Bipartisan Senate group proposes ‘no fly, no buy’ gun measure

[pbrower2a]

(04-28-2018, 10:37 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(04-27-2018, 10:50 AM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: I have claimed that if one is afraid of a terrorist or nut shooter, one should seek training, the right equipment, and be mentally prepared.  That seems a common red perspective.

There are many among the blue who seem obsessed with the worst case, that the training, equipment and readiness will be perpetually inadequate.  In some ways one is right.  You have to be a veteran, to have regularly encountered lethal incidents, to be truly ready.  You can only do so much in the classroom.

Me, I have studied western armed conflict and eastern unarmed.  I do not see the preparation as useless.  It seems obvious I can't convince those that avoid the training.  By inclination and inexperience, they remain perpetual victims and ready to perpetuate this helplessness.  They will say absurd things like it is not risky or less risky to let a lethal shooter continue to shoot and kill.  They seem ready so say anything to retain helplessness, the lack of responsibility for self defense and that of the community.

And the result is the sort of stalemate that comes from world view clash, with greatly varied understanding of how the word works.  To me, it is the blue who seem irrational.

These are good points, so let me ask a question: if we are planning to rely on well trained and mentally prepared members of the general public to be our safety shield in times of danger, what is the downside to this?  It sounds remarkably like a Samurai culture, which worked in a very disciplined Japan in the past, probably would not work in the Japan of today and seems totally out of step with America in the past, present and future.  In short, I don't see this as a viable model, and some very limited variant would be not just less valuable but actually antithetical to law and order -- the assumed target.

It's the old cats and dogs discussion; cats just don't play well as a team.  Dogs do.  All of which raises the question, are we socially more like the latter than the former?  Personally, I think not.

I make my choices based upon statistical probability (if emotion does not get too strongly involved, and emotion is human -- and necessary for what makes us human). I prefer not to be driving around as the bars close, during fog, or on iced roads. I can usually wait for some other time in which to do what I need to do. Having heard of the crash of a jetliner does not cause me to buy a motorcycle, which is about the most dangerous way to get around. I do not smoke or use street drugs, and even if I drink, I am a light drinker.

Am I perfectly rational? No. If I were I would be a vegetarian. But I come from a farm family, and meat is an indelible part of the culture from which I come.

But guns, aside from sport hunting, are not. Guns are more likely to get one into trouble than to get one out of it. A criminal is more likely to steal my gun in a burglary and use it against me than I am to use a gun against a burglar (who could be more dangerous than a thief, especially if a rapist). A dog? Different story. If I were truly scared of crime and could not move, then I might get a German shepherd, Rottweiler, or Doberman who would scare off an attacker or intruder with a loud bark-- but would leave loved ones alone. If 'Woof! Woof!' didn't scare off a crook with the prospect of injuries slightly less lethal than those of a bear or Big Cat, then the fangs and claws might send the crook to the hospital... and after a suitable recovery, the criminal-justice system. Police officers compete to get opportunities to work with K-9 units... the police units that crooks most dread. An 80-pound police dog can knock down a 240-pound crook easily.

Would I travel to China or South Africa? That's easy. South Africa has a far higher crime rate. Sure, I know the rules in China -- don't do crime, don't bring or use drugs, and stay clear of Chinese politics. But I know that in one country I am more likely to be mugged than in the other. I also recognize that much of the appeal of South Africa is to see such wildlife as lions, leopards, hippos, elephants, and crocodiles in the wild... some of the most dangerous animals on Earth. I'll stick to dogs, animals around which you are usually safe unless you do something incredibly stupid, and cats, animals that act much like leopards but are too small to do any real harm to you unless you do something incredibly unwise. China has the archeological and antiquarian prizes.

Yes, there are means of self-defense that can disarm a crook of a weapon. Press on certain muscles behind the wrist (a former Marine showed me the trick), and a hand opens up, losing its grip. Bye-bye, knife or even gun! You can then step on the gun or knife and take command of the situation. 9-1-1 gets the cops, who will be delighted to relieve you of the weapon... and get your testimony.