[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Vexx

You're watching someone that has a dump truck of their own baggage and they're projecting it on everyone else. Like a temperance alcoholic. They can't handle it, so it isn't possible that anyone else can either.

Seriously, Vexx? You really want to get that personal, even despite my caution that we shouldn't read too much into each others' personal situations? I suppose an apology is too much to expect by now.

But if you had been reading my posts, you would realize that my idea would only ban non-smart handguns. Rifles and shotguns for hunting and sport (but registered) would be okay. And I'd only ban handguns since they are used in the vast majority of crimes where a gun is used. Does that sound like someone terrified of guns? If not, why do you think I have any baggage? Should I claim you have emotional baggage because a couple of people startled you? Do you have no compassion, no sense of empathy, for people who get so full-on depressed that they seek to take their own life?

I guess opening up a bit about my personal experiences, and expecting any kind of empathy or understanding, or even respect, was expecting too much.

But to answer the sensible question: why, yes, every incident was reported to the police. Even the shots exchanged incident, it took them 30 minutes to arrive. Whee. Two of the incidents they didn't even want to file a report because "nothing happened" (the good samaritans on one of the the mugs and the assault).

Did they take your gun for evidence? Because that is what they are supposed to do. It sounds like they didn't... which either means poor cops, or we're dealing with made-up instances.

And yes, that's right people, the government can legally take your guns. If it is used in any circumstance that is reported to the police, they can seize it for evidence, and odds are you will never get it back. It will most likely get destroyed. The NRA recommends that if your gun gets taken for evidence, that you just give it up and buy another. Then again, getting you to buy more guns is on their agenda.

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

I don't have a gun.

I also support non-lethal methods of defense. I would love a non-lethal solution that works. I would be over the moon about it, honestly. I would love it if I could defend myself without having to worry about killing someone to avoid being killed myself. I would love to not have to worry about nightmares and associated psychological issues related to being forced to kill someone.

Your "solutions" are questionable at best--effective sonic weapons are not man-portable (they sit on top of a humvee) and effective laser blinding weapons are about the size of an assault rifle and are much heavier. The DIY make-shift held-together-with-duct-tape-and-baling-twine versions of these prototype weapons you see on YouTube are not something I would want my life to depend upon.

I apologize for missing that you didn't have a gun. But I think you'll find technology has advanced enough that blinding and sonic weapons are very man-portable, and smaller than an assault rifle. Hell, laser pointers are effective blinders if you hit their eyes; it's just hard to do. Real blinding weapons are bigg

So, if you missed my links before, I will repost
Glare Mout - Check out the size comparison picture, to see how it stacks up vs. a rifle.
Phasor Blast Wave Pistol - scroll down a bit to see the portable version.

Originally Posted by Ithekro

Since one is pointing out situations I would point this out to you. What about the people and animals around the criminal? Do you want them blinded or deaf as well? It is far more indiscriminate than a handgun, where unless the people or animals are in a line, only one will get hit by a single bullet.

Glad you asked that. Because the blinding can be temporary. Ever been in a dark room, and looked at a camera when it took a flash picture? How your vision was temporarily obscured for a few seconds, and then you had spots in your eyes for several more seconds? Functional blinding weapons are very similar. They leave glares on your eyes which obscures your vision. Flash grenades (also flashbangs) do the same thing and have been in use for quite awhile now. So the blinding is temporary, and thus it doesn't matter as much if you hit bystanders.

For sonic weapons, we have two types: Normal and Infrasonic. Normal sonic weapons induce nausea and headaches via piercing sound, which will render someone incapacitated after a few moments.

But what I'm more interested in acquiring are infrasonic weapons. Ever stand next to a bass that was putting out low sounds, and felt your bones shake as your body felt the pulses? That's essentially what this is. Sound so low you can't hear it, but at sufficient power, it causes powerful nausea and your body no longer responds very well. Your bones shake, and cavities in your body resonate. Can make you ill enough that you throw up.

In both these cases, the damage is temporary. That is partially why I advocate these two weapons over anything else, including guns. You don't need to worry about ammo or aiming or killing anyone. You just point and let it loose, and your attacker is either blinded for you to tackle (blinding weapons), or they will collapse in pain (sonic and infrasonic).

In fact, if you have a flash function on your smartphone, that is almost as useful as a blinding weapon, especially if it is dark.

Firearms can leave someone permanently disabled, too, as well as kill. Blinding and sonic weapons (at sufficient power levels), will only temporarily disable, and not kill. Part of the problem is these weapons are not easily available to the populace, and my argument, part of my solution, is to make them available. Especially to teachers or school personnel, rather than guns.