A teacher has been shot and killed in a school parking lot. It's not necessary to go into specific details of the incident, which are easy enough to find, but I will provide some observations that are generally applicable.
Schools are, for the most part, legally-designated "gun free zones" as far as "ordinary citizens" are concerned.
That did not stop the killer.
The killer had a restraining order placed against him.
That did not stop him.
The killer had been arrested for violating the restraining order.
That did not stop him.
ROs and violations typically result in orders to surrender firearms.
That did not stop him.
It is illegal to stalk someone.
That did not stop him.
It is illegal to murder someone.
That did not stop him.
The only thing that stopped the killer was another person with a gun.
That stopped him.
Each of us has a right not to be hurt by someone else, and if someone tries to hurt us, we have a right to protect ourselves.
The corollary to this fundamental truth is equally simple: We cannot effectively protect ourselves without the possessing the means of defense.
It's really no more complicated than this. Put in such simple terms, one can only marvel at the type of mind that would deny it, and demand enforced defenselessness of others.
Comments
For most of human history, it has been considered an OBLIGATION to provide for one's self defense and the defense of others. Police cannot be everywhere, and if they were, we would likely need to be defended against THEM.
Guns are not the answer in most cases, though a 1 ton Chev Suburban hitting 60 miles an hour in this guys direction can be as effective, if not messy.
Barry,
Perhaps you could explain how "a 1 ton Chev Suburban hitting 60 miles an hour in this guys direction" would have saved this this teacher's life in an elementary school parking lot?
Most people will never need to have a handgun. But those who do will often need one very badly. In some cases, like this one, they will die as a result. Anyone who had any part in this young woman being defenseless in front of her attacker shares the guilt for her death.
So, Barry. Guns aren't the answer? It's wrong to stop a murderer with a gun, but just fine to smash him with a truck?
What a strange world you live in.
So far in my life, guns have been the answer five times: Once when a friend's ex-husband was stalking her and threatened to kill her. I got her a gun and training. Ex-hubby left her alone after that. Three times I've deterred mugger with a gun (in each case there were multiple assailants). And on another occasion my armed intervention allowed a woman to escape her attacker in a dark parking lot.
I suppose I could have just run them all over with my truck, but that's a little harder to carry around than a car. Probably would have seriously injured the young woman, too. And oh yeah, the truck was broken down during the third mugging attempt (the only reason I was where I was).
So, Barry exactly why wasn't a gun the answer in these cases (and the thousands of similar incidents every day)?
Carl is my hero. He always wins at world of warcraft. What a man.
So, Dave, who WAS this other "person with a gun", in this particular instance......?
Surely not.........an "Only One".....
IT, He should be your hero. and so should all like him. That means me too. I am not an internet toughguy, I am tough enough to have not only survived but to have prevailed in multiple occassions such as Carl described. Sometimes armed, sometimes not. I will say the only two times I have been shot was when I was unarmed. So you go ahead be sarcastic about men better than you, we think it's amusing.
S. Mac- Even an "Only One" can kill the right vermin on occasion, BUT... notice: it was *too freakin' late*. That's what Only Ones do. Swoop in "to the rescue" after it is too late.
If this woman had taken responsibility to arm herself, that exact same Only One would probably have been perfectly content to blow her away for violating "the law" too.
And David is probably too polite to remind you his name is not "Dave".
I don't know if the police officer who killed the jerk was an "Only One" or not, Sgt. Mac. The point was, it was a person with a gun who stopped the killer. The campus the young woman was killed on was legally restricted to "Only Ones", though. For all the good it did. You do know there's a distinction, and not all peace officers are synonymous with the term...? You haven't ever read any of my frequent disclaimers, which I give a permanent sidebar explanation to on the WarOnGuns, a site you've commented at before? Perhaps you haven't read my posts promoting Oath Keepers, or asking for justice for former FBI agent Shipley, or praising a CO sheriff or publicizing work from Law Enforcement Alliance of America or...As long as you're apparently feeling unappreciated though, you might want to ask regular commentators Carl B or W3 if they think I've treated them unfairly. Perhaps it will give you insight into why you feel slighted...or do you just want police abuse ignored?
Why are we even debating this anymore..the old divide and conquer trick...keep them debating while we continue to move ahead...draw the damn line in the sand, proclaim it, and lock and load. They will come to you, not because you did anything wrong, but because you dare to defy them. They will keep doing it to us until you physically stop them, they dont even cover protests anymore, they are IGNORING us. They will recognize overwhelming force though. Its close to the time people!! Stop complaining and use that effort to get ready. The cat has left the bag a long time ago, your all arguing semantics now after the fact.
Barry is a cowardly POS
I must disagree, gun free zones at schools work incredibly well, at least for those wishing to disarm citizens. When someone uses a gun in one of these "safe for criminals zones" then it gives rise to the anti 2a'ers cause of outlawing all private ownership of guns.
Victims like this young lady are sacrificial lambs of a violent political agenda. Yes, I just said the anti-gunners are willing to sacrifice members of our society to a achieve their aims.
I doubt most one-ton pick-up trucks could hit 60 mph in the average elementary school parking lot. A .45, though, always hits muzzle velocity.
David (& Sgt Mac), I just spotted this; lousy 'Net access lately:
"ask regular commentators Carl B or W3 if they think I've treated them unfairly."
I've never been treated unfairly by David. In fact, I brought some "only ones" reports to his attention. But then, I was a peace officer, not an "only one".
And no, I don't slam all cops either. An example being that I'm pleased and proud that my town's entire police force are peace officers who proved it by refusing to work with an abusive "only one" whom we were subsequently able to get rid of.
Internet Toughguy says:
"Carl is my hero. He always wins at world of warcraft. What a man. "
Really? Cool! I'll bear that in mind if I ever try the game.
But I'm no hero; just a regular guy, willing to do the right thing. I did nothing more than what thousands of other people do every day. Nothing that YOU couldn't do, if you get a gun and learn to use it properly, and are willing to do the right thing.
Nor do I go looking for trouble. Just everyday situations that happened to sour. No heroics. Heroes do things like walk into burning buildings to save strangers, or draw machine gun and RPG attacks to provide cover fire so their injured buddies can escape.
But ignoring thugs and giving in to goons when I can resist would make me a coward.
"Nothing get's a man's attention like a sucking chest wound." - from the t.v. sitcom "Bosum Buddies", starring a very young Tom Hanks.
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