1 Dead at Plant in New Albany

Personally I see no valid reason for placing restrictions on State licenced, "law-abiding" armed citizen's ability to defend themselves just because they have to earn a living, at least one which does not involve working for a law enforcement agency.

But then again I have to admit that I am not squeamish around people who do happen to carry firearms.

In my opinion, people who feel the need to carry a weapon around possess a belief system which justifies its use. Their mental filters will screen the world so that carrying a weapon seems to be justified, because in their mind they live in an unsafe world. They have a strong tendency to interpret events in this light and rather than seek a peaceful resolution of a problem, they will tend to escalate to using the weapon, if only as a threat. They don't see that this behavior stimulates more of the same in other people. Eventually, the weapons will be used - either by you or against you - as in the nutcase who killed a guy at the Pillsbury factory. There is NO woman worth killing someone's son or husband or father for.

Richard

It would seem to me that there are clearly places where carrying firearms should be restricted.  I would not want my church full of gun toting individuals.  I don’t want to go to traffic court and be in the midst of various disgruntled Glock aficionados.  Remember, there are no provisions at many places to insure that all of the gun toting citizens are legally carrying their weapons.  Most employers are not set up to give firearms safety training along with training in assembly of their products.

Anyone who has spent much time in industrial settings has a collection of various altercations that resulted in some degree of hand to hand activity.  I would not want to add a firearm to that mix.  Oh, and I agree, I am not squeamish when in the presence of firearms either, particularly when I am carrying one of mine.

When people say "GUNS are NOT the problem.  PEOPLE are the problem!" that's exactly what I've described.

So essentially you're saying that anyone who "feels the need" to carry a gun is a lunatic? or at the very least, a potential lunatic?.

Would you provide examples of how legislation/restrictions prohibiting licenced, law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms into "gun free zones" has prevented any of these massacres?

Richard

I ended my previous comment with the fact that I often carry a firearm for personal protection.  I say this to indicate that I do not TOTALLY disagree with you about a citizen’s right to self protection.  Obviously, we have some disagreement re: whether or not that right should be unfettered.  But basically, we are in agreement on this issue.

However, you and I have what I think is a SERIOUS difference in how we go about voicing our opinions.  You responded to Bard’s most recent comment with “So essentially you're saying that anyone who "feels the need" to carry a gun is a lunatic? or at the very least, a potential lunatic?.”   Nowhere in Bard’s comment did he say anything about lunatics.  You have valid points.  There is no need to misquote a response to make your point.  It only serves to dilute your original position.

For the record, I CAN see some merit in Bard’s point.  I think that there IS a potential for some people who carry weapons to behave differently than they would if they were not carrying weapons.  Proper training is essential.  Some form of accounting for weapons is essential.  And swift judicial action should be taken when weapons are used improperly.  There must be consequences when guns are handled improperly.

You might want to read Bard's comments again, because I can't see how anyone could interpret it any other way. 

I'll ask again.

Richard:  I will make one last fruitless pass at conversation with you.  Please stop trying to interpret what I am saying.  If I want to say something, I have the mental capacity to just say it.  I SAID: "I would not want to sit in a congregation full of gun toters".  NO I WILL NOT provide legislation that backs up what I want to do with my time or how I intend to conduct my life.  Why don't you look for legislation that makes you happy?  I prefer to believe that God will insure that I am protected while I worship.  If you don't feel that way, arm up and go to services.

From my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I know that far to many adversarial situations occur in the workplace for me to reasonably assume that a gun wouldn't make such situations worse.  If you dissagre, so be it.  My only beef with your posts is your consistant twisting of what people say when you do not agree with their point of view.  With that, Richard, I have covered this ground enough.  Good night and God bless you anyway.