During a Manhunt for a Terrorist Half of All Non-Owners Want a Gun

[Alabama Shooter]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...nt-6-percent-voters-want-gun/?intcmp=HPBucket

I thought this conversation worthy.

On Friday, the nation watched as the Boston area went under lockdown during a manhunt for the armed and dangerous marathon bombing suspect. If you were in that situation, would you want a gun at your side?

Most American voters say yes, according to a new Fox News poll.

Sixty-nine percent say if they were in a situation similar to Bostonians, they would want a gun in their house.

That includes a large 88-percent majority of those in gun-owner households, as well as 50 percent of those in non-gun homes.

I think the 12% of negative respondents of gun owners did not understand the question. I am curious about a few things.

Do you know many non-owners who are on the fence? Now might be a good time to talk to them.

Would you lend a gun to a non-owner in such circumstances (provided they asked you and were otherwise legal)?

 

[Salmoneye]

I would not lend a gun to someone in any circumstances, unless I were aware of their level of training, and I were very 'familiar' with them...

 

[Spats McGee]

I have to agree that the 12% of gun owners who (to all appearances) wouldn't want a gun in a lockdown situation must not have understood the question.

Would I loan a gun to a non-gun owner in such a situation? That would depend on the particular person. Do I know them well enough to be reasonably sure that: (1) such person will behave responsibly with the gun? (2) that my property will be returned to me when the crisis has passed? and (3) that it is legal for them to possess a firearm? If the answer is yes, then I probably would.

 

[g.willikers]

Loaning a gun to a non gun owner could be a bad idea.
It would depend partly on how far away they lived.
And if they have ever had training on the use of one, in a defensive situation.
There's lots of ex-military folks, who don't have guns in the house, but would be quite safe with one.
And lots of folks who would run out and try to get one, during an emergency, having no clue.
Definitely wouldn't want to hand over a gun to someone like that, especially if they lived close enough to drill your house.
And then there's the legal implications should they use it, especially badly.
All the folks that I would loan one to already have them.

 

[lcpiper]

That Fox poll would have sharper teeth if they had polled the people who actually were on lock down in Watertown

 

[MLeake]

I read an article about a couple Watertown martial arts enthusiasts guarding the doors to their homes, using swords. I remember thinking, "I bet they wish they had guns..."

 

[Nine the Ranger]

A Non-Gun person? Maybe, given the circumstances.

An openly Anti-Gun person? No, not a snowball's chance. Let they're beloved police help them.

 

[Pond James Pond]

An openly Anti-Gun person? No, not a snowball's chance.

To each their own, but my feeling is that you'd be missing a golden opportunity to help adjust one person's biased views...

Imagine how much more in control and better equipped for the crisis that person, who had previous loathed guns, would feel if they at least had one gun they could keep close by.

If they had to call the police, they'd never know and likely never understand the other side of the fence.

 

[Metal god]

Would you lend a gun to a non-owner in such circumstances (provided they asked you and were otherwise legal)?

Some people keep extra firearms and ammo for that very type of thing I would never but some would think if SHTF they would not want to be the only one around trying to keep there hood rid of the riff raff

 

[Skadoosh]

Alabama Shooter wrote:

Do you know many non-owners who are on the fence? Now might be a good time to talk to them.

Good point.

 

[lefteye]

On Friday, the nation watched as the Boston area went under lockdown during a manhunt for the armed and dangerous marathon bombing suspect. If you were in that situation, would you want a gun at your side?

The part of the question in bold is very ambiguous, though most reasonable people with any knowledge of the event would probably think it referred to Boston area residents in their homes. The point is this, media poll questions are not always written accurately and the answers to poorly written poll questions are inaccurate if not meaningless.

 

[davidsoc]

Would i loan a gun to someone?

Theres only 4 people i would load my guns to. Two being adult family members who live with me and already have access to one if need be, and the other two being close friends who ive know forever but would never need to as they both have their own guns

Otherwise don't have when you need one? Too bad call the police or something

 

[shafter]

Would you lend a gun to a non-owner in such circumstances (provided they asked you and were otherwise legal)?

Nope, I don't loan guns.

 

[doofus47]

That's great. I asked a co-worker that same question. "how many people in watertown are wishing they had a gun in the house right now?"
Now I know.

Around here the scenario would probably involve an escaped criminal and I've sometimes thought about whom I might lend a gun to among my neighbors. I can think of one I would lend my Makarov. Others? I would let them come over to my house and sleep in our guestroom or on the floor if they wanted, but I wouldn't hand them anything to take home.

 

[Fishing_Cabin]

Sixty-nine percent say if they were in a situation similar to Bostonians, they would want a gun in their house.

That includes a large 88-percent majority of those in gun-owner households, as well as 50 percent of those in non-gun homes.

So 68% would want a firearm, 88% in gun owner households, and 50% in non-gun owner households. Just looking at this objectively, I would ask, out of the gun-owner households, how many people in each of the households are anti-gun? I would also ask, out of the non-gun-owner households, how many would want to own a firearm anyway, but do not currently because their spouse, parent, etc, is against it?

 

[Ignition Override]

Isn't it true that during the LA race riots, Charleton Heston's neighbors rang the bell on his gate and wanted to borrow guns?

He supposedly told them that because they were anti-gun etc, the answer was No.

 

[Tom Servo]

If you were in that situation, would you want a gun at your side?

Sorry to sound cynical, but waiting until a crisis to arm oneself is a bad idea. Without training, mindset, and preparation, the gun will be a liability.

Those folks don't need to come beating on my door at such a time, saying "I see your point! Loan me one of yours!" Panicky, unprepared, and untrained people are the last folks on earth I want handling firearms.

 

[BlueEyeVisage]

I read an article about a couple Watertown martial arts enthusiasts guarding the doors to their homes, using swords. I remember thinking, "I bet they wish they had guns..."

Am I and my overactive imagination the only one after reading this post that visualized a guy in a martial arts uniform sword drawn in full hunch? I'm seen too many samurai movies.

Close friends and family, to anyone who fits those two brackets if they were untrained or unfamiliar they would have to go through a crash course of safety and such and just hope they feel comfortable after that to shoot a gun they never fired if they needed to. In the circumstance of Watertown I would allow neighbors to group, based on trust and their previous experience I may issue them a firearm, but not to take home. Also I'd probably leave the area if possible and stay outside the hotzone.

 

[Metal god]

I know plenty of people that do not own a gun that have no problem with me having them . They are in no way anti gun . Most Have lived 40 , 50 , 60+ years and had never needed one . Some people have lived long and been through a lot never needing a firearm . They often will think if I have not needed one yet why will I need one tomorrow ?

I don't really see it as , well they should have saw this coming .
. It's like not helping your friend or neighbor becaue they did not prepare for a natural disaster as well as you did . You still help but only give what you can and not your last bottle of water .

 

[44 AMP]

AN anti gunner? While I might invite them in for their safety (might) no way in hell I'd give them a gun. You worried? Call 911....

A non gun owner (but not a rabid anti?..) I might loan them a gun, but I don't think I'd give them any ammunition

Seriously, someone with no firearms experience needs more than just a quick and dirty safety lesson.

Little things like knowing when they are justified in shooting, and when they are NOT, for example. All legal ramifications aside, giving a frightened person a loaded gun when their only "training" is TV and video games is morally irresponsible.

Guns are not magic wands. OR +20 swords...how many times have we heard people say "all you need to do is fire a couple rounds in the air...", or "just point the shotgun in their direction and you can't miss..." or other, equally irresponsible BS?

The sad fact is that a lot of people who ought to know better actually believe stuff like that.

Nor would I sell a gun to someone demanding it in a situation like that, either. Not even for the price of a new car. Now that's just me, and I'm probably in the minority on that, but I think that some life lessons are more important than mere money, even a lot of it. Pay the Danegeld, if you can,and trust the Dane, if you believe them. Me? I don't have the cash for that, I spent it on guns and ammo!