Gentle reader et all
WARNING
This is about guns and the rules of engagement - meaning when they can be used, and the moral and human realities of carrying a gun for self defense. There is some strong language and stronger sentiment, but as my wife told me today - I am sensitive and emotional and that may be a deadly combination.

Since guns, defending ones self from 2 and 4 legged animals, light weight ammo have been topics. And we have discussed the legal issues - which most of us are not qualified to discuss BTW. Somehow the ethics and Rules of engagement have not been brought up. No military can move in enemy territory without rules of ebgagement, or everyone would die. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

You can't walk down a street with a concealed weapon and think that you have the moral right to use it just because you have a legal right to carry it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> If someone does something that offends you, you may not brandish your weapon just because you have one and you think you are in danger. Likewise you cannot shoot someone for being wierd or maybe being offensive. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I do own guns and I do know how to use them - I can shoot a fly off'n a plate of grits at 100 feet and you say which eye to hit. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> seriuosly <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> BUT I only rarely carry a gun, because under the wrong circumstances I would use it. Under the wrong circumstances someone meaning no real bad would be dead. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

People see glorified killing and shooting on tv and are insensitive to what it means to kill something and seeing its [ a former human who someone loved] formerly alive body splatted with blood miles from nowhere. You're gonna have a real tough time with a jury. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

The only thing I can reccommend is a licensed qualified handgun course that teaches more about when not to draw a weapon than about how to kill someone.

I understand hunting and I understand the need for game management, BUT - theres a photo at the local sportsman shop of the manager with huge grin sitting on seven dead coyotes. I understand the need for game management , but I'd like hit him in the teeth with a ball bat - once for each life that he gleefully took. He could have atleast been solemn. So yeh I suppose if I ran into him in the woods and he shot my dog, and I had a gun, he would never see the sunset. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> I'm not proud of saying that. Its why I don't carry. I know I never miss and if I draw - somethings gonna die and I've seen things die before and it made me sick. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I encourage any one who might consider carrying a gun to look inwards at themselve first and ask themselves whether they really are mature enough to carry a gun and never want draw it. You must have premeditated concepts of when and under what cirumstance you can draw your gun and never ever do it against your own rules of engagement.

Finally - what makes you think you will be first to shoot - the 1 out of 1.3 bullets fired in the average gun fight. The very few times in my life when I wished for a gun, I was extremely happy that had none. You could precipitate your own death by brandishing a weapon and having someone else shooting you in self defense.

Finally many of our police members will tell you that if you are not DRILLED in the use of firearms, meanig trained AND practiced AND competent, the other guy will be the first bullet, OR you kill an inocent person. worth it? And yeh I was in the NRA what of it? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />