snowflake. Crenshaw is an authentically horrible person. they shouldn't have apologized for joking about him, nor given him a national platform and attention that he clearly craved. He's still a horrible right-wing asshole.
And of exceptionalism: sure, most gun owners are more likely to be shot than shoot their gun in self defense, but I know what I’m doing! I would never negligently discharge accidentally fire my gun and hurt someone else! etc.
Which is OK if they investigate a broken store window and somebody starts shooting at them, but so very not OK if they panic when they stop a black man for a minor traffic offense, and the driver says "Officer, I am legally carrying, what do you want me to do?"I don't know how much it varies state to state but here in NC you are required to tell Officer Friendly that or be in violation of the concealed carry laws. And also to be prepared to (most likely) put your hand out of sight in order to pull out your wallet to show your ID and CC permit, and there's another reason for Officer Friendly to turn into Officer "I feared for my life so I emptied 17 rounds into him."
Is that your theory, Darwin? How's Mata Hairy? Nice reference to one of the other great spy shows of the past.
Ironically, in 2009 I was in Manhattan, very late on a weekend night, as in walking back to where I was staying at 4 AM. BUT, there were loads of people out at that time of morning. Nothing happened.
Two weeks later, at 9 PM, I was mugged right outside of my home in my small city (30,000). Fortunately, as the mugger pushed my body down on the ground, he didn't get anything cause I always put my wallet in my front right pocket - a trick I learned from being in NYC, but continue to use everywhere.
Uh, I believe that it's C# and D♭ that are the "same", as are B# and C♭.
But isn't it so cute when he brings them home and gives them to wifey on the barrel of the gun?!
Close enough for trump.
Stephen, good post as always, but...We also don't think "I shot until I couldn't shoot anymore," while having a certain Popeye flair, are the words of a trained marksman.
The thing is, when a normal and more-or-less sane person is suddenly put in a life or death situation, he will respond as trained (if they are trained) and will keep shooting or keep screaming or keep pounding or whatever it is they thought of. Many police officers under fire have emptied their firearms without realizing it*. And soldiers. And people in a hand-to-hand struggle who win, whether they are the good guy or not. Think of the movie A Christmas Story, when Ralphie finally pops and takes on the yellow-eyed bully. His mom had to pry him off the poor little thug.
But yes, we should think about who has the firearms and under what conditions, given that most people will not be good at nuance (or fine motor control) in an emergency.
* Which is OK if they investigate a broken store window and somebody starts shooting at them, but so very not OK if they panic when they stop a black man for a minor traffic offense, and the driver says "Officer, I am legally carrying, what do you want me to do?"
Best fighter on television, until Kato (Bruce Lee) on The Green Hornet.
Yeah, I get that, I just don't see how that's fundamentally different than turning the tables. How is it consistent to say gun laws will prevent shootings but anti-abortion laws won't prevent abortions? Isn't the immediate retort that people will just get them done illegally and dangerously in back alleys? Much the same way gun folks day if we ban guns people will just get them on the black market? I realize there's a fundamental difference since people will always be able to create more people, but if we stop making guns and tear the factories down then guns will eventually disappear. It's just unsatisfying as an argument.
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Interesting.
Mind, you might need to get up in the middle of the night to make more warm bricks. And they are always somebody else's chickens at two in the morning.
It was absolutely right when Lorne Michaels and SNL was dragged to filth to allow this horrid asshole Dan Crenshaw on their show to "rebut" some stupid joke they made about his eye-patch or some thing the previous week when he also voted for something horrible. They had this asshole on SNL, where he talked about civility and bla bla bla and this is why Lorne is spineless and SNL sucks. What a fucking snowflake. Crenshaw is an authentically horrible person. they shouldn't have apologized for joking about him, nor given him a national platform and attention that he clearly craved. He's still a horrible right-wing asshole.
And of exceptionalism: sure, most gun owners are more likely to be shot than shoot their gun in self defense, but I know what I’m doing! I would never negligently discharge accidentally fire my gun and hurt someone else! etc.
And it sounds like you have more than enough reason for that! 😢 (HUG)
He's probably a lousy shot. Rooster Cogburn he ain't.
Which is OK if they investigate a broken store window and somebody starts shooting at them, but so very not OK if they panic when they stop a black man for a minor traffic offense, and the driver says "Officer, I am legally carrying, what do you want me to do?"I don't know how much it varies state to state but here in NC you are required to tell Officer Friendly that or be in violation of the concealed carry laws. And also to be prepared to (most likely) put your hand out of sight in order to pull out your wallet to show your ID and CC permit, and there's another reason for Officer Friendly to turn into Officer "I feared for my life so I emptied 17 rounds into him."
who didn't?