2nd amendment confirmed by Supreme Court 5-4

[Winehole23]

Good decision.

Good to see conservatives are now against states' rights.

And liberal lions like JP Stevens are for them, at least in this case.

[Blake]

I am not trying to be rude or condescending here, but I think we can all agree that the media (ALL media) are in it for profit. It would seem, viewership is increased with controversial stories.

Kids dying, gang violence, crime in general, etc.

The news, especially local news, around the country I dont believe is very interested in law-abiding citizens doing law-abiding things. It doesnt create viewers, increase circulation (apparently, judging by their tendencies).

I believe armed citizens successfully avoiding and/or defending themselves, their property and their family happens rather often. Three members of my family have told me stories of them having to brandish weapons in order to avoid dire situations. Those situations, I guarantee, did not make the news for the consumption of everyday Americans.

I'm not trying to be condescending either, but it appears to me that these contoversial, violent stories struck enough fear into you that you felt the need to buy a 9mm and keep it next to your bed.

Its just one small example of the right to bear arms, pardon the pun, bearing fruit. I keep a loaded 9mm in my nightstand, I am childless so there is no safety concern. My house was robbed a while back and admittedly the cir stances surrounding it are far from a typical B&E, but make no mistake, my wife enjoys the added safety.

Just curious, if you had a kid, where would you keep it?

All of this has nothing to do with government officials being the only ones with the right to firearms, of which I am diametrically opposed. I do not trust government because government does not trust me. Realistically, is an armed populace still at the mercy of the government? Of course, so long as the local police forces keep buying surplus military equipment for a civilican populace, this will always be true.

It would seem my instincts are far less trusting than yours and the sentiment gives me pause.

how much firearm power should the general populace be able to have?

[Blake]

This is a disputed quote, but it fits...

You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass. -Isoruko Yamamoto

I forget, did he die before or after the US dropped the bombs on Japan?

[MiamiHeat]

Did anyone bother to point out blake's

"I never hear about..."

as his sole source of logic? Because he hadn't encountered something, it was his foundation for his argument. Ugh. *bangs head on table*


Here's a true story :

When I was around 4 years old, and my family lived in New York, my father, his sister, and my mother went out somewhere one day.

When getting out of the car, a man came to assault/mug them. Before he reached out his arm to grab my dad's sister's purse, my father pulled out his S&W revolver on the guy. The criminal got scared less, and ran away and left my family alone.

[EmptyMan]

The same people who are usually concerned with the federal government having too much power are glad they just confirmed their power over the states in this issue.

If the fed govt doesn't give a about illegal immigration, why should they care about illegal possession of firearms?

awwwwwwyea

LOL @ the ppl scared of guns. That's like being scared that the sun comes up. It is what it is. Just accept reality. No one forces you to own or operate a firearm against your will.

[Bender]

The people like ploto who joke that members who are for states rights are happy with decision to squash states rights regarding the 2nd amendment...
well, for stuff like immigration that the government refuses to do anything about, the states should be able to take their own steps. For Cons utional rights, the states should not be allowed to mark out or erase parts of the Cons ution that they don't like, for example the 2nd amendment.

[PublicOption]

well there was a time that all states in the union confirmed the 2nd amendment.


thats why its the 2nd amendment of the cons uition

[EmptyMan]

I sincerely do not believe that a gun makes someone safer. I know that personally it would not make me feel safer.

You are absolutely right in a way. Just owning a gun does not make you safer. It puts you in a lot more danger and more importantly it puts everyone around you in a lot more danger.

If you understand the firearm, how it operates, and you train with it for different situations...then it makes you exponentially safer along with everyone around you.

Having confidence is mainly what increases survival. Knowing you are prepared is what gives you that confidence.

[boutons_deux]

The guns and ammo industry got the business stimulus it scare-mongered for, and lobbied for. The 2nd Amendment bull is pure smokescreen for business activity.

[Veterinarian]

LOL @ the ppl scared of guns. That's like being scared that the sun comes up. It is what it is. Just accept reality. No one forces you to own or operate a firearm against your will.

tbh I'm pro gun but thats about the most nonsensical argument for guns I've ever heard. The people who want gun control of afraid of getting riddled with bullets not being forced to own one.

[Wild Cobra]

tbh I'm pro gun but thats about the most nonsensical argument for guns I've ever heard. The people who want gun control of afraid of getting riddled with bullets not being forced to own one.

There is no way to prevent those who kill or hurt with guns because you could never get a reasonable number of guns off the streets. All you do is make the average person less protected, and increasing gun crimes.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I think the answer is to flood the streets with guns! Everyone has a gun...! No need to limit the manufatcuring of firearms because we need to make sure that everyone has a gun! Maybe two or three guns per man, woman , and child!

[boutons_deux]

"answer is to flood the streets with guns"

For some reason, America's police forces think this is the worst answer.

[George Gervin's Afro]

"answer is to flood the streets with guns"

For some reason, America's police forces think this is the worst answer.

it would make everyone safer silly!

[Bender]

not to mention names, but there is quite a bit of stupidity in this thread.

[Drachen]

The people like ploto who joke that members who are for states rights are happy with decision to squash states rights regarding the 2nd amendment...
well, for stuff like immigration that the government refuses to do anything about, the states should be able to take their own steps. For Cons utional rights, the states should not be allowed to mark out or erase parts of the Cons ution that they don't like, for example the 2nd amendment.

So then, if a state made a rule excluding anchor babies from getting citizenship, would you be against that?

[boutons_deux]

it would make everyone safer silly!

For some reason, the guns & ammo business thinks flooding the world with guns is the best answer.

Always follow the money.

[RandomGuy]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...802134_pf.html

(AP story)

Nothing on the peekaboo ruling? I'm shocked.

I would have thought that would have you more worked up.

[DarkReign]

I'm not trying to be condescending either, but it appears to me that these contoversial, violent stories struck enough fear into you that you felt the need to buy a 9mm and keep it next to your bed.

Then you would be incorrect with your assumption about "fear" being the driving force behind my owning a gun.

I own a gun because I choose to and have a cons utionally protected right to do so.

There isnt one member of my family over the age of 14 that doesnt know how to handle a firearm, especially something as simple as a handgun.

I keep a gun in my nightstand because crazy happens all the time. For instance, and I am sure a couple Michigan folks can confirm this story, but within the past 2-3 years (my memory sucks) there was a home invasion in Chesterfield township (FAR north of Detroit) where a young married couple (whom my wife graduated with both of them) were bound, beaten and robbed.

Since the dip felons didnt wear masks or the like, they knew the two suspects could identify them, so they had to kill them. So they beat them with clubs while they were tied to chairs, but it didnt finish the husband. So they injected him with bleach...numerous times. It still didnt kill him. So they continued to beat him...still didnt die. Smothering, choking, etc...wouldnt die. He finally died probably from the ulative effect of all the abuse and poisoning.

This happened 10 miles from my house and I knew (vicariously) the victims.

The murderers were apprehended a few short days later. Turns out, they were a young couple who were riding around with a dead hillbilly in the trunk/bed of their car. That poor soul made the mistake of offering help to the young couple up north (where police services arent around the corner). He let them stay in his trailer on his property for free for a couple days, then they tortured and killed him, but didnt know what to do with the body. They burned it, etc.

So while fleeing the scene up north, they needed fast money. They picked a random house, found a young woman there, invaded and accosted her, made her call her husband home for "an emergency". She (unforgivably) complied with their demands and called him home. He rushed home and was assaulted as soon as he entered the front door. They beat and tortured them all night and ended up killing both of them via the methods described above.

That isnt happening to me or my family, ever. I keep a 9mm in my nightstand for when I am sleeping (wife is a notoriously light sleeper and knows to wake me up should she become alarmed), I keep a .380 near my person everywhere in the house, especially in my basement (worst place to be in your house is the basement...no exits). I have patrolled twice in my five years living there, one was a false alarm, the other, IMO, was not. A su ious car kept circling the neighborhood slowing down in front of our house every time (we were watching them through the window in the den). This literally went on for about a half hour, over 15x they passed by, slowed down.

My wife was trippin', very nervous. She called the police, they said theyd send someone right over. 40 minutes later, no cops. Car is still there and at this point, I know there are 3 people in the car. Too dark to get a license plate and only a dumbass, pacifist with no brain goes out to the driveway with a baseball bat like thats a show of force.

So I holstered my 9mm on my belt, tucked my shirt in and stood at the end of my driveway near a very thick, mature tree and waited for them to come back around. They did. They slowed down near me and scoped me out, all I did, no macho , is turn my body to show the piece. They, literally, sped off and never returned.

I stood awake in my den for a good two hours with a loaded 12 gauge seeing if they'd come back. The first car to come around...the police. I explained the exact situation, description of the car, number of people in it, how our house had been robbed recently and every detail. His exact words "You did the right thing."

My father had a person try and break into his house (in Detroit) from below the floor. When the perp got through the floor somehow, he peeked his head through to see a side-by-side 12 gauge pointed at his nose.

My uncle was on a 25ft extension ladder tying a new service in for a commercial building just outside Detroit. A precarious position, to be sure, especially working with 10,000 volts. A group of hoodlums strolled up and started to shake the ladder, demanding his wallet. He said "Sure". Reached in his back pocket for his .38, pointed it at them, ed the hammer and they scattered.

My aunt was broke down on the side of the road on I-75, I dont know if I was ever told what was wrong with the car, a pedestrian pulled over and offered assistance. She accepted, but kept her purse on her. The guy got under the hood and asked her to take the driver's seat to try the engine. He leaned under the hood and she got into the seat. Not 30 secs go by and the guy came around the driver's door and tried the door, never said a word. He started hitting the driver's window to break it, to get in. She reached in her purse, pulled her 9mm, and pointed. He ran back to his car and sped away. She collected herself and looked under the hood. He pulled all the spark plug wires.

The "other outcome" in those situations is not going to happen in my presence or in my life. I have been training with firearms almost longer than I can remember. Only untrained, deliquent morons or untrained children shoot themselves or other people with firearms. My father bought me my first gun (20 gauge, pump action Mossberg) when I was 11. In the first day, I could disasemble it, clean it, and put it back together with no help. Thats the rule in my family before you can keep your first gun.

If you have had the good fortune to never be in a situation where being armed is desirable, good for you, hope that works out for you and your family the rest of your life.

But I have been in two situations where being armed was incredibly desirable...the story I told above and another situation where I was unarmed staring at person pointing a gun at me (I was a teenager, at a party and someone came to the house with a weapon out of anger, I just so happened to be the poor bas nearest the backyard gate he entered in). No thanks.

You can be content trusting your local police force to protect you, you seem to have had no reason to be otherwise. I, otoh, will take active measures to protect myself above and beyond my ability to get to a phone (which, imo, is no "protection" at all). Someone breaks into my house while my wife or I are home, they may have walked in, but theyll be carried out, alive (should they comply) or dead (should they refuse to comply).

Just curious, if you had a kid, where would you keep it?

Same place my father kept it when I was too young to know anything about firearms, in a safe. After that, he always had a lock on his door, I'll do the same.

But my child will be raised with firearms just the same as I was. I never pulled out my "daddy's gun" to show off to my friends. I didnt have to. I shot every single kind of gun before the age of 12, the novelty and "WOW factor" of guns had worn off long before that. They were and are not toys to me. I stopped playing with fake guns before the age of 10 (why play with the fake when youre shooting the real whenever you ask?).

To answer your question, I havent decided. I am thinking of mounting my 9 in a holster behind my headboard to get it out of the drawer (too obvious) and also have a lock on my bedroom door. I keep the safe in the basement, so thats no issue.

Mind you, I have children in my house all the time, so I am constantly locking up my firearms. But they dont stay the night (never will) and they get unlocked every time they leave.

how much firearm power should the general populace be able to have?

Assault rifles, sniper rifles, handguns, kevlar vests and every single type of ammunition made. As much as they want, so long as they legally purchase and qualify under Federal guidelines (no convicts, mentally disabled, have to be of age, etc).

/story

[Bender]

good post DR, interesting.

my son has been shooting with me since he was 8. He knows quite a bit about all types of firearms - semis, bolt rifles, revolvers, and single shots. He also knows all the safety rules and is always very responsible.

[clambake]

darkreign laying it down.

[Drachen]

So then, if a state made a rule excluding anchor babies from getting citizenship, would you be against that?

Honestly, I shouldn't be commenting in this thread, I haven't taken the time to read it, and could be taking stuff out of context.

[LnGrrrR]

Here's my point; even if the guns we are allowed to purchase wouldn't necessarily prevent the citizens from defending themselves adequately from, say, a dictatorship backed by the military, this doesn't mean that we just throw out all forms of protection we do have. Let's face it; guns are a great equalizer and no matter how much Kevlar a person is wearing, they know that a gun fired in the right spot can kill them. It's a sobering thought.

For all those worried about deaths from guns, I would argue that there seem to be far more deaths due to car accidents; that just doesn't get half the sensationalism.

[RandomGuy]

Then you would be incorrect with your assumption about "fear" being the driving force behind my owning a gun.

I own a gun because I choose to and have a cons utionally protected right to do so.

There isnt one member of my family over the age of 14 that doesnt know how to handle a firearm, especially something as simple as a handgun.

I keep a gun in my nightstand because crazy happens all the time. For instance, and I am sure a couple Michigan folks can confirm this story, but within the past 2-3 years (my memory sucks) there was a home invasion in Chesterfield township (FAR north of Detroit) where a young married couple (whom my wife graduated with both of them) were bound, beaten and robbed.... [remainder of post omitted due to length-RG]
/story

Yup. I have never really had a problem with guns, but have never really bothered getting one yet.

Both boys are at the ages 7 and 4, where at least the older one is ready to start learning, and the little one can at least be taught that they are as dangerous as the outlets on the wall.

I will probably trip down to the local walmart in the next year or so, and get a shotgun and pistol, and whatever it takes to keep the kids out of them.

Any suggestions? I don't have a safe or gun cabinet yet and live in a duplex.

[boutons_deux]

"I would argue that there seem to be far more deaths due to car accidents"

Well, yes, cars' primary use is to kill people, so that makes sense, while guns' primary use is transportation.

What about the probability of needing gun to fight back against civil/military troops herding everybody into concentration camps?

What's the probability of getting killed in a car compared to the probability of killing or being killed during a home invasion?

What's the probability of Magic Negro confiscating all legal gun owners' guns? From what the gun nuts and NRA have been saying, it's about 100%, starting from 21 Jan 09.