Gun Control

[no1son]

I did fuel up with gas this morning, and before I stopped my truck, a man of color had already come to the pump removed the nozzle waiting on me to get out. I politely ask him to put the nozzle back into the holder, and please step away from my area, I don't need any help. He was cold and I was cold, I went in a bought a cup of coffee and asked the cashier if she knew this guy was doing this, she acknowledged, I gave her a dollar to give to the guy. One never knows when crap like this can go south

He was panhandling and you paid him for it. I go to work before dawn and usually gas up on the way in, generally around 4 or 4:30. I would simply have driven off, because gas stations that do not manage their pumps any better than that will not get my business. Around here the station clerks are directed by their companies to report that kind of thing to the police. I expect a merchant to provide a better ordered business situation than that or I will not deal with them.

[Tracker123]

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I agree anything can happen at anytime but if that particular individual has wished to do you harm it is doubtful you would have had time to stop him from doing so... Staying in self defense mode all the time is next to impossible to do and also go about our everyday living... I have not in my 67 years of living seen a need to have a firearm available to me for self protection.

I live way out in the country. My driveway is over 1/2 mile long, no neighbors here. I have signs posted along the way that I made. One says " no camping, no fishing, no hunting, no nothing, go home!". The next reads "I would turn back if I were you". The next reads "Does anyone know you are here?". And the last reads "No one gets to see the wizzard, not no way, not no how!". When someone drives up not invited, they best have a reason. I am ready.

[fishingpox]

Yes, I knew exactly what was going on. If it were not so cold, not so early in the am, and more people there, he and I might have had a conversation. You guys think I'm cold hearted , but I really do feel sorry for the less fortunate. At least he was out working. The advantage was mine. You are right though, I was the enabler.

[no1son]

I had my hand on my gun, though the gun was in its holster and was never drawn.

Please review your state's laws about assault with a deadly weapon. Had you drawn on the guy who was not specifically breaking any law nor threatening you, you might have actually committed a felony. In some places specifically holding even an undrawn, but openly displayed weapon during a confrontation is enough of a threat to get you charged. The guy was annoying for sure and you should not have had to deal with him in the first place, but not worth jail time to you and perhaps even having your gun rights withdrawn as a felon.

One of the problems with stand your ground, right to carry and shoot laws is that the line between self-defense rights and a felony rap is a very fine one. You guess wrong and the penalties can be harsh. It really pays to do some careful study about where to draw your lines. If you are going to carry a weapon, it is your responsibility to be informed about the legal limitations on its use, and there always are some important ones.

[fishingpox]

Believe me, I have spent many hours reading cases about CCW in Arkansas. We actually have a duty to retreat. Which I do not agree with, but it is the law. Shoot someone that is unarmed , one has a lot of splaining to do. But no one just can't brandish a gun, if you pull it out, you better shoot, and you Dayum better be in the right.

[HLLeonard]

Well, I'll hope for your and your family's sake, the day never comes you regret your stance. I don't have an issue with your choice, so how about extending the same respect to others? I mean as far as I'm concerned, it's YOUR Right to protect (or not) yourself and family however YOU see fit. You're no more or no less than anyone else in this country, so don't think you are in that you can decide what THEY can and cannot do to protect theirs..

ETA: It always happens to the other guy...............

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Not sure why everybody seems to get the impression that I am 'anti-gun' I don't have a problem with anybody thinking they feel safer with a piece on them, I believe paranoia is an ugly creature and thats how I see that situation... I don't think as some of you guys do that our schools ought to be armed to the teeth, I don't have a problem with trained armed guards but the expense would be pretty heavy considering that even in a smaller town there might be 3 or 4 schools, thats a good many full time trained officers and my point has been during this entire discussion that taxes are plenty heavy enough already and I doubt seriously if armed guards would have prevented even one of these tragedies over the years.

[crappielimits]

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Not sure why everybody seems to get the impression that I am 'anti-gun' I don't have a problem with anybody thinking they feel safer with a piece on them, I believe paranoia is an ugly creature and thats how I see that situation... I don't think as some of you guys do that our schools ought to be armed to the teeth, I don't have a problem with trained armed guards but the expense would be pretty heavy considering that even in a smaller town there might be 3 or 4 schools, thats a good many full time trained officers and my point has been during this entire discussion that taxes are plenty heavy enough already and I doubt seriously if armed guards would have prevented even one of these tragedies over the years.

90 billion on green power? More on foriegn aid? We bringing soldiers home? Why can't we protect our children? I promise, if you take the guns, it will get worse. In countries where guns are hard to come by suicide bombers and homemade explosives are much more gruesome! We need the jobs anyway! Especially if bringing all those soldiers home without jobs!

[canebreaker]

I live on a dead end road off of a busy road, close to the interstate. The last city officer that drove down it thought it was a driveway, some 2 years ago. I don't get into my yard or fields without a piece on me. I don't walk from my bedroom to my living room without it. Most of my visitors want gas. The station is 3/4 miles up the road. I drive some 90 miles for al free gas for my equipment. I'm sure not going to give it away. My wife works in a gun free zone, one in the car since she gets home at 3 am.
My day is busy from 12:45 to 5:15 everyday. I pick up 5 grandkids from 5 different schools and take them home. I get here in time for my wife to head to work. One school has a city officer that patrols the halls, mostly around the office. Another has a county officer that does about the same. No one in the parking lot or around the schools. Nothing I've seen at the other 3 schools.
I start training monday as a free county agent, 2 weeks training. 8 am to noon, so that won't interfere with picking kids up. Then see what my assignment is.

[jeepguyjames]

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Have you ever answered the door and needed your gun? just curious.

sure have....thank God the sight of it convinced the yahoo to go on down the rd.....with out goimg into to much detail.....answered the door .....young man who seemed to be very intoxicated asked me for money claiming he ran out of gas down the street.....told him i was sorry i didnt have any cash on me and started to shut the door.....the young man stopped the door with his hand and stepped into my door way and demanded money.......you can figure out how the rest of the events played out.....

[Lowellhturner]

Jeepguyjames, clown, fool, ect, is fine with me, and I too am not "anti gun, or even "anti rifle". Realistically, with ALL the firearms being bought by persons who in many cases have never owned 1 before and bought it LARGELY out of paranoia, without bothering to become trained to SAFELY use and STORE it, ie, trigger locks, ect you REALLY think the # of adults and tragically kids accidently shooting themselves will magically go DOWN ? Would honestly BET more than a couple of the hundreds of thousands of new owners keep the AMMO right next to the GUN, or likely even FULLY LOADED where they (and unfortunately their KIDS) can "quickly get to it..." But, hey, NO 'sacrifice' is TOO GREAT to feel "safer', right? God help us all...