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Addict
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Will, to answer your question, the majority of which was touched correctly by Debaser, if you choose to fire a weapon you are using deadly force, and as such, you must be prepared for the result. Accuracy is a big issue. If you aim center mass, then any error in trigger pull, nervous twitch, etc, it still gives you the best chance of hitting your intended target. He was raising his gun in my direction at the time, and in order to prevent him from shooting ME, I had to make the determination that he was an iminent threat. Because of this I felt that it was required to make sure he wouldn't have a chance to fire back. I HAT the fact that it happened, and it is something that I have to live with for the rest of my life. One thing to consider is that I have been raised around firearms all my liffe, and spent 8 years in the Marines, so I had EXTENSIVE training in firearms, and the use of such. It is my opinion that if I were NOT as well trained as I was, I might have flinched, gotten too scared, or worse, and there would have been more than one person who died that day. This is why it is MY belief that everyone should atleast UNDERSTAND the correct use and safety of a firearm. I am not saying it should necesarrily be a required course, but atleast be AVAILABLE in our schools for those who choose to learn. NOTHING in this world is worse in the case of firearms than someone who thinks he knows EVERYTHING about weapons. This makes them twice as dangerous. Yes it is unfortunate that our country has such a higher percentage of firearm deaths. But look again at the statistics. It is hard to make a comparison with such different cultures and populations. Very few countries have the population that we have, or the crime rates that we have. We have been breeding our own problems, and I truly don't see us being able to come to a quick resolution to what is going on. As I said, I would be more than willing to give up every gun I own, if I could be guaranteed the same were done in the entire country. But realistically it will never happen in my lifetime.Think back to prohibition. If we outlawed firearms, then the criminals would import them illegally, and then we would be in more danger as a populace. I am not saying, as was implied of me before, that we shouldn't try. I am saying that we need to make small steps, and gradual EDUCATED steps to help reduce the crimes by firearms. Stronger regulations, stricter requrements for ownership, stiffer crimes for criminals. I like one of the laws in Florida. It is called 10-20-life. If you brandish a weapon while commiting a crime, automatic 10 years, if the firearm is discharged, automatic 20 years, and if you shoot or kill someone, automatic life. It HAS reduced the number of gun commited crimes in Florida. Also, I am not sure where the statistic is, but the it has been shown that the number of person-on-person crimes since the inception of the concealed handgun permit was enacted in Florida has gone down, AND we are showing a decline in other crimes as well. Orlando unfortunately is our problem spot, with crimes on the increase, but hey, can't be perfect...and I don't want anyone thinking I am being biased here...lol. I certainly applaud you Will, for being the way you are....we should have more of you out there. I personally like the check and ballance you give us on this thread, and in the country.
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"It is not that I have failed, but that I have found 10,000 ways that it DOESN'T work!" --Thomas Edison
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