How many DPers own or support guns?

Well, a happy slap isn't an act of violence recorded by a mobile phone camera. The 911 incident was recorded by phone cameras, it isn't a happy slap. A happy slap is someone slapping someone for the purpose of filming it and sending it to other mobile phones. Rapes and people being burnt aren't happy slaps. Wikipedia isn't the most reliable source.

I would rather not carry a gun on my person for the purpose of 'self defence'. It varies greatly, there's also few attacks (percentage wise) which are hate beatings or rapes. If someone runs up and steals your ipod or mobile phone (probably some of the most common street crime in the UK), what good is a gun? Also, your question doesn't give you the option of using other self defence methods, such as pepper spray.

I don't agree. If someone comes up to me and starts beating me, I pull out a pistol and shoot him, he dies, I would think that the fact I had the gun on me would contribute to the fact he died. If I had pepper spray he wouldn't have died, if I had a blade there's a less chance he would've died. Everyone has a point in their life where they want to kill someone, but noone does it. When you give them the tools to do so, it becomes more appealing. For a small minority, this is carried out. This small minority however, still accounts for thousands of deaths.

When 10,000 murders in the US in 2000 were committed using firearms, I believe the easy ownership of guns plays a large factor in that.

 

I unfortunatly don't own a gun. The laws in Canada are severe and it's hard to buy a legal weapon if you don't have a license. I want to buy a Desert Eagle someday, always loved the style of that handgun.

Weapons are Evil. I love weapons.

 

Googe Query - Define:Happy Slapping
Happy slapping is the term used to describe the phenomenon of an individual or group slapping or striking a stranger while an accomplice films the assault using a camera phone or smart phone.

Happy Slaps are what escalated into this. Call it what you what... it really doesn't matter what we call it, the whole point is that you said the UK has little crime... I think I posted 8 or so good examples that it does (rapes, murders, people set on fire, minors, etc)

The real question is - if the potential theif saw that gun holstered on your belt, would they still try to rob you?

When my life was on the line from a gang of 20 thugs or a crazy person running at me with a knife - I surely would rather have a loaded pistol in my hand than a weak can of pepper spray

No, but you might of

You do realize that 10,000 murders is 0.003% of the population. Even though any murders is a shame, it's hardly what I would consider a war zone .

 

Yo-yo wrote:

Or would he just have shot you to prevent him from getting shot?
And if you would fire that gun at the thief would an innocent bystander catch the bullet intended for the thief?

 

I only show my guns to uninvited guests.

You'll have to guess what size and how many there are. So choose your next house wisely Mr. Criminal.

 

Are you actually suggesting someone who was out to snatch an ipod would just come up and shoot you because you had a gun on your belt?

That really makes no sense at all edz...

I didn't say you shoot someone who steals your ipod... the whole point was that seeing a gun on your belt would be a DETERRENT and the criminal would go looking for another target instead of you.

 

That is the stupidest thing I EVER heard! You should NOT be giving out gun advice my friend.

I have a 12 GA. Right here. Come stand in the other room next to me and let's test your assertion!

I repeat, you are a moron, stop giving gun advice!

 

I don't know about the whole drywall thing, but shotguns are good home defense weapons because an inexperienced or less accurate shooter can hit the intruder easier than say with a single bullet.

 

I used to have a couple guns when I was teenager, it used to be cool to flash them around at parties and stuff. But now that am old I don't have one, I keep meaning to pick up another shot gun , becasue I live in Florida now, and people do cazy shit after the hurricanes, probaby a cheap model mossberg

 

When I moved to Arizona I stopped in a police station and asked if there were any unusual gun restrictions. The female cop said, "Sir, you can legally walk through downtown Phoenix with a loaded gun on your hip--as long as it isn't concealed. You need to get a permit if you want to conceal it."

I've got several European friends who don't really understand the gun issues in the US. The fact is that the cities and states with the strictest gun laws have developed some of the highest violent crime rates. Will is correct that when concealed carry laws are passed, crimes rates have almost always dropped, and sometimes very dramatically. It appears that criminals are rather risk adverse when they don't know if granny is packing heat.

The fact is that the police here can't protect you from violent crime, and their ability to bust violent criminals is continually eroded by politicians who are more concerned with protecting the rights of criminals. Some responsibilities you just have to deal with yourself.

 

For most of the UK, no. Criminals don't have guns. Not the sort of criminals that will break in to our homes or mug, rape and cause us the bother.

You can bet if a burglar enters our home they will scarper if disturbed. If not, wielding a baseball bat of a kitchen knife will soon see them running off.

A mugger in the street? Around here, telling them to 'Fuck off' will see them on there way. Either that or you give them your cash and they're on their way, and you claim on your insurance or from your bank.

Personally with the fear, shock and andrenalin going through a woman faced with rape or an assault - I wouldn't want any woman to be armed with a gun in this circumstance. It's easy to bungle a pepper spray attempt when in a mad panic, nevermind a would-be rapist wrestling with your wife while she trys to get her gun out and well... anything could go wrong.

Firing guns for fun I don't have a problem with, and if common petty criminals (the ones that cause us bother) here actually carried guns, I'd sure want one myself.. but they don't..... so it just isn't nessasary.

Pete

 

You could say carrying a gun out in public makes you more of a target. You may be followed, shot or killed for it and attract a different more vicious kind of criminal then your iPod thief.

Pete

 

I find it amazing that so many responded to yo-yo`s list of weapons with suspect. Each of those weapons have different functions. And it really wasn`t a drastic list.

 

Well, we live in a very closed-minded, judgmental, ignorant society (and world). I didn't find it surprising at all.

 

Yo-yo wrote:

It is a possibility! The agressor has the advantage since the one being robbed is the pray and doesn't (in most circumstances) realize he/she is about to get robbed. Therefor the agressor shoots first to prevent being shot themself.

This of course does not apply on all robbers.

People get shot for far less expensive items so why would it not happen for an Ipod?

Gadood wrote:

Excellent point Pete.

 

Highly doubt it. A guy that's looking to steal your ipod is doing it for the easy target and easy money. If he sees you've got a gun, his risk increases quite a bit for that small amount of money.

Once again - back to the topic of self defense. Ask yourself this question:

If you could have a) nothing b) pepper spray or c) a handgun - and you were trained and qualified on shooting that handgun safely what would you chose in the following situations:

1. A gang of 15 or so thugs surrounds you to beat you for the heck of it.
2. A guy with a big knife wants to rape your wife
3. some racist wants to kill you with a baseball bat because your black, white, or whatever.

Do you seriously think for 1 second "pepper spray" is adequate for defending your valuable life? . Of course not. But I can assure you, 99% of the times any of those events happened, if you pulled out a loaded handgun and showed them you were willing to use, they would be gone.

 

I find yo-yo's illusion that guns offer people blanket security in most circumstances quite amazing.

His list of guns? I couldn't careless. Good for him if he enjoys owning and firing them. It's like any other hobby or interest.

I'd like to go to a gun club here in the UK but the hassles of actually joining up to invitation only clubs and what-not put me off bothering.

Pete

 

The actual context you replied to was this

Other type of criminals Yo-yo, otherrr types.

 

So is getting trampled by a camel or killed by a pack of wild 6 year olds. Let's be practical .

It's common sense and logic.

Who's a more appealing and easy target for a robber?
A) A big guy
B) A small woman

Who's a more appealing and easy target for a robber?
A) A woman in a big public crowd with well lit lighting?
B) A woman alone in a dark parking lot?

It's obvious... just like it's obvious that a robber doesn't want to take the risk of being shot by you when he know's he can snatch something from the unarmed old lady who comes after you.

 

Illusion huh? Let's take a walk through the rough part of detroit or compton, I'll carry my gun and you can carry your pepper spray