Terry,

Amendment 2
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the
right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

What militia are truck drivers in? Just curious.

 

That is a question that has been debated for years. The anti-gun people say you don't have a right. While the pro-gun people use the second clause "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms."

It all depends on which side of the fence you stand.

kc0iv

 

Well, luckily I am e responsibe adult and I do carry all the time. I don't advertise it and no one except my wife knows I am carrying a gun.

Also, if you do a little research, you'll find countless stories where people carrying a gun have defended themselves while in imminent danger. It's about turning a bad situation around and into your favor and not being a victim.

Don't lump all gun owners into irresponsible people who go around waving guns and bragging about them, because as I said before those people are in the minority.

 

This argument always pisses me off. I've not ever felt the need to brandish my weapon. I've never had to use it in defense. But, BY GOD IT IS MY RIGHT TO CARRY IT WHERE I WILL AND TO USE IT TO KILL SOMEONE WHO INTENDS TO DEPRIVE ME OF LIFE OR LIBERTY.

 

This argument always pisses me off. I've not ever felt the need to brandish my weapon. I've never had to use it in defense. But, BY GOD IT IS MY RIGHT TO CARRY IT WHERE I WILL AND TO USE IT TO KILL SOMEONE WHO INTENDS TO DEPRIVE ME OF LIFE OR LIBERTY. A well regulated militia is one thing. The RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE to keep and bear arms is another thing. So DONT lump them together in a weak attempt to twist our great Constitution. It says what the founding fathers felt it needed to say and by God better be left alone and read and understood LITERALLY. What the hell makes people think it is open to interpretation? Do you not say and write exactly what you mean?

 

This argument always pisses me off. I've not ever felt the need to brandish my weapon. I've never had to use it in defense. But, BY GOD IT IS MY RIGHT TO CARRY IT WHERE I WILL AND TO USE IT TO KILL SOMEONE WHO INTENDS TO DEPRIVE ME OF LIFE OR LIBERTY. A well regulated militia is one thing. The RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE to keep and bear arms is another thing. So DONT lump them together in a weak attempt to twist our great Constitution. It says what the founding fathers felt it needed to say and by God better be left alone and read and understood LITERALLY. What the hell makes people think it is open to interpretation? Do you not say and write exactly what you mean?

 

I have absolutely no problems with "gun ownership".... I have "several", and I'll readily tell you that "I'll be damned" if anyone thinks they can take them away from me....

I realize that the only check and balance that the population has on the government is the right to own and bear arms.

But, when it comes to carrying a weapon (pistol or long gun) in a CMV, I'm not at all sure its warranted. I've been at this since 94' and have NEVER felt the need for one. I've been to some of the biggest and most disreputable shitholes in the country....and never felt threatened or endangered. I carry a "thumper" and several other items...to include a knife or two....and I can lock my doors as well....but again, I've never felt threatened so I have never felt the need to carry.

I've often been labeled as a tad paranoid... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: just ask my wife.... :lol: :lol: but the reality is this....if you "show a gun", I will tell you that were you to "show it to me in anger" and didn't pull the trigger within the first 3 seconds...two things are going to happen: First, I'll take the gun away from you, and second....I'll kick the #$%$$@ out of you for being stupid enough to brandish it. Then, depending on my mood, I may be a real asshole and have you arrested for felony assault for pulling a gun on me.

Now, what is most important....is this: Do you actually have the "balls" to pull the trigger? Really...? Could you actually KILL a stranger? Lots of people talk "trash"....but thats all it is ...trash. But the fact is this: If you pull and show a gun under any circumstances....be it in self defense, you had best be prepared to use it...and within 3 seconds, or you face the severe possibility of having it taken away from you and "executed" with it.

Here's a real "kick in the ass"..... You pull a gun with witnesses around, who can testify that you were not in "imminent danger" of losing your life or suffering bodily harm....and the other guy takes away your gun and kills you with it....he could damn well walk away without a single charge filed against him.... Its called "self defense"....and he defended himself with your weapon.

Discretion is most definitely the better part of valor....and if you keep your head out of your ass and watch what you are doing ALL the time, no matter where you are....you have no reason to carry a weapon like a gun!

 

I can't disagree with you enough on this part. I have been witness to the fact this happens more often than you may think. Four years of working the mean streets of Vegas in EMS has shown me that. Lot's of people who fell victim to random acts of violence through no fault of their own. I've also been on a couple calls where the victim was armed and fought back to defeat the aggressor, sometimes fatally.

I've carried a concealed pistol for about 11 years, and also another 7 years on the job, and have never had to draw my weapon(concealed, not in uniform) and hope I never do. But to answer another question about taking a life? Yes, I made that decision years ago and train regularly in tactical shooting scenarios. Sitting on a range line shooting at a static paper target is not training in my opinion.

 

There are exceptions to every rule or scenario.... I was framing my thoughts in the scenario or the average truck driver. There is a significant difference in our comparatives. The trick is not to place your self in harms way. Sometimes it will happen inadvertently....but where totally random acts occur, there is very little that can be done.

I spent two and a half years in a war....and was involved in fire-fights and know that I killed my enemies, and routinely called artillery on the enemy. There is a significant difference in plugging a target and shooting to kill a human. If one allows "emotion or sentiment" into the equation, they are dead, and the bad guy lives.

 

If you're going to carry a weapon then Greg's approach is to be applauded. Training in a tactical situation will at least give you training for "some" of the stress, confusion, and most importantly...the consequences of a spit second "bad" decision. Too many people who do carry weapons might know how to fire them from the shooting range but that is NOT the situation that they will find themselves in.

I do not own any firearms tho but if I did...I would either want to be an ex-police officer or do what Greg did. Most triggers are pulled in the heat of a moment and if you havn't trained for that then some very serious consequences could happen. I believe I read a statistic that most people killed by guns are killed by someone they know and in a very stressful situation where no one was thinking clearly.

Skywalker...first of all: thank you for your service!!! I suppose that your military training might come in handy if you carried a weapon but I would imagine most if it was designed for a battlefield environment tho I can appreciate your comment of shooting at a target vs shooting to take someone's life. A BIG difference. I most agree with your statement of not putting yourself in harms way to begin with!!! By doing that, your's or someone's life might have been saved by doing that.