First, let me say that I do NOT agree with Penn and Teller on everything (especially their view of religion), but they make some good points about gun control here, and make the smug professor Roger Rosenblatt look pretty silly here. This is Part 1 of 3. The other parts are also on YouTube. Warning: some foul language.
The shooting in Omaha, like many mass shootings before it, occurred in a gun-free zone. This means that law-abiding citizens legally permitted to carry concealed weapons for self-defense, were not permitted to be armed in this mall. Criminals, however, tend not to obey these signs. The result? Smart criminals know that they can basically have a field day with unarmed citizens in these so-called “gun free zones.” Fortunately in this case, a cop disobeyed the “gunbuster” sign, carried his handgun anyway, and stopped this attack. Sadly, the mainstream media fails to mention that this mall banned guns, but then again, many in the mainstream media think guns have two settings, “murder” and “murder more,” failing to mention that firearms stop millions of crimes each year in the hands of ordinary citizens.
Ever heard that one? I think in some senses it is true. I once knew a teacher who was adamantly against the death penalty (I am mildly against it), but yet when an inquiring student asked, “what about if YOUR daughter was murdered, would you want the murderer executed?” She said without blinking, “yes I would.” Was she hypocritical? Probably. From what I have seen, many on the left like legislating idealistic theories that work well in safe, wealthy neighborhoods, and in the halls of the Academy. It is easy to say, “who would ever need a gun for protection?” when you live in a neighborhood where your most dangerous neighbor is that old guy who once hit a parked car. However, once someone in your nice neighborhood gets robbed, then suddenly the tune is changed. I have seen such attitudes in grad school, which I used to refer to as a cloistered community, because of how out-of-touch with the rest of America the students and faculty there were. When George Bush was elected in 2000 most there were sure there had to have been vote tampering, because they didn’t know anybody who voted for Bush, not that anybody would have ever admitted it there anyway, for fear of persecution. That future ministers, who were going out to serve average Methodist parishes throughout the U.S, had this attitude is an entire different article.
Anyway, I recently came across an interesting article that is related to this, The Way of the Gun: A Gay Liberal Explores Ohio Gun Culture by Taking Matters - and Weapons - Into His Own Hands by Brian Thornton. After Brian and his friends were victims of crime one too many times (living in Cleveland will do that to you), he decided it was time to defend himself. Even though he enjoyed shooting guns, after he visited the firing range for the first time, he still worried about what could happen:
But a couple of hours later, my high is fading, and I have a minor freak-out. I remember a moment in the stall when I saw a moving target’s shadow enter the periphery of my vision. What if that had been a person running into my line of sight? What if my target was a human instead of a piece of waxy paper? There are 39 holes in the bull’s-eye — dead center of where a chest would be.
I could have killed someone several times that morning. Despite how pleased I am with my shooting prowess, how proud I am for overcoming my fears, I don’t think I could ever hold a gun again. I could never kill another human.
While I understand what he is saying (who wants to ever take a human life?), his fears seem a little irrational at this point. Those who have grown up with guns know that guns are very safe when used properly. Because the media highlights shooting accidents among children (child drownings in bath tubs are far more common), and crimes committed with guns by thugs, many people don’t know that the vast majority of guns in this country are used safely and legally. Plus, a firing range is actually a very safe place, and it is highly unlikely anybody is going to run into anybody’s line of sight. Nobody wants to ever take a life, but the fact is most crime is prevented by simply showing a weapon.
You see, criminals prey on the weak, and simply showing a criminal that you are protected in some way, is enough to show that you are not a victim. One researcher interviewed two convicted murderers and asked them why they killed the random person that they did. They said that they initially were going to “ice” a cab driver or drug dealer, but soon realized that these folks were often armed and would fight back. So, they saw a guy walking by with a musical instrument case, and decided he would be an easy target. Criminals go after easy targets.
However, this article does not end on an anti-gun note:
IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT, and I’m driving downtown toward Cleveland to meet friends for drinks. I send a text message to one to find out where he is. His boyfriend responds: “Dan and I were attacked. I’m at Lutheran. I’m OK. Just getting checked out.”
…I learn that my friends were attacked by a group of teenagers as they tried to get into their car. Eddie has pains in his ribs and a scrape on his leg. Dan is just shaken up. Eddie’s wallet is gone.
As I drive, I am suddenly overcome with a mix of anger, fear and frustration — emotions that again make me reevaluate my position. More friends affected by crime, and no way to protect ourselves.
But there is a way we could protect ourselves, something Jim helped me learn just weeks before: We could all start carrying guns.
It seems irrational, but fear is irrational. And I begin to understand how that fear could drive people to arm themselves. I’m not on either “side” like Toby Hoover or Jim Irvine. I, like so many Ohioans, fall somewhere in the middle. Guns still feel like the ultimate solution, something I’m not ready to embrace yet.
But if the police won’t or can’t protect me and my friends, taking matters into my own hands doesn’t seem irrational anymore.
I have to agree with Brian’s final assessment: it is not irrational to want to protect yourself and your loved ones. Many people, sitting from their good neighborhoods, say “let the police protect you,” but a holstered gun (or pepper spray, etc) is an instant responder, while the police response time could be anywhere from 5-15 minutes. It would be great to be able to carry a policeman in your holster! It is easy to speak in academic theories or idealistic dreams when you are in a good neighborhood, safe with plenty of money and time to think and speculate about reality. However, the minute your child is mugged or your house burglarized, things may change. Suddenly you may want the rights that you, when pontificating in your safety, once tried to deny others. Suddenly, those “gun nuts” seem like ordinary people who care about their safety and that of their family (of course, I am talking about regular citizens here, not “militia types”).
I am glad that Brian Thornton has finally decided to defend himself. I hope that soon he and his friends will no longer be the weak victims that punk criminals seek out.
Sometime this winter, dad, Jonathan, and I went out target shooting (yeah, manly time). Unfortunately a container of expired light yogurt was our victim. One of us managed to snap this photo right as the the container exploded. You can see the explosion of cultured milk in the second photo if you look close.
No, I am not a big fan of cities, and anybody who knows me can tell you this. I am probably a rarity these days, but I prefer small town (<40,000 people) life to big city life any day. You can make fun of me for living in a non-diverse area with little "culture," and while I lament the lack of these things in my smaller town, I still will stick to just visiting the city, thank you. Crime, inflated prices, corruption, smog, high taxes, and so forth, are all reasons why the urban life is not for me. I remember when I was getting ready to live in Atlanta looking for housing. The prices were very high, even in bad neighborhoods. A friend of mine was paying 900+ dollars a month for an apartment in an unsafe neighborhood. They moved after someone was robbed at gunpoint in the laundry area of their apartment. They moved to the suburbs, paying even more for rent.
Today though, I want to focus on crime, and the "blame the victim" mentality we often see. Crime is rising in many cities, and many people live in fear. Yesterday, I was reading a news article about a man who defended himself in Cleveland, a city I visit, but one where I would never live. I admit that reading the stories about this case has gotten me a little hot under the collar, so excuse this rant. What happened: An African-American man named Damon Wells shot a teen, Arthur "Ace Boogie" Buford, who trespassed on his property. The fifteen year old, on probation for armed robbery, and an accomplice, approached Wells, pointing a gun at him. Now, tragically, a teen is dead. The prosecutors are not going to charge Wells.
I agree this is a tragedy all around, and that Jesus' adage is still true, that if you live by the sword, you die by the sword, but the media doesn't seem to get it, nor do many of those in Wells' neighborhood. The first article from the Plain Dealer about this mentioned this will cause debate about guns and concealed carry permits. Actually, this man was on his own property, so legally he didn't need a permit, but secondly, where is the debate exactly? Concealed Carry was legalized for reasons just like this. Either way, there doesn’t seem to be much “debate” on the comments thread at the Plain Dealer. Around 95% of commenters agree that they are sick and tired of punks terrorizing certain neighborhoods, hindering peaceful citizens from living freely and safely.
What gets me upset about this is how so many, including some media elites, are now blaming the victim. Damon Wells, with no criminal record, was minding his own business, and was terrorized by a couple punks with criminal records. It is easy for us to sit in judgment while pontificating from our good neighborhoods, but when you live in a neighborhood where you can’t walk out during most times of the day for fear of your life, reality is a little different. Perhaps the academics, reporters, and politicians might be a little more realistic about all issues if they had to live outside their good neighborhoods with quick police response time for even a day. We don’t know how we would react in this situation, with a gun pointed at us, possibly leading to our own death or that of our family. Many elites would simply let their armed bodyguards take care of it, a luxury most of us lack.
Now we are seeing vigils on behalf of the late Arthur Buford spring up, and a community is angry that Wells got off without charges. Buford’s cousin is upset and blames Wells. Ace Boogie’s friends believe he did nothing wrong. Notes left at a makeshift memorial say, “God gave me a new angel man . . . Why Da Good Die Young . . . I’ll see you in eternity . . . You are with the Lord and we happy for that.” In good thug fashion, Damon Wells is being harassed, and his house has been vandalized. Goodness…where to begin with this! I have no problem having a vigil for Buford. It is a work of mercy to bury the dead. He was a human being, a precious life with basic dignity, but his actions in life show that he did not behave virtuously, or responsibly. However, instead of defending Buford’s actions, why not have a vigil in his name as a way to make sure that children do not turn into the next Arthur Buford? Why not use this death to look at the cultural and social problems that turn an innocent child into an armed robber by age 15? The family should be outraged, not at Wells, but at themselves, their neighborhood, and primarily at their departed relative. They should be outraged that a freshman could get to the point where he was on probation for armed robbery, and that he was illegally carrying a weapon, and harassing neighbors, apparently unsupervised. If I were Buford’s relative, I would meet with Wells and apologize for the actions of Buford, and then work with Wells to reduce crime in the neighborhood. Why not make it so when people think of Arthur Buford they think of a new future for America’s teens rather than using his name to glorify wrong behavior?
I do not think killing another person in self-defense is ever good, but if done unintentionally (i.e. you intended to defend, but not kill), from a Catholic perspective it is not a mortal sin. If you or your family are in mortal danger, it may be the lesser of two evils to shoot your attacker. Regardless, crime is out of control in many cities, and blaming the victim is not going to remedy the problem. Let’s let something positive come out of this, including allowing children to see how stupid being a thug actually is.
For a good piece on this tragedy, see No Sympathy for Thug Culture, written by Regina Brett of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
What has come of our society, when mass murder is the “solution” to finding out your girlfriend may have cheated on you? A pathetic and cowardly gunman at Virginia Tech killed himself and 32 others. According to the most recent news, the shooter was Cho Seung-Hui, 23, a Korean and a permanent resident of the U.S. We should pray for all those involved, including the souls of the departed.
Here are my initial thoughts. First, I am surprised a permanent resident could get a handgun. I wonder how he could pass the background check if he has not been here very long. Just to show my biases: I definitely believe in the right to bear arms, and support concealed carry laws, but I also support registering guns, background checks, and having waiting periods. Second, I am curious as to how this guy was able to move around freely and shoot so many people. I know he had a gun, but it seems he moved all around campus over a long time span!
I know I am outside of the situation, but after the school shootings in the late 1990s, I have often thought how I would react if someone went on a shooting rampage. I am sure the terror of the moment would change even the most well-thought out plans. The first thing I would do is get the hell out of there and find a secure location, which many of the students did. Then I would look for some kind of weapon, any weapon that I could feasibly use if the guy got close, which may even include a legally concealed weapon (Of course, at Virginia Tech, non-criminals can’t legally carry concealed weapons, even if they have the permit…maybe if a few lawful citizens could have fired back, this would have ended sooner…). Third, if I knew the dude had just killed others, I wouldn’t assume he is going to let me live if he sees me and pursues or aims. I would not willingly line up to be executed, especially if I knew he had already shot others. Perhaps rallying those around to gang tackle the guy would work, although this would not be without loss of life (a la the folks on United Flight 93). I would drop a TV down the stairs, throw books at him or ANYTHING to reduce the accuracy of his aim and his mobility. Even police are often inaccurate with handguns at even fairly short distances, so some college kid isn’t likely a dead shot. Anything to distract or reduce his aim would at least give me a fighting chance. I would then find something thick, a book or something metal to place over my heart, at least to slow down the bullet a little. I have seen ballistics tests with different types of calibers, and while it would take a Catholic Bible to stop a 9mm bullet, at least I would be doing something. I remember my Greek prof once saying that if there is another school shooting, students just need to attack the gunmen and go for the eyes. Crude, but probably more effective than running or cowering.
This is a sad situation that makes Don Imus’ dumb comments, and Anna Nicole Smith’s baby’s paternity, seem pretty trivial. Kyrie Eleison
It is common knowledge that our gun-toting, vigilante, society has a much higher crime rate than England, right?
Well….
I found this article, Gun Control’s Twisted Outcome, from Reason Magazine, fascinating.
Here are excerpts from the article, written in 2002:
Cultural differences and more-permissive legal standards notwithstanding, the English rate of violent crime has been soaring since 1991. Over the same period, America’s has been falling dramatically. In 1999 The Boston Globe reported that the American murder rate, which had fluctuated by about 20 percent between 1974 and 1991, was “in startling free-fall.” We have had nine consecutive years of sharply declining violent crime. As a result the English and American murder rates are converging. In 1981 the American rate was 8.7 times the English rate, in 1995 it was 5.7 times the English rate, and the latest study puts it at 3.5 times.
and
Nearly five centuries of growing civility ended in 1954. Violent crime has been climbing ever since. Last December, London’s Evening Standard reported that armed crime, with banned handguns the weapon of choice, was “rocketing.” In the two years following the 1997 handgun ban, the use of handguns in crime rose by 40 percent, and the upward trend has continued. From April to November 2001, the number of people robbed at gunpoint in London rose 53 percent.
In fact, England is now facing a rash of stabbings! While we definitely have our share of problems, at least in the US, we get a chance to fight back against criminal culture. Plus, the people who “have all the answers” about crime are typically politicians or academics who live in the best areas of town, not exactly people who have a grasp on the problem.
Why am I writing about this? Well, I have gotten a little more interested in politics again. I think the Democrats being in control of Congress has pushed me to think about about a variety of issues. One issue of politics that interests me is crime. Why is crime so high in many areas? Why isn’t it considered a national crisis that in so many neighborhoods people can’t even walk the streets in daylight? The high rate of crime in major cities is a problem that I believe we need to tackle, but unfortunately band-aid solutions and increased regulation seem just to punish law-abiding citizens, while criminals still do their thing.
