SMH* update in comments

themuffinman16 · March 2015

What is wrong with people? I had the most wonderful day, and now, I just don't know about some people. I went to Sesame Street Live with my sister and her family. Just now, I checked the local news, and a gun was found in the theater after the show! The gun was not loaded, but I don't know if that means maybe a kid brought it in, ( I don't think an adult would bother with an unloaded gun.) I am just thankful the gun wasn't loaded. I couldn't imagine what would have happened with all of those really young children, if one of them found a loaded gun. You seriously think that, at that age, you wouldn't need to talk to your kids about gun safety. Most of them, surely, wouldn't even understand.

Some people are just so irresponsible.

novella1186 · March 2015

themuffinman16 said:
What is wrong with people? I had the most wonderful day, and now, I just don't know about some people. I went to Sesame Street Live with my sister and her family. Just now, I checked the local news, and a gun was found in the theater after the show! The gun was not loaded, but I don't know if that means maybe a kid brought it in, ( I don't think an adult would bother with an unloaded gun.) I am just thankful the gun wasn't loaded. I couldn't imagine what would have happened with all of those really young children, if one of them found a loaded gun. You seriously think that, at that age, you wouldn't need to talk to your kids about gun safety. Most of them, surely, wouldn't even understand.
Some people are just so irresponsible.

It may not have been a kid. Brad-- FI's BM that I am very not fond of-- takes a gun everywhere. He has a permit to carry so it's totally legal. We went out for his birthday several months ago and the only seating available was in the "family" room, with a bunch of babies and kids. I find out after the fact that Brad had his gun on him the whole time, along with extra clips.

Brad told FI it's for when a terrorist or crazed shooter busts into the restaurant and tries to kill people. Brad will be the big hero, and kill him. But I have to wonder how safe it is to be protected from a crazy person by a crazy person. (There are many reasons why I call Brad crazy, not because he carries his gun everywhere).

Some people just have that mindset that they want to be prepared, I guess. Like when I put aspirin and tissues in my purse because I want to be prepared. They bring their gun.

emmaaa · March 2015

themuffinman16 said:
What is wrong with people? I had the most wonderful day, and now, I just don't know about some people. I went to Sesame Street Live with my sister and her family. Just now, I checked the local news, and a gun was found in the theater after the show! The gun was not loaded, but I don't know if that means maybe a kid brought it in, ( I don't think an adult would bother with an unloaded gun.) I am just thankful the gun wasn't loaded. I couldn't imagine what would have happened with all of those really young children, if one of them found a loaded gun. You seriously think that, at that age, you wouldn't need to talk to your kids about gun safety. Most of them, surely, wouldn't even understand.
Some people are just so irresponsible.

Could it have been someone's who has a permit to carry a gun? I have a permit and I carry my gun almost everywhere. However, I wouldn't forget it or leave it anywhere! I'm just wondering if maybe it belonged to a parent and they (very responsibly) did not have it loaded but kept the magazine elsewhere and the gun fell off their hip or out of the bag? I don't know. I hope it was not ill-intentioned but you never know.

theycallmelinz · March 2015

I carry a gun in my vehicle (I rarely feel the need to keep it on my person) and have a permit for it, but that (what OP is talking about) is completely irresponsible. Loaded or not, you don't just leave a gun lying around like that. We have guns in our home and that aren't loaded, but they're still locked in a safe at all times and FI has the key in his nightstand. I'm glad that gun was found by I'm assuming someone that turned it in, since there was a news story on it. That's better than someone getting killed with it because another irresponsible person found it.

wandajune6 · March 2015

We don't own guns nor do we want them. However, we have a few friends and family in law enforcement who carry then.

The general approach- though there are exceptions- is that guns are not brought to gatherings where there will be kids. Everyone is careful with their weapons but with so many children in the family, everyone is more comfortable not having them around. Bringing it to something like Sesame Street Live makes no sense to me.

themuffinman16 · March 2015

That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.

novella1186 · March 2015

themuffinman16 said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.

I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.

buttercup1958 · March 2015

V has a gun, but he has a permit. He has talked about leaving it here with me while he is gone. Our street is safe but campus at night can be dangerous. There have been 5 assault cases this year and none of them have been solved. But our campus is a dry campus and a no gun campus. So I guess I need to get a permit and stay off campus at night. V and I aren't anti-gun but we are pro mental health. We feel if this country was better at taking care of mental health, we wouldn't have a lot of these shooting tragedies. So I'm very annoyed someone left their gun, they should know better.

KatieinBkln · March 2015

If the person who left that gun did have a permit for it, it should be taken away.

Maybe this is just me being a typical liberal lefty "real America"-hater, but if the point of conceal-and-carry laws and gun permits is to put them in the hands of responsible citizens, then I think you should have your permit rescinded if you prove to be, ya know, completely irresponsible about it.

onefootinthebayou · March 2015

novella1186 said:

themuffinman16 said:
What is wrong with people? I had the most wonderful day, and now, I just don't know about some people. I went to Sesame Street Live with my sister and her family. Just now, I checked the local news, and a gun was found in the theater after the show! The gun was not loaded, but I don't know if that means maybe a kid brought it in, ( I don't think an adult would bother with an unloaded gun.) I am just thankful the gun wasn't loaded. I couldn't imagine what would have happened with all of those really young children, if one of them found a loaded gun. You seriously think that, at that age, you wouldn't need to talk to your kids about gun safety. Most of them, surely, wouldn't even understand.
Some people are just so irresponsible.
It may not have been a kid. Brad-- FI's BM that I am very not fond of-- takes a gun everywhere. He has a permit to carry so it's totally legal. We went out for his birthday several months ago and the only seating available was in the "family" room, with a bunch of babies and kids. I find out after the fact that Brad had his gun on him the whole time, along with extra clips.

Brad told FI it's for when a terrorist or crazed shooter busts into the restaurant and tries to kill people. Brad will be the big hero, and kill him. But I have to wonder how safe it is to be protected from a crazy person by a crazy person. (There are many reasons why I call Brad crazy, not because he carries his gun everywhere).

Some people just have that mindset that they want to be prepared, I guess. Like when I put aspirin and tissues in my purse because I want to be prepared. They bring their gun.

This is a serious subject but I have to laugh a little @novella1186. After reading your posts, I'm inclined to start blaming EVERYTHING on Brad b/c he sounds like such a shit.

Who ate all the Americone Dream and left an empty container (and spoon) in the freezer?!

Brad did it.

Who is that A-hole who parked in a handicapped spot after nearly running down that old lady?

Brad.

Who left the toilet paper roll empty?!

Brad.

Who hit a parked car then leaves a note saying "Sorry, I'm not writing my name here but I hit your car and I'm just writing this note so bystanders won't take my license plate down. Kbye." - Brad

Who is the guy who took a piss in the bouncy castle at your kid's 4th birthday party?

You guessed it, Brad did it.

Brad is so my new scapegoat for anything shitty.

emmaaa · March 2015

novella1186 said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.

I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.

I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.

princessleia22 · March 2015

I think most people who carry regularly wouldn't carry it unloaded... for most scenarios where you may need it you probably won't have time to load it and you don't want to risk getting caught loading it. The point is having it available if you need it and keeping it unloaded kind of negates that availability. But, I could see if someone carried regularly and decided to unload it for this event because there were kids around. Personally, I would leave it in the car or something at an event like that, but unloading it is still probably more responsible than having a fully loaded gun with that many kids around. So, I don't see too much issue with that. But, then they also need to be responsible enough to keep their weapon secure and not lose it... that's where they screwed up. Anybody carrying a weapon needs to me responsible enough to maintain that weapon. Yes, accidents happen, but losing your gun in a crowd full of kids is stupid and irresponsible and shouldn't be allowed to happen. If it hadn't been unloaded beforehand, that could have had horrible outcome. But, I see that as the most likely scenario.

There is a somewhat high number of people that carry guns in my area. Most of the time you don't even realize it because the guns are concealed, but I've gotten better at noticing the small signs of it. I have my permit, but don't usually carry. DH keeps his in his truck and sometimes carries it on him. But, we are very careful with them and probably more thro

novella1186 · March 2015

onefootinthebayou said:

themuffinman16 said:
What is wrong with people? I had the most wonderful day, and now, I just don't know about some people. I went to Sesame Street Live with my sister and her family. Just now, I checked the local news, and a gun was found in the theater after the show! The gun was not loaded, but I don't know if that means maybe a kid brought it in, ( I don't think an adult would bother with an unloaded gun.) I am just thankful the gun wasn't loaded. I couldn't imagine what would have happened with all of those really young children, if one of them found a loaded gun. You seriously think that, at that age, you wouldn't need to talk to your kids about gun safety. Most of them, surely, wouldn't even understand.
Some people are just so irresponsible.
It may not have been a kid. Brad-- FI's BM that I am very not fond of-- takes a gun everywhere. He has a permit to carry so it's totally legal. We went out for his birthday several months ago and the only seating available was in the "family" room, with a bunch of babies and kids. I find out after the fact that Brad had his gun on him the whole time, along with extra clips.

Brad told FI it's for when a terrorist or crazed shooter busts into the restaurant and tries to kill people. Brad will be the big hero, and kill him. But I have to wonder how safe it is to be protected from a crazy person by a crazy person. (There are many reasons why I call Brad crazy, not because he carries his gun everywhere).

Some people just have that mindset that they want to be prepared, I guess. Like when I put aspirin and tissues in my purse because I want to be prepared. They bring their gun.

This is a serious subject but I have to laugh a little @novella1186. After reading your posts, I'm inclined to start blaming EVERYTHING on Brad b/c he sounds like such a shit.

Who ate all the Americone Dream and left an empty container (and spoon) in the freezer?!

Brad did it.

Who is that A-hole who parked in a handicapped spot after nearly running down that old lady?

Brad.

Who left the toilet paper roll empty?!

Brad.

Who hit a parked car then leaves a note saying "Sorry, I'm not writing my name here but I hit your car and I'm just writing this note so bystanders won't take my license plate down. Kbye." - Brad

Who is the guy who took a piss in the bouncy castle at your kid's 4th birthday party?

You guessed it, Brad did it.

Brad is so my new scapegoat for anything shitty.

-------------------wtf boxes?-------------------------------------------

A "shit" is the perfect way to describe him lol. That's what FI's parents call him.

themuffinman16 · March 2015

Man oh man, It was just found to be the weapon of an off duty police officer. That guy is going to have a bad week explaining this one to Internal Affairs. I feel a little better that the gun wasn't brought in there to harm, anyone. However, with that level of neglect, that gun could have wound up anywhere, and in the wrong hands.

Ok, I know it is just a purse, but I carry my purse so often, I know what it feels like when I don't have it on me. A police officer should know the weight of a gun on his hip, as opposed to when he isn't carrying. And when he doesn't feel that weight, he should feel panic.

I am glad this situation was resolved, but it's kind of shitty that someone trained to handle weapons could be so stupid with it.

princessleia22 · March 2015

themuffinman16 said:
Man oh man, It was just found to be the weapon of an off duty police officer. That guy is going to have a bad week explaining this one to Internal Affairs. I feel a little better that the gun wasn't brought in there to harm, anyone. However, with that level of neglect, that gun could have wound up anywhere, and in the wrong hands.
Ok, I know it is just a purse, but I carry my purse so often, I know what it feels like when I don't have it on me. A police officer should know the weight of a gun on his hip, as opposed to when he isn't carrying. And when he doesn't feel that weight, he should feel panic.
I am glad this situation was resolved, but it's kind of shitty that someone trained to handle weapons could be so stupid with it.

During my conceal carry training class told that police officers have more gun accidents than anyone else. Of course, that makes some sense because they are a large percentage of people carrying guns. But, they get so used to the guns that they relax on the safety with them. Our teacher told us it's not uncommon for them to have negligent discharges because they forget to check that the gun is clear. But, I agree that a gun is heavy enough that you should notice if it's suddenly not there.

novella1186 · March 2015

themuffinman16 said:
Man oh man, It was just found to be the weapon of an off duty police officer. That guy is going to have a bad week explaining this one to Internal Affairs. I feel a little better that the gun wasn't brought in there to harm, anyone. However, with that level of neglect, that gun could have wound up anywhere, and in the wrong hands.
Ok, I know it is just a purse, but I carry my purse so often, I know what it feels like when I don't have it on me. A police officer should know the weight of a gun on his hip, as opposed to when he isn't carrying. And when he doesn't feel that weight, he should feel panic.
I am glad this situation was resolved, but it's kind of shitty that someone trained to handle weapons could be so stupid with it.

Fuck. That almost makes me feel worse.

KatieinBkln · March 2015

emmaaa said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.

I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.

I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.

I'm always really curious about the bolded reasoning--I have personally never been assaulted or had a gun pulled on me. I've lived in all kinds of different places (I mean, never all that close to a check cashing store or anything). Of course it's technically true--you can't know that someone won't stick you up tomorrow morning--but based on my past experiences and likelihood of being somewhere dangerous in the future leads me to conclude that the statistical likelihood of being attacked is so low that it doesn't warrant carrying a weapon everywhere.

Of course, my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's, and I don't begrudge any responsible gun-owner their weapon, especially so if they have been harmed in the past or find themselves in dangerous situations often. It does seem, though, that whenever I talk to particularly gun-loving relatives, that their reasoning is more along the lines of "I heard that a house down the road [ed. note: like, 10 miles down the road, because they live in the middle of fucking nowhere] was broken into, so therefore I have a permit in every state in the country just in case a burglar decides to fill up his tank, drive out to my place, and jack my TV." It seems beyond silly framed that way, but more seriously, kind of sad. I don't want to live my life with so little trust in my fellow man.

As usual, like a huge dork, I find myself way less worried about the fact that people conceal and carry and more concerned with What it Means for Us as a Society that they feel they need to.

novella1186 · March 2015

KatieinBkln said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.

I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.

I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.

I'm always really curious about the bolded reasoning--I have personally never been assaulted or had a gun pulled on me. I've lived in all kinds of different places (I mean, never all that close to a check cashing store or anything). Of course it's technically true--you can't know that someone won't stick you up tomorrow morning--but based on my past experiences and likelihood of being somewhere dangerous in the future leads me to conclude that the statistical likelihood of being attacked is so low that it doesn't warrant carrying a weapon everywhere.

Of course, my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's, and I don't begrudge any responsible gun-owner their weapon, especially so if they have been harmed in the past or find themselves in dangerous situations often. It does seem, though, that whenever I talk to particularly gun-loving relatives, that their reasoning is more along the lines of "I heard that a house down the road [ed. note: like, 10 miles down the road, because they live in the middle of fucking nowhere] was broken into, so therefore I have a permit in every state in the country just in case a burglar decides to fill up his tank, drive out to my place, and jack my TV." It seems beyond silly framed that way, but more seriously, kind of sad. I don't want to live my life with so little trust in my fellow man.

As usual, like a huge dork, I find myself way less worried about the fact that people conceal and carry and more concerned with What it Means for Us as a Society that they feel they need to.

Ditto all of this. There was a guy in the news last year who was gunned down in broad daylight and he had a loaded gun in his belt at the time. Owning a gun can't stop bad things from happening, and not owning a gun doesn't mean bad things will happen.

But I don't expect other people to follow my same mindset. Obviously there's a huge spectrum of opinions. It's just something I don't really understand.

larrygaga · March 2015

fucking brad man

blabla89 · March 2015

I don't carry a gun, but I would feel a lot safer walking my dog at late night, leaving the office after hours, or walking from a restaurant to my car parked down the block if I did. I consider the neighborhood where I live to be relatively safe, but occasionally muggings, burglaries, car jackings, etc. have
happened.

FI does have gun for "home protection," but keeps it locked away in the house except when he goes to the shooting range. Honestly, I think it was an impulse purchase after he saw the rifle FBIL has and liked it. And even though FI is totally responsible, it kind of scares me that pretty much anyone can acquire a gun that easily.

princessleia22 · March 2015

KatieinBkln said:

emmaaa said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.
I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.

I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.

I'm always really curious about the bolded reasoning--I have personally never been assaulted or had a gun pulled on me. I've lived in all kinds of different places (I mean, never all that close to a check cashing store or anything). Of course it's technically true--you can't know that someone won't stick you up tomorrow morning--but based on my past experiences and likelihood of being somewhere dangerous in the future leads me to conclude that the statistical likelihood of being attacked is so low that it doesn't warrant carrying a weapon everywhere.

Of course, my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's, and I don't begrudge any responsible gun-owner their weapon, especially so if they have been harmed in the past or find themselves in dangerous situations often. It does seem, though, that whenever I talk to particularly gun-loving relatives, that their reasoning is more along the lines of "I heard that a house down the road [ed. note: like, 10 miles down the road, because they live in the middle of fucking nowhere] was broken into, so therefore I have a permit in every state in the country just in case a burglar decides to fill up his tank, drive out to my place, and jack my TV." It seems beyond silly framed that way, but more seriously, kind of sad. I don't want to live my life with so little trust in my fellow man.

As usual, like a huge dork, I find myself way less worried about the fact that people conceal and carry and more concerned with What it Means for Us as a Society that they feel they need to.

I agree. I do have my carry permit and a gun suitable for carry, but I don't feel the need to carry a weapon on me. I don't live a lifestyle that has me feeling like I'm in danger. DH does keep a gun in his truck and carries at times because he does go to some sketchy areas. His work is in a bad area of town and right across street from an outpatient mental hospital which is primarily used for drug rehab. And he goes to work at 6am, so it's still dark. It's not uncommon to hear gunfire in that neighborhood. He has had crazy druggies approach his vehicle... although it's never gotten violent of to a point where he felt a need to pull his gun out. So he does have daily scenarios that are higher risk and I feel more comfortable knowing he has some protection if needed. He also had a road rage incident when he was younger where some guy jumped out of the car and attacked him with a screwdriver for cutting him off. He got stabbed in his foot (he tried kicking at the guy) and his friend got stabbed in the neck and nearly died, so he also has personal experience of what could happen.

I agree that the random mugging or road rage incident are rare. And if you have big fear of those things, maybe you need to change your lifestyle to a less dangerous one or try to reduce your risks... but that's not always possible. And crimes don't just happen in bad areas either. The risk may be low, but it's still there. And, yeah, having a weapon doesn't always mean you will get to the gun in time or that it will save you, but it may increase the odds.

emmaaa · March 2015

princessleia22 said:

KatieinBkln said:

emmaaa said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.
I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.
I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.

I'm always really curious about the bolded reasoning--I have personally never been assaulted or had a gun pulled on me. I've lived in all kinds of different places (I mean, never all that close to a check cashing store or anything). Of course it's technically true--you can't know that someone won't stick you up tomorrow morning--but based on my past experiences and likelihood of being somewhere dangerous in the future leads me to conclude that the statistical likelihood of being attacked is so low that it doesn't warrant carrying a weapon everywhere.

Of course, my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's, and I don't begrudge any responsible gun-owner their weapon, especially so if they have been harmed in the past or find themselves in dangerous situations often. It does seem, though, that whenever I talk to particularly gun-loving relatives, that their reasoning is more along the lines of "I heard that a house down the road [ed. note: like, 10 miles down the road, because they live in the middle of fucking nowhere] was broken into, so therefore I have a permit in every state in the country just in case a burglar decides to fill up his tank, drive out to my place, and jack my TV." It seems beyond silly framed that way, but more seriously, kind of sad. I don't want to live my life with so little trust in my fellow man.

As usual, like a huge dork, I find myself way less worried about the fact that people conceal and carry and more concerned with What it Means for Us as a Society that they feel they need to.

I agree. I do have my carry permit and a gun suitable for carry, but I don't feel the need to carry a weapon on me. I don't live a lifestyle that has me feeling like I'm in danger. DH does keep a gun in his truck and carries at times because he does go to some sketchy areas. His work is in a bad area of town and right across street from an outpatient mental hospital which is primarily used for drug rehab. And he goes to work at 6am, so it's still dark. It's not uncommon to hear gunfire in that neighborhood. He has had crazy druggies approach his vehicle... although it's never gotten violent of to a point where he felt a need to pull his gun out. So he does have daily scenarios that are higher risk and I feel more comfortable knowing he has some protection if needed. He also had a road rage incident when he was younger where some guy jumped out of the car and attacked him with a screwdriver for cutting him off. He got stabbed in his foot (he tried kicking at the guy) and his friend got stabbed in the neck and nearly died, so he also has personal experience of what could happen.

I agree that the random mugging or road rage incident are rare. And if you have big fear of those things, maybe you need to change your lifestyle to a less dangerous one or try to reduce your risks... but that's not always possible. And crimes don't just happen in bad areas either. The risk may be low, but it's still there. And, yeah, having a weapon doesn't always mean you will get to the gun in time or that it will save you, but it may increase the odds.

The reason I carry mine everywhere is because something could still happen even in the "non-sketchy" areas. And no, carrying a gun won't prevent bad things from happening to you but st least you could be prepared. Which is why you should carry it loaded because otherwise it is useless (except in the OPs situation). I don't see anything wrong with being prepared to take care of myself. Would shooting someone be my first choice? No, probably not. But having the option or just the intimidation of the option, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I grew up in a house with guns. I was taught to respect them, clean them, and use them safely. They weren't all locked up because we knew not to touch them and what good does having all your guns locked up do during a home invasion?

DH and I have multiple guns for different types of uses. They're in a gun cabinet for now. We don't have kids to try to keep them away from yet.

As long as someone doesn't try to prevent my right from carrying and owning guns, then I have no problem with them choosing not to carry or own guns.

novella1186 · March 2015

emmaaa said:

KatieinBkln said:

emmaaa said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.
I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.
I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.

I'm always really curious about the bolded reasoning--I have personally never been assaulted or had a gun pulled on me. I've lived in all kinds of different places (I mean, never all that close to a check cashing store or anything). Of course it's technically true--you can't know that someone won't stick you up tomorrow morning--but based on my past experiences and likelihood of being somewhere dangerous in the future leads me to conclude that the statistical likelihood of being attacked is so low that it doesn't warrant carrying a weapon everywhere.

Of course, my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's, and I don't begrudge any responsible gun-owner their weapon, especially so if they have been harmed in the past or find themselves in dangerous situations often. It does seem, though, that whenever I talk to particularly gun-loving relatives, that their reasoning is more along the lines of "I heard that a house down the road [ed. note: like, 10 miles down the road, because they live in the middle of fucking nowhere] was broken into, so therefore I have a permit in every state in the country just in case a burglar decides to fill up his tank, drive out to my place, and jack my TV." It seems beyond silly framed that way, but more seriously, kind of sad. I don't want to live my life with so little trust in my fellow man.

As usual, like a huge dork, I find myself way less worried about the fact that people conceal and carry and more concerned with What it Means for Us as a Society that they feel they need to.

I agree. I do have my carry permit and a gun suitable for carry, but I don't feel the need to carry a weapon on me. I don't live a lifestyle that has me feeling like I'm in danger. DH does keep a gun in his truck and carries at times because he does go to some sketchy areas. His work is in a bad area of town and right across street from an outpatient mental hospital which is primarily used for drug rehab. And he goes to work at 6am, so it's still dark. It's not uncommon to hear gunfire in that neighborhood. He has had crazy druggies approach his vehicle... although it's never gotten violent of to a point where he felt a need to pull his gun out. So he does have daily scenarios that are higher risk and I feel more comfortable knowing he has some protection if needed. He also had a road rage incident when he was younger where some guy jumped out of the car and attacked him with a screwdriver for cutting him off. He got stabbed in his foot (he tried kicking at the guy) and his friend got stabbed in the neck and nearly died, so he also has personal experience of what could happen.

I agree that the random mugging or road rage incident are rare. And if you have big fear of those things, maybe you need to change your lifestyle to a less dangerous one or try to reduce your risks... but that's not always possible. And crimes don't just happen in bad areas either. The risk may be low, but it's still there. And, yeah, having a weapon doesn't always mean you will get to the gun in time or that it will save you, but it may increase the odds.

The reason I carry mine everywhere is because something could still happen even in the "non-sketchy" areas. And no, carrying a gun won't prevent bad things from happening to you but st least you could be prepared. Which is why you should carry it loaded because otherwise it is useless (except in the OPs situation). I don't see anything wrong with being prepared to take care of myself. Would shooting someone be my first choice? No, probably not. But having the option or just the intimidation of the option, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I grew up in a house with guns. I was taught to respect them, clean them, and use them safely. They weren't all locked up because we knew not to touch them and what good does having all your guns locked up do during a home invasion?

DH and I have multiple guns for different types of uses. They're in a gun cabinet for now. We don't have kids to try to keep them away from yet.

As long as someone doesn't try to prevent my right from carrying and owning guns, then I have no problem with them choosing not to carry or own guns.

---- UGH wtf with the boxes today--------------------------

I don't understand the home invasion reasoning, either. I feel like having a big dog or an alarm system would work far better to deter anyone who might commit a home invasion because those are things they can see/hear, be aware of, and think "I don't want to fuck with an alarm system/a huge pissed off dog."

There's no way for anyone to know that you have a gun and be deterred by that. And I get that the gun is meant to protect you AFTER the people get in, but isn't it better to just make them not want to get in in the first place? Or is it like a last resort thing?

There have been times where FI is out of town and I'm a little nervous to be home alone over night just cuz I'm not used to it. But big dog is with me, and I keep a baseball bat next to the bed cuz I'm paranoid lol. I've never felt like "Everything would be better if I just had a gun."

Not trying to say you're wrong or be argumentative, I just like to hear from the other perspective since it's not something I understand.

blabla89 · March 2015

novella1186 said:

emmaaa said:

KatieinBkln said:

emmaaa said:
That's the other side of the coin... someone had a concealed carry permit, or no permit at all, but it was an adult. Seriously, what were they trying to protect themselves from? The cookie monster's not that scary. It just reminds me of the story of the mom who was killed when her toddler reached into her purse and grabbed her gun, and shot her, accidentally. I know this gun was not loaded, so nothing bad happened, but it was still so irresponsible of the gun owner to bring it to a place where there are so many kids and to be so absent minded with it.

A good samaritan found it after the show and turned it in, thank God. I hope the person that left it there has learned their lesson, today.
I seriously think that a lot of people have Brad's mindset; a bad guy will show up anywhere at any time, and I will be the hero and save the day cuz I carry my gun everywhere. I don't really understand it and I don't agree with it, but I think that's the reasoning behind someone bringing a gun to Sesame Street.
I don't necessarily think that gun carriers (including myself) feel like they will be the "hero" but rather will be able to protect themselves and their families. You never know when someone will assault you or try to pull a gun on you and I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to @KatieInBlkn: I completely agree that guns should be in the hands of responsible owners and having their permits rescinded if they act otherwise.
I'm always really curious about the bolded reasoning--I have personally never been assaulted or had a gun pulled on me. I've lived in all kinds of different places (I mean, never all that close to a check cashing store or anything). Of course it's technically true--you can't know that someone won't stick you up tomorrow morning--but based on my past experiences and likelihood of being somewhere dangerous in the future leads me to conclude that the statistical likelihood of being attacked is so low that it doesn't warrant carrying a weapon everywhere.

Of course, my experiences aren't the same as everyone else's, and I don't begrudge any responsible gun-owner their weapon, especially so if they have been harmed in the past or find themselves in dangerous situations often. It does seem, though, that whenever I talk to particularly gun-loving relatives, that their reasoning is more along the lines of "I heard that a house down the road [ed. note: like, 10 miles down the road, because they live in the middle of fucking nowhere] was broken into, so therefore I have a permit in every state in the country just in case a burglar decides to fill up his tank, drive out to my place, and jack my TV." It seems beyond silly framed that way, but more seriously, kind of sad. I don't want to live my life with so little trust in my fellow man.

As usual, like a huge dork, I find myself way less worried about the fact that people conceal and carry and more concerned with What it Means for Us as a Society that they feel they need to.

I agree. I do have my carry permit and a gun suitable for carry, but I don't feel the need to carry a weapon on me. I don't live a lifestyle that has me feeling like I'm in danger. DH does keep a gun in his truck and carries at times because he does go to some sketchy areas. His work is in a bad area of town and right across street from an outpatient mental hospital which is primarily used for drug rehab. And he goes to work at 6am, so it's still dark. It's not uncommon to hear gunfire in that neighborhood. He has had crazy druggies approach his vehicle... although it's never gotten violent of to a point where he felt a need to pull his gun out. So he does have daily scenarios that are higher risk and I feel more comfortable knowing he has some protection if needed. He also had a road rage incident when he was younger where some guy jumped out of the car and attacked him with a screwdriver for cutting him off. He got stabbed in his foot (he tried kicking at the guy) and his friend got stabbed in the neck and nearly died, so he also has personal experience of what could happen.

I agree that the random mugging or road rage incident are rare. And if you have big fear of those things, maybe you need to change your lifestyle to a less dangerous one or try to reduce your risks... but that's not always possible. And crimes don't just happen in bad areas either. The risk may be low, but it's still there. And, yeah, having a weapon doesn't always mean you will get to the gun in time or that it will save you, but it may increase the odds.

The reason I carry mine everywhere is because something could still happen even in the "non-sketchy" areas. And no, carrying a gun won't prevent bad things from happening to you but st least you could be prepared. Which is why you should carry it loaded because otherwise it is useless (except in the OPs situation). I don't see anything wrong with being prepared to take care of myself. Would shooting someone be my first choice? No, probably not. But having the option or just the intimidation of the option, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I grew up in a house with guns. I was taught to respect them, clean them, and use them safely. They weren't all locked up because we knew not to touch them and what good does having all your guns locked up do during a home invasion?

DH and I have multiple guns for different types of uses. They're in a gun cabinet for now. We don't have kids to try to keep them away from yet.

As long as someone doesn't try to prevent my right from carrying and owning guns, then I have no problem with them choosing not to carry or own guns.

---- UGH wtf with the boxes today--------------------------

I don't understand the home invasion reasoning, either. I feel like having a big dog or an alarm system would work far better to deter anyone who might commit a home invasion because those are things they can see/hear, be aware of, and think "I don't want to fuck with an alarm system/a huge pissed off dog."

There's no way for anyone to know that you have a gun and be deterred by that. And I get that the gun is meant to protect you AFTER the people get in, but isn't it better to just make them not want to get in in the first place? Or is it like a last resort thing?

There have been times where FI is out of town and I'm a little nervous to be home alone over night just cuz I'm not used to it. But big dog is with me, and I keep a baseball bat next to the bed cuz I'm paranoid lol. I've never felt like "Everything would be better if I just had a gun."

Not trying to say you're wrong or be argumentative, I just like to hear from the other perspective since it's not something I understand.

FI has a big, loud dog in addition to his gun. If someone were to break in when FI wasn't home, the dog sure wouldn't protect me. Maybe I could defend myself with a baseball bat if I got close enough, but that doesn't make me feel a whole lot safer. It's a last resort, certainly, but I feel better knowing it's there.

KatieinBkln · March 2015

I mean, my home could get invaded, I could get mugged. I could also fall down or get hit on the head from something falling from a skyscraper, but I (and the vast majority of my fellow New Yorkers) don't wear a helmet and knee-pads every time I go outside.

novella1186 · March 2015

KatieinBkln said:
I mean, my home could get invaded, I could get mugged. I could also fall down or get hit on the head from something falling from a skyscraper, but I (and the vast majority of my fellow New Yorkers) don't wear a helmet and knee-pads every time I go outside.

Maybe that's why I don't understand the "what if" scenario prep. A sink hole could open up under our house or a satellite could fall from outer space and land on us, or a plane could crash into our house, or a tree could fall on us, or there could be a gas line explosion, or we could have a home invasion. To me, all of those scenarios seem equally likely to happen, and I don't have the energy to worry or prepare for any of them.

emmaaa · March 2015

Cutting the quote tree

I don't understand the home invasion reasoning, either. I feel like having a big dog or an alarm system would work far better to deter anyone who might commit a home invasion because those are things they can see/hear, be aware of, and think "I don't want to fuck with an alarm system/a huge pissed off dog."

There's no way for anyone to know that you have a gun and be deterred by that. And I get that the gun is meant to protect you AFTER the people get in, but isn't it better to just make them not want to get in in the first place? Or is it like a last resort thing?

There have been times where FI is out of town and I'm a little nervous to be home alone over night just cuz I'm not used to it. But big dog is with me, and I keep a baseball bat next to the bed cuz I'm paranoid lol. I've never felt like "Everything would be better if I just had a gun."

Not trying to say you're wrong or be argumentative, I just like to hear from the other perspective since it's not something I understand.

FI has a big, loud dog in addition to his gun. If someone were to break in when FI wasn't home, the dog sure wouldn't protect me. Maybe I could defend myself with a baseball bat if I got close enough, but that doesn't make me feel a whole lot safer. It's a last resort, certainly, but I feel better knowing it's there.

BOX?
This is us. We have three big dog alarms so having a gun is not our first measure. It is absolutely last resort. You don't just start shooting when you think someone is breaking in. The first thing they taught me in the safety course was to always identify your target first. So I mean, while we take other measures...this is just a back up.

novella1186 said:

KatieinBkln said:
I mean, my home could get invaded, I could get mugged. I could also fall down or get hit on the head from something falling from a skyscraper, but I (and the vast majority of my fellow New Yorkers) don't wear a helmet and knee-pads every time I go outside.
Maybe that's why I don't understand the "what if" scenario prep. A sink hole could open up under our house or a satellite could fall from outer space and land on us, or a plane could crash into our house, or a tree could fall on us, or there could be a gas line explosion, or we could have a home invasion. To me, all of those scenarios seem equally likely to happen, and I don't have the energy to worry or prepare for any of them.

But you do have health insurance, right? Not just for regular appointments but just in case you ever got hurt, sick, or needed surgery? I know that's an extreme example but why is having a gun "just in case" viewed differently than health insurance, car insurance, home owners insurance etc? We have gun for other reasons like hunting and target practice but also have them for a "what if scenario."

I know I'm not going g to change your minds and also not trying to sound argumentative, just providing an alternate perspective.

KatieinBkln · March 2015

KatieinBkln said:
I mean, my home could get invaded, I could get mugged. I could also fall down or get hit on the head from something falling from a skyscraper, but I (and the vast majority of my fellow New Yorkers) don't wear a helmet and knee-pads every time I go outside.
Maybe that's why I don't understand the "what if" scenario prep. A sink hole could open up under our house or a satellite could fall from outer space and land on us, or a plane could crash into our house, or a tree could fall on us, or there could be a gas line explosion, or we could have a home invasion. To me, all of those scenarios seem equally likely to happen, and I don't have the energy to worry or prepare for any of them.

But you do have health insurance, right? Not just for regular appointments but just in case you ever got hurt, sick, or needed surgery? I know that's an extreme example but why is having a gun "just in case" viewed differently than health insurance, car insurance, home owners insurance etc? We have gun for other reasons like hunting and target practice but also have them for a "what if scenario."

I know I'm not going g to change your minds and also not trying to sound argumentative, just providing an alternate perspective.

DISAPPEARING BOXES!

You know, the above is interesting. (And even though I'm being snarky with the knee-pad analogy I am honestly not trying to be argumentative, either. I believe most gun-owners are very, very responsible and respectful about them).

I guess the biggest difference re: the bolded that sticks out to me is that my health insurance can't accidentally go off or fall into the wrong hands. But the same could be said of my theoretical knee pads--they are definitely not harming anyone, and couldn't if they tried!

I guess to me it's about scale (certain precautions are so easy to take that it's dumb not to have them, whereas others [building a moat, getting a gun, learning advanced jiu jitsu] are much more of an active step to take, and therefore one that requires more examination and thought about whether you want to invest in them). So it's also about cost-benefit analysis. For me, the "math" (note: not actual math) doesn't stack up--it seems more dangerous for me to have a gun than it is for me to be out in the world. Everyone responds differently to that question, of course. I can't personally look at the actual statistical likelihood of being attacked (close to nil for someone who lives where I live and does the things I do; this isn't true for everyone!) and conclude that the risk is high enough.

Don't worry though, I would never try to infringe on a reasonable, responsible person's right to own a gun. My dad the deer hunter would probably have a problem with that...

emmaaa · March 2015

@KatieinBkln (just replying because quotes are hard on mobile) I definitely get what you're saying. I wish more efforts were made to ensure all gun owners are properly educated and mentally healthy (mental health reports etc) rather than worrying about the legality of it.

novella1186 · March 2015

KatieinBkln said:

KatieinBkln said:
I mean, my home could get invaded, I could get mugged. I could also fall down or get hit on the head from something falling from a skyscraper, but I (and the vast majority of my fellow New Yorkers) don't wear a helmet and knee-pads every time I go outside.
Maybe that's why I don't understand the "what if" scenario prep. A sink hole could open up under our house or a satellite could fall from outer space and land on us, or a plane could crash into our house, or a tree could fall on us, or there could be a gas line explosion, or we could have a home invasion. To me, all of those scenarios seem equally likely to happen, and I don't have the energy to worry or prepare for any of them.

But you do have health insurance, right? Not just for regular appointments but just in case you ever got hurt, sick, or needed surgery? I know that's an extreme example but why is having a gun "just in case" viewed differently than health insurance, car insurance, home owners insurance etc? We have gun for other reasons like hunting and target practice but also have them for a "what if scenario."

I know I'm not going g to change your minds and also not trying to sound argumentative, just providing an alternate perspective.

DISAPPEARING BOXES!

You know, the above is interesting. (And even though I'm being snarky with the knee-pad analogy I am honestly not trying to be argumentative, either. I believe most gun-owners are very, very responsible and respectful about them).

I guess the biggest difference re: the bolded that sticks out to me is that my health insurance can't accidentally go off or fall into the wrong hands. But the same could be said of my theoretical knee pads--they are definitely not harming anyone, and couldn't if they tried!

I guess to me it's about scale (certain precautions are so easy to take that it's dumb not to have them, whereas others [building a moat, getting a gun, learning advanced jiu jitsu] are much more of an active step to take, and therefore one that requires more examination and thought about whether you want to invest in them). So it's also about cost-benefit analysis. For me, the "math" (note: not actual math) doesn't stack up--it seems more dangerous for me to have a gun than it is for me to be out in the world. Everyone responds differently to that question, of course. I can't personally look at the actual statistical likelihood of being attacked (close to nil for someone who lives where I live and does the things I do; this isn't true for everyone!) and conclude that the risk is high enough.

Don't worry though, I would never try to infringe on a reasonable, responsible person's right to own a gun. My dad the deer hunter would probably have a problem with that...

-----ah fuuuuuuucking boooooxxxxeeeeessssss-----

The health insurance analogy doesn't work. Once or twice a year I get a UTI and have to go to the dr and get a prescription. Twice a year I have to go to my dermatologist for a skin cancer screening because of a bad biopsy several years ago. At least once a year some other random thing happens (like right now I have a nasty sinus infection for which I had to go to the dr and get antibiotics). So I know 100% beyond I doubt that I will need and use that health insurance.

With the home invasion argument, no person who has ever presented that argument to me has EVER experienced a home invasion.

It's one thing to be prepared for a thing that happens on a regular basis (insurance for getting sick) but it's another thing to be prepared for a random what-if scenario that may likely never occur within a person's entire lifetime.

--And I am not, by any means, saying that people shouldn't own guns. The gun owners that I know IRL are very responsible with their guns and very knowledgeable about how to handle them and whatnot. If people like to go target shooting or hunting, then cool. They should do that. I'm just saying I don't understand that particular reasoning with the home invasion thing.

emmaaa · March 2015

@novella1186 See I know insurance has to be used for regular ocurring situations; just like our guns for hunting and target shooting. But health insurance and car insurance also have to be used in cases of emergency for things that rarely, I'd ever happen; just like and assault or home invasion.

And FTR, my dad's house was broken into two years ago and all his guns and ammo were stolen. Thank God, no one was home at the time. My dad's house is also right next to my childhood church. It got broken into more times than I can count growing up. Again, luckily no one was ever there or harmed. I live in a very rural area and under emergencies, the police would take a minimum of 10 or 15 minutes to arrive.

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