Getting ready to go fishing in Western PA
A tiny town in western Pennsylvania could ask all of its residents to own guns, if a proposal under consideration on Wednesday wins approval from local officials.
Under the proposed law, residents of Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, would be asked to own guns and know how to use them. Cherry Tree, some 70 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, has about 400 residents.
Introduced last month by resident Henry Statkowski, the measure recommends that “all heads of households maintain a firearm along with ammunition.”
In written comments, Statkowski said homeowners have a right and a responsibility to defend against intruders rather than calling police and waiting for help to arrive.
The measure would send a message to “burglars, ne’er-do-wells and other criminal elements.”
Aaron Fry, owner of the Cherry Tree Cafe, said he did not understand why the measure was necessary — because guns are common. “Every house has a couple of guns,” he said.
But, do they have enough ammo?
Update: City Council voted down the proposal 6 – 1. The only vote in favor was the dude who thought it up.
When I wrote post #6 on right to bear arms thread:
http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=8518#comments
It was this thread I was thinking of…
And by the way, anyone who thinks citizens with guns is what stops a corrupt government in the 21st century is suffering from some pretty severe delusions.
I have lived in the city my whole life. I consort with a few fairly shady characters. I’ve worked in bars and clubs, including a few near Cabrini Green in Chicago. My father was a cop for 20 years. I need two hands to count all my friends who wear a badge. I’ve driven a taxi from 6 pm to 6 am for three years. I have never owned or carried a gun (although I was trained to fire one and can hit with reasonable accuracy). Maybe I am a modern miracle or maybe I’m just not an inbred hick… but in 40 years I have never witnesses a gun crime or had my life effected by a gun crime. No one I know has ever been shot or had to shoot anyone. No one I know has ever had their life saved because of a gun.
Trot out all the stats you like. I’m not convinced that guns are very important or worth all these amazingly heated debates.
[edited: comments guide]
#31
I agree with your posts.
# North Carolina reports 0.2% of their 263,102 holders had their license revoked in the 10 years since they have adopted the law — a lower proportion than the crime rate among North Carolina police officers. Revocation of license is for any criminal conviction, and need not involve an illegal firearm usage. Revocations typically arise from DUI.
# Of the 14,000 licenses issued in Oregon, only 4 individuals (0.03%) were convicted of criminal (though not necessarily violent) use or possession of a firearm
#3 — you’d wind up with the old west.
#33 — thanks for posting!
Now, imagine you’re a policeman responding to a burglary in progress, everyone has a gun, everyone is scared, everyone is firing. Who do you shoot at first?
What do you do when a citizen accidentally shoots a police officer?
Blame the government for arming everyone and sowing paranoia?
I think we should allow the right to bear arms, but only arms that existed in 1792, when the 2nd amendment was adopted. I think a black powder musket would be enough firepower to defend your family from an intruder or catch a deer for dinner.
#31, I feel much the same as you. Unfortunately, I can relate two gun incidents.
In the first, my uncle, a big city Constable was shot. By an accidental discharge from another cop’s gun. He was never the same again, spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He died before he reached 50.
The second, I happened along within seconds of a five yr old being hit by a .303 fired from an old WWII rifle two blocks away. I applied first aid until the ambulance arrived, but I knew someone that size with a hole that big in his chest couldn’t live.
Two accidental shootings. Too many lives affected. But the gun nuts don’t care. This is only collateral damage. They need a bigger piece before the other guy gets one.
37, both incidents are due to incompetence. Don’t blame the gun blame the jackass that fired randomly into the city.
Or, maybe you are right. But why stop at guns? Lets ban everything that kills people. Then everyone lives forever! HOORAY! Solve problems by banning them… are you retarted? Both of those would have happened with a gun ban. The cop sure as hell still would have had one. And I’ll bet the dick that fired a round in a random direction wouldn’t exactly care about the legality of it.
More than half of all gun related deaths in the US are suicides. Add in drug use and it’s 2/3 of the gun deaths. Childeren are some outragous magnitude more likely to drown under parental supervision than to die as a result of a gunshot. Maybe we shouldn’t let children swim…
It’s rediculous to spout off about gun deaths, what 30,000 people a year? Thats less than the flu. Most people die as a result of an accidental fall than an accidental shooting. Ban dizzyness.
Both sides can overdo it, you don’t have a monopoly on rediculous statements. Seriously though, out of all the people for stricter gun control how many also want to ban cigarettes? Now that is a serious question, how far are you willing to push individual freedom for some collective safety?
Anyone who would give up freedom for security deserves neither.
“I think a black powder musket would be enough firepower to defend your family from an intruder or catch a deer for dinner.”
Ever used a musket? Pain in the butt; plus, you can’t shoot in close quarters or hit anything with any sort of accuracy. And as for misfires, well… As for “catching” deer, the cars along the interstate do a better job of that. 🙂
#38 – so because only 30,000 are killed and it’s less than the flu then it is trivial? I’ve come across far too many idiots and jackasses in my time; I don’t want them walking around armed.
I don’t consider gun control to be giving up freedom. Freedom to me means being able to walk my streets in safety without the risk of being hit by a stray (or intentional) bullet. I don’t want to live in a vigilante society.
The argument comparing it to banning dizziness or swimming is simply ridiculous. It’s like the argument saying to ban cars because more people die in auto accidents. When used incorrectly or irresponsibly these activities can result in death – for guns, death results when they are used as intended.
#36, ok
does freedem of the press only apply to gutenburg presses and quill pens? Theres no way the founders could have known about the internet.
I would just like to point out that Switzerland requires every household to contain a rifle and all male citizens are required to know how to use it.
#42 — The Swiss government provides everyone who taken UMT with a rifle. Makes it more affordable, too.
Think I can get Uncle Sugar to give me an M107?
#40,
Thanks,
I must contact Glock, as they have obviously sold me defective product. I have shot mine 10s of thousands of times, without anyone dying. I assume I am using it as intended, yet nobody has died. It must be a defective product.
I allways assumed it was about the user, not the product, hmmm.
Remeber, those who would give up liberty for safety, will get neither.
#44
If you must quote, do it correctly.
“They that give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Ben Franklin
Let’s take this national. Not sure f they still do, but Switzerland used to give all their men fully automatic machine guns to keep at home. Maybe that’s why the Germans stayed out. It was also the availability of guns that kept the Germans bogged down in the Warsaw ghetto. Maybe that’s why dictators are always passing gun registries before they make their plans known.
#40
Guns are a tool just like hammers, knives and automobiles. In all cases, if used improperly, unintended death can occur. Likewise, in all cases mentioned, if used properly both with intent to kill or not, death can occur.
If the knowledge that everyone has a gun prevents criminals from robbing liquor stores or mugging pedestrians, then the gun has done its job. If people could cause death by shooting lasers from their ass and everyone had said power, then I suppose guns wouldn’t be necessary.
>anyone who thinks citizens with guns is what stops a corrupt government in the 21st century is suffering from some pretty severe delusions.
Well those Muslims in Europe who have basically scared away the police must be delusional.
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