Marilyn, I agree!
I work in a wonderful small town Tiverton. I would not say it is a rich area, but it is defenetely quiet. Every day when going foe my coffee, I see a car with a big fat cop eating something there.
Once an alarme went on in my workplace when a new employee forgot to turn it off when entering the building. The cops arraved shortly, and one of them at this moment was still eating his hamburger! Yes, they are nice guys, but I doubt that they can provide a real protection in a case of a real robbery.

I am sick of all this jibber-jabber over guns and laws....The only use I can see for it all would be possibly spur people on to become part of the solution and not part of the problem....We all have are own opinions but I believe that we all need to focus our energies on the victims of the massacre and their families....not on the murderer and how he came about to commit this nasty deed....as one person stated who was being interviewed on the news while on the campus of Virgina Tech...I have not read more than 3 posts on this thread because it disgusts me so much as to the focus away from those individuals who need our empathy and prayers....PEACE ABOVE ALL

Marilyn, I agree, there are alot of bad cops, but....there are also some very honest, hard working cops. I don't believe anyone would take insult to your comments, if anyone here is an officer they "have to" have thicker skin than to worry about comments. Don't sweat the small stuff. I will say in there defense sadly Officer's see the worst in people day after day, thus they burn out. Some eat, some smoke, some drink, the divorce and domestic violence rate is astounding amoungst officers. However...they do a job that no one else wants to. I can sit and say, "why did they not get in there quicker", no one knows how they will react when true crisis erupts. No one. The most fit officer can freeze up, the fat officer can give his life for the job. I am just saying, yes fit would be better, but training is where it is at. Sadly, small towns, smaller budgets, less crimes, less practice, less knowledge on what to do. Alright I am rambling.

Portabella, you are right.
There are definetely some good cops. Just as in any profession: there are good people and bad ones... But I agree that the cops do the job that not too many paople want to do.
I was planning to go to the police academy soon after arrival to the US, but was not accepted since was not a citizen yet at this time. Good thing I did not enter this field, though.

Rob, I must say I loved your post #50 in this thread. Damn well said... thank you for such valuable input.

Thanks, Anthony, I'm glad you liked it. It was something I felt like writing that day.

Have a Good Day,

Rob

Anthony, Claire and other "foreigners" I ask you to consider the position I am in. If I did not have a gun in at least two instances, I would be dead. If I did not have a gun in several separate instances, my life would have been endangered.

In regards to the "would be dead", clearly self-defense. The last was last year. If I did not have a gun present I feel that a man that had forced his way into my home would have done me serious bodily harm or even murderedme. I honestly don't know. And quite frankly, I honestly don't care to debate the potential that was there.

I was raised around guns and for all my life I have been a safe shooter. There have been instances where I have been in the mountains, in a "bad spot" and had to hunt for my next meal. I assure you Anthony, fried rabbit tastes pretty darn good when you're hungry! Personally I love rabbit, period. But nothing like having the ability to take care of yourself in such a place.

I have a violent past. If I did not have a gun, it would be far worse. I wish so much that in seveal instances that I had a gun. If I had a gun, I'd have never been raped. If I was "packing", several instances of assault would never have happened, and one case of attempted murder would have been prevented. Put yourself in my shoes, and ask youself what you would prefer.

One thing that people in other nations fail to recognize when they speak about how wrong America is to have guns, is that no government is perfect. The US government, included. I can tell you of specifically TWO instances where government employees were abusive of their authority, and a civilian in possession of a firearm prevented the situation from escalating. In both instances *I* was the person holding the gun. Just because Americans have freedom does not mean our government is not abusive. Look at Ruby Ridge and Waco. Extreme cases I know, but in each the USG lied repeatedly to the public. Granted mistakes were made on the civilian side, but does that means it's ok fo the government to make mistakes? No, but accidents happen. And I also know that some of the "accidents" were not accidents, but malicious and planned. End result is innocent lives lost in order to get one man, in each case. How many lives were lost when the feds tried to get David Koresh? Can you tell me those children, 5 & 6 year olds, were any kind of threat to the agents? No, not hardly. Likewise, an unarmed woman nursing a baby, what kind of threat is that? These events would be more often if there were no guns.

Guns possession is not for everyone. And there are some people that you really don't want to have guns. But when you look at events like the Virginia Tech shooting, I have to ask you how many lives could have been saved if one or more instructors or students had concealed carry permits and were "packing heat"? At worst, no effect and 33 would still be dead. At best, you could have 33 survivors, instead. That was shown in the shoot out some months back in Salt Lake City at a shopping mall.

A young man goes into a shopping mall and starts shooting. An off duty police office was carrying a concealed weapon and he stopped it right there. A lot less casualties because he was armed. Irregardless of his professional affiliation.

If criminals want guns, they'll get the guns. They won't care if it's illegal or registered. But law abiding citizens DO care. That is the difference. Laws are only there for those that respect them. How often does a pedophile nearly rape a kid, but stop because "it's illegal"? Robberies? Assaults? Try NONE. Again, they don't care. Packing an illegal weapon is nothing compared to assault, rape or arson. In fact, the criminals are more prone to victimize people they know are unarmed than they will someone they aren't sure of.

Ask yourselves this- if you was a criminal and wanted to break into someone's home, whose home would you pick? One where you knw the people living there are unarmed or the one where you know they likely have weapons and you stand a fair chance of getting shot if caught?

More people die in reckless car accident in a 4 months period than they do from gun-related crimes AND accidents all year long.

Something to consider, Anthony.

Great reply to Claire, Marilyn S. You pretty much summed it up... I can't understand why there is so many pages of replies to the above post.

Wow, great to see you back Mac. Missed you. Hope you are doing well. Lots of responses as well you know we all have an opinion. Hell, even my hubs posted, shocker! But he is into political debates. Mine are just from the heart, he knows laws inside out. Frustrating having a guy so book smart leaving me in the dust on law and rulings so our ideas our different. But I must say I wonder when he will take our little girl out for her first hunting trip and learn to use. I guess that is my thing, they do not seem like a big deal. You are trained it is a tool. You know to be careful. Until I was an adult I never even had it go through my head to use it on a human. It was for food. My daddy was arrested more than once for poaching, but it was to keep food on the table when I was a kid. He probably got in more trouble for shooting deer than a druggie for packing. Sorry I am a bit lippy this evening. And the anti hunters... It is a major rush to know you made a kill that will feed your family for months. You feel a big pride. Some tried to make this a VAT debate but it was really a non issue in the debate.

CJ, excellent reply. Well said and things to think about. Cultural difference has a lot to do with it I believe...