11 thoughts on “More Hoplophobia From The Media”

  1. “Perhaps one day, Gold’s training will come in handy, but I doubt it. I’ve traveled the world and walked on streets at night alone in cities around the U.S., Central America and Asia, and never once been accosted. It seems far more likely that both he and I will end up falling victim to a distracted motorist, clogged artery or cancer cells than armed bandits. ”

    I own a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector too. I do not live in fear of my house burning with me asleep in it either.

  2. Speaking of, I’ve become enthralled recently with the case of Brian Aitkens. He’s been sentenced to 7 years! in prison for lawfully transporting firearms in his car.
    Article

    Theres a Facebook page calling for his release with 12,000 members currently. For anyone wanting to advocate gun-rights, freeing Brian would be a great place to start.

  3. Gold has it almost perfect. As law enforcement I was trained and believe it is correct to always assume that everyone I contact may be armed. To add concealed carry to the mix changes things very little for me as an officer. Concealed carry has been available for several years in my state and I can honestly say that it has made almost no difference in my job. The core group of people I most often worry about and deal with, violent criminals, don’t give a damn about the legality of concealed carry. I support it.

    I disagree with his stating “”It removes the control they have, and it bothers them knowing they’re on an even playing field, dealing with someone capable of doing the same violence they are,” he says. “Well, too bad.” I will assume that a lot is lost in his brief response. I will also assume that some officers do feel that way. I and most of my fellow officers do not feel that way.

    For an officer the issue of control is just a means to an end. By this I mean that I use the laws and the “control” they represent to achieve justice and eliminate threats to the public. To a degree an armed public is generally in accordance with this concept and as such I would support it.

    If I were to take Gold’s statement and alter it to fit my actual concerns I would probably put it like this. “Officers arriving at a scene where there is a problem of some sort prefer to have the advantage of tactics, firepower and legal precedent already on their side.” I arrive at several “scenes” every day. At least one person at each location, typically the caller, is of the belief that things are out of control and can not be resolved without some sort of authority arriving and taking control, by force if necessary. Sometimes they are wrong but often enough they are correct. Now, since 99% of the public is generally law abiding and good natured it is often very easy to find the source of the conflict and to assess its nature. Unfortunately there are always good intentioned people around who are actually very misinformed when it comes to the law and its application in the field. This presents the officer with secondary points of conflict while trying to handle the “call”. The addition of extra side arms to the mix further complicates and lengthens what would have been a much simpler situation.

    As such my advice to those of you who would exercise your 2nd amendment right to carry a weapon please follow this sound advice as a favor to me. You have the right to your weapon. It comes with responsibility. I applaud you for your diligence in practicing with the weapon and keeping it safe while at home. If you carry it out in public concealed or in plain view for your safety and the safety of those around you then leave with it and your loved ones as soon as I show up. My showing up is a red flag that all might not be safe in the area and as Gold has stated, the shootout is the last option so leaving is preferable right? You pay good taxes for my training, equipment, and for me to take the risks you shouldn’t have to. If you hear me screaming for help like a little girl then perhaps I have changed my mind, but until then this request stands. I don’t like undercover officers on my scene and they are already familiar with the tactics of my department. I have to know the good guys from the bad guys, often in a hurry and in an unfavorable light. People wielding weapons in civilian clothing no matter where they are from or where they were trained makes this more difficult.

    Certainly many of you would argue that you should not be required to leave an area if you are not the cause of the problem. I would ask you this,,, Are you armed to increase the likelihood that you, yours, and the general public is safe? If this is so then would you choose to exercise your rights first at the cost of public safety during a crisis? If being armed at “that place and at that time” elevates potential harm don’t you have the responsibility to remove the weapon from the area?

    Of course every situation is different but I speak here of those situations where the cops are already on scene and not where you are the lone defender. I have written this quickly so I apologize for any spot where I may have misspoken.

    God bless you all and may you never need your weapons. Never stop training. Child proof your guns and gun proof your children. Keep your weapons out of site in public. Don’t show ‘em unless you really need them. Don’t bluff. Don’t argue with a cop while still holding one in your hands. And ask yourself every time “Am I willing to go to prison for a long time if a jury thinks I acted without good cause?”

  4. I didn’t think the article was that objectionable and Gold responded to things that needed responding to. I found this part interesting… “He keeps his hair long in part to gauge people by the judgments they make about him.”

    I was never a hippy but did grow my hair long one year in my teens. It was absolutely amazing the change in the way people reacted to me. I was even thrown off a cross country bus once (I was asleep, rudely awakened and thrown off. I would have stayed off if the person I was with hadn’t objected.)

    I have a cousin that got a job as a security guard. His first night on the job he got in a shootout with some thieves. The police showed up and he fired along with them “trying to kneecap the bad guys.” The next day he was reassigned to a post in the hot AZ sun that required he not carry a gun. He never figured out the connection but it was a source of quite a bit of amusement with the rest of the family.

    Things have changed and not for the better. As a kid, we’d carry a revolver in a holster and plink cans in the desert. Walking into a convenience story wouldn’t cause the least bit of concern. I wouldn’t do that today. People, with the exception of some areas, here in Phoenix aren’t as used to seeing guns on citizens, more often it’s drug gangsters that carry guns (openly or not.)

    Personally, I sleep a lot easier knowing grandma is packing. I am however, dissuaded from having a gun because the laws are so inconsistent when you travel.

  5. Great comment, Dave. You make some good points.

    Armed civilians are good for dealing with situations when the police aren’t there. But once they arrive, then they take charge. At that point, I can see where a police officer might be disconcerted by being surrounded by armed civilians. It makes it hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.

    I have a concealed carry permit, but I’ve never actually carried in public. I don’t quite feel comfortable about it yet. Also, I try to stay away from known bad areas.

  6. I can see where a police officer might be disconcerted by being surrounded by armed civilians.

    I absolutely hate the us vs. them mentality. Civilians and police should both be comfortable walking among citizens that are armed. If we just got rid of the bad guys instead of catch and release there wouldn’t be any need to be afraid.

    I saw my wife get stopped by a cop. Her english wasn’t that good and I was concerned she might be afraid, so I did a U-turn and pulled in behind the cop. He said he might have shot me. I thanked him for not doing that. He sent my wife away without letting me speak to her. That didn’t seem right.

    We can’t be living in fear all the time. It leads to idiocy like the TSA.

  7. Rand, my first post didn’t take. I closed my connection and redid it. Then it said duplicate comment even though the first didn’t show. I changed it slightly and it did show up. Just FYI, if it helps.

  8. I saw my wife get stopped by a cop. Her english wasn’t that good and I was concerned she might be afraid, so I did a U-turn and pulled in behind the cop. He said he might have shot me. I thanked him for not doing that. He sent my wife away without letting me speak to her. That didn’t seem right.

    I don’t know much about this, but pulling up well ahead of them, like a couple yards ahead of them, (with the car facing away from the officer) seems far less threatening.

  9. Perhap Karl. I see some merit in your suggestion. However, I am and used to be even more so then, a really big guy. Some people find that intimidating all by itself. Cops have it tough, but it’s why they are suppose to be professional. They are to ‘protect and serve’ which is a dangerous thing.

    In approaching and speaking I was very calm and gave no reason to be considered a threat. My concern was for my wife who being new to some things (driving[in snow], english, being stopped by an American cop) might have had some fear.

    Of course, I’m not totally averse to using a tranquilizer dart, tying up the officer so when he awakens it would be a safe opportunity to communicate my concerns. I just think approaching people like fellow humans aught to work as well. Even though I’ve had experiences with bad cops in my youth, I still try to hold onto the idea that they’re the good guys. It’s difficult at times, but it’s sort of a fantasy I really want to believe. Forgive me if this seems snarky, my intent is not that.

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