Denver shooting ....

eric lavine wrote: odds are in his favor so hit the ground lol, i really dont want to stand up in a theater with a guy that is outgunned than you and is already shooting people, and when you do stand to take the shot which you better be a damn good shooter, that you dont hesitate. it probably took him under 45 seconds to kill these people so time is also not on your side....

As someone who often carries a .380 or a .45... I can't agree more with Eric on this. An AR-15 with a 100 round magazine spitting out bullets traveling 4 times the speed of sound as fast as a crazy guy can pull the trigger. I'm cowering, hiding,covering up loved ones and hoping for the best.

agreed

No Buck fever there. Out numbered and guned and he hit them both before they got off a shot. That is a crime deterrent. Big

Let us not forget that this was a horrible act committed by a total nut job that deserves all the torment that life can throw at him for the rest of his miserable days.

The gun ownership and gun culture in the US is very very different from that of the UK but these senseless acts can and do happen the world over.
Despite being brought up in the countryside where hunting/shooting is a normal part of daily life I have never and would never pick up a gun for any reason, I am not anti guns but they are just not for me.

I don't believe in knee-jerk reactions for anything where laws are changed and further restrictions are imposed because there is no legislation for nut jobs, you guys that feel comfortable using and owning guns should be allowed to continue doing so as is your right.

The tragedy is making the prime time headlines over here in the UK so I am sure everyone is sending their prayers to everyone affected.

05 210 wrote: MattB wrote: Are further restrictions on gun ownership the solution?     Absolutely not. This has nothing to do with icky guns and everything to do with an unstable person. The biggest cities in the country have some of the most strict gun laws and the worst crime. . People do this crap because it makes the news and they gain world wide attention.      Personally, i think it should be mandatory for everyone who can legally own a gun to have one for home defense and they should be trained to use it. People who are uncomfortable around guns are so because they have never been properly introduced to them. There is zero reason for anyone to be afraid of guns or responsible gun owners. The only way crime will decrease is if the criminals are the one's who are afraid.

Well spoken Mike! I'm with you on this.
Belgium has enormous gun restrictions. The basic rule is: we are not allowed to have a gun... Getting a permit is very hard. And when you get a permit, it is only to be able to own a gun, tranport it to your gun club (ammo and weapon in seperate cases) where you must be member in order to get your permit. Or you must be certified member of a hunting club in order to own a hunting rifle.

In my VERY VERY humble opinion is that they weakened the reponsible law obiding citizens and strengthen the criminals in this country... But hey, that's just me

I apologize Matt if you thought my post was directed towards you. I understand perfectly what you typed and was not trying to misquote anything. I " short quoted" your statement because that was the part of the statement that i was addressing. My intention was to answer, IMO, that part of your statement, not to seperate it from the rest of your post and make it look like you intended it to have a different meaning.

I am curious tho, you stated above that you have never and will never pick up a gun as they "are not for you". If you dont mind me asking, I'm wondering how you can make a statement like that based on zero experience. I could see your point if you had shot a weapon and didn't enjoy it, but thats like saying wakesurfing is not for you if you have never tried it. Not trying to be nosey, just curious and if that feeling is based on a previous tragedy in your life I understand if you dont feel the need to explain.

Mike

A gunsmith and firearms dealer once told me that an "armed society is a polite society." I grew up 45 minutes south of Boston. I've had a car I was riding in shot at because we had no money when someone tried to hold us up. I had a childhood friend killed execution style after being car jacked by a 16 year old. I've witnessed drive by shootings. All of this in a liberal state that has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country. All of these things coming from illegal weapons. I've also known a guy that got the crap kicked out of him by a bouncer, who happened to be the father of his ex's child. He went to this guy's place of business(a strip bar) killed the guy, his manager, took everyone hostage, shot up a police car then committed suicide. All because of jealousy and insecurity. This was done with a legal weapon he jumped through hoops to own. I feel that too much restriction creates a void in the ranks of gun owners. Only criminals and those willing to commit lots of time and money into being "qualified" to own one. Now I live in Vermont, another very liberal state, where gun ownership is much less restrictive. Anyone who can legally own a pistol can carry it concealed. You never hear of random shootings, car jacking, hostage situations or the like. Someone who pulls a gun around here has no idea who else around them is carrying. Now does this kind of thing work everywhere in the country? No way, but that is why firearm ownership should be controlled at a state level and minimally at the federal level. What works here in rural Vermont won't work everywhere but it should be for the people living wherever they happen to live to decide!