Robbed today....want a gun....is that bad?

[maryjk]

While in Graduate School, I was a desk clerk at a large motel. One night, I was robbed at gunpoint. The robber threatened to kill me, and i have to admit, I was more scared with him than I was when I was in combat in Vietnam.

Unless you really know how to use a gun, you would only make it more likely that you, or someone else would be killed or injured if it ever came to using one. More often than not, people get hurt with a weapon that someone is keeping for defense, than they do by a robber.

It takes a LOT of practice to be a good shot (I know, I was on an Army Pistol team for two years). We practiced every day, shooting at least 500 rounds at a time. To even be consistent, you should practice at least weekly, and shoot at least 50-100 rounds. Most people that own guns don’t practice at all. If it ever happens that they pull out their weapon, they typically either freeze, or they shoot wildly.

If you don’t, you are as likely to shoot an innocent person as you are the person threatening you.

I**t is better to not resist, give the robber what they want, and get them out of your store. **Money can be replaced that’s one reason to have insurance). A life, or a permanent injury, can NOT be given back.

Imagine how you would feel if you killed someone. I can promise that you would NEVER forget it.

Do you recommend the same thing to those that might be raped? Or killed? Or kidnapped? Just give the rapist, murderer or kidnapper what they want, don’t resist?

When you are robbed, you have no idea where that robbery will end. It may end with a simple robbery. It may not. If it doesn’t, wouldn’t it be prudent to be prepared?

I would love to see your references for the statements you made. What studies showed that “More often than not, people get hurt with a weapon that someone is keeping for defense, than they do by a robber?” Or even that someone is more likely to shot an innocent person?

Just for reference, I have owned guns for over 30 years. No one in my family has ever been hurt by one of those guns.

 

[Newbie2]

Just for reference, I have owned guns for over 30 years. No one in my family has ever been hurt by one of those guns.

About every 6 months or so we read in the local Detroit papers where someone gets shot; kid finds a gun in the house, someone gets hurt when a homeowner tries to shoot the bad guy, etc.

So…not everybody should have a gun, it seems. Some people need them, yes. Some are better off without them.

 

[TimothyH]

I was trained by my Marine Corps father to think long and hard about carrying a gun and even longer and harder about pulling it out. He told me that you don’t just pull out a gun and point it at people like in the movies, you pull it out and start pulling the trigger before the other guy pulls out his.

And if you get one, you had better get trained on how to use it real well - how to shoot while running and still hit your target, and more importantly, as other’s have pointed out, how not to hit people who are not your target. That’s a lot of practice and for what? To take a mans’ life? A drunk stepped off the curb into the path of my father’s car when I was a kid and he had to live all his life with the fact that the man died - not his fault but he had to live with the memory of the dead guy in the street and the guy’s wife and two children crying in courtroom.

Ever see someone die? I have, several times, and in the end I decided it wasn’t worth it, not for any amount of money. I’d rather get shot and go before the Lord innocent then to have to explain to Christ how I could barely give fifty bucks to the poor when they passed the basket at Mass cause it cut into my lifestyle yet I took a man’s life for a thousand dollars.

Maybe it’s different in other parts of the world. I dunno. That’s just me. I wonder where it ends and if we have forgotten that we are going to die some day anyway.

-Tim-

 

[hxcCatholic413]

I believe that the presence of another gun would have driven out the intruders, rather than resulted in a shoot out.

My house is out in the deep woods and there are a lot of natural predators around; wolves and bears and such. If they think that it’s going to be too much trouble to attack me because I fired a few warning shots in the air, they will leave me alone. Most of the time they’ll run if you appear aggressive or fight back in some way. The same principle could be applied to the robbers. Some deterrants would be prudent.

disagree…I think if the OP pulled out a gun…his employees would’ve been shot. If the OP shot the robbers he could be looking at a 1st or 2nd degree murder charge depending on the DA.

I suggest that you post a huge picture of Christ in your store, perhaps they would think twice before they committed this deed again.

 

[hxcCatholic413]

Do you recommend the same thing to those that might be raped? Or killed? Or kidnapped? Just give the rapist, murderer or kidnapper what they want, don’t resist?

When you are robbed, you have no idea where that robbery will end. It may end with a simple robbery. It may not. If it doesn’t, wouldn’t it be prudent to be prepared?

I would love to see your references for the statements you made. What studies showed that “More often than not, people get hurt with a weapon that someone is keeping for defense, than they do by a robber?” Or even that someone is more likely to shot an innocent person?

Just for reference, I have owned guns for over 30 years. No one in my family has ever been hurt by one of those guns.

sounds like your looking for a fight

 

[hxcCatholic413]

I was trained by my Marine Corps father to think long and hard about carrying a gun and even longer and harder about pulling it out. He told me that you don’t just pull out a gun and point it at people like in the movies, you pull it out and start pulling the trigger before the other guy pulls out his.

And if you get one, you had better get trained on how to use it real well - how to shoot while running and still hit your target, and more importantly, as other’s have pointed out, how not to hit people who are not your target. That’s a lot of practice and for what? To take a mans’ life? A drunk stepped off the curb into the path of my father’s car when I was a kid and he had to live all his life with the fact that the man died - not his fault but he had to live with the memory of the dead guy in the street and the guy’s wife and two children crying in courtroom.

Ever see someone die? I have, several times, and in the end I decided it wasn’t worth it, not for any amount of money. I’d rather get shot and go before the Lord innocent then to have to explain to Christ how I could barely give fifty bucks to the poor when they passed the basket at Mass cause it cut into my lifestyle yet I took a man’s life for a thousand dollars.

Maybe it’s different in other parts of the world. I dunno. That’s just me. I wonder where it ends and if we have forgotten that we are going to die some day anyway.

-Tim-

Great response!

 

[maryjk]

Ever see someone die? I have, several times, and in the end I decided it wasn’t worth it, not for any amount of money. I’d rather get shot and go before the Lord innocent then to have to explain to Christ how I could barely give fifty bucks to the poor when they passed the basket at Mass cause it cut into my lifestyle yet I took a man’s life for a thousand dollars.

Maybe it’s different in other parts of the world. I dunno. That’s just me. I wonder where it ends and if we have forgotten that we are going to die some day anyway.

-Tim-

What is worth it? Your life? Your wife’s life? How about your child’s life? Your parent’s?

I think it is interesting that people trust robbers. I don’t. I don’t trust that when they break into my home that all they are after is the TV. I have to figure that at some point during their criminal career, they will advance to bigger and better things. What if they advance when they break into my house?

What if they decide that I have seen their face? Or my husband has? Or my son? What if they decide to knife me/my husband/my son? Is it okay to shoot them, then?

 

[OpenSource]

And you advise rolling the dice on this one.

I sure do

 

[OpenSource]

About every 6 months or so we read in the local Detroit papers where someone gets shot; kid finds a gun in the house, someone gets hurt when a homeowner tries to shoot the bad guy, etc.

More kids die by drowning in a bath tub every 6 months than by gun accidents, more kids die in car accidents every 6 months than by gun accidents.

Well, I suppose we should get rid of cars and bathtubs while we’re at it

 

[fbl9]

I sure do

 

[fbl9]

Two posters took what I said out of context

It was the moral of the story. MOST robbers aren’t desperate or deranged enough to want to rob you when you have deterrants. VERY FEW, unfortunately, are. Same with the critters.

I was hoping I wasn’t going to have to spell it out.

And you advise rolling the dice on this one.

I sure do

Actually upon further thought it would a roll of the dice either way.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

Without going into a lot of detail, my store was robbed today.

The robbers had a gun on my employees, tied them up for hours, laughed at them, and took several thousand dollars.

My one employee is petrified now. I mean really terrified. The more I think about it, I’m angry and scared. The more I thought about it, I realized I might want to look at a conceal carry permit. But, then again, I’m not sure if I want to kill someone.

However, it they could have easily been killed this morning. Anyone else have some advice or been in a similar situation.

I think you should take some time to calm down first, then make your decision.

That being said, carrying a gun doesn’t mean you have to kill people. You can always inflict non-lethal injuries to halt someone who is harming another to eliminate a threat, and often just the threat of you having a gun can defuse situations.

Guns aren’t bad, they are tools. They can be used for good or evil, depending on your motives.

 

[Newbie2]

More kids die by drowning in a bath tub every 6 months than by gun accidents, more kids die in car accidents every 6 months than by gun accidents.

Well, I suppose we should get rid of cars and bathtubs while we’re at it

Please don’t be thick. I’m merely pointing out that not everyone should own a firearm; that some people are more of a danger to themselves and others than to a potential bad guy.

 

[OpenSource]

Please don’t be thick. I’m merely pointing out that not everyone should own a firearm; that some people are more of a danger to themselves and others than to a potential bad guy.

I guess if using your own logic is ‘thick’, than we’re both guilty.

People who point the finger at guns just rub me the wrong way, thats all.

 

[fbl9]

I guess if using your own logic is ‘thick’, than we’re both guilty.

People who point the finger at guns just rub me the wrong way, thats all.

Been awhile however isn’t one of the ten commandments" Never point a firearem at something you do not intend to kill".
violence begets violence but peace doesn’t always beget peace.

 

[OpenSource]

Yeah in firearm safety (it’s been 19 years ago since I took it; I think you have to be 12 years old----in MN anyway), but I still remember that “never point a firearm at something you do not intend to kill” is a key point. To illustrate that, I remember the instructor taking an unloaded gun, and swiveling it on the table so that it pointed at us, and how uncomfortable that made us feel and some people even dodged out of the way (even though we knew it wasn’t loaded).

 

[hxcCatholic413]

More kids die by drowning in a bath tub every 6 months than by gun accidents, more kids die in car accidents every 6 months than by gun accidents.

Well, I suppose we should get rid of cars and bathtubs while we’re at it

do you have a link to back up this info?

 

[OpenSource]

do you have a link to back up this info?

no

 

[Newbie2]

People who point the finger at guns just rub me the wrong way, thats all.

Well, yes, it’s always the gun operator who is at fault in accidental shootings. The firearm is only a means to an end; just a different violent means of either defense or offense, depending on if the operator is a good guy or a bad guy.

We could say the very same thing about switchblace knives, brass knuckles and other devices that are primarily used for acts of violence, either for defense or offense.

All in all, I do think it’s fair to say that a firearm in the wrong environment or with the wrong person is a recipe for a tragedy, and that translates to unsecured firearms in a house with kids and untrained firearm owners.

Now, what constitutes “untrained” is a legitimate subject for discussion. As has been said earlier, it takes regular practice to be able to shoot accurately, even under the best conditions i.e. someone not pointing a gun right back at you. Of course with a shotgun, one does not have to be particularly accurate to be effective.

Perhaps the perception of firearms in movies have an effect on our society as well; the good guy gets shot; he’s back on duty the next day, he can hit a bad guy at 50 yards in a crowd of bystanders, etc. etc. Ask anyone who has been shot if they ever return to 100% normal function (depending on where they’ve been shot) and how long it takes to heal.

But I digress…

 

[hxcCatholic413]

People who point the finger at guns just rub me the wrong way, thats all.

In all honesty there is no need for guns…if they didn’t exist we all would be fine. Guns are meant to KILL it’s a pretty simple idea.