That's fine Jim...

but since the 'debate' is alread here:(I considered a 4th thread...but who knows the best way?)


Mick says "Virtually no one I know ever treated guns in an irresponsible way, "

I knew one. Back before I had thought through all the implications of the gun situation--in fact, I lived in his basement apt. for a year.....he knew guns quite well. He owned a shotgun, and a couple of rifles and several handguns. He favored his .45, however. He often walked around with it loosely concealed in his back pocket! Once, at a county Young Democrats meeting where there was a contentious election, he was surprised by being nominated for a position. He walked up to decline the nomination with that .45 half uncovered bulging obviously. At another meeting of the NAACP, the gun FELL OUT of his pocket on the floor! He smirked, picked it up, and went on talking.
This guy fancied himself a 'protector'...a swashbuckling knight. He knew another man who he considered 'dangerous', so he would drive on nightly patrols with armament by his side.
(He wanted ME to learn to load and use both the .45 and the shotgun...he considered one 30 min. lesson to be adequate. I was bemused & confused, trying to humor him.)

One night, he got a call from a woman we both knew, who said something like, "Mac..can you come over...I am really upset..."

so...he came down, grabbed ME, and "C'mon Bill...we have to go...you drive!"....Off we went, just a few blocks. As I pulled up to the curb, he opened the door, and...so help me, ROLLED out of the car as it was still moving, .45 in hand, and rushed in a crouch up to the door...where the startled woman said "Mac...what in the world are you doing? I was just tired & upset and needed to talk!"

Now, this was a GOOD guy. He meant well...and fortunately, nothing ever happened that would put him in a sad newspaper story. But it is easy to see how there might have been. Mac could SO easily have decided he saw a 'danger' and used that gun too quickly.

Perhaps if Mick had known Mac, he could have talked some sense into him...but I really doubt it. And I wonder how many other similar stories there are?

Mac decided *I* needed a gun, and procured for me a 5 shot .22...just in case. I shrugged and hid it away.........guess what? It was stolen in a burglary. It was pawned...and they wanted me to BUY it back. I declined.