i got shot at today!

[veristic]

*laughs* A lot of people I knew as a kid have grown into bad scenes like you all are describing. I tended to avoid things like that in general. My greatest challenges lay in dealing with boredom more than anything.

[Robert]

The U.S. has serious issues - I've never seen a gun outside of a policeman's holster.

 

All these horror stories... seriously, is there anything good about America?

[L.S.D]

Maybe I should consider migrating to Australia?

I kinda like the place already

[Agozer]

The U.S. has serious issues - I've never seen a gun outside of a policeman's holster.

 

All these horror stories... seriously, is there anything good about America?

Yeah. Same here. Makes me glad I live in [northern] Europe. Over here, people usually settle their differences with fists, and on very rare occasions, knives. Alcohol is often involved, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

[Explosive Misanthropy]

oops logged on as my girlfriend.......

Edited November 4, 2007 by Explosive Misanthropy

[Krosigrim]

Alright..... thats better.... Here goes.

 

You guys seriously have to re-examine your gun laws. The second amendment is caveman stuff that doesn't belong in 2007. The stories you describe are flocking crazy.

Well I don't like the concept of guns. Some child can pull the trigger, and kill me from a distance. It's a female organ way to do things. But..... the thing is, if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. The guns used in these instances, are most likely not legal or registered anyway. Sure it would be harder to get guns, but they would still be out there, just no one would have a defense for it. Also, the way things are going, "war" and all. If crap hits the fan, and were under siege, I want some firepower. Without them, Id have to go McGiver on they're asses. I don't know how well that would work.

 

Things are bad, and getting worse. I would like to think, that people would be able to protect themselves. Even though I think I could stand a chance of surviving if I saw the gun before it was shot, I fear for my loved ones. My step dad has a gun. Never shot it, and from my knowledge, never needed to. I often look at certain countries in awe. It's crazy, to us Americans that is. No guns...... That would be nice. I live in the greater Orlando area, and were fast becoming the murder capital in America. It's like all of a sudden, everyone is going crazy. If I were to guess, Id say mainly, it's coming from the ones who don't do anything with their life. The ones that got themselves into bad situations, and kinda dwell there. The ones that don't give a flock about others, only themselves.

 

Crap happens. And there is always a choice. Heres an example. Once I had to ride the bus. I got there early and found a seat at the stop. This stop is near a big intersection. Its kinda a bus stop hubb. There are several routes that intersect there, so there are ALWAYS alot of people. AND on top of that, there is a hood right there, and a wooded area where alot of bums live. It's right next to a Jai-Alai place, too. So there is always bums and people with crazy problems around.

 

Well here I am, sittin', When a drunk couple walks up. The guy is plastered and repeating this story over and over. It went like, Some guy in a car was disrespecting his girl, and he was like, flock you nigga, do something. Kept saying things like well get out and do something.... On and on he kept repeating this story to various degenerates. No lie, over..... and over. Well, they were plastered. So already he was pissed and looking for some trouble. Then a bus shows up and a ton of people get out. There is only a couple of benches, and getting a seat is rare. Being that this stop gets like 4 routs. Well some guy, with alot of luggage steps off, and looks to the benches for a seat. Well the drunk dudes girl had half a bench to herself. She had all kinds of crap all over, plastic bags and whatever. The guy looked towards her, seeing if there was an available spot to sit. Then the drunk guy, starts getting loud, saying things like what you lookin' at my girl for? Got all up in the guys face and all. (by the way, the girl looked cracked out, and was ugly as hell, but I didn't point this fact out to the drunk guy....) He was looking for a fight.

 

Well I cannot abide useless people. I put my big ass arms between the two and attempted to nullify the situation. I kept saying that he was looking for a seat, which was obvious... but it was like I was invisible.... an invisible wall. He kept on with the lookin' at his girl thing, which was ludicrous... And kept trying to strike the innocent guy. Well this kept on, and someone called the cops. But they kept trying to push each other while I'm in the center.... At this point, I don't know what I was trying to accomplish, all I knew is this was dumb, and needed to stop. Well the drunk guy got mad at me and hit me square in the nose. It was in slow motion, all the time I spent training, learning the ways to deflect, intercept, neutralize, and circumvent any given attack, all put on pause. I saw it, registered it, I even noted that it was thrown improperly, and I just stood there and took it. What the hell was wrong with me? I just went through a majorly painful breakup, where I lost like 20 lbs and lost my job due to depression. And was depressed in general, because I was in a dead end job... bla bla bla. Point is, I wasn't in a right frame of mind. I was filled with anger and sadness. So here I am, the crowd and everyone went silent, and I had blood POUR out my nose immediately. I was not in shock, but yet again, perhaps I was. I just stared at him for a moment, and BLEW up. I went verbally apesh!t. Now that he was paying attention to me, I proceded to yell at him, the point of this guy was just trying to find a seat, not look at his girl. And then I went into the fact that no one had any reason to fight. And the only person that should be swinging.... was me. And I wasn't. Here I am, one scary behemoth in comparison to everyones else's stature, blood pouring down my face, Yelling at the top of my lungs that I should destroy him but I'm not. That he should reflect on this and see that crap ain't worth it.

 

He and everyone was in shock.... not a sound... everyone stared at me . The drunk guy apologized, with this look of fear in his eyes, and reluctantly put his hand up in truce. I know I look friendly, and I speak congenially, but when I'm mad, or in this case, running on rage, I am a scary sight to see. Point is, I had a choice, sure he hit me, but he was a degenerate. Who lived WAAAAAY to close to me. Say I beat the crap out of him. And one day he sees me go home, and robs my house. Or worse that that. I'd have loved to make an example of him, but it wasn't worth it. I believe what I did, was a better lesson that hitting him. You gotta live by example, not force things into people. I tell you what, I was amazed by my restraint. I didn't know I had it in me. Especially since I was depressed from the painful breakup and all. I lit up, I was ragin'! But I had a choice. I choose the path, that had the best outcome. I didn't have watch my back.

 

Well, I have another story, but it can wait for another time. Point is, everyone has a choice. There is always another way. Sometimes it's just hard to see any other path, than the one your standing in front of. This goes for everything!!!! And anyone who uses a gun the way previous posts went in this thread, deserve a lesson in life, a hard lesson that shakes their very foundation. Flocking guns, how female organ is that. Use what God gave you, or are you ashamed..... ashamed of your weakness, and have to hide behind a gun.

 

P.S. For weeks after the incident listed, my nose was sore. My upper gums ached when I blew my nose. Musta bruised something up there. So I don't think that I will be able to restrain myself if something comes up again. I was AMAZED that I didn't throw down in the first place. It made me feel good that I didn't . Because I take things like this extremely personally, and with extreme prejudice. God help them....

[Cominus]

PIXZ OR IT DIDNT HAPPEN!

[ken_cinder]

Bullshit Belthasar, the majority of firearms used in crimes in the US are procured through the means of theft of registered firearms improperly stored in the home.

 

The only people who should own anything more than a hunting rifle, are the military and the police. Anyone else caught with one should be arrested and thrown in jail, or if caught brandishing one, shot on sight. I don't believe in the crock of $hit that is "The right to bear arms". That crap was instituted for the militia, and it's wording has been abused by the public and those in power (see; money) to allow for the average citizen to own weapons that they shouldn't.

 

If you aren't hunting with it, you shouldn't be allowed to possess it. If caught with it, you should have it removed, by force if need be.

[Chaotica]

Well, thanks for your view Belthasar, and for your story.

 

But believe me. You look at other countries like Australia in awe, because we don't have guns, and we still feel safe. And we look at the US and think you guys are insane to tote guns everywhere.

 

I can't be sure, but from the accounts here, the majority of Americans possess guns because they either feel entitled to them, or because they live in fear.

 

Therein is the problem. As Cinder said, guns don't belong to ordinary people. That's it. There is no way around this. It works for other civilised and western countries. And if people want/need guns out of fear, then that is pointing to another problem that is very deeply ingrained in US society.

 

The problem above seems to be one that Americans, or the American government, do not wish to address, or are too scared to address. I can understand how the problem can be difficult to analyse, just because of the very credible reason that you bring up, Belthasar - that if people have their guns taken away from them, the outlaws will run riot with their own illegal weaponry.

 

I think you were implying that people feel the need for guns just in case there is a siege - I take that to mean a civil war? I honestly don't think that's likely, but I could be wrong.

 

However, I just feel that one of these days, the problem is going to have to be looked at. As sad and as macabre as this sounds, it is probably going to take a number of carnage filled massacres to finally get the issue over with you Yanks, but if that's what it takes, then (sadly) so be it.

 

There will probably need to be a large scale gun buy back scheme (as there was here in Australia after the Port Arthur Massacre, which has reduced gun crime, despite what Charlton Heston may try to tell you), and also a nation wide purge of illicit guns. That will cost billions of dollars and masses of manpower, but don't you feel it will be worth it?

 

And I'm not making this post because I hate America - far from it. In fact, I'm very close to a beautiful New York girl, and I love Hummers and WWE wrestling (!) I'm making this post because when I compare the security and safety I feel in my country, to the apparent gunslinging tension that is in yours, I honestly feel sorry for Americans.

[OverlordMondo]

Look, it's great that all the non-Americans have such trust for their government, but we do not. I have little to no trust for my government, and am not at all interested in giving them more power by giving up my right to bear arms.

[Krosigrim]

Sorry, I've been off line for 2 weeks or so, I could not reply. Look. I agree that guns don't belong in citizens hands. And if there was a massive disarmament of the populous, it would take time to finally reach a point at which we are safe from them. I don't believe in guns. They were made for war, and thats what they do... kill. There are stories that happen over here that are so horrifying, rampages through schools, shooting so many innocent people. It's enough to make me puke.

 

I don't want a gun. I don't plan on owning one. Id love to see an America that doesn't have guns. Heh, the sound of that, it's preposterous.

 

I had not thought about where the guns come from, the ones owned by criminals. So perhaps I was assuming too much when I made that statement Cinder. But what are we to do? It's politics. Nobody that owns a gun wants to let them go. Yes, it is fear.

 

I used to live just down the road 4 or 5 miles. I had 2 roommates mugged. One was cut bad and had to go to the ER. People like this often resort to guns for protection. In fact, the guy who got slashed, bought a gun. I had another guy who stayed with us. We had a converted garage, that he stayed in for a bit. I didn't know this guy very well, he was a friend of other roommates. Well, one day I went over to his "apartment" to ask him something, and for some reason, he showed me all of these guns that he owned. That didn't make me nervous, but I didn't like the thought. The thought of this guy having arms. This guy was kinda unstable. And him owning them was totally legal, which was absurd. ( BTW ) this was a major stupid time in my life where I should have moved out of the chaos that was my living arrangement. ---

 

Again, I agree. Citizens should not own guns. I don't even like hunting rifles. There are plenty of Bow and arrow sets just right for that. And it's more sporting, more of a challenge.

 

And, about the siege thing I mentioned. I was referring to terrorists. But now that you mention it Chaotica, A civil war could happen again over here. The way things are set up over here, things might just hit the fan. It's scary as hell. For instance, what if there was a disarmament, alot of people would revolt, which would create havoc. I have other things come to mind, but that is not the point.

 

All I'm saying, is that I hate guns. Id wield one, ONLY, if the safety of my loved ones depended on it. Perhaps this ideal is furthering the problem, but I am no Ghandi.

 

I am happy for those that live without fear of guns. Envious even. No shooting sprees, no accidental deaths, due to a child finding dads gun. None of that ridiculousness. I just wish we could wise up.