WaPo: Go Ahead, Bring a Gun to a Knife Fight

The Truth About Guns ^ | 7 March, 2012 | Dan Zimmerman

[marktwain]

You read that right. Courtland Milloy, a Washington Post columnist, is touting the efficacy of allowing concealed carry in the District. This after a man who was walking his dog was attacked and killed by a knife-wielding neighbor. We know that the ‘we’re winning’ articles and posts can get pretty repetitive and tired but you know what? We’re winning . . .

Milloy does a nice job of tying in the recent Maryland court ruling, too:

Whether or not this story proves to be as insane as it sounds, the incident as reported does provide a textbook case for legalizing handguns in the District, as well as buttress a ruling Monday by a federal judge that declared significant parts of Maryland’s gun-control law unconstitutional.

To get a permit to carry a gun in Maryland, residents must prove that they have “good and substantial reason” to do so. Hogwash, says the judge. He might have noted that someone like Wright would never have been able to prove that he needed a gun to walk his dog — until Sunday, that is. By then, of course, it would have been too late.

The columnist also chronicles the fact that in D.C., knives outnumber guns as weapons of choice when committing an assault. Milloy also takes not of something called “assault knives” – whatever those are – that local kwikky marts sell for a little as ten bones. But let’s not quibble, shall we?

To be clear, that’s a long-time local columnist at a big, liberal establishment dead tree newspaper telling his readers in a Dem-contolled town it’s time to ease the restrictions and let people carry guns. That kind of heresy makes Martin Luther look like a piker.

This comes as the D.C. City Council voted (the mayor has promised to sign the new law) to unravel part of its crazy-quilt of obstacles thrown up in the way of Washingtonians who want to pack heat. Sure, they only did it because after the Heller decision Congress probably would have done it for them, but again, this is a quibble-free zone. Today anyway.

So to answer RF’s question in a word, yes.

[marktwain]

A Washington Post columnist calling for loosening of the Washington D.C. gun control laws.

I believe that RF's question was: Are we winning?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Are We Winning

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I have to interject that while having a gun is good, it does not make someone invincible, nor does it even impart control to a situation unless you are very careful. And knives can be very deadly.

In close proximity, if someone pulls a knife on you, even if you have a gun on your person, you should if at all possible run away from them, to at least get a 25 foot minimum distance if your gun is ready to fire. The minimum distance increases 5 feet or more beyond that for everything you must do before your gun is ready to fire, such as putting a round in the chamber and taking it off safe, and brandishing it.

A person armed with a knife can close a 25 foot distance very quickly indeed, so begin firing as soon as they advance within that distance.

“You always run away from a man with a knife and toward a man with a gun.” — legendary Mafia hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran.

Never, ever assume you can get a 1 shot kill, and even if you have shot someone multiple times, still try to keep the distance. And this is important. If they have a knife and are down, you have no, zero reason to approach them. Let the police do it.

People are used to seeing scenes on TV and in the movies where as soon as somebody shoots somebody, they come up to them to inspect them. DO NOT DO THIS. NOT YOUR JOB.

The bottom line is that guns are good, but knives are also good. So never laugh it off it they have “brought a knife to a gun fight.”

[Frank_2001]

“You always run away from a man with a knife and toward a man with a gun.” — legendary Mafia hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran.

Yeah, well ya better hope he ain’t a knife-thrower;)

[marktwain]

Well said. Knives can be very, very dangerous.

[piytar]

Well said. Withing 25’, a knife in the hands of a trained or experienced knife fighter is far deadlier than a gun in the hands of an untrained and inexperienced person.

[Viking2002]

'a knife in the hands of a trained or experienced knife fighter is far deadlier than a gun in the hands of an untrained and inexperienced person.'

Go to D.C. and 99% of the time, you'll see an equally inexperienced, untrained, knife-wielding street thug pulling a blade on an unarmed victim. I lived there. I know. If you a get a perp pulling a blade on a victim with a legal handgun in Southeast, guess who's gonna shit their pants first? I put my money on the one with the gun walking away with clean undies. You overestimate the real-world probabilities if you're limiting yourself to scenarios in that town. Not that most of them have the sense to own a butter knife or BB gun, anyway. But, the 2nd Amendment only guarantees the right to bear arms, not the brains to do so.

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[scott7278]

Here is a good video about how dangerous knives can be, even to someone with a gun. It also shows that you will have no time to rack a slide or other such nonsense...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9igSoJHEdUo&feature=player_embedded