[Wondergirl]

If tough gun laws would've prevented this it would've .

Chi-town cops are going after the illegal handguns now.

[speechlesstx]

There have been three instances at my house where a handgun was misused, but none were reported. I wonder how many others in other homes have not been reported.

Hey, it was your survey and it was used in a very misleading way.

[Wondergirl]

Hey, it was your survey and it was used in a very misleading way.

How so?

[smearcase]

I have had at minimum an average of 2 handguns for 50 years with zero instances of misuse.
A friend of mine had one instance of wood splitting sledge hammer misuse by his son one morning four or so years ago, with one fatality (murder), that being my friend.
If we are using our own stats, all of the people murdered who I personally knew, were killed by blunt instruments.

[paraclete]

Isn't it interesting, I don't own a gun and I don't know anyone personally who was murdered, there is a 100% corrolation here

[speechlesstx]

How so?

The article is using the exaggerated statement out of context to argue against guns as a deterrent based on an incident rate of less than one percent. There is also no way to gauge how many crimes are thwarted because the potential victim may be armed. It was a useless, outdated, misleading survey to support his argument. Violent crime is down in Texas since concealed carry, the survey predates that reality.

[smearcase]

Homicide in US went from about 4 per 100k in 1950 to 10 per 100k in 1975 and stayed at about 10 per 100k until 1995, and down to about 4.5 per 100k in 2010. USDOJ.gov
Gun ownership has doubled to about 1 per person in US over about that same time. CSMonitor.com
Drug arrests just about quadrupled during the 1980's, which included the period during which homicides peaked. USDOJ
Homicides are at about the same rate today as they were in 1950, while gun ownership doubled in the US.

[smoothy]

How about the simple basic fact... if someone wanted to murder someone and they didn't have a gun... they would use some other means.

They don't think... "Oh I can't find a gun....so I guess I have to be an upstanding citizen now."

A simple visit to a grocery store or hardware store not to mention you can make an explosive far more effective than a gun.

Hell I could make an air fuel explosive out of laser printer toner cartridges... and I was never a chem major, many people could. Ever wonder why they are considered a hazardous material and you MUST ship them by ground?

[Wondergirl]

I've often wanted to murder someone, but didn't have a gun handy to shoot her with and I didn't want to just maim her. Anything else was too much trouble.

[paraclete]

This is strange I have never wanted to use a gun to murder someone, must be a result of gun culture

[smoothy]

I've often wanted to murder someone, but didn't have a gun handy to shoot her with and I didn't want to just maim her. Anything else was too much trouble.

Trust me , if you REALLY wanted to do it (and that's way, WAY beyond just entertaining the thought.. trust me I know)... not having a gun would have not been a deterrent.

I put a guy in intensive care once in a case of self defense with a steel bar... I almost put him in a coffin had I not been wrestled to the ground by an adult male neighbor when I was. I could have ran in the house and got a gun we had several... but the steel bar was handy. And I felt I was in imminent danger... and actually... the State Police did too, I took down two guys bigger and stronger than I was. That jumped me... and there were lots of witnesses to it. As in almost 70. ( as in no charges at all, I had the option of pressing them, cops said no rush I could think about it... they never even looked at me wrong again).

[paraclete]

There is a lot of romaticism about the used of guns no doubt helped along by hollywood

[smoothy]

There is a lot of romaticism about the used of guns no doubt helped along by hollywood

Exactly... few people really are that casual about shooting someone... something that really becomes apparent when you are put in the position to actually do it.

[smearcase]

Many gun owners of my generation have military experience and while there may be exceptions, a casual attitude toward weapons in the military was a good way to get some brig time. Responsible (non-criminal) gun owners handle weapons with extreme care and lock and secure the weapons, and most are fully capable of using them very rationally if and when it becomes necessary. Home invasions (most drug related) are a popular sport in even the small burgs in my area.

[tomder55]

Chi-town cops... don't call us .
Chicago Police Changing Response Plan For Some 911 Calls « CBS Chicago

Maybe the sneaker tax will pay for more cops
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/i...7054a4648.html

[speechlesstx]

I've often wanted to murder someone, but didn't have a gun handy to shoot her with and I didn't want to just maim her. Anything else was too much trouble.

That's kind of scary.

[Wondergirl]

That's kinda scary.

And I'm a registered Republican.

[speechlesstx]

Yeah well, I don't know what being a registered Republican has to do with it but I have never wanted to murder anyone. Must be a Chicago thing.

[Wondergirl]

Yeah well, I don't know what being a registered Republican has to do with it but I have never wanted to murder anyone. Must be a Chicago thing.

I'm a NC and NY product. Chicago has nothing to do with my psyche. Maybe it was because of my hanging out with the Appalachian hill people and their shotguns and in their shacks back in the '50s. Those Hatfields and McCoys.

[speechlesstx]

I'm a NC and NY product. Chicago has nothing to do with my psyche. Maybe it was because of my hanging out with the Appalachian hill people and their shotguns and in their shacks back in the '50s. Those Hatfields and McCoys.

Don't blame your wanting to murder someone on rednecks and Republicans, you got to own that one.