``Honest officer, I was in the bar minding my own business and this guy
started beating me up. I went to my car, opened the trunk and got a tire
iron to defend myself, when I went back into the bar.``

A cop told me that from a real occurrence.

ROFLMAO.

----------------

"Mike Marlow" wrote in message
...

I don't have the statistics, but I have looked at them in the past.
According to FBI (I think...) records keeping, this is a statistically low
number. I think it is an easy enough thing to think about, but using the US
as an example, it does not prove out that these things happen with any
regularity enough, to make them a real concern. There are plenty of states
in the US that have very lax gun laws which result large percentages of the
population being gun owners. These states just don't exhibit your fear
being born out.

How many bars or pubs are there in the US? How many experience fights
between patrons on a regular basis? In the heat of a fight, it's
pretty damned easy to pull your gun and shoot someone. It's just as
easy to miss and shoot a bystander. When you're fighting and your
adrenalin is pumping, logical, reasoned thought generally goes out
the window.

Correct, but you just don't see this thing happening.

Forty years ago, people would get into a fight and usually go home
afterwards. There were no guns pulled, no knives used and only once
did I see someone grab a bottle at which point the bystanders started
to advance on the bottle holder. He then dropped the bottle. Now,
it's different and public attitudes have changed. That change in
attitude is intensified and easy access to a gun only intensifies it
futher.

Fair concern, but again - not statistically supported.

Those people who get a gun "just because they can" and put it aside
are at real risk of using it at the wrong moment.

I can understand that as a concern, but I don't think you can make that as
an outright statement.

My suggestion of
licensing and registration, includes training. These three things (at
least in my Canadian society and in my perspective) imbed additional
respect for a gun and the privilege of ownership. It also means that
more consideration goes into the act of grabbing a gun on the spur of
the moment.

In the case of the emotionally charged individual you mention above, I don't
believe the fact that a gun is registered (or the owner trained in proper
gun handling) is going to be affected by those things. It's more a matter
that most people just do not behave that way for other reasons than gun
registration - they simply do not resort to extremes like grabbing a gun,
because life just does not operate that way.

If it's more costly, time consuming or requires more
effort to get the gun in the first place, people aren't going to so
easily risk that gun ownership. Just being able to walk into some
store, plunk your money down and get a gun does not do those things.


You are right in the second half of your point - it is a moral standing that
prevents people from behaving in certain ways. That has nothing to do with
registrations, etc.

But, whether it's
liked or not, it's gradually happening. More and more states are
legislating gun control.

You are correct, and for gun owners, that presents some concerns. In the
US, anti-gun owners are openly stating that their agenda is to remove all
guns. They make no bones that increasing legislation, etc. is part of how
they hope to circumvent the 2nd Ammendment. Why would gun owners not be
concerned about this approach?

And as long as the US has a functioning
society, that gun control will increase. Attrition does work, as long
as it doesn't back off. And yes, I most certainly undertand that's a
big concern to many Americans, because gun culture has been an
important part of your society for many, many years.
Post a response if you want. I'll read it, but I probably won't reply.

Your choice. For me, this is a dialog and if you care to reply, that's
fine... we'll continue the dialog. If you don't - equally fine. We have
our different opinions and like I said in the beginning - having those
different opinions is important.

--

-Mike-