[Pats2010]

Originally Posted by Pturner

Hi Yoda,
As you admittedly prejudged the discussion before read the posts, I wonder if you think it possible that your expectations could have influenced how you viewed the actual posed.

Some people said they are uncomfortable around guns, some gave heartfelt reasons why they carry guns for personal protection, and some said that fear was not a motivating factor in their choice to carry.

Some thought carrying a concealed weapon is a good idea; some thought not. Regardless of shades of opinion, personal experiences were shared. I didn't see any posts that argued for interfering with anyone's right to bear arms.

To paraphrase your comment and put it in a different perspective:
If you don't want to see a variety of opinions on a topic raised for discussion on a discussion board, close your eyes and imagine a world with no opinions other than your own. That will make you feel better.

See how that feels.

BTW, I mean no insult to you and don't actually suggest you close your eyes. I just hoped perchance to demonstrate how that statement can be hurtful, disrepectful and belittling. I respect your opinions on guns and other topics, regardless of whether I agree. I appeal to you and others for the same respect toward me and my beloved colleagues on this site.

p.s., If you so choose, belittle away on political. Everyone knows to go there at their own risk.

Belittling people on any of these forums is against policy. Why do people enjoy polarizing political?

I am not saying this to any particular person on this forum. I'm just curious about the animosity that I see here occasionally.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Reading all of this has given me second thoughts about this place. We are planning to sell our house up north and to live here full time.

I wonder about living where people carry guns about and live in such fear that they feel they have to carry guns.

We have had a home in Hadley for two years. Nothing has happened here. No one has had anything stolen on our street or the next few that I know about. No one has had any attempted break ins. It is just like in Ohio, as far as I can see. Why in the world would anyone be afraid? I don't know of any break ins in Hadley.

Of course I support the Constitution and the right to bear arms.

I know that there are areas in this country where it is dangerous. Orlando is always reporting killings and so does downtown Cincinnati. It is usually young black men shooting young black men and it is over drugs. Now that sentence is not meant to be racist.

Yes. There are bad people trying to do harm to old defenseless people. It would be pretty tough to do that here with most people not working and everyone watching out for others.

I have been really troubled after reading this thread. I don't want to live in a climate of fear.

And kinda mad. I don't like for people to think I am an airhead. And uninformed. Just what do most of you think is the percentage of people who carry guns in TV?

Please, please, please say it ain't so! Gracie you are to airhead what... what... what... Furmar is to bad-looking.

Seriously, it's people like you who make TV a wonderful place to live. You are smart, funny, warm hearted and a bit onery.

I'm using my bear arms to give you a big heart-felt hug.

[graciegirl]

Dear Vinny.

I know that there are guns carried in many states.

I also know that somewhere, someone is reading this who has never been here. What are they envisioning?

This lovely, PEACEFUL, tranquil, animated, enlivened, safe, joyful, place is not somewhere where you are in extreme danger nor where you are in moderate danger....it is one of the safest places in the U.S.

People leave here a lot to go to live in the village of Heavenly but they don't leave because they have been SHOT.

I haven't seen anything here that is a cause for concern. People lose their purses and their purses are returned to them most of the time. Golf clubs are sometimes stolen on the square and probably by people who intend to steal them, but not a HUGE problem.

There are workers in and out and other than that there aren't people who are strangers or people from off the res just waiting to attack or steal from people. People have guests but really most of the teens are well behaved.

I just want the people who have never lived here to realize that in my humble opinion the last thing I would carry is a gun here.

But if I ever need protection from some yet unknown invading force, I will not hesitate to call "My cousin Vinny".

Cause I think he could get the bad guys....or girls.

GG

[r_foye]

As a retired police officer I had a gun attached to my hip everyday. I stared down the barrel many times at people who were a heartbeat away from having me kill them. Can I live with killing someone? Absolutely, I would have not second guessed myself at all. There are evil people in this world and as far as Im concerned killing evil would not cause me to lose a moments sleep. Having seen just about every form of evil I will tell you something that you may or may not believe, but I guarantee you is true. There are evil people living in The Villages, the odds dictate this to be true. Just because you are living in a retirement community doesnt make you immune. Having said that I will say that now that Im retired I dont even own a weapon, why?, I just dont feel a huge need to have one. Im willing to take my chances with the bad people of this world. I feel the odds of having to use it are just about nil. Now Im sure this will **** some people off but I think that most people who have concealed weapons permits probably shouldnt have them. Just because you took a course and blasted the target at the local range doesnt mean you are qualified to carry a gun. Just my two cents worth.

[Pats2010]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac

....I cannot think of any intruder being shot by a Villager nor any incident involving a concealed gun. There was a domestic dispute which escalated into a wife shooting her husband, an attempted shooting at one of the postal stations over an unwanted suitor by the lady's son, at least one shotgun related suicide (Melinda Duckett), and a "kidnapping" which involved a conspiracy to use a Village couple's bank cards planned it sounded by their daughter. Her mother was killed by a gun used in the hands of one of the conspirators. The domestic dispute involved two retired law enforcement officers.

Those are the facts as close as I can remember even though I am a little fuzzy on a lot of how each exactly went down.

Maybe the good citizens of the Villages could partition for the right to place signs that say this is a gun-free zone. I bet that would be a deterrent.

[BobKat1]

Originally Posted by r_foye

As a retired police officer I had a gun attached to my hip everyday. I stared down the barrel many times at people who were a heartbeat away from having me kill them. Can I live with killing someone? Absolutely, I would have not second guessed myself at all. There are evil people in this world and as far as Im concerned killing evil would not cause me to lose a moments sleep. Having seen just about every form of evil I will tell you something that you may or may not believe, but I guarantee you is true. There are evil people living in The Villages, the odds dictate this to be true. Just because you are living in a retirement community doesnt make you immune. Having said that I will say that now that Im retired I dont even own a weapon, why?, I just dont feel a huge need to have one. Im willing to take my chances with the bad people of this world. I feel the odds of having to use it are just about nil. Now Im sure this will **** some people off but I think that most people who have concealed weapons permits probably shouldnt have them. Just because you took a course and blasted the target at the local range doesnt mean you are qualified to carry a gun. Just my two cents worth.

Interesting perspective...

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Pturner

Please, please, please say it ain't so! Gracie you are to airhead what... what... what... Furmar is to bad-looking.

Seriously, it's people like you who make TV a wonderful place to live. You are smart, funny, warm hearted and a bit onery.

I'm using my bear arms to give you a big heart-felt hug.

Thank you for your lovely hug.

This place is full of good stuff and lovely kind people like P.

BUT....I am thinking about getting a water pistol.

I have always been a joiner.

Not worried.

GG

[redwitch]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

BUT....I am thinking about getting a water pistol.
GG

Skip the water pistol and go for the big stuff -- get a water cannon. Much more fun.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Skip the water pistol and go for the big stuff -- get a water cannon. Much more fun.

Or maybe we should all get together and have a good ole-fashion pillow fight!

[redwitch]

Too hot -- I vote for the water guns. Sundown at the Polo Grounds.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by r_foye

I think that most people who have concealed weapons permits probably shouldnt have them. Just because you took a course and blasted the target at the local range doesnt mean you are qualified to carry a gun. Just my two cents worth.

I could not agree more with this. As a police officer, you were in the near occasion of evil many times. You were trained. Your justification for shooting could be clear in most cases. Private citizens who bellow that they would "KILL ANY SON OF A ***** THAT COMES INTO MY HOUSE," in most cases are not trained to make the same decisions as a police officer or a court. You likely would shoot out of self defense, not for punishment.

And, those people who say, if he's outside when you shoot him, drag him in the house. Isn't that murder?

Ironic, another mass killing today in New Mexico. 6 known dead.

[Annabelle]

How did this thread which asked a simple question by Vinny
{"Does anyone know where in the Villages you cannot carry a concealed handgun?"}
deteriorate into a heated discussion about whether "TV is a safe place to live?"

I see no reason to interrupt an innocuous remark regarding "handguns" as some hidden message that TV is not a safe place to retire.

The only assumption that I made regarding Vinny's question is that he is a law abiding citizen who is going to make those around him a good neighbor.

There are some who feel (well intentioned I'm sure) they must "defend" TV even when there is nothing to defend. TV speaks well for itself. It is a lovely retirement community and is "right" for some, yet "wrong" for others.

As far as the comments hurled at those who post on the "Political Forum," I find that one must "thread" more lightly on the "General Discussion Forum" because they tend to become a bit more volatile than others especially when any subject is controversial.

Annabelle

[Pats2010]

Originally Posted by Annabelle

How did this thread which asked a simple question by Vinny
{"Does anyone know where in the Villages you cannot carry a concealed handgun?"}
deteriorate into a heated discussion about whether "TV is a safe place to live?"

I see no reason to interrupt an innocuous remark regarding "handguns" as some hidden message that TV is not a safe place to retire.

The only assumption that I made regarding Vinny's question is that he is a law abiding citizen who is going to make those around him a good neighbor.

There are some who feel (well intentioned I'm sure) they must "defend" TV even when there is nothing to defend. TV speaks well for itself. It is a lovely retirement community and is "right" for some, yet "wrong" for others.

As far as the comments hurled at those who post on the "Political Forum," I find that one must "thread" more lightly on the "General Discussion Forum" because they tend to become a bit more volatile than others especially when any subject is controversial.

Annabelle

Touche!!!

[entemedor]

What seems like 10 years ago, some poor guy started this thread by asking for info about carrying a firearm here in TV....

Much emotion and some information that is flat-out wrong ensued. OK, here's my suggestions:

1. Ask a lawyer, admitted to the Florida Bar, who knows about this kind of thing.

2. Failing that, get a copy of Florida Firearms, Law, Use, and Ownership. You can get this on-line here:

http://www.floridafirearmslaw.com/

[Vinny]

Gracie, I agree with you. I feel no need to carry a gun in TV. But there are those times when you are leaving The Villages or are in and out of it throughout the day when I will be armed as it safer to keep the gun on you then in the car. Quite frankly it is uncomfortable to carry a gun in this heat but we do it to protect ourselves and those around us. It is also very inconvenient to carry a gun due to the places you cannot carry one. The last two days are good examples. I was out but ran into friends who wanted me to join them for drinks at a bar. If I was carrying I could not go into the bar. Today I was out and got a call to pickup a prescription. Once again guns are not allowed in pharmacies so you see how much of a pain it can be to carry a gun. Some people feel that it is best to carry all the time rather than play the odds. Personally I would rather take my chances and only carry outside of TV.