Woman shoots grandson; thought he was an intruder

[Boiler 45,464]

As a society we are responsible for those who get hurt by unfit gun owners

parents, teachers, car drivers etc etc

Lots of responsibility, I am going to have to lay down.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Take a safety course and find out.

Is that where you learned that people who don't think shooting things that go bump in the night don't care about their families?

People who have taken these courses told me that saying "Who's there" is a big mistake and will get me killed!

Brb, the doorbell is ringing, I'm scared! Might be an intruder!

[Boiler 45,464]

Is that where you learned that people who don't think shooting things that go bump in the night don't care about their families?

People who have taken these courses told me that saying "Who's there" is a big mistake and will get me killed!

Brb, the doorbell is ringing, I'm scared! Might be an intruder!

That does not sound like a safety course.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

That does not sound like a safety course.

It's not. She has to deflect. People aren't responsible for what they do with guns, the gun is. Just think how much safer the world would be with no cars or alcohol.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You are deflecting about this"safety course" rigamarole.

The issue is, should people be ready to shoot anything that goes bump in the night? Should people dream about how they need to shoot intruders? People on here say that asking who is there or waiting a second to assess the situation is bad. They say that shooting someone running away is good, because that person was in their sacred castle.

I say that's bunk.

You say "oh, safety course, responsibility, family!" That is deflection.

I am not talking about gun control or banning cars. I am talking about the current state of discussion about "home invasion" and how it is harmful.

[Boiler 45,464]

You are deflecting about this"safety course" rigamarole.

The issue is, should people be ready to shoot anything that goes bump in the night? Should people dream about how they need to shoot intruders? People on here say that asking who is there or waiting a second to assess the situation is bad. They say that shooting someone running away is good, because that person was in their sacred castle.

I say that's bunk.

You say "oh, safety course, responsibility, family!" That is deflection.

I am not talking about gun control or banning cars. I am talking about the current state of discussion about "home invasion" and how it is harmful.

If you have to pull the trigger no matter what happens after you will end up in a world of pain, from what I understand many of the advanced courses concentrate on the legal issues.

[Curmudgeon 227]

Sounds like some gun owners advocate safety courses being mandatory. Lots of people would be on board with that. Sad truth is, that those who buy into the idea that living in the US is a scary place that requires gun ownership to make them safe, don't buy into the idea that courses of any description are necessary or desirable and they are certainly not mandatory so guess what? Accidents like this one, lots and lots of accidents like this one. Who knew?

[GBCW 397]

those who buy into the idea that living in the US is a scary place

should move!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

If you have to pull the trigger no matter what happens after you will end up in a world of pain, from what I understand many of the advanced courses concentrate on the legal issues.

Thank you for some sense.

[Boiler 45,464]

Sounds like some gun owners advocate safety courses being mandatory. Lots of people would be on board with that. Sad truth is, that those who buy into the idea that living in the US is a scary place that requires gun ownership to make them safe, don't buy into the idea that courses of any description are necessary or desirable and they are certainly not mandatory so guess what? Accidents like this one, lots and lots of accidents like this one. Who knew?

There is nothing a safety course would do to prevent stupid.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Of course you'll pass on learning something about gun safety. , it's much better to make idiotic statements than learn. I'm quite rational, I'm not on the fringe like some of you.

I learned about gun safety in the military. Don't need some gun aficionado to teach me that.

[Brawler7 15]

Wow this thread is full of snark isn't it.

If you keep a loaded gun at night have a flashlight. Ideally do NOT attach it to a rail on your firearm because everywhere the flashlight aims at so too does the muzzle.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't. There is nothing idiotic about those who pander to the fears of others and market guns to them. They are making a bundle of money and couldn't care less about the number of deaths by GSW in our country.

It is easy to recite the mantras of the NRA and other groups and pretend we have nothing to do with it. As a society we are responsible for those who get hurt by unfit gun owners. As a society we enable them and look the other way hiding behind the constitution and pretending it has nothing to do with us.

Absolutely.

[Sousuke 1,214]

This was unfortunate. I think the majority of people would be better served by an alarm unless they live in a very dangerous neighborhood.

[Curmudgeon 227]

There is nothing a safety course would do to prevent stupid.

No. But, there is a body of thought that suggests that because firearms are primarily weapons, there should be some limits on ownership. One of those limits could and should be a mandatory requirement that new gun owners should attend classes to learn basic firearm safety and responsibility, including the legal implications of opening fire on other human beings. As a bare minimum, this could prevent a goodly number of accidents in the home. Would that not be better than shrugging shoulders and dismissing the accidents as merely the actions of stupid people who can't be prevented from doing stupid things with firearms in order to be able to claim that the US is better because everyone (almost) can buy a gun without restriction?