Quote:
Originally Posted by onlydarksets
Sounds great. I'd love to see that in action in the dark by someone who has never fired their gun at a human before. I'm sure it will work out fine.
Look, I'm not saying that nobody should have guns. I'm just saying that going to the firing range a few times a month and memorizing a checklist can't possibly prepare the average person for the stress of this type of situation. It's unrealistic to think that adrenaline and fear are going to allow you to get it right 100% of the time.
|
It works all the time with people who seek out the necessary training. I fail to see what's so hard to grasp about that for most people.
An old adage in the military and law enforcement goes, "You will fight like you train."
So, yes, run out to the local gun show, buy yourself "a nine," toss it in the nightstand having barely familiarized yourself with it and yeah, expect disastrous results.
Being proficient with a firearm, and by proficient I mean reasonably accurate, reasonably fast, with the ability to reload and be familiar enough to operate under stress and pressure and in low light environments, is really is not as complicated as it sounds. People who are ignorant about guns generally seem to assume it's an incredibly complex process better left to "professionals."
People roaming down the interstate yacking on the cellphone while propelling a 4,000+ pound vehicle at speeds in excess of 70mph is what scares the crap out of me. Driving a car is equally, if not more dangerous and complicated than operating a firearm. How many people can skillfully control a skidding or sliding vehicle? How many know how to handle a vehicle at high speeds, in slides, or over slippery surfaces? Very few, but I don't hear anyone complaining about that. What is it about guns that really gets people going?
I'm not saying, and have never said, that every last walking moron should be armed to the teeth. Training is necessary, but it's not that unreasonable.
People routinely spend $80,000+ for a four or more year college education that purportedly prepares them for the real world, not to mention graduate school. We'll spend $30,000 on a car and pay attention to all the safety features. We'll have our 16 year old kids take drivers ed and log the necessary driving training time before getting a license.
Why is it when it comes to the protection and safety of yourself and your family from evil people, do we just take it for granted, leave it to chance, or just assume we'll figure it out when we have to?
$1,000 will get you a perfectly decent handgun and 2-3 days of training on how to operate it safely and use it in a tactical or home-defense environment. $2,000 will get you an excellent handgun and 5 days of training from former and current military and law enforcement professionals who actually HAVE had to shoot at a person before. Your "average Joe" spends twice that on a TV so he can sit back and eat Cheetos and be entertained every night. You wouldn't spend the same to properly protect yourself and your family?