[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by janmcn

The Villages is such a dangerous place to live, that everyone needs an arsenal to protect oneself.

Some people travel outside The Villages to the real world. Try exercising your right to walk around West Palm Beach some night along Tamarind Ave. Maybe you would rather take a stroll in Liberty City in Miami. Give your speech to the first mugger you are approached by. I'm sure he'd be glad to know that you are unarmed. Maybe you will even survive after a few months in intensive care.
I don't expect you to know these neighborhoods but sometimes we get into places that we wouldn't go into if we knew the area. It doesn't hurt to be prepared just in case. What harm would it be if you carried protection for yourself? The fact that you carry a gun doesn't make you into a lunatic that wants to kill everyone. I've carried for about 20 years and only once did I come close to having to pull it, but it was a good feeling that it was there.
We have a right in this country of two choices, to have a gun or not. You have chosen not, but don't bad mouth that those that chose to have.

[graciegirl]

...

[Monkei]

I went thru the concealed weapon class here in Florida about 8 years ago. The class was a complete joke and the trip to the range even more of a joke. The test was a joke. Unless they changed it I am sure it is still a joke. In Florida I had to pick up a gun, aim, shot and put down the gun. The gun was the instructors. Compared to the class I had to take in Tennessee where I had to go to the range with my own pistol and ammo and demonstrate that I could really handle the piece by firing over 28 rounds. Florida is a joke.

In any event after qualifying in FL and TN I put a lock on the pistol and then locked it in my safe with ammo in another location. It has never been removed since.

Bottom line for me at least is the upside to owning a gun and having it in my house around teenagers and grand kids did not even come close to the downside of what might happen.

I used to travel all over FL and the country on motorcycle as I competed in motorcycle iron butt contests ... I found it much easier to take a quick nap on my bike in a rest area with an empty holster hanging on my windshield and leaving the gun at home.

[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by buggyone

My response is: If you are walking around in a high crime area such as downtown Detroit, the projects of Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, or even the seedy places in Orlando - carry your pistol - but what in the world are you doing in those parts of the towns in the first place?

When you are in The Villages walking around at the town squares, dancing at the squares, or just golf carting around - don't you think it is really ridiculous to be carrying your concealed pistol?

I actually know someone who sleeps with a loaded pistol on his nightstand next to the bed. I know of another who will answer the door during the daytime with a pistol tucked into a holster in the small of his back with one hand ready to draw it. Personally, I feel very sorry for these people who are scared to live without their pistols - especially in The Villages.

First off, what I was trying to convey was that if you are in a strange town you don't know the areas to avoid. My GPS doesn't have a setting of "avoid high crime areas". I am not looking for trouble. Second, who said I carry in The Villages? I only carry when I am leaving The Villages. I agree, there is no reason to carry here but once outside I do. To tell the truth I'd rather not have the bulk or weight of a pistol on me so I don't carry here. I've got to say that if it came to a confortation I'd do anything in my power to avoid it including getting away. I wouldn't want to go through the courts and all their BS. The only time I'd use it would be to save myself from bodily harm or my love ones. This is as it should be. I'm not a cowboy, just a retired citizen protecting what is mine.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Unbelieveable!....WHY!

Because we are the financial superiors to the rest of the world, but when it comes to grey matter, we are at the bottom of the heap. I love America, but we are over burdened with rednecks, machismo that without our money, we cannot back it up.

[tpop1]

Here a bipartisian......

"It seems like we are each entitled to your opinion."

It's not enought that I listen to your opinion, that I allow you that opinion, it seems I MUST agree with your opinion!

[Tom Grooms]

Americans also own over 80% of all swimming pools and 96% of all private planes. It's good to be an American :-)

[Down Sized]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Unbelieveable!....WHY!

That is probably just the count on legal guns. If they counted the illegal guns in the third world countries and the drug trades in foreign countries it would be closer to 50-50.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

Some people travel outside The Villages to the real world. Try exercising your right to walk around West Palm Beach some night along Tamarind Ave. Maybe you would rather take a stroll in Liberty City in Miami. Give your speech to the first mugger you are approached by. I'm sure he'd be glad to know that you are unarmed. Maybe you will even survive after a few months in intensive care.
I don't expect you to know these neighborhoods but sometimes we get into places that we wouldn't go into if we knew the area. It doesn't hurt to be prepared just in case. What harm would it be if you carried protection for yourself? The fact that you carry a gun doesn't make you into a lunatic that wants to kill everyone. I've carried for about 20 years and only once did I come close to having to pull it, but it was a good feeling that it was there.
We have a right in this country of two choices, to have a gun or not. You have chosen not, but don't bad mouth that those that chose to have.

You are correct. We all have choices and the freedom to choose.

In spite of all the heartbreak of the past week, we have so much to be thankful for. We are so lucky to be living in this time period, and 2012 will go down as one of the best in history.

[Bonnevie]

Originally Posted by ugotme

SORRY - I have relatives who are cops and I know quite a few police officers both here (So. Fl.) and in NY.
The VAST MAJORITY of the ones I know support the public's right to have guns. As was stated to me - We can't be everywhere.

I would rather have mine and never need it that need it and never have it.

which is why I prefaced my comments by saying I can only speak about my experience with my relatives in law enforcement. And again, having a fire arm at home for protection is one thing, taking it with you to argue with a neighbor over a skateboarder is another.

[ugotme]

Originally Posted by hope2soon

which is why I prefaced my comments by saying I can only speak about my experience with my relatives in law enforcement. And again, having a fire arm at home for protection is one thing, taking it with you to argue with a neighbor over a skateboarder is another.

You will get NO argument from me on that one !

[Lbmb24101]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

I have to challenge that factoid. Where did this information come from? does it include those held by governments or just the people? There are a lot of quasi dictatorships where the government owns all the guns. And for good reasons. If you look at just those guns owned by the citizens of each country then it may be close. Mainly because so many countries have taken the guns away from their citizens. Makes moving from Democracy to Socialism to Communism to dictatorship much more easy for the government.

The main reason our constitution provides for the right to bear arms is to protect the people from a government gone out of control, not from each other.

COMPLETELY AGREE!

Well written.

[MelZ]

Originally Posted by Thnonne

When our forefathers put the right to bear arms into the constitution the arms were muskets not automatic weapons, it would not be possible to commit mass murders with the weapons that existed when the "right to bear arms" was introduced into our constitution. We need to consider this in modern times and write laws or amend the constitution to control the automatic and semi-automatic weapons of today.

In order to possess a automatic weapon you need to have a Class 3 Federal Firearms license.

[elevatorman]

"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."

-- Mahatma Gandhi

"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom."

-- John F. Kennedy

[MelZ]

Originally Posted by travelguy

2nd Amendment
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

I am not sure that the 2nd amendment has anything to do with an individual being able to own firearms. I believe that it only refers to the idea that other than the army a civilian militia is allowed to exist to assist the organized military.

In the opinion of the US Supreme Court the term Militia meant "The People". This is consistent with most historians interpretation of the language of the constitution As in "We The People".