Dude, I'm FROM New Jersey. It is anything but civilized.

Re: Why have a gun in car?
 

Bored, are ya, Aurel? :cool:
Really though, considering a hundred-plus people are killed each day by cars, shouldn't the question be; whether cars are " totally unjustified, and can only result in accidents" . . .?

You may remember that when Florida passed its "Right to Carry" laws, the incidences of car jackings increased for rental cars leaving the airports, why?? because the criminals knew that the people in the rental cars coming out of the airports had just gotten off of airplanes and were probably not carrying guns. The rental car companies then started taking their advertising stickers off the rental cars.

I was raised with so many guns, that after awhile, I never took interest in them. I saw continually saw them so in a sense, it bored me that all they're good for is shooting at stuff/animals/people/one's own face.

I knew gun safety though - like "Don't touch!" which I didn't.

I think the perception of children killing one another with their folks' gun is a class issue at best. Usually those whose kids do kill themselves or other kids, are quite low on the human food chain to begin with vis-a-vis gangbangers, drug addicts or just general unthinking people.

Liberia, Congo, Iraq is an unfair comparison and OT, really. Those are rogue nations that are either governered by dictators or have no authority at all. Having a gun is axiomatic in that type of scenario?

I personally would love to carry "Bertha" around, but not only is it illegal in the state of California but it is a felony. You get caught, lose your weapon, lose your car and you lose your freedom to go about your business. To me, it's not worth the trouble. I've been very fortunate that I've been to many "bad" places and no one bothers me.

exactly. and these are much bigger killers than any collection of guns

it's interesting how the subject of guns immediately conjure up in the human mind thoughts of them being malevolent talismans that will immediately send the hapless person who stumbles across one into a killing rage. besides, more people die each year from assaults with knives, but I don't see anyone lobbying to ban cutlery

This thread may be on the way to becoming controversial. Someone might complain. The moderators had better delete it.

But, before that occurs, my 2 cen -

Banning cutlery, LOL.

I mean, really: on airplane flights, we're either supposed to negotiate the steak salsbury with plastic or go without. But then again, when's the last time anyone's seen anything that needs "cutting" on the menu aboard a flight?

Obviously, a gun is just another tool, and it is the user that makes it good or evil. Also, owning one and feeling the need to carry one all the time, anywhere, are two different things. One must be living in a permanent state of fear to feel that need.
Knives are different in my opinion. They require a more conscious and active participation to hurt. Anyways, my feeling is that all weapons carry a dose of evilness that can fire back at you. This is true for guns, but also for nuclear, chemical and biochemical. Non proliferation, control and reduction are more than needed on this planet. So, I do my share by not owning one. One may say I take the risk too, but I am willing to take it, and to live with no fear. I would be curious to know if anyone carrying a gun has ever actually used it for sel-defense. It looks to me like a psychological support more than anything else.

Aurel

Don't go for a drive in Newark, Clifton, or Paterson. :rolleyes:

In my view, the only time gun ownership would work en-masse is if they weren't concealed. If everyone saw that ol' Joe here had a .45 on his belt, they wouldn't mess with ol' Joe or anyone else.

In Israel, I've heard construction workers in the settlements carry their guns right beside their tool belts. I don't think any logical thinking person is going to mess with them?

OTOH, carrying a concealed weapon to me seems like just another version of "pocket pool." :rolleyes:

I drove in Asbury park and Trenton. Remember Trenton ? I think John Lee Malvo and his buddy spent some time there. LOL
Also, my car broke up in Newark, and I walked a good half-hour to go to the INS. Did not feel unsecure at all.

Aurel

No, that is the situation the founding fathers were probably thinking of when they wrote our favorite amendment.

The problem w/ all gun related debates in the USA is that people will start to pull wierd statistics out of their asses to support an emotional POV, IMO. I am far, far from a gun control nut, (I'm just a regular old nut), :D , but let's try to call a ball a ball and a strike a strike, okie? ;)

Guns are dangerous in the hands of a good percentage of human beings, either because they are evil criminals or stupid darwinists, or a combo of the above. Guns don't kill by themselves, I know, and I have never felt unsafe in the least on a military base or at the police academy. I am also not a pacifist, in fact I would not hesitate to ventilate anyone who threatens my life or my loved ones. So why aren't I crazy about an armed society? For starters, I don't want to live in a place where you need to be strapped to feel safe, in fact I think that statement is an oxymoron. It suggests that you have a real, tangible risk of getting in a shoot-out w/ a murderer while minding your own business out in the world.

How safe are we in our cities? Some would argue w/ it, but I think pretty safe. Unless you are putting yourself into situations where the risk increases, (selling crack on a rival gang's street corner, etc.), most people have a better chance of winning the lottery than shooting a criminal outside of their house in order to save their own lives. The odds are only slightly higher inside of your home, but still close to non-existent for the vast majority of people. There are horrible slums where the risk is slightly greater, but I would never live in one. I'd camp out in the woods like the unibomber before I'd consider it.

As for the "gun-toting states have a lower crime rate" argument, it is meaningless unless you can isolate all other possible factors that could contribute to the delta of crime data, almost impossible due to the fact that rates change regularly in the exact same place due to a lot of reasons. (The economy, population/demographic shifts, etc.) This is a subject of considerable study for me, (criminology), so I have a hard time letting the usual BS propaganda slide. Sorry for the rant, back to your gun turrets. ;)

Flat black spray paint on the lens...:D

Somehow Denis, when you said "strapped to feel safe," S&M came to mind..LOL.

And speaking of S&M...

Actually there are lots of crusades on against knives.

My opinions exactly Dennis, well done. I've lived in CA my whole life, worked a machine shop delivery route in L.A. after high school, and have never once felt the need to have a gun. Ever.

Gee, I dunno, it worked for me. I didn't shoot myself or anyone else, and the loaded Colt 1911 was in easy reach for years.

Although...my guns will be locked up when we have kids (as they are now).

So far, nobody has answered my question that I can reiterate in these terms: Has your gun ever saved your beef ? I am just curious. Cops and soldiers, of course, are not included, since that is part of their job.

Aurel