Kind of a broad brush statement. I'm not trained in law enforcment or military tactics but if I came home and my family is in danger, I'm barging in; trained or not.

Nobody is trained for life. You learn as you go. Don't get me wrong as a wise man once said "True wisdom is learning from other's mistakes".

What I mean is a lot of people act like protecting yourself is unrealistic because that's the police's job and they are trained for it. Well, as I posted earlier, they have no legal obligation to protect you. Train yourself and protect yourself, don't wait for someone else to do it for you.

Conversely, if I know nobody is home and my house looks to have been broken into, I'm waiting for the cavalry. No need to risk it alone just to save some trinkets.
[Reply]

So......what can I take away from this thread as result of your contribution? I am genuinely fascinated by your counterpoints, specially this one of "startling a home invader". Heck yeah I want to startle him. In fact, I wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in his head if I am legally allowed to in self defense. Should we all ignore anything that goes on that may cause us harm if we try to look out for someone else?

In the event we chose to not necessarily ignore it, do we sit back, have a cup of coffee, seriously consider all our options, run down a list of identifying who should respond before we do, and then sleep over the idea and decide what to do in the morning, after it all passed?

I am not sure where we are going other than you clearly seem to explain my neighbors and clearly explain the reason I don't see the light is I am not programmed that way. I see I am not alone based on other similar views to mine. I truly just hope those of us that are willing to be involved always outnumber those that aren't.
[Reply]

Someone needs to get between the sheep and the wolves.:-)
[Reply]

I aint trying to stir up nothing by posting my thoughts here at all. I think some of the difference is the area of the country that we were raised in. What I mean is this:

I have been to Massachusett's to visit family since 2000. I hadn't travelled outside of the south til then. I was in awe of how different the people's politics, and their philosophy on things were greatly different than mine. Not that I am saying that' s a bad thing in itself it was just a wake up for me. I mean to a rural raised NE Florida boy who believes in the absolute right to keep and bear arms, lots of my family members from New England (I believe because of a different and more liberal upbringing) didn't really believe it's your right to keep and bear arms so much. I mean most of them hunt and that's ok, but it seemed to me that they kinda view home protection as something else altogether. Please don't take it that this is a political statement, cause it aint intended to be, just saying that we are a product of our upbringing to a great degree. NE Florida is really almost ultra conservative and New England is more liberal in their beliefs, and that was like I said earlier almost a rude awakening for me. Just my observations.
[Reply]

Also just for the record I am not picking on Massachusett's, but that's where family lives, and my experience in "The North" On the flip side I was also surprised how much the cigar smokers in the north are much more conservative than the average northerners. Also my personal observations, I don't have any empirical data to back any of this up.:-) Oh yeah, I love all of you.
[Reply]

Hey, love you too.:-)

One thing the two of us know for sure, we would help each other out.:-)
[Reply]

It's not just today's society. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan? Only one person stopped to help the injured man who was almost dead. That story is 2,000 years old.
[Reply]

Pot stir'er:-):-)
[Reply]

Civilaztion sucks. I moved out to BFE away from the concrete jungle, I have 3 neighbors who I have become friends with, we each keep an eye on each other and our homes. If anything happens we keep each other informed, chase down loose dogs, rebuild fences, share cigars and food. Never knew if a place like this still existed, but it does.

My favorite British TV show! "Ha, you missed both my legs!"
[Reply]

Hi Greg,

I'm not having an easy time trying to convey my views on this, so I'll try again:
I believe in the Second Amendment.
I believe in the Divine right to self defense.
I believe that we, as a society and as individuals, should look after our neighbors and all innocents. Bad guys can all fry.
I will risk my safety and life to protect innocent life.
I will not risk my safety or life to protect the PROPERTY of others, but I will do all I can up to that point.
As for Carlos' neighbors, all I'm saying is, they MAY OR MAY NOT be a-holes, but without KNOWING what they did, it's like judging a beauty contest in the dark.
I have been a sheepdog my whole adult life from my 4 years as a Torpedoman's Mate on a submarine playing tag with "Ivan" to my 22 years as a Security Officer. I have put myself in harm's way for others.

AND:

:-)
[Reply]

Love everyone except you Mark. Dookie head.:-)


Nah I guess i do love you anyway.
[Reply]

Darren, I almost didn't post all that just cause I was afraid you would take it the wrong way. My main point is how different parts of the country was raised way different and we tend to look at things as if we were in a fishbowl, that is judged against our own life experiences. Thanks for being gracious, and I shouldn't have been scared you would take it the wrong way, cause I know we could have talked it out. I can go with you maybe on the property protection, cause even in Florida we have the right to use deadly force to stop or prevent a "Forcible Felony" and property protection according to the Florida guru of gun law (Jon Gutmacher) prolly wouldn't work too good. Carlos, I would def help. I had a police friend of mine tell me one time that if I ever saw him getting wailed on and I didn't stop to help, he would either kill me or haunt me according to the outcome. So I guess it's a personal decision but for me (and Darren) and the others it isn't a hard decision as it is prolly built into us to get involved and help our fellow man when needed.
[Reply]

Plus I gave you a rep bump cause the good book says to treat others as I would like to be treated.:-)
[Reply]

Just too much love on this train:-), but I don't want to make Gary jealous, you know...
[Reply]

I guess I wasn't communicating very well. There are more people like you up here than most people would guess; we usually have to keep our views to ourselves.
[Reply]

Trust me I know, they'd run you outta town if they knew.:-)

I know that the South aint got no corner on Patriots, we can be found from sea to shining sea bro.
[Reply]

Oh yeah, i think it's absolutely insane that when I travel to Massachusett's I have to leave my guns at home, or lock it up blah blah blah so it can't be used, or face years in prison in some of the states up there. So I have to give up my constitutional right to keep and bear arms to travel to parts of the USA. Nutty to say the least, but I digress.
[Reply]

Me and Gary have an open relationship.:-)
[Reply]

A recent Supreme Court decision may change all that. IIRC, in a case involving a DC ban on pistols, the Justices ruled that gun bans are un-Constitutional.
[Reply]

In the 5 or so months I have spent living in Texas I have gotten that sense as well.
[Reply]