I'm gonna have to delete this forum as it takes up too much time!
I logged on this A.M. just to take a quik gander, and darn if I didn't notice a firearms-related thread. Had to read the entire thread, and boy, some of the posts sure seemed to have direct-drive to my blood pressure mechanism; however, I've managed to compose myself enough to attempt a reply.
You and you alone are ultimately responsible for your own safety/wellbeing. No bureacratic entity is consistently capable (or even willing) of doing so.
FREE men (and women) own/have the use of guns---SLAVES don't.
For a VERY thorough discussion of firearms and crime issues read "MORE GUNS LESS CRIME'' by John R. Lott, Jr.
The University of Chicago Press.
I am a holder of a concealed-carry permit. I usually abide by the attendant dos and dont's; however, there are exceptions that I make. Let me briefly mention two.
On a trip out to the Western U.S. several years ago, I took along a .44 mag. Ruger revolver, AND a Colt .45 ACP. This was not a hunting trip, rather my fiance and I were hitting some of the areas that either were memorable to me from previous trips, or seemed like areas that would be appealing in character. Yellowstone (sadly the PC crowd rules here now), Western Wyoming, Northern Arizona, Montana, and Idaho. While in Montana, we decided to take in Glacier. To anyone who hasn't seen this area, all I can say is DO IT SOON before it completely goes the way of Yellowstone.
Now national parks pretty much totally prohibit the possession of ANY type of firearm on your person or in your vehicle, no matter what type of permit one has ( I know there are interstate issues here as well). I believe at the time that one was allowed to have a firearm in the trunk of your vehicle with the ammo separated in another area of the vehicle, as long as one was traveling straight through the park on the 'Going To The Sun Highway'. In no other areas of the park was one to have a firearm for any reason. Now even if I had a place to safely store these handguns outside the park's borders (and this applies to our Yellowstone visit as well), I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE SO. I kept them with us loaded and ready to use if needed. Yes I was breaking the law; however, I knew this and made the decision that MY AND MY FIANCE'S WELLBEING were more important than abiding by what I consider to be an unreasonable rule.
Did I draw and wave these guns around? Of course not. Did I shoot at any animals? No. Would I have defended our lives from an irrefutable threat at the risk of doing jail time? Absolutely.
Case two.
I work as a nurse in an emergency room of a small community hospital WHICH PROHIBITS WEOPONS OF ANY TYPE on it's property. At the risk of being discharged, I routinely take a smaller, more concealable .45 Springfield Armory 10 round pistol with me---ESPECIALLY ON NIGHTSHIFT (1900-0730), when most of the junkies and such are on the prowl. I can't count the times that I have been rolling around on the floor assisting security or an officer of one of the regional municipal departments with some of these idiots who become combative or assault a staffmember, family member, etc. I believe it's only a matter of time until someone comes in with a deadly weopon looking for drugs, etc. Hospital security ARE NOT always available. Nor are they provided with the means to stop such an act from occurring. They recently were allowed to carry a form of pepper spray. Let me tell you that pepper spray WILL NOT RELIABLY STOP EVRYONE. Sometimes it works and sometimes it dosn't I don't care what concentration it is or what it's mixed with. Seen it for myself. Same thing with TASERs. I witnessed a guy take THREE shots from police TASER units AND STILL CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE. Don't bet your life or that of a loved one on these types of non-lethal devices.
I realize that in the event of my being able to reach my firearm, and employ it to prevent a murder-- either my own or one of my colleagues--- I will certainly lose my job, possibly my career forever, and perhaps be imprisoned.
Believe me, I DO NOT TAKE CARRYING (or keeping one within reach) A FIREARM LIGHTLY.
Why then would I do such a thing? It's quite simple. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S BETTER TO BE TRIED BY TWELVE THAN CARRIED BY SIX.
On another note regarding the benign groundhog that is so widespread throughout most of the Northeast U.S..
Not more than three weeks ago, I treated a fellow who told quite an unbelievable little tale about how he was attacked by a groundhog while standing in his grandmother's backyard. Middle of the day. Mowed lawn. Stated he felt something strike his right foot (wearing running shoes)--- "....it felt like someone hit me on the foot with a baseball bat." Upon looking down, he saw this 'hog hissing and acting aggressive---VERY unusual. He ran to his nearby pickup and jumped up into the open bed. Said the 'hog chased him AND TRIED TO CLIMB UP INTO THE TRUCK. He then managed to get out of the truck and proceeded to make a dash for the house where additional family members were outside on the porch. They all ran inside the house and claim that the 'hog KEPT BANGING OFF OF THE SCREENDOOR TRYING TO GET AT THEM.
Now I've lived around groundhogs all my life and never witnessed ANY threatening behavior-- even when wounded.
I had my doubts about the validity of this patient's 'story', especially since his footwear had no punctures, scuffs, etc. on it. However, his right foot did have a large contusive-type injury with significant swelling. The alcohol on his breath (and all of the other family members) further contributed to my disbelief of his version, but I'm inclined to give people (and every other form of living creature) the benefit of the doubt in such situations. We treated him and told his brother, (who volunteered) a hunter of sorts, that either the animal was rabid ( this initiated a lively discussion among all present whether or not a groundhog could be a resevoir or vector of the rabies virus), or perhaps a female with a litter nearby.
In any event, IF the animal was truly as aggressive as described, it should be simply a matter of showing oneself in the area, and killing the animal when it showed.
The brother went (ETOH and all). The 'hog ".....charged out from under the barn...", and was put down with several rounds (#4 3" mags) from a 12 gauge shotgun. The head was detached and sent to a lab for analysis. It tested positive for the rabies virus, and despite the fact that the patient's foot did not sustain any open wounds from the attack (rabies is spread from the virus-laden saliva of the infected animal), the state dept. of health required that the patient undergo the recommended series of injections.
Now here's the reason I'm relating this latter incident--- while I was preparing the RIG (rabies immune globulin) and RIV (rabies immune vaccine) injections, I read the entire insert from the drug manufacturer and found the following stat: 70% OF ALL RECENT RABID ANIMAL BITES WERE FROM GROUNDHOGS.
JIm S.
