God Forbid

[USMCsilver]

Originally Posted by sp3000

...I'm all for speaking your mind! but it alarms me how many people have gone for the blow their brains out attitude.

I don't want to blow someone's brains out, it's just the principle of things.

If you have some thug gang-banger who's out to jack your possessions, then here's the way I look at it --

If I'm threatened with a firearm for something I have, then my LIFE is in danger. Who's to say he doesn't shoot and take what he wants, or after I give him what he wants, he shoots anyway just so I'm not a witness. Or...it could be a gang initiation where the kid HAS TO KILL someone anyway.

So -- when threatened with a weapon over a robbery, any defense, no matter how violent, is simply SELF DEFENSE. You do believe in defending yourself, don't you?

Lastly, let's say I'm threatened and I submit. Then, the guy says, "Wow, that was too easy!" and goes on to do it again; next time, it escalates and he kills someone, or two, or three. How would you feel? You could have done something hours earlier, but you didn't.

Anyway, it's all hypothetical. I don't want to be in a situation where I have to decide my life or his. However, if I ever am there, I sure hope it's his.

[fear]

"I agree that it is not an easy thing to change in the US as it's been that way forever, I feel very lucky to live in a country that hasn't got that deep in."

It's our inalienable (natural, God given....) rights that allow us the freedom to protect ourselves. Jefferson demamded such amendments be in the Constitution. This to prevent a tyrannical government.

So yeah, it's been like that forever. And yeah, Americans are proud of that. Change? what ever for.

"My only concern was with some of the comments here, and believe me I'm all for speaking your mind! but it alarms me how many people have gone for the blow their brains out attitude."

Um, defense via gun is a martial culture, the same way Karate, Gung Fu, Arnis are steeped in martial culture. These "arts" teach how to defend and stop a threat. Otherwise take up ball room dancing.

[FlyingMoose]

Ok, this is getting TOTALLY off subject, but there's a case due to be held in the Supreme Court of the US, which will decide the extent of the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms). This may have a large impact on the future of gun ownership and legality in the US.

[fear]

"this is getting TOTALLY off subject, but there's a case due to be held in the Supreme Court of the US, which will decide the extent of the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms). This may have a large impact on the future of gun ownership and legality in the US."

From what I read, the court will (you never know) uphold the right of the individual.

This stems from a case in DC (I think) where gun ownership is outlawed, even in homes. Due to the high crime rate, a woman is suing for that right to own a gun. Imagine, not being able to own a gun, even in your own home! NUTS!!

[fear]

Originally Posted by FBender

Right on

Eskrima or bloody? I like Eskirima/Arnis. I don't like getting sprayed by methhead blood.

Again, I'd avoid these things as much as possible. But if cannot....

[dramsey]

Originally Posted by sp3000

I never said I'm a co-operative victim, I have been in a situation that got violent and I had no choice but to smack the guy, I've been a wing chun (martial art) instructor for 6 years have done martial arts since I was little, I just think this whole blow their brains out attitude is just ridiculous. Maybe I need to be a gun loving trigger happy American to not be a "victim" in your eyes. I suppose you are a member of the NRA as well as TRF.
I'm sorry to be bashing here but I really think a country with nearly 30,000 fire arm deaths a year might not be so pro gun.

Don't be too smug-- your country has more violent crime than mine:

Britain, Australia top U.S. in violent crime

And guess what? Banning guns made it worse:

Since Australia banned private ownership of most guns in 1996, crime has risen dramatically on that continent

And I know it fits your prejudices to have me be a "trigger happy American" and "NRA member", but, sadly for your hypothesis, neither is true. The FBI as well as my local police department think I'm trained and stable enough to carry a gun; you, on the other hand, apparently have difficulty distinguishing between people like me and criminals.

It's not about the Rolex. It's about you trusting someone who's robbing you that that's all he really wants, honest, and if you submit, you won't be hurt. It's about allowing people like this to victimize others when you could possibly have stopped them. It's about control of your own life.

I have no problem with people who don't wish to defend themselves: that's a personal choice, and it's theirs to make. I do have a problem with people who denigrate those of us who choose differently as "trigger happy" cowboys prowling the streets, hoping for an opportunity to "blow their brains out."

All that said, this is really egregiously off topic for a watch forum, so I'll let you have the final word and pledge not to contribute to this topic any more...

[Tools]

It seems that everybody has had an opportunity to provide their input to the subject.

The discussion has shown that we live in a diverse world with many opinions that reflect our own philosophy and upbringing and is shaded by the area in which we live...

The discussion has gone far enough off topic that anything more may degrade to less than the friendly behavior expected on this forum.