GUN SHOW/GUN OWNER ETIQUETTE?

Michael Marks:
I agree whole heartedly with your desire and intent to stand up for what you believe in. I don't think that is the issue. The issue is how you get that "standing up" done. The advice I and others in this long thread have instead suggested is to stand up in a way that is A) most legal and B) safest for all involved. Most large and intimidating men can bring off a peaceful resolution by show of force; however, it's a crap shoot. And even more so for persons like me (<160 lbs.) The examples and advice we have suggested have NOT indicated shrugging our shoulders and doing nothing, but instead have advised absolutely getting "legal" authority to intervene when safety allows. I personally see no wisdom in getting stabbed or shot over a handicapped space or someone's foul mouth. That valor is cold comfort to a widow or orphan. John Wayne's words in the movie the Alamo are very cogent here "Discretion is the better part of valor."
 
Kinda long again!

Shooting1911,

If I understand you correctly, I agree.

Walt, sorry for the late update. The man's son was not successful for two reasons,IMHO.
A: Bull-headed fathers rarely listen to their sons or wives and B: the son's verbage and overall approach was not conducive to calming his father. If the father gave any signs of being an EDP, I would have gotten an LE immediately, if appropriate. And, as stated before, he reacted favorably overall.

To anyone else out there, FYI....

Unless a situation is forced upon me, I refrain from getting into any situation(investments, gunfights, whatever)
that I don't have some complete confidence that I can prevail. Like DeNiro's character says in the movie "Ronin", I don't go into a place that I don't know a way out...

As stated before, I have no compunctions about even running away from a fight. But in my personal experience, If I took the most legal and sensible(wait for LE's,EMT's,etc.) approach, there would be at least 9 people dead, and about a dozen or more crippled or seriously injured.

My only beef about some folks is the growing number of emasculated pansies(!) in this country(even in gun circles) that don't understand that "taking a stand" and doing the right thing sometimes means hanging your privates out over the fire.

And size is never an excuse.
There are too many Bruce Lee sized men and women out there of all ages that can take care of themselves. I have been beaten-on by them in full contact sparring too many times to believe otherwise. It's never been the size of the man in the fight, but the size of the fight in the man, that counts.

I'm not talking about a macho trip here either. But, damn it, the very people in government and other fields that we like to condemn for being spineless and lacking courage and moral commitment, are sometimes the very type of individuals we find in our own groups. We have seen the enemy, and they are us.

Whatever one decides to do, being proactive is always appropriate. Doing nothing, and
later thinking of all the things one should have appropriately said and done(or second guessing others, ad nauseum) is the bane of cowards, IMHO. My choice (and it has cost me a bullet hole, broken bones and several knife slashes) is to ACT. Take this the right way, but my partner and I sincerely wish we were at the Luby's in Waco on that fateful day. I can assure you that scumbag would have paid a dear price before he finished his business. That's just the way we are.

As to fear of the courts, I avoid trouble, but am fortunate at this point in my life to have the time and money to hire some of the very best attorneys available to defend me.

God favors a person of action, and that's been true, in my experience. Sorry if this post was too rough. It's Friday and payday, and I'm feeling saucy....
 
David, I must largely agree as well, but from a very thoughtful and concerned perspective. I believe that we are losing ground steadily because the nutcases ARE willing to fight, to escalate way beyond reason to support their idiotic behavior - if we back away to avoid a bruise today, what will it be tomorrow. Defense of our lifestyle is sadly a daily responsibility. What do I tell my kid when I hand him a world where lawyers sue over anything, where people can spit in your face and we are too afraid to raise a finger? What do I say when he asks - "hey, where were you when things STARTED getting rough?"

Confrontation is not for everybody. But the more everybody cowtows to social deviance for fear of making a scene or getting hurt, the greater the odds are we will ALL face a deviant in normal day-to-day life. I've gotten in more than one tussle when I've seen a man hit a woman - and I make no apologies for sticking my nose in. I believe in chivalry and sticking up for some principles, and if I got hurt in the process it was the price for HAVING some standards. The only thing worse than getting hurt for your beliefs is to have nothing in life worth fighting over...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top