@dc9mm said:
LOL Allan if you feel safer in areas without guns, also known as gun free zones those are the most dangerous places to be.
Intentional homicide rate in the US: 4.88 homicides per 100,000 citizens per year.
Intentional homicide rate where I live: 0.99 homicides per 100,000 citizens per year.
And when your government wants to take the citizens over by force (see history) what will you do to stop them?
I will always hope for the best in my country and in people however I am not naive enough to think nothing bad will ever happen. Not only do I want to protect my family I want to protect the good people around me.
If you keep up with the US news (not the fake lib stuff) you’ll see that anarchist groups are allowed to constantly break the law while the police watch and are told to stand down. Freedoms are very quickly being removed from law-abiding citizens. Not much different than England and Europe. And unless the right people are voted into office it’s only going to get worse.
When I first started kayaking, I frequented the Great Swamp in Pawling, NY. I was warned by a local hiker who saw me headed out at 7:00 a.m. during hunting season that I should wear blaze orange and talk to myself as sometimes drunken hunters were known to be a bit trigger happy.
No one ever took a shot at me, but I did pay close attention when I went by the duck blinds. I will be the first to admit that I made a lot of noise whenever I encountered decoys on the water.
Guns don’t kill people. Criminals and idiots with guns do. And yes, I have been shot at in the woods by an idiot hunter, and had guns pointed at me by criminals. I have no desire to carry one myself, as I worry I would hurt the wrong person (likely myself).
What are these guns we carry,
concealed between heart and mind?
And when it comes to the point
thought to barrel disjoint,
will we find the safety in time?
If an evil person comes after us, armed or not, most likely their intent will not be evident. What can you do with a gun pointed at you?
Personally, I can’t think of anything except cooperate.
That’s good. I’ve never been robbed by a Craigslist sale. Unfortunately many other have.
I never said not to be wise. Always talk your way out of bad situations and/or give them what they want. However when it comes to the life of me and my family, I’m going down fighting.
I’m a “little old lady” and have bought and sold all kinds of goods on Craigslist and other sites for a decade without ever remotely feeling the need to arm myself. And I have traveled in the backcountry all around the US and Canada for over 50 years without needing to be armed. No, I am not naive (have had a gun pointed at me during robberies at places I worked) nor am I afraid of handling firearms – in fact I have training and am a dead shot.
But I feel no need to own any guns, and am very aware that owning a firearm immensely increases anyone’s chances of themselves or a family member being shot. Anyone who thinks owning and carrying a gun INCREASES their personal safety is deluding themselves – the statistics overwhelmingly prove otherwise. You are far more likely to be shot if you own and carry a firearm than if you do not (often with your own weapon). That is not “liberal lies”, it’s statistical reality from multiple non-political sources. I will not allow anyone in my home carrying a weapon nor allow anyone to carry on any trip I lead. That is just simple and basic safety hygiene.
If it makes you feel “secure” to carry, bless you. But understand that it’s a psychological crutch, not a reality based decision.
As to history, it is fascist and right-wing regimes that have historically disarmed their populations involuntarily, not liberal ones (populations that decide by consensus to restrict firearm ownership and usage voluntarily are generally enlightened democracies.). There IS a difference between “leftist” and “liberal”, by the way. Good article on that in the latest issue of Atlantic Monthly if you want a good explanation of that difference.
I do, however, when I am feeling devilish, send a fake name and address to the scammers who offer to send “cashiers checks” just to get them to waste their time and postage. I figure if enough of us scam them back they may get tired of the game.
@willowleaf said:
If it makes you feel “secure” to carry, bless you. But understand that it’s a psychological crutch, not a reality based decision.
True and to the point!
A further comment, my current return email to scammers:
“The INTERNET SPAM/SCAM WATCHDOG has issued a warning that your IP address chain is under surveillance for possible scamming activities. I am truly interested in selling this [whatever] and if the surveillance warning is incorrect, please clear this with the INTERNET SPAM/SCAM WATCHDOG and then get back to me.”
@Willowleaf- I love your idea of scamming the scammers with fake name and address, and will add that to our family traditions.
My daughter and I have been doing this with telephone con artists for the last several years. We just act dumb, and keep them on the phone as long as possible. It is so funny to hear their indignation when they finally catch on… actual quote: “Are you wasting my time? I get $20 for every caller I cheat, so this isn’t fair.”
There used to be a difference between leftists and liberals but not any more. Both are big government socialists. And most who call themselves conservative are now moderates. We now have a ruling government which is not what this country was founded on. We are a supposed to be a republic not a democracy. A country founded on law, not feelings or mob rule.
Carrying a firearm has nothing to do with feelings. It’s just good old common sense. Especially for women. I wonder how this would have turned out if the women in Germany had the ability to protect themselves. From a leftist rag…
I get a kick out of people have said I have sold on craigslist for 30 years without a problem. Well guess what, I have driven a car for over 30 years and never needed my seat belt to hold me in. does that mean I didn’t need to be prepared and wear my seat belt for those 30 years. NOPE. By the time I was 18 I was involved in TWO shootings. Ducking bullets. So yes most will never need to be prepared that doesn’t mean EVERYONE will be that lucky. One shooting was on a greyhound out of Cleveland other was at supermarket in Amherst NY. So no iam not lying about it. Iam not saying everyone should have a gun, many shouldn’t but just don’t say I cant and iam good. Typically iam just armed with my carbon fiber greenland paddle and kayak. much more fun with that stuff. See much more fun see video youtube.com/watch?v=omlTAQIDzdc
What the heck is the gun debate doing on this thread about Craigslist Scammers!
Good question! Second time in as many weeks, initiated by a comment on Craigslist scammers. I am a NYS registered gun owner, but some of these comments/attitudes concern me. I wonder: would you adamant gun owners that prefer to carry when conducting Craigslist transactions please indicate such in your ad or your inquiry so I can just ignore/avoid you? I would hate to get shot reaching for my wallet!
What the heck is the gun debate doing on this thread about Craigslist Scammers!
Good question! Second time in as many weeks, initiated by a comment on Craigslist scammers. I am a NYS registered gun owner, but some of these comments/attitudes concern me. I wonder: would you adamant gun owners that prefer to carry when conducting Craigslist transactions please indicate such in your ad or your inquiry so I can just ignore/avoid you? I would hate to get shot reaching for my wallet!
Do you really think that’s funny? Place a warning in the ad would only be asking for trouble. It would be like putting a “gun free zone” sign on a business or home.