Guns Aren't All Bad

An elderly man and his wife were violently attacked by a home intruder but he was able to shoot and kill the suspect, who was nearly naked at the time.

Pennsylvania State Police said that 54-year-old Steven David Schaffer had tried to get into another home in Berwick Township and other people's cars before he assaulted the couple who are in their seventies.

They said that Schaffer was nude during the attack except for a t-shirt.

During the attack the husband told his wife to get their gun from their bedroom. Police said that Schaffer followed the woman and "violently attacked" her while she tried to retrieve the gun. The husband was able to get the gun and shoot Schaffer several times, killing him.

 

The NRA must be banking on everyone having forgotten how we “outed” their little games

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/3/26/how-to-sell-a-massacre-nras-playbook-revealed

 

You're right. I can't think of any inanimate object that is intrinsically "bad", it's only the person using that inanimate object that is "bad" or in the case you cited, mentally ill.

 

It would seem obvious that the proper response to an effort to throw perspective out of balance would be to present the balanced side, Don't you think?
Or maybe you don't think. Or maybe you think those who are attacked should just curl up and die. "Equal Justice" is something that many think is something their chosen enemies are not entitled to.

 

Why are these stories only seen in America? This had long puzzled me that somehow these were only seen in America surely if so many were defending themselves with guns there should then be a multitude of stories about people attacked in other countries because they could not defend themselves

if anything we have far lower homicide rates

 

The MSM mostly reports the news that fits their liberal or socialist agenda.

 

I can't read your graph. It is too small.

 

We are far from the highest, but all things considered we should be far below where we are. This really isn't a gun issue- it's a people issue. The psychology, the maturity- the things that cause people to develop the ability to regulate their own behavior. In part, we aren't too far past the time when you had to be your own law- but we are also in a position of conflict within the law, where definitions, justifications and rationalizations of unacceptable behavior are far too fluid. Often it's more of a game than a firm set of rules, and enforcement is inconsistent, in some cases- non-existent. Inconsistent or unfair laws as wells an inconsistent or unfair enforcement are self-defeating.

America is a new culture in many ways, and right now I think at a turning point. Possible transition to better- or worse. Fact is that the people make it what it is. They choose those who hold office- but more importantly, they fail to maintain power over those who hold office, and what they do. Sometimes it's like a game of football where the referees are removed and the players make up the rules- and that has to change. I'm saying that we still don't regulate ourselves sufficiently as individuals (meaning we have too many that will not) and we fail to support a consistent and just regulation by our system. I see that as a condition of growth, somewhat like a teenager who thinks they already know how to handle things. Eventually, they will- but in the process of learning, many mistakes will happen, and that can be painful and expensive.

Whenever we focus on things other than the basic causes, we distract from our ability to fix anything. Thus preoccupation with guns is usually a distraction. Improper use or possession of guns deserves not only regulation- but enforcement or consequence... and we are weak on both. The anti-gun people want laws that will do nothing to reduce the problems, but impose burdens on people who have nothing to do with the problems involving guns... Thus, they miss the issues that really need attention.

Cultures around the world have wide variables. Generally, the older and longer established ones do the best- providing their cultures have a solid, just foundation, and not all do. Some cultures teach bias and hate from birth. Thus- all kinds of people and values exist. The best of us seek the highest goals; others.... allow emotions to rule them and their world.

 

As do you.

 

The news is supposed to report the news, good or bad. They should not be taking sides.

On the other hand, Just a Man is an individual voicing his opinion. He has no such duty.

 

and I am just an individual voicing my opinion. Just pointing out that his opinion sometimes comes from bias also. I do not feel that the msm has a "socialist agenda."

 

We all have our bias. The media should not.

 

The MSM gets paid to report the news and they claim to be objective and are protected by our free press law. I'm a private citizen -- that's a big difference and you know it.

 

When seconds count the police are minutes away. Unless your city defunded them, of course...

 

Poor excuse because I am talking about international comparisons

 

But why do we not see these stories elsewhere?

 

There is little difference between our two cultures essentially and heaven only knows we are bombarded with American media on a daily basis - so why does America have such a horrific homicide rate?

The NRA was caught blatantly admitting that they sponsor stories like the OP and were suggesting Australia do the same. It is ON TAPE. It is this belief though, that you CANNOT defend yourself without a gun that is one of the key cultural differences

 

Here you go.
List of Cities Defunding the Police | Surge in Crime (secureamericanow.org)

 

I live out in the country. Law enforcement is at least fifteen minutes away. In an attack by intruders, we would be dead by the time the police got here.

 

You mean news stories about violent crime or news stories about self defense?

Very few countries like to broadcast their problems with criminal violence. And even fewer promote their citizens taking their personal security into their own hands. The state would prefer we depend on it for our safety, and so that is the common narrative- that we need it to do so and that it can do so competently. News stories that contradict this narrative are frowned upon except for when theres some other narrative at play that takes priority.

 

International standards are too various to compare apples to apples.

 

Bold: So? What is your point? Do you expect a group that advocates for gun ownership is going instead highlight knife crimes? There isn't a group out there that doesn't do what you apparently have a problem with for the NRA. Where's your condemnation for those?

 

Are the libs here upset now because some maggot got his ass shot full of lead from a legal gun owner who was rightfully and legally protecting his property and wife. Xoe, the stupid one even said a shotgun was the best defense.

 

You realize you are suggesting it's wrong to counter a truth with a truth? Surely, you know half a truth is usually a lie, because it has no balance.
For example- "John shot and killed Harry". OK.... We charge John with murder? But the rest of the story might be that Harry was in the process of raping and murdering John's wife.
Balance has to be there or truth will not be.

It's also true that what you can defend yourself with is dependent on what is attacking you.
One of the things that us usually present when that need arises is rage- and that is a powerful weapon in itself.
If our only defense is size and strength, you have little defense.
If you are defending yourself against any weapon- you are going to have to have an equal or greater weapon.
Even people of equal size and strength can be overcome with the surprise.

Murders weren't invented with the gun or modern weapons- and even today, more people are murdered with fists and feet than with all kinds of rifles put together.

As I said before- the core problem is people. How they think, their ability and will to regulate themselves. We have a political effort right now to remove consequences and enable hostility- and that in itself is
the major factor in our increasing crime. If I remember- you are in Australia. It would seem to me you have your own plateful of issues- which you may chose to ignore and accept. people here would not.
These nations ARE different.

 

I wrote this on another thread, but it also fits here.

I agree, the nation is full of druggies, both legal and illegal. It has fried people's brain to think right. We have also babied our children so much they haven't learned to take rejection and when it happens they can't handle it. Just think back, do you remember any school shootings like we are hearing today? I grew up in the 40's and 50's. Back then we could buy a rifle at Sears and carry it to school in the back window of our pickup trucks. I don't remember any school shootings back then. Seems the first one I do remember came around the mid 60's down in Texas, when a guy got on top of a tower at a university I believe it was and started shoot anyone he could. I believe that was the time our soldiers came back from Vietnam with all those drugs. Today people aren't shocked at one or two school shootings a year. Our video games and movies has also glorified killings. They have to show the skin being torn apart and blood gushing out.. Not like it was back in the 40's when movies of Al Capone just shot you and you fell down. We make killing exciting today. I have no doubt the reason we have so many killings today is because of the three things I have mentioned.