What??
Are you going to give up your 500SL if someone demands you explain why anyone NEEDS to own one? Cars kill a lot more people in this country than guns. Even on the day that kid shot all those people at VT, cars killed more people than he did.
No. I don't have to defend my decision to own an automatic when a bolt-action would do, any more than one has to defend their decision to own a Mercedes when a Toyota would do, or a flat screen plasma tv when a 19" Sony would do.
Coercion has no place in a country that calls itself free. And I have heard, although less frequently lately, that we live in a free country.
My guns aren't hurting anyone, therefore it is no one's business but mine.
And the second amendment? Or for that matter any of the amendments? They don't "give" us rights. They simply acknowledge the fact that we have rights. INALIEBLE rights.

There was an article in the paper since this incident that said alcohol abuse kills three or four college aged students every day, or something like that. People are numb and really apathetic about abuses that kill huge numbers of other people. The media sensationalize certain events that promote the agendas of the big money organizations that own, control and support the media and at the same time ignore or promote problems that would cost the same entities to fix, even though they are fixable.

There is no comparison of my having an SL to your having an automatic weapon.

The purpose of a gun is to kill, the purpose of an automatic weapon is to kill more people.
FYI how about somebody see how many people are killed / injured by the excess spray from these automatics.
Maybe we should give gang members training how to use weapons so fewer innocents get hurt.

The purpose of a car is to get around, the purpose of a Mercedes is to do it reliably and comfortably. Ok and some vanity.


re: college drinking.
That is the real issue here (not to sound ??) the kids drank themselves to death. People use the guns to shoot other people.
If you want to own a gun to shoot yourself, more power to you.



I will wager the number of people saved by having a gun, is so minute to the number killed or injured because of them makes that argument somewhat meaningless. FYI as a tweak to my original, having a gun on your property would be perfectly legal, loaded too (as long as you aren't ).



I'm sorry, but we have to look at the fact that every day the news is covering some kind of senseless shooting incident.


AND we keep discussing your right to own a gun (which I am not really against, its just gotten to the point something has to be done), versus my right to feel safe.



As a final note, do understand I had a gun pointed at me once. He went to jail, after they let him out of the hospital. But I was young and stupid once.

__________________
KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

The action should be directed toward those elements in society which inculcate and drive actors to use guns in an anti-social manner.

The gun is not the actor. Just the stage prop.

anyway San Francisco is the model city. At San Francisco State Univ. Students learn about sexual explorations like having a relationship with your dog, cross dressing, sex change, pornograhy actors, homotranslesbsexuals, having sex with kids etc. A most enlightened class taught by a professor who walks the talk.
Peace bros, remember to wear a flower in your hair......just like in the MOVIES...

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

You see, theres the problem. You have no "right" to feel safe. I will NOT be stripped of my right to defend myself just so you can feel safe. If you wish to live in a place with more restrictive gun laws then by all means please move to Canada, or the UK, etc. There you can enjoy the same relative crime rates as the US and "feel safe" while doing it. If you need to feel safe here I recommend, taking self defense courses, moving to a safer area or, horror of horrors, buy a gun and learn to use it. If you wish to move then I would be happy to provide the one-way ticket, my expense.

Someone once said "Anyone willing to give up liberty in return for security deserves neither"

RT

__________________
When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

Anti-gun campaigner Pat Regan killed at home
By Paul Stokes
Last updated: 3:20 PM BST 02/06/2008

A mother who championed a national campaign against gun and knife crime has been found stabbed to death at her home.

Pat Regan, 53, was at the forefront of Mothers Against Violence movement after her son Danny was shot in a suspected gangland killing.

Police confirmed that her 20 year old grandson was being held in connection with her death.

Mrs Regan's body was found in her first floor maisonette, in the Hyde Park area of Leeds, by a neighbour on Sunday night.

Her grandson Rakeim had been arrested earlier in the day at the city's main railway station after a 45 year old security guard was stabbed.

Members of staff had challenged him about trespassing when he is claimed to have attacked the man with a knife while on a platform.

The injured officer was taken to hospital after suffering a stab wound to his arm.

British Transport Police officers detained Rakeim on suspicion of attempted murder and Mrs Regan's body was discovered seven hours later. It is understood he has been receiving treatment for mental health problems.

Mrs Regan became a prominent figure in the campaign against the rising tide of violence after her 25 year old son Danny's murder in St Helens, Merseyside in Dec 2002.

Last year she was invited to Downing Street for a summit with Tony Blair, while he was Prime Minister, and John Reid, then Home Secretary.

Three months ago she met the Princess Royal, during a royal visit to Leeds, who held her and told her "Keep up the good work".

Mrs Regan's work in the community, through her Leeds branch of Mothers Against Violence, involved giving talks to school pupils on the consequences of gun and knife crime.

She said last year: "I have seen 18 and 19 year olds cry. We go through the whole scenario of what can happen when people use guns and knives in crime."

Her eldest son Shane, 35, choked back tears as he told yesterday (mon) how her death had shaken the family to the core.

He said: "She had dedicated her life to stopping violence like this. She was one of the most genuine people you could ever meet.

"What has happened has come as a massive shock to all of us and we're just trying to piece together in our heads what has gone on.

"I just can't believe it, none of us can. She died for what she believed in and what she was trying to stop.

"All of the family helped her out as much as we could, she was the best. She represented out family and she represented the struggle against violence."

Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary, met Mrs Regan on several occasions and said she had worked tirelessly, achieved a great deal and described her death as "a great loss".

Mrs Regan regularly looked after her dead son's son, also called Danny to stay with her at her flat.

On the fifth anniversary of the unsolved murder she acknowledged that her son's lifestyle may have led to his murder which she described as "a living nightmare".

Lorraine Fraser, 43, who met her four years go after her 16 year old son died in a knife attack, claimed Mrs Regan had tried to get support for Rakeim.

She said: "She was a very brave lady and screamed out for help for that child, but because he was 18 they wouldn't do anything.

"She saved lives and lifted people up, she did a hell of a lot. She was there to help people and she helped me when I lost my son."

GUN CONTROL WORKS ask the experts: Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Botnst,
Thanks for posting this. I had not read about it before.

The intersting thing is that,"On the fifth anniversary of the unsolved murder she acknowledged that her son's lifestyle may have led to his murder which she described as "a living nightmare".

This snipet is the key irony about all these crusades against guns etc. The legislative focus on legal measures controlling guns etc. and the campaigns always seem to neglect the social issues which are at the heart of the perpetrated crimes being 'advertised'.

Gangs are overlooked. Drugs, entertainment industry aspects that celebrate (gun) crime, libertine social mores, failed social and economic policies of cities that suffer high crime, etc.

The deceased boy's lifestyle "MAY" have led to his murder...... indeed !

Sad. very sad.

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Well, ... after all, it was the gun's fault. Those damn demon-spawn plan these things.

B

Excuse me, sir - is this the line to buy the the all-new Vulcan 20mm "Sportster" rifle?

__________________
1984 300TD

No, this is the line for Vulcan 20mm "Sportster" rifles to buy an operator to shoot people. See, us Vulcan 20mm "Sportster" rifles have a difficult killing people without a person behind us willing to pull the trigger. We are working on a remote Vulcan Mind-Meld, but that's still in prototype.

From the Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor MI 02/14/08 (as summarized in the May 2008 American Rifleman):

Upon witnessing a man yelling at a woman and pushing her into a van, a passerby tried to ba a Good Samaritan. Police say he asked the woman if she was okay and told her she didn't have to get into the man's vehicle. While stopped at a traffic light moments later, the van's driver confronted the man. Both men exited their vehicles, and the van's driver knocked the Good Samaritan to the ground. Two women, included the woman the victim tried to help, exited the van and began stomping on him. A passing motorist witnessed the scene and quickly stopped. He drew a firearm and order the three suspects to halt the beating. Police received reports of a man holding people at gunpoint, but quickly determined he had a concealed carry permit and arrested the three suspects.

They print about five of those in every month's Armed Citizen section. Guns in the hands of private citizens are used to stop crime pretty often. Around 2 million times a year in the United States is the figure I see most often.

Good night all, it's late for me.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.

No, it was the bullet's fault.


It's not the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I moved away from there back in November 2004.

I had NO IDEA it went downhill THAT fast after I left. ...

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

You will never see that on CNN!

__________________
2006 CL500
2009 C300 4matic
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200