# Stupid Gun news of the day (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 29, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729 "2013-01-29T19:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 204
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4061 "2014-04-01T20:17:30Z")
> [@Esox\_Lucius](#): > > I’m going to guess that putting a real gun in your belt so that it points directly at your privates is not a smart idea, It’s occasionally effective as a cheap (and messy) vasectomy. > [@Esox\_Lucius](#): > > and that glorifying it with a tattoo indicates a similar lack of intelligence. Taste. Lack of taste. Or class. Although it is surprising how often lack of intelligence overlaps with the other two. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4062 "2014-04-01T21:36:45Z")
More stupid news: State Sen. Leland Yee, an [outspoken advocate of gun control](http://sd08.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-01-14-yee-submits-legislation-strengthen-ca-assault-weapon-ban-close-bullet-button-loophol) and open government, [was arrested](http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/California-state-Sen-Yee-arrested-in-corruption-5350602.php) Wednesday on charges that he conspired to traffic in firearms and traded favors in Sacramento for bribes ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4063 "2014-04-01T23:20:24Z")
> [@JXJohns](#): > > More stupid news: State Sen. Leland Yee, an [outspoken advocate of gun control](http://sd08.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-01-14-yee-submits-legislation-strengthen-ca-assault-weapon-ban-close-bullet-button-loophol) and open government, [was arrested](http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/California-state-Sen-Yee-arrested-in-corruption-5350602.php) Wednesday on charges that he conspired to traffic in firearms and traded favors in Sacramento for bribes Mostly a story about the corrupting effect of money in politics with a little liberal hypocrisy thrown in for good measure. I suspect that a lot of the anti-gun folks are true believers but plenty of them are just playing to a big city anti-gun crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4064 "2014-04-02T00:16:20Z")
> [@JXJohns](#): > > More stupid news: State Sen. Leland Yee, an [outspoken advocate of gun control](http://sd08.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-01-14-yee-submits-legislation-strengthen-ca-assault-weapon-ban-close-bullet-button-loophol) and open government, [was arrested](http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/California-state-Sen-Yee-arrested-in-corruption-5350602.php) Wednesday on charges that he conspired to traffic in firearms and traded favors in Sacramento for bribes Why shouldn’t a politician accept payments from the racket he’s helping to keep illegal? It worked for Prohibition. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4065 "2014-04-02T01:44:47Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > It’s occasionally effective as a cheap (and messy) vasectomy. 🙂 If it keeps them from diluting the gene pool, go for it, dudes. That is, soon to be former dudes. > [@ExTank](#): > > Taste. Lack of taste. Or class. Although it is surprising how often lack of intelligence overlaps with the other two. Can’t argue with that. But it’s not so surprising to see the overlap of Nazi worship with guns. They seem to go hand in hand with absolute, fuck-you-and-everyone-else power that this guy so shamelessly aspires to. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4066 "2014-04-11T12:38:30Z")
Sure, trained police officers might accidentally [shoot the wrong guy](http://www.salon.com/2014/04/11/los_angeles_county_deputies_shoot_unarmed_man/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow), but Joe Blow Civilian packin’ heat would never make that mistake! ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4067 "2014-04-11T14:48:23Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Sure, trained police officers might accidentally [shoot the wrong guy](http://www.salon.com/2014/04/11/los_angeles_county_deputies_shoot_unarmed_man/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow), but Joe Blow Civilian packin’ heat would never make that mistake! I don’t recall anyone saying that civilians are infallible, do you? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4068 "2014-04-11T14:52:37Z")
Does it really matter to you if you get killed by a Good Guy instead of a Bad Guy? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4069 "2014-04-11T15:23:08Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I don’t recall anyone saying that civilians are infallible, do you? I don’t think it is a stretch to conclude that civilians are more fallible in handling guns than trained law enforcement, and that the more guns carried on the street will result in more innocent bystanders getting shot as gunslingers defend themselves. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4070 "2014-04-11T19:41:27Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I don’t recall anyone saying that civilians are infallible, do you? Anyone claiming to be carrying a gun for protection is pretty much implicitly saying that they would never accidentally shoot the wrong person or shoot someone (or themselves) by mistake, that they would never allow the gun to fall in to the hands of a child, despite [overwhelming](http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/kingwood/article/Houston-firefighter-fatally-shot-by-neighbor-5326991.php) [evidence](http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/11-Year-Old-Girl-Shot-Killed-Inside-Home-254033111.html) to the [contrary](http://www.news4jax.com/news/former-ju-player-dies-in-accidental-shooting/25392622). If you claim you own a gun for self defense, you’re not just delusional, you’re a risk to everyone else around you. Remember what George Carlin said about ‘think about your average stupid person, then realize that 50% of people are even stupider than that’? It’s bad enough I have to worry about the idiots out there trying to drive around the railroad crossing gates etc. Now I have to worry about the idiots out there walking around with a loaded gun, just itchin’ for an excuse to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4071 "2014-04-11T22:15:37Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Sure, trained police officers might accidentally [shoot the wrong guy](http://www.salon.com/2014/04/11/los_angeles_county_deputies_shoot_unarmed_man/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow), but Joe Blow Civilian packin’ heat would never make that mistake! This guy’s problem clearly was that he was unarmed. Says so right in the headline. If only he had had a gun, this tragedy could have been averted. It’s all the fault of the gun-grabbers. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4072 "2014-04-11T22:25:37Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Anyone claiming to be carrying a gun for protection is pretty much implicitly saying that they would never accidentally shoot the wrong person or shoot someone (or themselves) by mistake, that they would never allow the gun to fall in to the hands of a child, despite [overwhelming](http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/kingwood/article/Houston-firefighter-fatally-shot-by-neighbor-5326991.php) [evidence](http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/11-Year-Old-Girl-Shot-Killed-Inside-Home-254033111.html) to the [contrary](http://www.news4jax.com/news/former-ju-player-dies-in-accidental-shooting/25392622). > > If you claim you own a gun for self defense, you’re not just delusional, you’re a risk to everyone else around you. Remember what George Carlin said about ‘think about your average stupid person, then realize that 50% of people are even stupider than that’? It’s bad enough I have to worry about the idiots out there trying to drive around the railroad crossing gates etc. Now I have to worry about the idiots out there walking around with a loaded gun, just itchin’ for an excuse to use it. :eek: Just… wow. More strawmen than the county fair’s scarecrow contest. No, gun owners are not claiming to be infallible. They’re claiming that with training and responsibility (prerequisites of carry permits in most places), when their gun does come out of it’s holster it will be for the better a net positive number of times. Your opinion of the average gun carrier- “delusional”, “stupid”, “idiots”- is hardly likely to endear you to anyone on the opposite side of the fence. And btw: we still haven’t seen the blood running in the gutters following the adoption of “Shall Issue” in most states. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4073 "2014-04-11T23:19:29Z")
Not that it will matter, but one _giant_ difference between law enforcement with a gun and Jane Q. Citizen with one, is that the former gets [qualified immunity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualified_immunity)for their actions. Jane doesn’t. Accordingly, Jane should know that Jane is very likely to be sued in civil court, and will definitely be brought before a grand jury, every time Jane shoots at somebody. Having that kind of consequence has a very chilling effect, and therefore, your average CHL holder is going to be much less ready to use a gun than your average LEO will. There are, I’m sure, CHL holders that would [shoot a multiple amputee in a wheelchair](http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/23/us/texas-amputee-shooting/), or s[pray a crowded sidewalk with gunfire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W8cHwNuqH4), (the second cop, not the one that actually hit what he was aiming at) but there aren’t many. Sure, [stupid people are going to shoot](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547018/Homeowner-62-charged-murder-shooting-new-neighbors-mistaking-burglars.html) at people they haven’t identified as immediate threats to their life and limb. And when they do, they usually get charged with murder. Unless, per **DragonAsh** ’s first cite, they’re a 64 year old woman… That said, she shot the right person—he was trying to get into her house, was drunk, and ignored her yelling at him that she was going to shoot. For the second link, I think it more likely than not that the pistol owner was prohibited from owning any guns. At least, that’s how I’m interpreting the quotes from police that this wasn’t their first time to that house. Stupid to not secure the gun better than that. And for the third link, stupid to be pointing the muzzle at yourself at any time. The Four Rules are there for a reason. Occasionally, [stupidity has a cost.](http://www.thegunzone.com/nd.html) Regardless, even with the utterly stupid walking, staggering, and stumbling around us, with ~300 million firearms in circulation, and ~25-50 million people who own guns (if it isn’t even higher), it’s overwhelmingly unlikely that any of those people will ever cause an accidental shooting. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4074 "2014-04-12T00:33:37Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > Anyone claiming to be carrying a gun for protection is pretty much implicitly saying that they would never accidentally shoot the wrong person or shoot someone (or themselves) by mistake, that they would never allow the gun to fall in to the hands of a child, despite [overwhelming](http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/kingwood/article/Houston-firefighter-fatally-shot-by-neighbor-5326991.php) [evidence](http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/11-Year-Old-Girl-Shot-Killed-Inside-Home-254033111.html) to the [contrary](http://www.news4jax.com/news/former-ju-player-dies-in-accidental-shooting/25392622). No, we’re not. It’s a risk factor, to be sure, but no one is claiming infallibility. And I’m more worried about kids around matches and lighters, household cleaners, swimming pools/bodies of water/bathtubs, and abusive parents, because each one of those outstrip child gun deaths, sometimes by orders of magnitude. > [@DragonAsh](#): > > If you claim you own a gun for self defense, you’re not just delusional, you’re a risk to everyone else around you. Remember what George Carlin said about ‘think about your average stupid person, then realize that 50% of people are even stupider than that’? It’s bad enough I have to worry about the idiots out there trying to drive around the railroad crossing gates etc. Now I have to worry about the idiots out there walking around with a loaded gun, just itchin’ for an excuse to use it. You’re free to believe whatever you choose to believe, but the U.S. Govt’s own death stats published by the CDC, and crime stats from the FBI and Dept. of Justice, prove you not just wrong, but fucking batshit insane. The “rivers of blood” by gun-crazy CCL holders holding “Wild West Shootouts” in the streets just haven’t happened. You can pick-and-choose random news stories as an “Aha! Gotcha!” to try to prove your point to the contrary of decades of mountains of proven evidence, but these “stupid gun news” articles are exceptions, not ordinary, everyday reality. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4075 "2014-04-12T01:21:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I don’t think it is a stretch to conclude that civilians are more fallible in handling guns than trained law enforcement, and that the more guns carried on the street will result in more innocent bystanders getting shot as gunslingers defend themselves. So the fact that people with carry licenses tend to be more law abiding and commit fewer violent crimes than the general public is meaningless in the face of a few anecdotal examples? > [@DragonAsh](#): > > If you claim you own a gun for self defense, you’re not just delusional, you’re a risk to everyone else around you. Remember what George Carlin said about ‘think about your average stupid person, then realize that 50% of people are even stupider than that’? It’s bad enough I have to worry about the idiots out there trying to drive around the railroad crossing gates etc. Now I have to worry about the idiots out there walking around with a loaded gun, just itchin’ for an excuse to use it. And how often do those law abiding gun owners shoot someone? > [@Lumpy](#): > > :eek: Just… wow. More strawmen than the county fair’s scarecrow contest. > > No, gun owners are not claiming to be infallible. They’re claiming that with training and responsibility (prerequisites of carry permits in most places), when their gun does come out of it’s holster it will be for the better a net positive number of times. > > Your opinion of the average gun carrier- “delusional”, “stupid”, “idiots”- is hardly likely to endear you to anyone on the opposite side of the fence. > > And btw: we still haven’t seen the blood running in the gutters following the adoption of “Shall Issue” in most states. Well, the constitutional carry states like Arizona have been nearly depopulated by shootouts by rabid gun-owners in the streets.:rolleyes:😛 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4076 "2014-04-14T23:50:35Z")
A 5 year old boy killed a 7 year old girl at a birthday party. The kid gave the excuse he thought it was a toy. Who would believe that? [http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/04/14/4059907/7-year-old-girl-accidentally-shot.html](http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/04/14/4059907/7-year-old-girl-accidentally-shot.html) ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4077 "2014-04-15T04:19:15Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Actually I think this would be workable as a modern version of the militia/posse comitatus mustering requirement: if you own a gun, you have to take a supervised training and testing course as a civic duty, like jury duty. No one would actually be forbidden to own a gun on this basis, but you could be fined for not showing up; plus if you pass you only get called back every five years and if you don’t you keep getting called back every three months. 😛 > > Sort of like my idea for registration: all firearms would legally be the property of their last owner of record, back to the manufacturer if necessary. Police would impound any guns found in someone else’s possession and return them to their legal owner. There’d be no criminal penalty for not registering your gun, but don’t expect the government to uphold your right of property if you don’t. Wait a minute, this makes sense. What the heck is it doing in this thread.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4078 "2014-04-28T00:58:30Z")
Gun permit holder in Georgia wastes little time in showing how to be a [model gun owner](http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/man-gun-causes-scare-during-childrens-baseball-gam/nfhJS/). “He’s just walking around [saying] ‘See my gun? Look, I got a gun and there’s nothing you can do about it.’ He knew he was frightening people. He knew exactly what he was doing,” ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4079 "2014-04-28T15:51:29Z")
7yr old dies after brother [accidentally shoots him while out hunting moles](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/7-year-old-indiana-boy-killed-in-accidental-shooting/). Or, as the NRA would put it, ‘Heroic 7yr old dies as family defends itself from brown invasion’. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/4080 "2014-04-28T16:46:23Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > 7yr old dies after brother [accidentally shoots him while out hunting moles](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/7-year-old-indiana-boy-killed-in-accidental-shooting/). > > Or, as the NRA would put it, ‘Heroic 7yr old dies as family defends itself from brown invasion’. [del]Which is why we need an assault-weapons ban[/del]. Oh wait, that wouldn’t have helped. [del]Which is why handgun carry has to be restricted[/del] Uh-no, that wouldn’t have helped either. [del]Which is why we need universal confiscation lists gun registration[/del] Gimme a second here… Which is why the government should say “You drooling peasants are too stupid to be trusted with guns, so we’re taking them away for your own good. Now shut up and do what you’re told!” :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729.md?page=203) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729.md?page=205)