Defensive gun use stats that surprise noone

It shouldn't surprise anyone that the LA Times is posting a biased article that does nothing to hide their irrational fear of gun rights and gun owners.

In this article from June they claim that defensive gun use isn't as high as 2A supporters claim. What they fail to take into account are all the defensive guns uses that are not reported, because it doesn't suit the agenda of most of the liberal media outlets.

Times when criminals failed to commit a crime simply because a gun was present. Times when criminals didn't even attempt to commit the crime because they knew, or assumed, the occupants of the home or store would be armed.

This is why the majority of gun crimes are committed in gun free zones. Criminals aren't stupid. They aren't going to attempt to victimize people that can fight back. Maybe why they don't attack gyms or places where people could easily overpower their cowardly selves.

No matter how many gun crimes are committed you will never convince me that disarming the public will stop, or even reduce, this. Criminals don't follow laws so they will continue to do what they do, obtain guns by any means necessary, and commit these crimes. If you take away our right to defend ourselves, the only thing you'll increase is the # of victims and deaths.

Stop blaming the NRA. Stop claiming they condone this illegal activity. Stop saying they are blaming the victims for not being armed.

When we day "if someone had been armed, the victim count might have been lower"... That is fact.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-guns-self-defense-charleston-20150619-story.html

I can't say this enough

Why don't strict gun laws reduce crime? Simple answer? Because criminals don't obey the laws. They know there will be less resistance in areas with stricter laws and gun free zones so they choose those areas as their targets. Gives them more time to commit their crime before anyone can stop them.

California already has some of the strictest gun laws in place but that didn't stop the mass murder in San Bernardino. Why? Because criminals do not obey laws. They will obtain their weapons by any means necessary.

Until the database used for background checks is inclusive of all police stations across the US, we can never be fully sure that someone that passes a check is "legit". I'm sure there's a backlog of reports that would disqualify people from purchasing a gun but that information isn't in the database used for background checks.

Until the databases that the president wants to use for background checks (terror watch list) are cleaned up and have legitimate criteria for additions, we can't be sure that people won't be failed or passed when they shouldn't be. The terror watch list has all sorts of folks in it that make no sense. And it takes an act of God to get removed.

We need to do a better job of addressing mental health issues and fully vetting any refugees that want to come here. Have better programs in place to help people with mental health issues so they don't become domestic terrorists.

Just as important, we need to stop allowing these immigrants to change how the US works. They are forcing their lifestyle on our communities and overtaking our world. If they thought America was so great, why are they trying to change it? If you don't like the way America is and works, go back to where you came from. We must stop catering to these people. Stop pandering to these extremists that care nothing for our way of life.

Will you be ready when they come for you?

People say ISIS will be coming to the US. I think they're already here...and more just came into New Orleans in the refugee group that is suspiciously lacking in women & children.

They are biding their time, testing their skills in other places that they suspect may not be as well armed as we are so they can improve their plan before they attack here.

They are not stupid. They are coming. And we are sitting ducks thanks to an administration that's more worried about offending the folks that hate us than protecting us.

We must prepare ourselves. Be alert. Keep your guard up. Even if you don't feel like arming yourself with a gun, do something. Watch your surroundings. Carry a knife, mace, something. You don't know how or when they will attack but it will happen. We must be ready to do what our government refuses to do...save each other!

It's not about gun control

I may sound like that insensitive prick that has no compassion after a tragic event. That's simply not true but I'm sick and tired of gun grabbers immediately turning these events into a call for more gun control.

I have no problem with background checks and such to ensure that's guns don't wind up in the hands of unstable folks. However, I'm not on board with some of the suggestions of these folks that are so afraid of guns that they think nobody should have them.

Criminals break laws. No amount of restrictions are going to stop bad guys from getting guns and creating havoc. All you'll do by outlawing guns is prevent law abiding citizens from protecting themselves when confronted with these lunatics.

You'll notice that nearly every mass shooting occurs in a "Gun Free Zone". Why do you suppose that is? Because criminals know there's nobody there to stop them before they cause a large amount of devastation. Putting up these signs is nothing more than an advertisement for the nut cases to attack.

What we need to fix is the people problem that has become apparent during the last 10-15 years. People have no respect for others or themselves. They believe life is disposable & care nothing for the feelings or needs of others.

Until we fix the people, the violence will continue.

When faced with open carry activists...RUN!

@thegunwire has decided the best way to deal with people that open carry in public is to immediately leave the business. Nevermind that you have unpaid goods and services on your person and could be charged with theft. It makes much more sense to break the law than be a mature adult and calmly respond to the situation.

I'm sure the stores won't mind at all and you won't be remembered for being the nitwit that caused a scene that involved the police because you ran out on the bill. If your desire is to leave the establishment fast, you'd be better off calmly paying the bill first because you'll be detained gar longer if the police are called.

This is yet another example of how idiotic people have become. It is NOT ok to break the law just because you don't like what someone else is doing. If you don't agree and want to leave...Fine! Do it the right way and don't be an ass about it.

If you really think about it, you can tell a good guy with a gun from a bad guy with a gun pretty easily.

Good guys will openly carry so you know who they are.

Bad guys are going to hide their weapons until it's too late and then you're screwed.

Don't be too quick to assume but be aware of your surroundings.

You can't regulate stupidity, morality or courtesy (Or, a world full of assholes)

The Political Parent claims "I'M DONE"!!

I never cease to be amazed at these people.

#NotOneMore they yell...yet they cannot provide one ounce of proof that making it harder for honest citizens to get guns will stop the bad guys from getting them. I'd just like one of them to stop their ranting, about how horrible the NRA and gun owners are, and explain to me why they believe that criminals, who don't obey the current laws, are going to become law abiding citizens if we put new laws in place.

Like they are going to say "hey, this is new...maybe we should follow the laws now". No, that's not how it works. That's never how it's worked. And if they'd look at the facts a little more closely they'd see that there are many situations where a good guy with a gun has stopped a bad guy with a gun before more fatalities occurred.

This "74 school shootings" quote that they are all referencing is from a member of the Everytown crowd and they admit that their statistics include assaults, homicides and suicides. I'd wager that they also include instances that happened "near" a school or a school sponsored activity and not actually at the school where the kids were at all.

I believe 1 of them was a teacher that committed suicide, after school hours, in his office. Noone else was around. I hardly think that qualifies as "gun violence".

It amazes me that these people think you can regulate common sense, courtesy, decency, morality! It's not going to happen, people. You have to deal with the real problem, which is the fact that the US has become a country full of entitled assholes that don't feel they have any consequences for their actions and no respect for others.

Until people stop being worthless wastes of space, the problem will remain.

It's not all about you

When will we stop focusing on these mass killing sprees and worry about the daily violence that is taking people out daily? How about ending the focus on banning guns and worry about the other ordinary household items that are being used to kill people on a daily basis such as butcher knives, screwdrivers, etc.

I don't know if it's completely accurate or not but the graphics at this link provide some interesting data regarding the types of guns used for mass shootings, how they were obtained, etc. The comments on the website provide some additional insight that might get you thinking about your current stance on this subject.

Again, it all comes back to the people behind the violence. A gun, knife or other sharp object will do nothing without the force of a person behind it. I think we can all agree that anyone that thinks it's acceptable to kill anyone else for no reason is not sane.

People need to take more responsibility for their actions, their possessions, etc. Take the feelings and lives of other people into consideration before doing or saying something. IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU!

Yes, you have certain rights but...SO DO I! And your rights don't trump mine. A little common sense, common courtesy and common decency should be used when doing anything in life!

If more people had respect for others, we wouldn't be in the situations we are now.

Too many self centered, entitled people in this world that probably should have been beaten a little more as children!

Focus shifts to mental health as opposed to gun control

Congress has decided to focus on mental health issues to curb gun violence instead of gun control because it's not being fought by folks like the NRA.

I'd say that is what they should focus on because that IS the problem. Stop trying to blame your change of focus on the NRA.

Can you honestly tell me that you think any of these folks committing mass murders are in their right mind? Maybe if we were using the resources we have to their fullest the criminals wouldn't be able to get guns through legal channels.

Granted, that won't stop them from getting them illegally if they really want one but it might make it a little more difficult.

Paper vs Bullets...who wins?

The answer? NOBODY WINS but the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence thinks shootings could be prevented by putting a "Gun Violence Restraining Order" in place.

There are already multiple restraining orders in place that do nothing. What good is that piece of paper when that person approaches you and you are alone, unarmed and unable to protect yourself? All that piece of paper does is make the person it is drawn against even more angry and possibly more determined to harm you.

Unless you have a police escort 24/7 a restraining order is no protection against these lunatics that are out to harm you...no matter what their method.

NRA to blame for death by vehicles & knives now?

First, let me remind you that the victims of this horrific crime spree were not all killed by gun shots. 3 were stabbed to death, 3 were shot and 13 more were injured in other ways, 4 by being run over by the criminals BMW. That means, 19 people were hurt or killed...only 3 with a firearm, yet the headline of this article says "Calif. student goes on shooting rampage". Even if you only count the fatalities...the percentage of deaths by knife and gun are the same! Why was this turned into an anti-gun rant? Talk about a biased reporter and publication. How is that a fair headline when the majority of the damages were not even carried out with a gun?

Now, on to the story at hand. The father of one of the victims is understandably upset but his misdirected grief & blame are way off base in the article posted by the Washington Post. Not surprisingly, these articles always fail to point out that this happened in California, where stricter gun laws are already in place. We can all see how well those worked.

This father says he doesn't blame the parents of the gunman, or the police, or the mental health system. He blames the NRA and has no qualms saying so. Apparently his experience as a criminal defense attorney has blinded him to the true ways of the criminal mind. On that note, I wonder how many similarly charged criminals he's represented in his career!

'Martinez reserved his anger for the NRA, saying he has no understanding for the group’s position on automatic and semiautomatic weapons after a series of mass murders involving such weapons.

“I’m angry with the leadership of the NRA who always want to characterize this as if it’s a lone madman. That it’s an act of nature we have to tolerate,” he said. “I am angered by how they have worked to normalize this.”'

Nobody accepts these lunatics and their shooting sprees as normal and if they do, they are clearly the folks that we need to start looking more closely at...as they probably shouldn't have access to guns either.

Yes, there are some extreme members of the NRA that feel all gun laws are too harsh but they do not speak for the majority of us. There are equally extreme characters on the anti-gun side as well and I've seen many hateful, almost threatening, posts from many of them. Don't try to act like the NRA members are the bad guys here!

Most NRA members will tell you that we need better methods of keeping guns out of the hands of those that could be dangerous; however, you won't stop criminals from getting guns by also stopping legitimate citizens from buying them! I don't know why this is such a difficult concept to grasp for these extremists on the anti-gun team!

Stop the extremists!

In the debate over gun control there are far too many irrational extremists on both sides. The "gun grabbers" want to block all gun sales and stop people from buying & owning any gun for any reason. The pro-gun folks think you should be able to open carry any firearm, anywhere, any time.

Luckily, the majority of folks involved in this debate are somewhere in the middle...at least I hope that's the case. Unfortunately, those of us with rational arguments regarding the problem of gun violence are frequently pushed aside for the extremists and their psychotic ramblings that offer no solutions and reflect their lack of common sense.

Here are the most important points (at least in my opinion)

1. Tighter gun laws will NOT stop criminals from getting guns. They don't follow the current laws, why would they follow new ones?

2. In the absence of guns, criminals will find other weapons that are equally lethal and legal to obtain

3. If you restrict guns sales to legit owners, then only criminals will have guns and more people will be unable to defend themselves and more will die.

4. Better background checks would be beneficial as long as we can be assured that the government isn't going to try something stupid down the road and want to confiscate guns because they can't control things.

As I've always said... It's not a gun problem. It's a people problem.

We have to deal with the problem of mentally ill people in this country. Far too many people can't get help and those are the folks we should be watching for. They need help and we need better programs to identify these folks and get them the help they need.

Another issue is the sense of entitlement that many of the younger generation have. We've spent so much time telling them that they are all winners that they don't know how to deal with disappointment and failure when they get into the real world.

We have to stop worrying about our kids being upset because they don't win at everything. They need to experience competition, failure & let downs so they are prepared for life.

Life sucks, it's not fair and everyone can't always be the best. That is no reason to go postal and start killing people. You can't always get what you want and you need to learn to respect other people and their things.

It's not the weather...these people are evil

I'm so sick of excuses being made for people behaving badly. No, it's not the weather making you shoot people. It's the fact that you're a douchebag that can't make anything of yourself so you choose a life of crime, like that's supposed to make people look at you differently.

36 shot in 36 hours in Chicago