Posted on 11/19/2001 12:49:32 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
Pro-Gun Experts Prove Handguns Are Ineffective Self-Defense Tools, New VPC Study Reveals
WASHINGTON, DC—In response to the reported spike in handgun sales since the September 11th attacks, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released Unintended Consequences: Pro-Handgun Experts Prove That Handguns Are a Dangerous Choice For Self-Defense. The 90-page study demonstrates through the writings of pro-gun experts the ineffectiveness and dangers of handguns as alleged self-defense tools.
"While the gun industry has greedily hawked its wares in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy, they have worked even harder to keep hidden from the American public a secret they readily share among themselves—handguns pose grave dangers to their owners and families," states Tom Diaz, author of Unintended Consequences and VPC Senior Policy Analyst. "This study is comprised substantially of writings from pro-gun experts who readily admit handguns are basically impossible to use effectively in self-defense."
For example, Massad Ayoob, a legendary firearms instructor and respected pro-gun author has cautioned, "The uninitiated tend to make two kinds of mistakes with firearms: they either use guns when they shouldn't, or do not use them properly in the rare circumstances when they should." Ayoob has pointed out that, "The average American has more misconceptions about lethal force in the home than in any other self-defense situation. He not only has little understanding of his legal position under these circumstances; he has no idea of how to conduct himself if, by infinitesimal chance, the day comes when his home actually is turned into a battleground he must defend against armed criminals."
In fact, in 1998, for every time that a civilian used a handgun to kill in self-defense, 51 people lost their lives in handgun homicides alone. Yet, there have been an increasing number of news reports that women are a prime target for the gun industry as first-time handgun buyers. Left out of those reports is the fact that in 1999 for every one time a woman used a handgun to kill in self-defense, 120 women were murdered with handguns.
Handguns in the real world—as opposed to the industry's fantasy world of virtuous defensive gun use—make people who own them much less safe. The study reveals that according to leading pro-gun experts the overwhelming majority of people who own handguns:
are ignorant of—or ignore—basic handgun safety rules;
do not have the necessary handgun combat marksmanship skills to effectively defend themselves without harming innocent others; and,
are not prepared for the extreme physiological and psychological effects that the experts, many of whom have on-the-street law enforcement experience with firearms, agree inevitably occur in an armed life-or-death confrontation (the only situation in which lethal force is justified in self-defense).
El Al and the Israeli government do a damned good job of protecting their planes and passengers, they do not have armed passengers on board.
For fear of their lives? I don't think that the guy whose mission was to crash an airplane into a building was really concerned with his own survival.
Somebody please tell me what (A) has to do with (B). How are the two related? If (A) had not occurred, would (B) have been 52 people?
15-Love, Gonzales.
They appeal solely to emotion, facts have no bearing on their argument.
LG, It's amazing how many "morons" suddenly develope smarts when they know that others are also armed and just might shoot their {the "morons"} asses off. Peace and love, George.
Paz y amor
Luis
That's a big if my friend.
Let me pose a rhetorical for you.
Some hoods and thugs are operating a crack house in the bad part of town, there are a bunch of them in the house, collecting $$$ and keeping an eye on the junkies, these hoods and thugs are all armed, they do not get high, and they have no fear of using their weapons.
A specially trained unit of the ATF has been called in to take these idiots out, they rush the crack house, and catch the thugs and hoods off-guard. Who dies in the gun battle?
So let's take them away from LEO's and the Military if they are so worthless!.....and speaking of worthless:Paging Sarah Brady!, Sarah Brady, please....OH never mind.
So I'm not supposed to be able to defend my home and family because some other people are idiots?
Too bad American pioneers were not smart enough to know that it would have been safer to stand there and let the indians shoot them full of arrows.
I think it was you who called me Sarah on the last pulled thread, it went completely over my head. I figured out what you meant the next day and laughed at the comment and at myself for being so dense, that was a spot of humor in an otherwise crazy thread.
I own guns, wouldn't give them up for the world, and I believe that it is important that the Second is protected from the Sarah Bradys of this world, well-meaning as she may be, she is misguided. I just happen to believe that under the present circumstances, and in light of the recent events, trained, alert professionals (sky marshalls) would be a better deterrent than arming everyone.
These terrorists are not crazies trying to make a name for themselves, they are highly trained commandos, probably very capable of handling armed citizenry with ease, and deadly accuracy.
I didn't have to demonstrate proficiency to buy my guns, just needed proof of identity to verify my credit card.
I think that CW carry on aircraft should require appropriate ammo, and about 8 hours of training.
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