Good Guys With Guns
Dear Editor,
This is an open letter to businesses with “no guns” signs posted:
I try to avoid such places and take my business elsewhere. If the mall shooting in Greenwood, Illinois, proves anything at all, it is that a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun – within two minutes of the first shots. We’ve seen the lengthy response times for police to arrive after calls (and I like to believe that our local police and sheriff officers would have gone in, unlike those at Uvalde and Parkland).
There’s no way to know how many more people would have died had that young man at the mall not taken down the dirtbag who was trying to get his name in the media with a big body count. A good guy with a gun stopped the bad guy with a gun before he could kill. What’s the mantra: “If it saves just one life”? The lives saved by armed citizens cannot be calculated because they were saved. There are literally tens of thousands of instances each year where the mere presence of a firearm in the hands of the “good guy” prevented a tragedy, most of the time without the need to fire a shot. That doesn’t make headlines.
That is why the vast majority of mass shootings happen in so-called “gun-free-zones” – where only the bad guy is armed! “Gun free” simply means “open season on everyone in here” to murderers and crazies, who – surprise, surprise – are already planning to break the law!
When the good guys are armed, the bad guys get off less shots! Simple fact.
Consider, the holder of a NC concealed carry permit:
Has no history of violent crime or domestic abuse.
Has no history of mental disorders.
Has followed the rules and gotten his/her fingerprints on file with the sheriff.
Has had proficiency training and testing with handguns.
Has had training on the laws regarding the use of deadly force.
That person is a certified good citizen, part of the demographic with the lowest rate of violent crime of any.
Can you say that about everyone else who enters your establishment?
Think about it.
Jay Callaham
Someone Has Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
Dear Editor,
A $300 million project becomes a $450 million project. Someone has their hand or hands in the cookie jar.
Could it be Skip Alston and his band of cronies on the board of county commissioners, or the oversight board, the members of the school board, or general contractor and their subs? Or all of the above?
The state auditor needs to conduct their own investigation. No official in Guilford County has the guts to ask for this. Maybe someone in our group of state legislators will call for one. I will not hold my breath.
Wilson Chandler
Well said Jay! While not everyone who carries a concealed weapon has the fortitude of this young man in Illinois, people that go through the process to obtain a conceal license are people that have vetted and should be welcome anywhere. You will never know that they are even armed.
Wilson, have you read the news about inflation and its impact on building costs? Sure Skip is a shady character who knows how to play the rules to his advantage but you need more than a dislike for the guy to accuse him of theft.
All projects of $10 million in spend should be audited. Just common sense practice.
Jay,
I could not have said it any better myself.
Unfortunately the vocal minority is currently dictating the rule for everyone else. They’re “it will the wild, wild in our streets. Blood everywhere!”
Initially that MIGHT be true but if does, it wouldn’t last long. The bad guys will very, very quickly learn American citizens are NOT they think we are. They will very quickly learn when necessary we WILL defend ourselves and others.
Yeah, that “wild, wild, west in the streets” mantra has been used by the Left every time ANY loosening of gun laws has been discussed. And – – everywhere that gun laws HAVE been relaxed, violent crime has gone down! They say that the hideous gun-violence in the Democrat-controlled big cities is due to availability of guns coming in from states with more lax gun control laws. If that’s true, the why aren’t those places where the guns are coming from utterly awash in blood? None of the gun control arguments make any sense when logic or real world experience are applied.
PREACH ON BROTHER!!!
BTW, wanna go shooting sometime?
Actually, the highest gun death rates tend to be Republican controlled States once you control for population size. Sure, big cities have more shootings but only because the have more people. Once you adjust for population, Alabama/Louisiana/Wyoming have the highest rates of gun deaths per 100,000 population.
I am not saying gun laws reduce gun deaths. The data shows that the more guns = more gun deaths. Not complicated.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm
That’s not an entirely accurate data source there Chris. Other than the fact that it’s the CDC, which no one should trust at this point, they are just documenting firearm mortality, not homicides by firearm. Those are two very, very different things. The CDC numbers include death by accident, suicide, and homicide. This conversation is strictly about homicide by gun, which your data does nothing to clear up. I’m sure if you took out accidental deaths, places like Alaska, Wyoming, and Montana, who’s numbers are miniscule anyway, would drop substantially down the list.
Additionally, if you delve into where in the states these crimes are occurring, they are typically in the larger cities, and those cities are typically Democrat run, even if the state itself if Republican. In fact, go to the below site, and take a look at the top 64 deadliest cities in America for homicide. Chris, I will let you do the research on which party controls the top 10 most homicide ridden cities in America. (Hint: They are not Republicans.)
And sure, not all homicides are with guns, but the overwhelming majority of them are, and they largely occur in Democrat run cities, not complicated.
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/murder-map-deadliest-u-s-cities/62/
If only considering homicide rate per 100,000, the analysis doesn’t change. It is still southern republican states that lead in homicide mortality rates per the CDC statistics.
But good try.
Woah, Greensboro, a Democrat run city by the way, was number 44 in the country for murders in 2019. I’m sure our council is proud of that accomplishment.
Even more interesting, NC had 6 cities on that list and every single one of them are Democrat run, despite NC being a “red state”. Seems like Chris’ statement is thoroughly debunked.
Absolutely right, Don. Chris (who falsifies evidence) likes to come across all scientific, but when you examine his data it’s either mis-stated by him or downright falsified.
You can say that all you want Chris, but it is the Democrat run cities inside the Republican states that harbor the crime. Let’s look at the three states you cited:
New Orleans, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge in Louisiana, all Democrat run and are the top 3 cities for homicide in that state.
Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Birmingham Alabama, all Democrat run and all leaders in homicide in that state.
Timmy cited the 6 cities in NC that lead in homicide, all Democrat run even through NC is Republican.
You list Wyoming as a deadliest state, but they are so sparsely populated that the numbers don’t mean much. They had a total of 154 deaths by gun in the whole state, which is less than most of the cities I just listed. We average 50 just in Greensboro. Even the CDC website’s fine print says, “When the number of deaths is small, rankings by state may be unreliable.” For the record, Wyoming and Alaska are in the bottom 10 by volume of states with firearm deaths and those are two states that probably have the most accidental deaths due to all of the big game hunting. Alaska probably also has the highest suicide rate by gun.
Keep drinking the liberal Kool Aid if you want to, Chris, but you are dead wrong on this one.
Cracks me up how you guys jump through hoops to blame gun deaths on Democrats. You now you claim Alabama who has the highest gun death rate per 100,000 is a democratic state!!! They have consistently voted republican by over 60% in the last 5 presidential elections. Next you will tell me Texas is a democratic majority state. LOL
Keep trying.
PS. love how you ignore that the states with the highest gun death rates by pointing out that that statistic includes suicides. So how do you explain that Republican majority states have the highest suicide rates? Hmmmm
Side step much? Listen and focus and be able to admit you are wrong, unless you want to label yourself a nutter. It is the Democrat run cities inside the Republican run state that drive gun crime. I have listed the cities inside the state’s that you yourself cited. They are Democrat run. I can kist their democrat mayors and city staff uf you like. Prove me wrong.
Chris (who falsifies evidence) will never admit he’s wrong because he has no intellectual integrity.
He’s just here to score points (in his own little mind).
Chris, I don’t think you understand statistics. Alaska has a high “per capita” rate of mortality, but their actual numbers are miniscule. They had a total of 175 deaths by firearm in the entire state in 2019. As a comparison, the CITY of Chicago had 500 homicides in 2019. Chicago’s numbers do not include accidents or suicide. By the way, the entire state of Illinois had 1370 gun deaths in 2019, over 500, or 36%, of those occurred in Democrat run Chicago in that year.
Of Alaska’s 175 gun deaths, 65%, or about 113 of them were suicide. Now let’s see, why would people kill themselves in Alaska? Is it because the Republicans run the state? Of course not. Maybe it has more to do with the extreme loneliness of our most sparsely populated state, and several months of no sunshine that has been scientifically proven to cause depression.
Come on dude, don’t be dumb.
https://efsgv.org/state/alaska/
Take a look at this article. Note 2 things as you read: 1) Every city cited is democrat run and leads its state in homicides. 2) most of the homicides are young black male on young black male.
So Chris, are you saying that there is a national trend of young Black Male Republicans hiding inside of Democrat run cities out there shooting other young Black Males to death? Is that really your contention?
Come on, man!
https://www.brookings.edu/2022/04/21/mapping-gun-violence-a-closer-look-at-the-intersection-between-place-and-gun-homicides-in-four-cities/
A reasonable estimate is that guns are used in a defensive manner about 2.5
million times a year in the USA. Three times myself in the last 10 years.(No shots fired)
Source: vcdl.org
It seems that no class of law abiding citizens are more slandered , demeaned, and looked down like dirt than those that carry a concealed firearm. Yet folks go through their daily lives shopping, buying gas, going to Lowe’s , Home depot and never realize that thay have been next to someone carrying a firearm. But make no misake, He/she carries to protect themselves or their family not you but just incase we will try to save your ass–just so you know–
I disagree. I think it is the open carry crowd that hurts the perception of law abiding gun owners the most. Conceal carry people are not visible to the general public and are sight unseen. But Bubba wearing two side arms and an AR15 over his shoulder while cosplaying a special forces hero with all his tactical gear….looks the fool that he is… He is the one that anti-gun people love to point at and yell gun nut.
Chris,
Do I need a passport to live in your world or can just anybody come in. And if you’re going to bring “Bubba” into it at least TRY to be equal and remind people of the black clad, masked loony tunes that run around with weapons (and use them openly) actually attacking people vs. your “Bubba”.
On second thought I don’t know I want to even VISIT your world.
The black mask crowd mostly keep their firearms concealed (although not legally most likely) as they don’t have the racist police support like Bubba does.
Surprised you didn’t brag about your concealed carry license for the 100th time Alan.
Where do you see this Bubba you describe ?
In his world right next to the peaceful black clad protesters
They have been attending Alt Right rallies for some time. More recently, they are known as Proud Boys, 3 Percenters, etc…. A bunch of cosplay militia types that want to play tough guys and intimidate people that have different views than they do…
Why don’t you out the real shooting incidents or deaths by guns? That would be black males shooting/killing black males. I doubt they are carrying under a CCW.
Good Guys with Guns. Jay Callaham you are spot on with your comments about “Good Guys with Guns”! Remember current Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan stated “Greensboro can’t Police their way out out of crime”! Perhaps this is the most ignorant statement of the Century. Just wonder what current Greensboro Mayor Vaughan thinks the Police should be doing? Giving out Advance Auto Parts Gift Certificates to criminals?
You are in danger in Greensboro, have very little Police Protection from the criminals, so you are best off to be prepared! It’s time for us all to protect our Friends, our Families, and the Law Abiding Citizens of Greensboro! I intend to do my part.
Jim Donaldson
I totally agree with you Wilson..…it’s way past time that the State investigated what goes on in Guilford County. There is too much money that is unaccounted for and the citizens are never told where it all goes. There has got to be some sticky hands out there.
Those signs just say ” criminals welcomed here.” No one here but sitting ducks.
You are so giddy to praise a “good guy with gun” that you don’t have the decency to even get the city right.
Right city; wrong state. Typo Corrected. Thanks. Doesn’t change the underlying well-proven fact that it takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun.
Ooops! Sorry about the typo. The incident mentioned was in Greenwood, INDIANA, not the People’s Republic of Illinois, My bad.
Some people, some people
This is simply inaccurate:
Has no history of violent crime or domestic abuse.
– N. C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.4 sets out a process where a convicted felon can have his or her firearms rights restored independent of receiving a pardon. (ncsherrifs.org)
Has no history of mental disorders.
– First, an applicant “must not suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.12(a)(3).
There is no definition of this phrase provided in our statutes nor is there any case law interpreting it. (ncsherrifs.org)
All these people think the solution to violence is to stoke fear into the people committing the violence by having more people armed.
Here’s a story about a “good guy with gun”: https://www.elonnewsnetwork.com/article/2022/07/police-toddler-job-fatal-elon. Guess what, one person died and this “good guy with gun” will be back at it in no time.
If your only tool is a gun, everyone problem looks like a threat to your life.
There are two sides every discussion. Thanks for sharing yours.
I notice Chris did not address my statistic.
Whatever the “case law” or nit-picky legal definitions – the bottom-line is still correct. All you have to do is look at the violent crime rates in places with strong gun-control, but weak law enforcement as compared to places where the criminals know that there’s a good chance of getting themselves shot while committing crimes. That’s why most mass shootings happen in “gun-free zones.” It’s also a fact that most violent crime is committed by repeat offenders. Coddling criminals is a major cause of the recent upsurges: https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/sipes-repeat-offenders-responsible-for-the-upsurge-in-violent-crime/
The gun is just ONE tool, and in most cases an effective one. Effective law enforcement and harsher sentences for repeat offenders is a better one! Yeah – sometimes it doesn’t work – – but MOST of the time, it does. https://www.ammoland.com/2022/05/fbi-report-shows-armed-citizens-stop-mass-shootings/
Ammoland.com? Seems legit…..
We don’t have adequate housing. What efficient tool will Jay use? Their gun.
The world is getting warmer at a rate that kills entire ecosystems. What efficient tool will Jay use? Their gun.
The world is getting over populated. What efficient tool will Jay use? Their gun.
I’m unarmed, what tool will you use?