October 21, 2010, 09:50 AM | #126 |
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That's a bit of a thread change. Those figures come in part from Kleck and Lott's work. Mainly, Kleck.
If you deep into the criminological literature, there is quite a bit of controversy over the numbers and types of incidents. Might go to Google scholar or a university set of data bases to study up on that. The number of high density area mass shootings is pretty uncommon though. To Azak: If in an incident, a civilian shoots you or yours by accident, do you think action should be taken against them in civil or criminal courts? Should one even consider if their actions were not wise - or do they get an automatic pass?
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October 21, 2010, 11:10 AM | #127 |
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The legal/social consequences of a defensive mis-use of a gun can be significant. Here are some examples of apparent defensive mis-uses:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188599 http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=350239 http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=365683 http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411205 Last edited by Frank Ettin; October 23, 2010 at 08:00 PM. |
October 21, 2010, 01:21 PM | #128 | |
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Interesting discussion.
One comment.. Quote:
We have thousands of youth in this country with premeditated firearm homicides to their credit. Scant few of them have attended formal 'tactical' firearms training, nor grew up on a farm or in the mountains and learned to shoot from Grandpappy. They don't read message boards, they don't know the first thing about a trigger job, and they don't have any interest in reloading. Chris Costa put it well, something like there's nothing defensive about pointing a gun at another human and pulling the trigger. I'm not trying to downplay the value of training for the responsible, mindful, self-deterministic, patriotic, law-abiding, tax-paying, red-blooded, firearm-carrying US citizen. It's incredibly valuable, and the cost of most private courses is money well spent, assuming you show up prepared and do your part. And not just in terms of defensive shooting, but protecting yourself legally after the incident. What I'm saying is that oftentimes we get caught up in the details of the machinery, the technique, the mindset, training options, legal issues with carry and self defense, and everything else that's available; and lose sight of the raw reality associated with the moment of truth, and if we're talking about survival, preservation of one's life (and perhaps fellow human beings) at all costs, then that's where we need to be. Last edited by booker_t; October 21, 2010 at 02:02 PM. |
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October 21, 2010, 01:50 PM | #129 | ||||||
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Now I am even more unsure of the point.
Glenn E. Meyer asks: Quote:
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bikerbill states: Quote:
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October 21, 2010, 03:01 PM | #130 | |
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Aint that many folks in our entire town. Think Mayberry rfd My point is to force folks to take advanced training for a permit to carry is wrong. Maybe I need to put it this way so it is easy to understand what I am saying. Know the permit laws (classroom) be able to load aim and shoot 7 to 10 yards. Thats my point and is all I have said. |
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October 21, 2010, 04:13 PM | #131 | ||
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Quote:
And as Jeff Cooper used to say, "It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." Quote:
And from observations at various ranges, most folks don't handle their guns well, nor do they reliably get decent hits on their targets, even slow fire at 7 yards in the relatively stress free environment of the range. |
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October 21, 2010, 05:08 PM | #132 | |
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Quote:
In that the phrase "required training" kept (keeps) showing up. I have read every word (all six pages) of this thread twice now,,, I'm not sure how anyone would not have thought the OP was arguing for training requirements before getting a license to carry. Normally I read every word that a few of the people here care to write,,, In most cases PAX writes clearly, concisely, and to a definite point. In this one It took me several readings to decipher exactly what she was advocating. If I am correct she is simply stating everyone who is carrying a weapon would benefit from advanced training in it's use both physically and tactically. Now personally I have no problem with that position,,, My gawsh, it's just common sense to agree,,, More training = better trained person. But her arguments on why it's a good thing can also be used to bolster the argument for state mandated training as a requirement for licensure. There's that danged camel again,,, trying to get his nose in my danged tent. Would it not be ironic if an anti-gunner quoted parts of her post as an argument for high levels of required training. The whole sheepdog versus lone wolf thing is moot in my case,,, Oklahoma law is very specific as to the fact you are only allowed to defend you and yours. If you intervene in a situation and get it right you are a hero,,, DA's, being elected officials, rarely ever prosecute a lawful hero. But if you intervene and don't get it right,,, That same DA will hang you out to dry as a vigilante. PAX' point could be interpreted to mean,,, That extra high level training could help you to get it right. But everything being a double-edged sword,,, I have seen cases here in Oklahoma where that training was used to illustrate that the person was a blood-thirsty vigilante who very much wanted to shoot someone. Don't jump on me for restating that I am against state mandates for "Required" training,,, This topic goes hand-in-hand with that danger. If we start talking about how it's a good thing,,, The anti-gunners will say "That person is a gun writer and 2nd amendment advocate and that person believes we need to require that training as well." Very dangerous topic,,, Full of pitfalls and subtle traps. .
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October 21, 2010, 05:14 PM | #133 |
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aarondhgraham
Camels? And here I thought that it was the elephant in the room! Slippery slope time. Hear, hear!
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October 21, 2010, 05:23 PM | #134 |
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Azak - would you press the DA to take criminal action or institute a civil suit if you or yours were injured by the actions of a civilian in a rampage shoot out or store robbery? The shooter acted incompetently and you or yours have suffered permanent damage with associated monetary losses.
That's a direct question. Not a statement about governmental philosopy.
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October 21, 2010, 05:49 PM | #135 | ||
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October 21, 2010, 05:58 PM | #136 |
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Interesting question, Glenn.
I have no formal training, but it is only because I do not have the financial resources right now. I certainly see the benefit of training for surprise situations, but I don't feel that I'm necessarily missing out. When I get a job after school there will be more time and importantly money for training classes, but in the interim, I have found ways to incorporate a more dynamic element into my personal practice. For instance, I shoot trap with a pump gun calling from the hip with a round in the stock cuff and attempt to load that round and hit the bird before it hits the ground. It was near impossible at first, but I have since gotten the hang of doing it rather regularly. My record so far with this technique is 19/25. I've also gotten into the habit of shooting my revolver starting with a full cylinder and reloading every two or three bullets, trying to master the elusive art of keeping the revolver gassed at all times. After a few hundred embarrassments, I began to see results. I've also practiced dummy reloads at home with empty shells, which is harder to do than with real round-nosed bullets, making the transition to the real thing even easier. The culmination of these little adjustments, at no extra cost to me, were some serious improvements when we held a no-holds barred practice session on private land. Slug changes with the shotgun became effortless, as did full and partial reloads with the revolver. It also helps your confidence, which is one of the more important survival tools. |
October 21, 2010, 06:08 PM | #137 | |||||
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Glenn
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Your question is too vague. If my neighbor was helping to defend me and mine from armed assault and accidentally shot me in the foot I find it unlikely that I am going to sue him for his lack of Gunsite training. If Mr. Joe average unloads his "high cap" magazine "spray and pray" fashion in the produce section of the grocery store because "grandma" who is almost blind and deaf says loudly, "Stick em up higher, Jr." to her grandson concerning the tomatoes that she can hardly see, and I and/or others are injured as a result, different story entirely. Neither of these scenarios are likely or common. Again falling back on pax's comment in the OP, which seems to undermine much: Quote:
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Note: there has NOT been anyone on this thread who has said that good training is NOT productive and beneficial. What I am seeing is a concern for the "slippery slope" argument that is being introduced and pretty much ignored/dismissed; the elephant in the room.
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October 21, 2010, 09:35 PM | #138 |
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Look, I know it's difficult for some folks to wrap their heads around this, but just because something is arguably "good" doesn't mean there should be a law requiring you to do it.
Exercise is "good." It'll help you live longer, stay healthier, spend fewer health care dollars. Does that mean I support a state requirement that forces you to get out and do calisthenics along with your neighbors 7 mornings a week? Hell no! Eating more vegetables is "good." It'll help you live longer. Does that mean I support a state law requiring you to purchase and consume x number of vegetables a week? Hell no! Just because something is arguably good doesn't mean the state should require you to do it. I'm sorry some people thought I was arguing FOR state-required training when I said that such state-required training doesn't do much toward helping you stay alive during a violent encounter. I'm sorry that it confused some folks when I said that accidental-shooting rates simply don't bear out the notion that everyone is less safe when a state allows concealed carry but doesn't require training. What I meant was this: Laws requiring training before allowing people to concealed carry are sometimes politically expedient, but they aren't based on any rational measure. Now, setting that firmly aside. How much training YOU should receive thus isn't really about the laws. It's about YOUR personal situation and YOUR personal sense of morals / ethics / duty. Here's my point: If your morals would require you to intervene to save the live of another person, you need to know more than just how to pull out a gun and yank the trigger. Perhaps a lot more. And if you want to stay out of jail, avoid making really-really-really stupid decisions in the heat of the moment, and perhaps avoid doing something so stupid that it gets someone you care about killed, you'll get real training regardless of what your state does or does not require. That's pretty much all I said. pax |
October 22, 2010, 12:03 AM | #139 |
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Wearing a seatbelt is good, and the state requires us to do it. Should they?
Staying under the speed limit is supposedly good, and the state requires us to do it. Not smoking marijuana is supposedly good, and (most) states really frown on those who do. There is plenty of regulation on food and drug items, posting of calorie/nutrition information at restaurants, trans fats, and now legislation is on the table to reduce sodium in prepared foods and tax calorie-rich nutrition-empty sodas and sweetened drinks (intent being economic-induced behavior modification). Not ingesting bad things is good for us, but the state is there to supposedly protect consumers from making poor or misinformed decisions. Aaron Graham makes a good point, I'd like to emphasize one portion of it. The law-abiding citizen with extensive training who carries and screws up (or just gets unlucky), injuring/killing an innocent in an event where they could have done nothing, is perhaps even more exposed to criminal and civil liability than the law-abiding citizen with no training. If you've spent a significant portion of your disposable income on firearms training, it is presumed that you are proficient at arms, you could be considered somewhat of a subject matter expert, and therefore held more accountable. It's like a Formula 1 driver getting into a fender bender in the parking lot. The guy's a pro, it shouldn't happen, right? What does that say about the system? |
October 22, 2010, 12:17 AM | #140 | |
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On the other hand, as a lawyer I would rather deal with attacks on my client because of his training than attacks on my client because of his lack of training. Consider, for example, the Diallo case. The NYC police officers who shot and killed Amadou Diallo, apparently reaching for a gun in his back pocket but actually getting a wallet, were charged with and tried for manslaughter. They pleaded self defense and were acquitted. Massad Ayoob has done a detailed analysis of the event and the trial. He has discussed how the officers were able to effectively use evidence regarding their training to show the jury that a reasonable person knowing what they knew would also have concluded that Diallo was a lethal threat and that, given the circumstances, their response with lethal force was justified. A key factor is what they knew and understood from their training allowed the accused officers to articulate a rational basis for their actions. Last edited by Frank Ettin; October 23, 2010 at 08:01 PM. |
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October 22, 2010, 02:36 AM | #141 | ||||
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pax
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How do we determine exactly when "competence" is achieved? Is there a standard that needs to be met? In my mind it is one thing to state that we all can benefit from training, and may want to take our responsibilities as gun owners and carriers very seriously and then outlining how additional training could help in a worst case scenario; especially in light of the possibility of injuring or possibly killing an innocent person. (And if that is what you are advocating here, and I have misunderstood your intentions in any way, I apologize for my lack of understanding.) It is quite another to state a moral obligation to obtain such training; especially with a determined standard, worse yet with a "as of yet to be determined standard" or "when I say so". I find this mindset inseparable from the concept of state and/or federal regulation and at odds with an inalienable right.
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October 22, 2010, 03:13 AM | #142 |
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AZAK...
... I think Pax has pretty clearly stated that the moral responsibility is an internal, personal thing, and not something she feels should be regulated.
The truly clueless out there, who probably need the most training, will be the least likely to voluntarily seek it, but Pax has said that even for them, statistics don't bear out nor justify state regulation. So I'm not clear on why you are arguing with her about this, unless you feel she shouldn't state an opinion that there is a moral and ethical reason why individuals should feel a need, as responsible gun owners and carriers, to ensure they are (at least in their own minds) doing what they can in order to be safe and proficient. I don't think too many people here would disagree with her viewpoint on that, which I interpret to be: 1) The State should not regulate a basic right, but 2) Individuals should feel an internal, moral compass call to do what they can to be safe, proficient shooters / weapon handlers. |
October 22, 2010, 05:06 AM | #143 |
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Like mordis in the previous posts, I had zero access to professional training for a long time. And I just couldn't afford the trip to Gunsite or T.R. So I made do with DVD's and things like PDTV and IDPA when available.
And I learned a lot from this type of media. Would I have been able to handle a fight at 7-10 yds? Maybe. What if my fight was at 30+ yds in the mall? Again, maybe. Until I took some actual hands-on training with a professional, I didn't know what all I really didn't know. I sought out higher training because I don't know what my fight will be when it comes to me. It may be in-your-face distance or it may be farther out. I'm fortunate enough now to have three very good trainers in less than 100 miles from me, and have taken classes from traveling instructors who were hosted locally. There is quite a bit you just won't be able to get from DVD's or TV. |
October 22, 2010, 05:39 AM | #144 |
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The title of this thread is mildly provocative, isn't it? Perhaps that was intended, given as how it has generated several pages of comments.
I have to take issue with the phrase "handing over political power to the government." That suggests "the people" (us) are giving up something to something of a foreign entity. It should not be seen in that light. Government is created by the citizens and such power as it has might be called political power, though it has other powers the citizens never had individually. Yet the citizens retain certain powers like voting, though some choose not exercise those powers. If the government has no political (or other) powers, there is no effective government.
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October 22, 2010, 06:34 AM | #145 |
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In general, BlueTrain, you are right...
... the government, good or ill, is us by extension.
Still, when it comes to RKBA, the right of the people shall not be abridged; that doesn't really allow much leeway for government regulation, at least, not in my book. |
October 22, 2010, 07:56 AM | #146 |
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Nobody said it was perfect but "regulated" appears in the first line before it says "shall not be infringed." Funny how that ended up being written. The idea behind that part was an attempt to prevent private armies, or private militias, if you will.
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October 22, 2010, 08:36 AM | #147 | |
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Quote:
MLeake nailed Kathy's and my view. Thanks. If you don't want to take this step in #2, you are not stepping up to the moral batter's box and not helping the RKBA. You have the same moral obligation to be informed when you vote. But there is not legal requirement not to be an ignoramus. The sophistry of some is not impressive.
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October 22, 2010, 09:15 AM | #148 |
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Pardon for slightly off-topic but;
"..."regulated" appears in the first line before it says "shall not be infringed.,," Before you settle completely on a definition for 'regulated' in its constitutional usage, research von Clausewitz' contribution(s) to the formation of the Continental Army. W
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October 22, 2010, 10:16 AM | #149 |
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I prefer to take George Mason's viewpoint on the matter. Von Clausewitz was born in 1780.
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Shoot low, sheriff. They're riding Shetlands! Underneath the starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag, and return us to our own beloved homes! Buy War Bonds. Last edited by BlueTrain; October 22, 2010 at 10:25 AM. |
October 22, 2010, 10:29 AM | #150 |
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Thank you, BT.
I really hate it when I find I trust the wrong sources when I'm trying to learn something. Best, Will
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