2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures bomb books budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal portland mayor president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes television terrorism theater third parties timber payments transportation union university of oregon violence washington water wildfire women

Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket. Not only did I have a "first time offending" pit bull latch onto my arm when I was working on a construction site some years ago, I was also right across the the hallway in the Lloyd center when the last shooting happened. As I read earlier from another poster, my chances that day of facing a life-threatening criminal in Portland was 0.7/100. 

Do I have a CCW? Sure do. Do I ever carry? I haven't since I became an EMT. I've learned that with as much handling of the firearms is required to keep them maintained and ready for service out and about, the odds of me hurting myself or someone near me is much greater than needing one in public. However, I do keep a gun within reach of my bed at night. And no, I don't have kids.

No matter how careful people are, mistakes happen. I've seen too many mistakes by smart, trained people to outweigh the benefits of having a gun handy, just in case I get lucky enough again to become a statistic. Even if I did have a weapon on me at the Lloyd center, the moron doing the shooting was running away as soon as he was finished spraying bullets randomly. The whole incident took mere seconds. There was nothing anyone could have done, armed or not.

I must be one of the few who are themselves conflicted, as I'm seeing a lot of clear yes or no ideas. Guns have a time and a place, but I simply can't justify the need where I live in Central Oregon.

These days I would only carry (and concealed at that) is if I'm going way out into the wilderness. At that point I'd keep it around more for a survival tool than to protect against bad guys. 

I'm vigilant around people who open carry. I have met several very nice people who carry, some of them however aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Therefore, I'm also very aware of where my exits are. 

My final thoughts on this are where we are getting into trouble with our conversations is trying to apply broad, sweeping generalizations to a group of individuals. Everything has to be taken into account on an individual basis to make society "safe." I honestly think that some form of IQ / Situational / Manual Dexterity tests should be implemented to create a "safe" society. 

A "Safe" society isn't a "Free" society however. I guess we have to choose between the lesser of two evils. Be free and take the risk, or be safe and enjoy your serial number. 

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
view in context