Makes Me Wonder...

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Uncle Buck

New member
I was reading different articles on line and ran across this beauty.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsila...ey-island-melee-had-concealed-weapons-permit/

When I went through my CCW class there were a few people in the class that I had to wonder if they should have a permit. I overheard them making comments such as "I bet that XXXXX won't be complaining about my music now, I'll shoot him and say I felt threatened."

I know there is a certain sense of bravado among people and I hope that is all this was. He looked at me strangely when I said he had better get a real good lawyer before he decided to shoot someone who complained about his music.

I have a shooting range at my house and very rarely do I shoot after 7 PM, out of respect for the neighbors. However, out of state family were visiting once and we were shooting up to 7:30 PM when we decided to stop. We were cleaning up when a drunk showed up to my house, yelling at me to "Shut it down!" and acting the fool.

Was the guy threatening? Yes.
Could the guy have seriously hurt me or my family? Yes.
Also, the guy was on private property.

My family was pretty scared and thought the guy meant harm, but I was able to talk him down from his high level of agitation.

Pulling a gun on anyone is a serious situation and, in my opinion, should always be the last resort. My pistol was holstered (Open carry) and I knew I could get to it if I needed it.

But I have to wonder, how many of you guys/gals have gone through any weapons class and met people who you thought probably should not have a gun?
 
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Brian Pfleuger

Moderator Emeritus
I've met lots of people that I thought probably shouldn't have a gun.

However, I refuse to engage in Minority Report stereotyping.

These people actually cause few problems and the false positive rate would be astronomically high.

We don't do (or we're not supposed to do) preemptive penalties.
 
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BarryLee

New member
Yes, I suppose we’ve all met people that seemed like they probably shouldn’t own a gun. However, that’s the thing about freedom and responsibility – it applies to everyone. We should hold people responsible for what they do not for what they might do. Again, some folks really make me uneasy, but that’s just the way it is.
 
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southjk

New member
When I took my class I was having a discussion with a couple during one of the breaks that made me make a mental note to remember not to ever go out with these folks around. His comment to me was that he wanted to get his permit so he can carry downtown when he and his wife go out drinking. I mentioned that that is a good way to get in trouble and he blew me off with the rather be judged by 12 blather.
 
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s3779m

New member
#1 question always asked "can I shoot when......" Had a good instructor he answered If you have to ask , probably no. I agree with ya'll, there are a lot of want to be trigger happy people out there, or it just takes very little for them to feel threatened.
 
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KyJim

New member
I'm waiting to see the headline, "Man who pulls gun during melee did not have a concealed weapons permit." Actually, the fact the headline mentions his permit means it is noteworthy; i.e., it doesn't happen all that often.
 
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Jimboh247

New member
I took my CCH class on Saturday.

Thankfully, other than the glaring lack of experience with any firearms that one person had, I did not have anyone that gave me the uneasy feeling that they shouldn't have a gun.
 
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North East Redneck

New member
When I took my LTC class there were probably 20-25 people there. A few seemed completely unfamiliar with guns, most were what passed for somewhat knowledgeable and couple guys who were longtime gun owners. I heard and saw nothing that led me to believe anyone taking the class was less than reputable and law abiding.
That is not proof that there was not an idiot or two there, but, if there was, they were smart enough not to talk about walking around armed while out drinking as southjk referenced.
 
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southjk

New member
Thankfully, other than the glaring lack of experience with any firearms that one person had, I did not have anyone that gave me the uneasy feeling that they shouldn't have a gun.
Click to expand...

Try taking a class with your 10 year old daughter. We were in the 6-10 year old class and talk about being nervous. My daughter had shot with me before but most of the others it was their first time. The parents were charged with making sure each kid was operating safely but still...a bit nerve wracking.
 
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2123

New member
Almost 30 yrs. in LE, provided me with tons of first-hand experience with people that should not have had a CCW, but also firearms in general.

You simply cannot believe what some people do with firearms. :eek:
 
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Unlicensed Dremel

Moderator
This is why, of all the many hare-brained policy proposals of the antis, the ONLY ones which are actually good ideas and will actually reduce crimes and accidents, and are constitutional, are:

1. Enhanced sentencing measures (do crime X, 5 years. do crime X using gun *in furtherance of crime*, get 15 years).
2. Strict civil liability if negligence allows your unsecured gun to fall into hands of kids or criminals, and death or injury ensue
3. Stiff criminal liability for involuntary manslaughter (or battery/assault if victim doesn't die) for same facts as #2 - charged early and often - but gross negligence standard, not mere "ordinary negligence" as in #2.
4. (possibly) requiring insurance of gun owners in some way, although this one is more controversial /debatable.

Also, universal background checks should be done at the STATE level only (never federal level), on a state-by-state basis, provided it's free or very cheap, and it's a call-in system, just like current NICS but everyone/anyone can do it. 6 states have universal checks. The other 44 should follow suit. But it's up to them, not the fedgov, to decide that, under the 10th amendment.

Nothing else the blissninnies propose will reduce crime. Most of what they propose will increase violent crime. Not to mention that most of what they propose is unconstitutional.
 
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jasmith85

New member
When I took my CCW course there was one person there that shot poorly enough that I'm not sure she should be legal to carry a gun but otherwise the people seemed fine. I would be willing to bet that the instructor passed plenty of people that should not have had a permit though. When we took the written test he told us all of the answers and he passed everyone no matter how bad their shooting was. The girl I spoke of earlier missed her target entirely quite a few times. I was shooting at the station to her right and I'm pretty sure she even hit my target once because I found a much smaller hole than my 40 would make. He even told us at the start that the only person he ever failed was a guy that shot himself in the leg. I'm all for gun rights but if someone can't shoot then they shouldn't be carrying a gun.
 
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skoro

New member
how many of you guys/gals have gone through any weapons class and met people who you thought probably should not have a gun?
Click to expand...

At my first CHL class six years back, there was a young GI, about 22 years old, who kept asking the instructor about the legality of carrying at house parties and kept presenting him with "what if" scenarios.

Hey, I can remember my ignorant youth, but come on... :rolleyes:
 
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Unlicensed Dremel

Moderator
Asking "what ifs" isn't ignorant. It's the opposite of ignorant. It demonstrates intelligence and a curiosity for learning the rules and becoming less and less ignorant.
 
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