# Stupid Gun news of the day (Part 1)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729>\
**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:** 303

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**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6041 "2015-10-08T15:29:51Z")

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> [@Gyrate](#):
>
> As a fun story: a few years back my wife was riding to work on a bus. En route the bus stopped and a couple of questionable young men got on who refused to pay the fare. At the driver’s attempts to eject them, the young men dragged the driver out and punched him several times and then ran away. The police were called but the CCTV onboard was not clear enough to identify the men (which raises a separate question about why they even bother having CCTV that only registers “vague moving blobs”, but let’s not digress from this digression).
> 
> However, my wife happens to have in her bag a digital camera that also took video, and she recorded the whole scene. When the police turned up she presented herself to them with camera in hand and showed them the video complete with close-ups of the perps’ faces. They transferred the video to a device of their own, said that they recognized the men in question and went off to arrest them. Justice served.
> 
> Would that situation have been improved by having a gun instead of a camera? Would that be true even if the men had also had guns?

You appear to keep putting these questions to me as if I disagree with you.

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**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6042 "2015-10-08T15:52:29Z")

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> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#):
>
> You appear to keep putting these questions to me as if I disagree with you.

Sorry - it was meant as a question for readers in general using your comment as a launching point.

Bad writing! No biscuit!

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**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:** [October 8, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6043 "2015-10-08T17:39:00Z")

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> [@Gyrate](#):
>
> Would that situation have been improved by having a gun instead of a camera? Would that be true even if the men had also had guns?

The standard in my state at least is that you may use “reasonable force” “when used by any person in resisting or aiding another to resist an offense against the person”; and deadly force “necessary in resisting or preventing an offense which the actor reasonably believes exposes the actor or another to great bodily harm or death”

So it would be a judgment call: do you believe they’re about to beat the bus driver to death if someone doesn’t stop them?

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6044 "2015-10-08T17:49:47Z")

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> [@septimus](#):
>
> It would have taken you 15 seconds to see what I excerpt below (note the “other guns” category),
> 
> ```auto
> 
> Murder Victims by Weapon, 2009-2013
> Weapons 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
> Total 13,752 13,164 12,795 12,888 12,253
> Total firearms: 9,199 8,874 8,653 8,897 8,454
> Handguns 6,501 6,115 6,251 6,404 5,782
> Rifles 351 367 332 298 285
> Shotguns 423 366 362 310 308
> Other guns 96 93 97 116 123
> Firearms, type not stated 1,828 1,933 1,611 1,769 1,956
> 
> ```
> 
> Thanks for helping to confirm my observation that gun nuts tend to be arrogant pretentious dolts.
> 
> I suppose it’s conceivable that you _did_ click the link, but were too stupid to even understand the above table. In that case, accept my apology … and pity.

Well, then how are you saying handguns are ‘type not stated’ _since there is a column for handguns?_ And do note the last figure of \*\* 5,782\*\* with is indeed “about 5000”, my original figure. It’s odd that you did paste the table, _but were too stupid to even understand the above table._

Oddly, I am not a “gun nut” owning nothing but my Service pistol and a old .22.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6045 "2015-10-08T17:52:10Z")

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> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#):
>
> hey fuckface, he did cite his stats. Every estimate from every source shows that your number is bullshit.
> 
> However, if you want to propose that long guns are the bulk of the problem, be my guest! The gun strokers won’t like you very much, but then again, you must be use to that sort of thing.

“This is a very different number than my source shows.” is not a stat. That was his original figure.

And his latest cite shows **5,782** , which is equivalent to my “about 5000” figure.

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**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6046 "2015-10-08T20:42:09Z")

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I’m not sure if this is the best thread for this, but I don’t feel like starting a new thread over it. Protesters, under the umbrella “Global Rally For Humanity”, are preparing to protest outside mosques in 20 cities this Friday and Saturday. The guy apparently organizing the protests has encouraged participants to be armed, because _of course they will fucking be armed_.

From Talking Points Memo:

> [@](#):
>
> A Facebook page called “Global Rally for Humanity” appeared in August urging “patriots” to organize protests at their local mosques on Friday and Saturday. “Global Rally for Humanity” appears to have ties to John Ritzheimer, who rose to prominence among anti-Muslim activists when he organized a protest and “Draw Mohammad” contest in May in Phoenix. Known for his bizarre antics, he recently attracted the attention of U.S. Capitol Police when he vowed in an open letter to arrest Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) over her support for the Iranian nuclear deal.
> 
> It’s unclear whether Ritzheimer himself organized the event. He said in a Facebook video posted Aug. 9 that he and others were “planning a global rally to protest against radical Islam,” citing contacts in Canada, Australia and Europe. He also encouraged interested protesters to bring their weapons.

A coordinated effort, across a number of cities, to bring armed citizens to the places of worship of a religious minority. That should end well. Wear good shoes! You might have to make your way through some broken glass!

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**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:** [October 8, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6047 "2015-10-08T23:02:28Z")

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A massed march or protest is a terrible place to have to use guns. If you’re facing armed opponents you’re bunched together like fish in a barrel.

That said, this plan seems to violate the principle of staying out of trouble while armed.

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6048 "2015-10-08T23:47:27Z")

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> [@Bayard](#):
>
> I’m not sure if this is the best thread for this, but I don’t feel like starting a new thread over it. Protesters, under the umbrella “Global Rally For Humanity”, are preparing to protest outside mosques in 20 cities this Friday and Saturday. The guy apparently organizing the protests has encouraged participants to be armed, because _of course they will fucking be armed_.
> 
> From Talking Points Memo:
> 
> A coordinated effort, across a number of cities, to bring armed citizens to the places of worship of a religious minority. That should end well. Wear good shoes! You might have to make your way through some broken glass!

My bet is less than a dozen people show up. Nationwide.

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**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6049 "2015-10-09T00:23:15Z")

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> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> He’s _ **11** _, fer chrissakes. A lot of kids that age still wet their pants when they’re scared. I find it difficult to believe that 11 yr old can \*appreciate \*the consequences of his actions. The kid should do time but I am not ready to write off his entire life yet.

He is not being tried as an adult, he is charged with murder in juvenile court. In Tennessee, juveniles can only be held until they are 19, so he’s going to do about 8 years in jail.

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**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:** [October 9, 2015, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6050 "2015-10-09T13:16:44Z")

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Lawful, responsible gun owner [kills four students at Northern Arizona University](http://abcnews.go.com/US/deadly-shooting-reported-northern-arizona-universitys-flagstaff-campus/story?id=34363113) to and an argument.

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**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6051 "2015-10-09T13:40:10Z")

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Oh come on, I’m pro-control and there is no information on the circumstances of the shooting in that news link to tell us it was “to end an argument”. It might as well have been a robbery gone wrong (and thus by definition NOT a lawful responsible gun owner) – unless there’s more info somewhere thatI don’t know about.

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**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6052 "2015-10-09T14:39:41Z")

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It was a fight between two groups of students. That particular link didn’t say that when it was posted, but it’s been updated and says it now.

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6053 "2015-10-09T14:50:34Z")

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> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> Lawful, responsible gun owner [kills four students at Northern Arizona University](http://abcnews.go.com/US/deadly-shooting-reported-northern-arizona-universitys-flagstaff-campus/story?id=34363113) to and an argument.

1 dead, three wounded.  
You have no way of knowing whether the shooter was previously lawful and responsible or not.

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6054 "2015-10-09T14:54:10Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> 1 dead, three wounded.  
> You have no way of knowing whether the shooter was previously lawful and responsible or not.

Without any evidence to the contrary, we’ll give him the same benefit of the doubt you would want us to give you.  
Fair enough?

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6055 "2015-10-09T14:56:00Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> 1 dead, three wounded.  
> You have no way of knowing whether the shooter was previously lawful and responsible or not.

But you’re afraid you already know, aren’t you? If only people really did wear white hats and black hats, so this confusing, ambiguous world wouldn’t be so hard for you to understand.

Carson didn’t have to wait long for “the next one”, did he?

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**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6056 "2015-10-09T14:58:36Z")

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> [@Fubaya](#):
>
> It was a fight between two groups of students. That particular link didn’t say that when it was posted, but it’s been updated and says it now.

More, updated information is always good to have.

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**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6057 "2015-10-09T14:58:38Z")

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Just checked in with my daughter, who goes to NAU, and she’s fine. Now _that’s_ an experience I don’t care to repeat any time soon, and I grieve for the students and parents who don’t get the same reassuring news that we did this morning.

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**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:** [October 9, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6058 "2015-10-09T15:42:58Z")

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> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> 1 dead, three wounded.  
> You have no way of knowing whether the shooter was previously lawful and responsible or not.

Even if he wasn’t responsible, he thought he was. Just like you.

Everyone thinks he’s a good driver, too, so where do the bad drivers come from?

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**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6059 "2015-10-09T16:08:47Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Oddly, I am not a “gun nut” owning nothing but my Service pistol and a old .22.

Your service pistol? You’re saying you were in the service, you used a pistol, and they let you keep the pistol afterwards?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-gun-news-of-the-day-part-1/648729/6060 "2015-10-09T16:10:41Z")

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> [@Esox\_Lucius](#):
>
> Even if he wasn’t responsible, he thought he was. Just like you.
> 
> Everyone thinks he’s a good driver, too, so where do the bad drivers come from?

Probably from the same place as knobs who make posts like the one above. What, really, is the point you think this makes?

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