Rail killer causes fear - drunk shot.

Ms. D: As a bit of a summary of what a lot of folks have said:

1. Those of us who post on this forum think of the word "responsible" as built in to the ownership and use of our guns.

2. Obviously, we believe from experience that the police mostly perform as janitors after the fact, rather than as preventers of crime. We feel a responsibility to ourselves and our families to protect them as necessary, just as we provide otherwise for us and for them.

3. Guns can be self-defense tools, just another form of insurance. To play with words a bit, the "payoff" can come as the avoidance of a claim...

4. As to answering a door with gun in hand or handy, the person knocking might be legitimately seeking help. If so, no problem. I would hate to turn someone away due to my own fears, and later learn of a death because of my refusal to help.

Some of us remember the Kitty Genovese case from many years ago in New York City. Numerous people watched from their windows during her murder, and made no effort to call police nor to intervene. The killer used a knife; she struggled and screamed for help; this all took some fifteen minutes. So, words like duty and self respect are part of our lives.

The person knocking might be trying to bluff his way in for criminal purposes. Again, no problem--as compared to the potential problem if no self defense other than a loud scream is available...

Best regards, Art
 
"What side of the door is the threat on?"

The answer is: "Potentially, both sides."

1) If you don't answer the knock, the BG(Bad Guy) may think nobody is home and break in. Now the risk of having to use deadly force is increased.

2) If a woman answers the knock, the BG may believe she is alone (regardless of what she says) and be encouraged to break in.

Bad news: In our area, the telephone lines are easily accessible outside the homes and, in cases of intended violence, frequently are cut before BG comes to the door.

Do not misinterpret my intent. IMO, the only time to shoot through a door is (perhaps) when both you and BG are inside the house.

For example, the best barricade room in our house (some time ago) was a bathroom. I told my daughters to retreat there with a gun (their choice of several revolvers) and the cordless phone (in case it still worked). They were to let NOBODY in unless they had the "codeword", regardless of whether they said they were the police or not!

(chuckle) There are advantages to being in a rural environment. The "codeword" was the radio call number of one of the Sheriff's Deputies. I had his number and name on a paper, taped to the inside of a cabinet door (in case they forgot it). The kids would ask, "Who is 3xx?" Only the Deputies would know the correct name. (Yes, I felt rather smug about it!)

My point is, that your loved one is not necessarily safe just because BG is outside the house. Rural environment + cut phone lines = isolation = need for self-sufficiency in the self-defense dept.
 
Umm, Dennis, that isn't quite what Lomghair and I were refering to.

Miss D. has expressed concerns about the safety of a gun in the house, and the potential missuse by someone other than herself. Read her posts.

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(!)
 
Just stopping in quickly, now I am going to ask a really dumb question, but I need to know before I answer your question. What the heck is a threat? Sorry but Im not sure what that is. Which way the door opens? Sittin on the clueless couch. I'll be back in awhile, speaking of intruders, my MIL is coming lol.
Figure that one he he :)
 
Hal,
Umm. Yeah. Gotcha. (Blush)
Got swept up in Art's post and missed your meaning. (sigh)

Goin' back to bed, hope to wake up conscious.

Grump
 
MIL = My inebriated lover?
MIL = Missing in liquor?
MIL = Most intoxicated lover? :)

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John/az

"They come, they eat, they leave...
"They come, they eat, they leave...NOT!!

Bill Clinton (aka: Hopper) Al Gore (aka: Molt) Janet Reno (aka: Thumper)

Ants UNITE!


[This message has been edited by John/az2 (edited June 26, 1999).]
 
LMAO ROTF! MIL=Mother in law you guys are too funny!
Speaking of going back to bed, I just re-read that above Duh and double duh! Threat got it, understand it, sorry I even asked that. Brain not fueled yet. Threats can be anywhere I guess, my biggest threat right now is the MIL and a few hours of tolerating that. lol
 
Sounds like a cell phone is in order for everyone here, esp. those in rural environments. The BG can't cut the line on that, and, if you should break down, you can call for help. I imagine that a car is the most vulnerable pace you can be if it doesn't work. A woman was raped by a supposed good samaritan who stoped to help her in a rural affluent suburb of KC last fall. Cars passed by and no one knew she needed help. Highway Patrol local HQ is only a few miles away on US 50. Some farmer was killed on a bulldozer he was using by teenage punks looking for a thrill kill. The shot him in the back, but a phone and a gun would have given him a better chance had he been more aware of cars and had his assailants not been too cowardly to shoot an unarmed man from the front
 
From Ivan8883 6-26-99 636PMEDT Had a Remirez scare outside Brunswick, Md. last Thursday at Sheetz Convience store. Police picked up three Hispanics, one of which looked like the infamous Remirez. False alarm. Remirez better stay on boxcar if he comes through Brunswick railroad yard. Shoot first ,then ask questions to drifters in the area. Tell Remirez to go to DC where only criminals have guns and honest people are disarmed like good little sheeple people. He will have a field day in DC! Ivan8883
 
Hah! That reference to "good Samaritans" reminds me that awareness of threats works from both sides of that fence. Around 20 years ago (already quite aware) I was out for a motorcycle ride around midnight, heading for some of my favorite twisties at rather high speed, and on a VERY lonely road at that time of night.

I passed a car pointed the other direction stopped on the side of the road with an obviously flat tire and two women standing there in the dark looking at it. Hm. Nobody had cell phones in those days, here I am on a motorcycle (spawn of Hell!), it's the middle of the night... I guess I got about 2 miles down the road with gears turning about 5000 rpm in my brain before I said, well Hell, I can't just LEAVE them there, can I?

Heading back, I worked out my plan. I approached slowly, passed their car about 100 feet before I stopped, then stayed right there while I removed helmet and jacket, etc, walked casually back to about 50 feet and called to them to ask if they wanted help. They happily said yes, I got filthy, and they were on their way, after telling me that the Dad/father of the two of them was the deputy who patrolled that particular road, they'd be sure he knew of my act of kindness. They showed very little fear, which combined with a LEO in the family pretty well assured me that my precautions were well-founded. I suspect they were armed, and ready to defend themselves, because otherwise no women are gonna be that relaxed in that situation.

They didn't fear ME near as much as I feared THEM at that point.

Larry P.
 
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