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Originally Posted by Bri
The Oslo shooting is fairly similar to Columbine. The difference in the number of victims has more to do with a lack of escape options rather then anyone stopping the shooters. It's easier to get away from a suburban schoolbuilding than a small island.
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And the Jefferson County Sheriff's department dropped the ball on Columbine.
I live in Colorado, we know why it was as bad as it was.
The response time by the Sheriff dept was not acceptable.
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In Oslo the shooter had a permit, was well prepared, attacked a public place and had the element of surprise. He used a semi-automatic weapon and wore body armor. How would anyone carrying a gun have made any difference? I'm sure that even people living in states without strict guncontrol would not walk around with rifles on their backs all the time. I'm not against gunownership, but I can't see trying to defend against a well organized attack as the most logical justification for owning a gun.
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Oh, no you're quite right.
A determined, well armed, and organized individual will do immense amounts of carnage.
That's the problem.
Gun-control really doesn't help at all.
What can stop these people is the proverbial "64 million dollar" question.
No one has come up with an answer for that yet.
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Also, not possesing guns doesn't mean that Europeans don't care about their safety or will not take any responsebility for it. My girlfriend for example loves to go jogging in the evening. As she dual wields our 2 120 pound Rottweilers, I don't have to be concerned about safety, well... not hers at least.
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Good point, can't say I'd want to tangle with a pair of Rottweilers even with a gun.
Strange thing about the US.
We ban dogs,
well primarily pit bulls here in Colorado.
I can walk into my local gun shop and buy an AR-15, so long as I don't have a pitbull.
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Joking aside, I think guns don't mix well with urban areas with drug, poverty and gang problems. If there are no guns easily available in the public space then non lethal means will be sufficient for self defence and that will keep the number of people dying from violent crime low. But as soon as guns are easily available in the public space, you will have to live with them, and owning one will put you (at least somewhat) back on par with criminals.
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No, I agree with you, guns do not mix well in urban areas with high rates of poverty, drugs, and gangs with the following exception.
Citizens who are law abiding, and are willing to train to use them, should be allowed permits to own and carry firearms for their protection.
No one should have to live in dangerous conditions.
I've lived in parts of Denver that absolutely required me to own a firearm for protection.
I would have been crazy not to have one and a permit to carry.
So again, the society you live in greatly effects the effectiveness of gun-control.
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Originally Posted by GDB
Depends on what their intent initially was (and assuming they're armed with a gun and not a knife). If they were only intending to steal, and you pull a gun and don't immediately use it, there's a high chance that the culprit will panic and do something they never intended to do. Hell, even if you don't pull it and merely motion toward a gun that they can see could lead to that situation. And I'd say the number of non-criminals who actually have a gun and are able to fire it (psychologically, not physically) at another human are much lower than the number of criminals who would.
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I did not have to shoot them.
There were three of them at a 7/11 in downtown Commerce City.
Here to be exact:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rl...ed=0CBIQnwIwAA
Fortunately, after I brandished my pistol, they didn't try to rush me with the knives they had.
I don't know if I could have gotten them both fast enough (the two with the knives).
I don't ever want to be in that situation again, gun or no gun.
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And now for some actual news. Since this IS a news thread.
My apologies to the Mods.
I don't try to be a trouble maker...honestly.
Death toll rises in Indiana State Fair stage collapse
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...77D07E20110814
Gallup: Obama job rating sinks below 40% for first time