I laughed a little...

[Endless Night]

On the opposite end of the spectrum .. thiers me whos never held , carrier or fired a gun in my life.  (bar one occasion when i held a gun for about 3 seconds)....   I have had guns pointed at me thow... on a number of occassions.

 Ive been to and lived in some pretty dangerous places...  and have never actually even considered owning a gun .. the thourgh never even crosses my mind..... I guess its growing up in Enlgand... had that desire programmed out of me. When i was a kid the criminals in England didnt carry guns  neither did the police .. I believe to a certain extent that is changing/changed.

[SolidSnake]

Retired Marine.

Entire family of gun collectors and gun dealers... for generations now.

No use in going into the numbers, but if you also count the working cannons the family owns and uses.. yeah...bring on the (looking over my history)..Reds..Hippies..Feds..Druggies..any nation that wants to take a shot at the title.....oh yeah...and the Zombies!!

[Oracle]

I have never owned a gun in my life and have only fired a gun a couple of times at a shooting range to blow off some steam.  Society is changing so fast.  Remember the time when you could leave your first floor windows open for ventilation and even your front door un-locked?  When I was a kid, during Halloween there used to be this family that always put together the best and scariest Haunted House.  When you went up to the house all decorated inside and outside, they would invite you in and you would tour the Haunted House cringinh and jumping with fear.  As you exited, they would give you a full-sized candy bar and you would be happy for the experience.  Tell me what neighborhood could we have that kind of Haunted House again?  If you invited kids into your house you would probably be arrested for suspected child molestation!

[Endless Night]

Sorry Oracle i dont rember those times... i grew up in a major metropolitain area... if it wasnt bolted down it walked,  hell me and brothers caught some guys who had installed a valve in my mums gas line under her car and where hitting it once a week or so...... but i do rember my parents talking about when they were kids in ireland that doors and windows were never locked and they didnt even carry keys to their own homes, I think those neighbourhoods still exist but are alot harder to find...

   The house/kid thing is definatly true thow.. you have to be careful now just to protect yourself...  I pickup my kids from school everyday and sometimes thier friends who walk home ask for a ride... i dont mind but i dont let them set one foot in my car without calling thier parents first.  On the flip side .. I havent locked my car in over 10years

[Paradise]

Katrina is the perfect example of why we all need guns.  Rape and looting was rampant, and the police fled and left people on their own.

[JustAnotherFace]

Katrina is the perfect example of why we all need guns.  Rape and looting was rampant, and the police fled and left people on their own.

Fled and left people on their own......? Being an ex-cop I find that really REALLY hard to believe. Let me explain something to everyone.  Law Enforcement officers do not become law enforcement officers for the money.  Cops get paid *bleep*.  Furthermore, cops typically get the least amount of respect from society in general as compared to ANY other occupation.  Cops listen to society bitch and gripe about every law and about them doing their jobs, which is to enforce the laws to protect society in general.  Yet, we know, even as you are spewing the "harrassment", "go catch a real criminal", "I pay your salary", "F**K you Pig", etc out of your mouths that WE will be the very first people you call when you have a problem.  We also know that we will respond to that call and protect you if needed, even though we may feel that your sorry lame ass doesn't deserve protecting.  And if the truth is told, how many of you will step up to say that you would protect a guy with your life today who just called you every name in the book and spat on you yesterday? Anyone?  I thought not. Yet that's exactly what law enforcement officers do.  And they do it again, with shitty pay and disrespect EVERYDAY.

The point is, cops become cops to help people, to help society, and to protect the innocent from anything thrown their way.  That includes rape, looting, shootings, hurricanes, etc etc.  That is why I find it hard to believe that they "fled and left people on their own".  Did you witness this first hand?  If you did, do you know where they were going?  I'm fairly certain that they were extremely short handed.  Perhaps they had a more urgent call that they had to answer. If you didn't witness it, or didn't ask where they were going, or if they had a more dire situation that they had to respond to then i suggest that you not believe everything you hear and for sure that you not believe everyting you see on the TV.  Media spins situations in what ever direction will reap them the most ratings... true or not true, they could care less.

Do you have any idea where we would be without laws and without law enforcement officers to enforce those laws?  Try total chaos and anarchy. Can you envision an entire society where you know that there is a large chance that you will be shot dead as soon as you step out of the door of your house? Or that same society where you know that if your house isn't built into a bunker that there is a large chance that you will be raped and killed inside your own home? Ever been shot because you had a gallon of gasoline that someone wanted? Ever had a friend killed because they had a loaf of bread and some one wanted it?

I admit, there of course are some bad and corrupt law enforcement officers. But the percentage of those are very low as compared to the rest of the occupations in the world.  There will also always be a very small percentage that are corrupt, because well, guess what, COPS ARE HUMANS ALSO. Humans are fallible. Period. The largest percentage of law enforcement hold them selves and their peers to a higher standard. Lord knows society holds us to a higher standard as well. Things that would be acceptable in other occupations are strictly forbidden for cops, or at a minimum would cause the cop to be severely looked down upon.

People in general need to pull their heads out of the sand and respect and appreciate the people who protect their sorry asses from this type of carnage and mayhem every single day and night while they are laying there sleeping peacefully.

I challenge you all, the next time you see a cop somewhere, instead of the normal snarl on your face and disrespectful looks, thoughts, or speech you normally have, walk up to them.  Say "Officer, I just wanted to let you know, I appreciate what you do, thank you for putting your life on the line every day for me and my family."  Who knows, you just may make a new friend. I assure you that law enforcement officers will make the most loyal of friends that you will ever have.

Ok, I will step off my soap box now... I feel like Mad Max... QUIT RUINING MY LIFE!

JaF

[JustAnotherFace]

One clarification... I do not dispute that we all should be allowed to own and carry guns.  I am a very avid believer in the 2nd amendment. I also believe that that right has already been infringed upon by the government, and that if we sit by and dont do something that eventually that right will be taken away from us totally.  However, if every time a criminal was getting ready to commit a crime they had to think "*bleep* this guy probably has a gun", there would be a lot less crimes being committed.  As it stands now, criminals know that for the most part society are easy marks.

JaF

[Endless Night]

I also live in a hurricane zone.  And yes cops do leave.. but i wouldnt use the word fled; what happens normally is that once the threat is immienent.. a last warning is given that people in areas blabla are under a mandatory evacuation... if you choose to stay your on your own.. thier will be no help from police fire ambulance or any other services .. as they would have to unduley risk thier lifes to come help you and probably couldnt reach you even if they wanted to.

Now that said and done .. once the immienent threat is past those areas if damaged are generally blockaded off .. even residents cannot get in... which is why some choose to stay. ironic but off the point.

Katrina was different .. a total cluster f..k, things didnt return to normal after and the damage was so immense that no city has enough man power to control, let alone with most of the manpower evacuated and not allowed back in themselves.  So if you stayed you were on your own.  

To conclude if you live in an impoverished city, in an impoverished state that is prone to massive natural disasters and you yourself cannot afford to leave prior to said disaster.. then yes you probably would be wise to invest in a bit of emergency protection.

[UOMaddog]

I would like to remind people that guns are NOT an effective defense against zombies due to the finite amount of ammo you can carry. Same goes for chainsaws (fuel), crossbows (bolts), nerf guns (darts), etc. Therefore, guns should only be used when it gets super rough. In the meantime, large staves, ball & chain, etc. are your best bet since you cannot run out of them! Of course, crowbars are still the best since they are lightweight, endure repeated bashing, and can impale zombie skulls...just saying!

[SolidSnake]

Agreed..always carry one in my backpocket. Doubles as a damned good backscratcher too..

[Masscre]

Nice thought pattern JAF. Gives a person a different out look on our ones who protect and serve, because the media only shows us the bad side of that apple. Most people develop all of their opinions from just the media so that is the only side they ever see.

[TrailMyx]

I figure I have the capacity of taking out 26 zombies with my new .45.

(12+1) + 12 + 1
                    ^
              ^    |
     ^       |     +--  Throw gun
     |        +-------  Clip #2
     +--------------  Clip #1 + chamber

[Cerveza]

Zombies are immune to gun throwing. That only works against Superman.

[Paradise]

Katrina is the perfect example of why we all need guns.  Rape and looting was rampant, and the police fled and left people on their own.

Fled and left people on their own......? Being an ex-cop I find that really REALLY hard to believe. Let me explain something to everyone.  Law Enforcement officers do not become law enforcement officers for the money.  Cops get paid *bleep*.  Furthermore, cops typically get the least amount of respect from society in general as compared to ANY other occupation.  Cops listen to society bitch and gripe about every law and about them doing their jobs, which is to enforce the laws to protect society in general.  Yet, we know, even as you are spewing the "harrassment", "go catch a real criminal", "I pay your salary", "F**K you Pig", etc out of your mouths that WE will be the very first people you call when you have a problem.  We also know that we will respond to that call and protect you if needed, even though we may feel that your sorry lame ass doesn't deserve protecting.  And if the truth is told, how many of you will step up to say that you would protect a guy with your life today who just called you every name in the book and spat on you yesterday? Anyone?  I thought not. Yet that's exactly what law enforcement officers do.  And they do it again, with shitty pay and disrespect EVERYDAY.

The point is, cops become cops to help people, to help society, and to protect the innocent from anything thrown their way.  That includes rape, looting, shootings, hurricanes, etc etc.  That is why I find it hard to believe that they "fled and left people on their own".  Did you witness this first hand?  If you did, do you know where they were going?  I'm fairly certain that they were extremely short handed.  Perhaps they had a more urgent call that they had to answer. If you didn't witness it, or didn't ask where they were going, or if they had a more dire situation that they had to respond to then i suggest that you not believe everything you hear and for sure that you not believe everyting you see on the TV.  Media spins situations in what ever direction will reap them the most ratings... true or not true, they could care less.

Do you have any idea where we would be without laws and without law enforcement officers to enforce those laws?  Try total chaos and anarchy. Can you envision an entire society where you know that there is a large chance that you will be shot dead as soon as you step out of the door of your house? Or that same society where you know that if your house isn't built into a bunker that there is a large chance that you will be raped and killed inside your own home? Ever been shot because you had a gallon of gasoline that someone wanted? Ever had a friend killed because they had a loaf of bread and some one wanted it?

I admit, there of course are some bad and corrupt law enforcement officers. But the percentage of those are very low as compared to the rest of the occupations in the world.  There will also always be a very small percentage that are corrupt, because well, guess what, COPS ARE HUMANS ALSO. Humans are fallible. Period. The largest percentage of law enforcement hold them selves and their peers to a higher standard. Lord knows society holds us to a higher standard as well. Things that would be acceptable in other occupations are strictly forbidden for cops, or at a minimum would cause the cop to be severely looked down upon.

People in general need to pull their heads out of the sand and respect and appreciate the people who protect their sorry asses from this type of carnage and mayhem every single day and night while they are laying there sleeping peacefully.

I challenge you all, the next time you see a cop somewhere, instead of the normal snarl on your face and disrespectful looks, thoughts, or speech you normally have, walk up to them.  Say "Officer, I just wanted to let you know, I appreciate what you do, thank you for putting your life on the line every day for me and my family."  Who knows, you just may make a new friend. I assure you that law enforcement officers will make the most loyal of friends that you will ever have.

Ok, I will step off my soap box now... I feel like Mad Max... QUIT RUINING MY LIFE!

JaF

  ???Whoa slow down there... I never said anything bad about cops, I have complete respect for them.  I didn't say all cops were bad, or anything to that fact.  However, it was on the news repeatedly of the ones that did flee and how chaos reigned.  And to be honest, if they are outnumbered and chaos is overwhelming than of course there is nothing that can be done and they have no choice but to flee.  Now, if all the citizens form a militia with guns and the few cops are able to use those militias than chaos might not have reigned and things might not have gotten out of control...which was the entire point of the post...

AND I think you are being  very assuming by the statement  ;

"People in general need to pull their heads out of the sand and respect and appreciate the people who protect their sorry asses from this type of carnage and mayhem every single day and night while they are laying there sleeping peacefully.

I challenge you all, the next time you see a cop somewhere, instead of the normal snarl on your face and disrespectful looks, thoughts, or speech you normally have, walk up to them.  Say "Officer, I just wanted to let you know, I appreciate what you do, thank you for putting your life on the line every day for me and my family."  Who knows, you just may make a new friend. I assure you that law enforcement officers will make the most loyal of friends that you will ever have."

Actually by your entire statement.. You know nothing about me..

I have met many good cops, and never have been disrespectful ever. I also have quite assuredly thanked many and in fact I am always gracious to them.  I have also met some crooked cops too.  But they are the minority.  I have no idea where you live, or who you meet everyday, but where I live, unless its the lowest trash, and druggies and criminals, no one says anything bad about cops.  In fact they often get things for free in deli's coffee shops etc or discounts to show appreciation to ....  


And during Xmas I make it a point to drop off goodies at police stations and firehouses just on an extra non necessary added point  

Also, to add to my statement, I assumed most people followed Katrina's happenings but here is at least one snippet of an article of things that happened  ;
"In January, however, Schubert was fired by the New Orleans Police Department for leaving his job just before Hurricane Katrina hit last August, and then not returning for four weeks. Like scores of city officers who abandoned their posts, he was cast as a deserter.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-20-neworleanspolice_x.htm

I am not saying I wouldn't have done the same thing--it is just what was reported to have happened....

[onlyindreams]

Something else to consider is that law enforcement officers have families as well. I'm sure that when a disaster hits a lot of officers will look to their own family first, ala Katrina where officers "fled" but came back. My dad is a retired officer of nearly 20 years and he has said that many officers would look to their own first before "returning" to duty.

JaF I agree with what you say. LEO don't get the respect that they (most) deserve. On top of that the majority are highly under-paid for what they do..........


/derail

And yes, a spoon made Rosie fat