Seriously---I hate to be out of fashion. Overly armed ? Heaven forbid.
A nutcase will do nutty things.
The 1800s West was among the safest, low-crime periods/locations in history; at least compared to the 'civilized' cities back east.
In a thorough review of the “West was violent” literature, Bruce Benson (1998) discovered that many historians simply assume that violence was pervasive—even more so than in modern-day America—and then theorize about its likely causes. In addition, some authors assume that the West was very violent and then assert, as Joe Franz does, that “American violence today reflects our frontier heritage” (Franz 1969, qtd. in Benson 1998, 98). Thus, an allegedly violent and stateless society of the nineteenth century is blamed for at least some of the violence in the United States today.
In a book-length survey of the “West was violent” literature, historian Roger McGrath echoes Benson’s skepticism about this theory when he writes that “the frontier-was-violent authors are not, for the most part, attempting to prove that the frontier was violent. Rather, they assume that it was violent and then proffer explanations for that alleged violence” (1984, 270).
In contrast, an alternative literature based on actual history concludes that the civil society of the American West in the nineteenth century was not very violent. Eugene Hollon writes that the western frontier “was a far more civilized, more peaceful and safer place than American society today” (1974, x). Terry Anderson and P. J. Hill affirm that although “[t]he West . . . is perceived as a place of great chaos, with little respect for property or life,” their research “indicates that this was not the case; property rights were protected and civil order prevailed. Private agencies provided the necessary basis for an orderly society in which property was protected and conflicts were resolved”
http://www.independent.org/publicati...icle.asp?a=803
“… the greatest detractor from high performance is fear: fear that you are not prepared, fear that you are in over your head, fear that you are not worthy, and ultimately, fear of failure. If you can eliminate that fear—not through arrogance or just wishing difficulties away, but through hard work and preparation—you will put yourself in an incredibly powerful position to take on the challenges you face" - Pete Carroll.
"when socialism fails, blame capitalism and demand more socialism." - A friend
"You know the difference between libs and right-wingers? Libs STFU when evidence refutes their false beliefs." - Another friend
“Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.” - Paulo Coelho
"when socialism fails, blame capitalism and demand more socialism." - A friend
"You know the difference between libs and right-wingers? Libs STFU when evidence refutes their false beliefs." - Another friend
“Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.” - Paulo Coelho
Be careful now, don't trip and fall and blow your own head off!
No, I'm not in favor of concealed carry either.
You guys with your NRA links crack me up.
The first step to acceptance would be that I feel the way I do. I have a need for safety, and hanging out with a bunch of armed yahoos isn't safe.
WIndy, I am highly in favor of stringent standards on who can carry a handgun in public; but to just lump everyone together and call them yahoos if they carry a gun is stupid. Would you like us to lump you in with the weirdos who parade through the streets half naked screaming that they are here they are queer and we should get used to it?
Every group has it's nuts. But by and large most gun owners 1. don't even carry on a regular basis anyway 2. are responsible folks.
The idiot who walks into a starbucks and starts shooting up the place in all likelihood is just an idiot who if not for a gun would have found some other way to be an idiot.
"when socialism fails, blame capitalism and demand more socialism." - A friend
"You know the difference between libs and right-wingers? Libs STFU when evidence refutes their false beliefs." - Another friend
“Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.” - Paulo Coelho
Personally I think the open carry crowd are idiots and 99% of them wouldn't know what to do if a situation where they needed a gun came up anyway. So the whole argument is laughable, BUT Sky is trying the old "everyone who carries handguns is dangerous" routine here, and that shit isn't going to fly.
Places from Georgia to Vermont don't restrict guns in public. It doesn't appear to be a problem in practice. However you raise an interesting point. Regarding idiots, should disorderly conduct laws be more vigorously enforced? The same can be said about those who parade through the street. If they don't tie up traffic, who cares? Ignore them and they will go away.