I think George hits all the major points here. The idea that If only someone there had a gun, it would all be better! is demonstrably dubious as a proposition.
Not that having nobody on the scene who was armed would have been productive, either. But taking the step from there the Walter Mitty fantasy of a bunch of dead-eyed and efficient gun-toting citizens saving the day in a Dirty Harry make-my-day fashion … is a huge step.
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» For all you would-be heroes who think you’ll save the day by carrying a gun… Decrepit Old Fool
The ballistics report is back from the Empire State shooting. It contains some surprises. Or maybe we shouldn't be surprised. This is a long post; I won't be offended if you go right to the link at th…
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Maybe we can compromise and amend the constitution to give everyone the right to bear tasers. 😀
Tasers are certainly less lethal than guns. On the other hand, that sense of lesser lethality has led to heir overuse by law enforcement, with sometimes tragic results.
I like that article. One of the problems with people in the US is that they have become brainwashed by unrealistic portrayals of violence in movies & television. Just as very few people can knock someone unconscious with one punch, very few people have the proficiency with firearms and crisis situations to effectively deal with threats in public places.
It does seem we tend to absorb the mythos presented by the media (a mythos we enjoy and thus ask for more of).
Which calls to mind the argument that there actually is a danger from or damage caused by the mythos presented in pornography (in terms of what it says men want, women want, how do the two genders relate, what's normal, what's desirable, what's enjoyable, etc.). It's an argument I've not tended to believe ("People can distinguish between fantasy and reality"), but perhaps it's true.