i wasnt planning on letting them know until i had planted one square between the eyes...

But if you ... ahhh never mind :rolleyes: :D

But if you ... ahhh never mind

no, i know what youre getting at and i wasnt going to play that game. police carry a gun visibly for two reasons: to use it, and to make visible threat to reenforce authority. if a enemy believes you to be an equal or greater opponent, they are not as likely to attack... and that has been shown throughout history.

i, on the other hand, have recieved some martial training. if i carried a gun, i would NOT make visual threat with it. the only time i would draw the weapon in force would be with the intention of causing death with as little forewarning as possible... because while force is a major deterant, being underestimated is a MUCH better advantage (only most people don't know how to use it properly). same thing goes for hand to hand combat, i would never use my martial arts training on someone unless i intended to kill them. if it wasnt serious i would walk away, take a few hits and swallow my pride, or fight back without using martial arts. its a precept of combat, though, hold your cards back, and when you strike, strike without warning and with the intention to kill.

so now does my rather contrary answer make a bit more sense?

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I take it you have never seen a holster before?
They are quite useful and some are even designed to hold a knife and
extra Ammo....very utilitarian.</font>

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Someone was asking about the statistics about armed populaces being safer...the US. State of virginia has determined just that...and recently (in the last decade) over turned their bans on hand guns and have for the last 10 years or so, started issuing permits to all those who take a firearms safety course...so apparently somone thinks they are a good idea...Virginia is not allone either, I believe most US states have carry permits allowed...and those that didn't have recently started to visit the idea of reinstituting them. Go figure...maybe something is getting through to them after all. The District of Columbia has banned all firearms of any type...and yet...they are perennially near the top of the heap for murders comitted with a firearm....see...laws against guns...don't bother people who are intent on breaking other laws any way....getting caught with the gun is kind of minor next to murder don't ya see.</font>

[ 06-26-2004, 11:47 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

I think the government should actually get their facts right before sending someone into prison.
Almost 18 yrs in prison for being manipulated to plead guilty for something a mentally ill didn't do.
Sometime the justice system really annoys me...they don't listen to the right evidence. Especially when the police come on the crime scene for the first time and they automatically assume things.
Grrr.... :mad:

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Im pretty sure Lauren that they do...they try their best, but the limiting factors of time, budget and being human means that there WILL be mistakes made. We just have to hope that they aren't made too often. </font>

It would also be helpful if the mistakes only happen in cases that don't carry a capital penalty ;) .

LOL, but don’t forget what a deterrent to murder the death penalty has been, just look at how few people are killed in the USA , outside of the murders committed to the innocents in prison of course (thats just collatral damage) An outstanding <s> success </s> errr figure [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

Yeah.

I look at that scenario differently, I mean, I'd defend myself regardless of the situation. Even gun wise, I mean I'd use one to defend myself but I wouldn't say I am prepared to kill. I mean the world has their fair share of psychos, but have the decency to shoot them in the knee cap if they don't have a gun. But normally, I wouldn't carry one anyway. But before somebody gives me the arguement of "Well, if someone pulls a gun on you, wouldn't you wish you had one?" I'll say no, because if someone pulls a gun on me, I'm going to play it smart and run like a bat out of hell [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Oh lord, spending 18 years of your life in prison for something you didn't do? Ohh, they'd have to lock me right back up, because if that came to my ears, there would be some serious carnage there after. But there really is no compensation for that, not money, nothing, because that is an incredibly large part of your life gone to waste for nothing. Good thing forensics is better these days.

Edit: I'm a cat goddess no more! :D

[ 07-03-2004, 05:39 AM: Message edited by: Gangrell ]