Icons, what gives?

Quote: terapined

Will be totally unarmed, not even a knife.

Famous last words. I have many guns
and a permit to carry. I's not about
killing somebody, that's a rarity. It's
about protecting yourself and your
property. If you were ever violated
that way, it would change your
perspective. People who roll over
and pee their pants rather than
defending themselves usually don't
end up on the good side of the situation.

Quote: Evenbob

Famous last words. I have many guns
and a permit to carry. I's not about
killing somebody, that's a rarity. It's
about protecting yourself and your
property. If you were ever violated
that way, it would change your
perspective. People who roll over
and pee their pants rather than
defending themselves usually don't
end up on the good side of the situation.

Have you been in a situation where you had to resort to violence to protect your life or property?
I am very interested in hearing the story if the answer is yes.

Quick joke:

A cop stops an elderly lady for a minor infraction. He sees she has a gun barely showing under the seat. the lady explains she has a permit for that. When she opens her purse to find it, the cop see another gun inside.

"I have a permit for that, too," the old lady says, "and for the one in the glove compartment."

"What are you afraid of?'" the cop asks.

The lady smiles and says "Not a damn thing."

In Michigan, a priest was giving classes to learn about earning a license to carry a concealed pistol, until his bosses said no.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/04/21/dpl-gun-priest-facebook-update/26125335/

Quote: Dalex64

In Michigan, a priest was giving classes to learn about earning a license to carry a concealed pistol, until his bosses said no.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/04/21/dpl-gun-priest-facebook-update/26125335/

Would Jesus pack a gun?
Did he pack a knife to protect himself back in the day?

Quote: terapined

Have you been in a situation where you had to resort to violence to protect your life or property?
I am very interested in hearing the story if the answer is yes.

I certainly have, and know of several others who have, too.

I've wrote about several here and WoV. There was the time I got jumped in HS. 11 of my friends, 6 faculty, and as he beat (or tried to beat) my head off the floor repeatedly, not a single one intervened. Fortunately it was school and he had no weapon, but had I not been somewhat of a jock and instead been frail, he likely have killed me. Or I'd be even more brain dead than I am now. It wasn't until I flipped him off, tackled him into a pile of tables, and rained hell into his face that my own punishment stopped.

I wrote about Ash. She was held up at knife point in d/t Buffalo and robbed of the $600 she made that night. Full time Masters student working to put herself through college, almost lost her life to some s#$%head for tip money. Two or three years later, she was groped at gunpoint after resisting the advances of another S$%^head f$%^bag in d/t Buffalo. Right in the bar she worked, gun to her head.

Just a year ago, I had some animal bust into my house and threaten to kill me for 90 minutes. I didn't shoot him because, despite having a gun in every room, being legally allowed to own said weapons, and having a legal right to defend myself at that moment, I still have the ethical and moral responsibility and ability to go down the list - mental, verbal, physical. I managed to halt things at the verbal. But if I didn't, he would be dead. And my son would still have his father. The way it's supposed to be.

I've also been charged by bear, have been within 12' of one on at least three different occasions, one of which I was with my then-3yr-old son. I've had someone trash my house and threaten to kill my old man (back when we lived together), I've had someone climb through my third story window into the bathroom (years ago in apartment life), I've had my tools stolen out of my garage, I've been accosted in the streets. You can say most of this was insignificant, and you're likely right. But last time I needed the police, it took me 45 minutes just to contact one, and the only way it took "only" 45 minutes is because I hopped in my truck, went into town, and hunted him down. I live exactly 0.58 miles from the police station, according to MapQuest

I've never hurt someone in a car accident, but I have liability insurance. I've never had a heart attack, but I (usually) have health insurance. I never capsized my boat, but I have a life jacket. I never wrecked a motorcycle at speed, but I wear a helmet. I've never wrecked my race car really bad, but I wear a fire suit.

I'm too old and too brain damaged to fight anymore. After 31 concussions, even body contact rings my bell and leaves me punch drunk. I've no doubt an open handed slap from a 100lb woman would knock me clean out. And don't you YouTube? Have you not seen the thugs who randomly jump someone for cred? Or just snuff a random passerby because they went down the wrong street? Nope. Not this guy. I'm not giving my life for your entertainment or benefit, nor am I relying on the compassion of an animal to keep me safe.

You've been lucky, and for that, I'm a little jealous.

Quote: terapined

Have you been in a situation where you had to resort to violence to protect your life or property?
.

I've been in a situation where a gun
prevented violence, which is the point
of having one. I always kept a big loaded
colt 45 automatic under the bar, when
I owned a bar. Several times just me laying
the gun on the bar top took the fight
outside. The daytime bartender prevented
a robbery using the 45.

When I had the cab co I always carried a 9mm.
Never had to pull it, but just letting a potential
trouble maker see it in the shoulder holster
was enough to change his mind. 90% of cops
never pull their guns on duty in their whole
careers. But everybody knows they can and
will if they have to, that's the point.

You only see the worse case scenario of killing
a person. There's huge important area in the
middle that you're ignoring, it's called everyday
life.

The WWII Colt 45 military is an awesome weapon,
a big gun that weighs about 4 pounds. Just the
sight of one pointed at you will have a powerful
influence on your actions.

Quote: terapined

Would Jesus pack a gun?
Did he pack a knife to protect himself back in the day?

I wish he had. We'd have a largely pagan world still.

Quick story idea: go back in time and keep Jesus from being crucified By.Any.Means.Necessary.

Quote: Nareed

Quick story idea: go back in time and keep Jesus from being crucified By.Any.Means.Necessary.

Just bribe the Romans, easy. No Crusades,
no jew killing witch burners, no Inquisitions,
no forcing conversions. No lots of horrible
things. What the Church did wrong far outweighs
what they did right.

Quote: Face

I certainly have, and know of several others who have, too.

I've wrote about several here and WoV. There was the time I got jumped in HS. 11 of my friends, 6 faculty, and as he beat (or tried to beat) my head off the floor repeatedly, not a single one intervened. Fortunately it was school and he had no weapon, but had I not been somewhat of a jock and instead been frail, he likely have killed me. Or I'd be even more brain dead than I am now. It wasn't until I flipped him off, tackled him into a pile of tables, and rained hell into his face that my own punishment stopped.

I wrote about Ash. She was held up at knife point in d/t Buffalo and robbed of the $600 she made that night. Full time Masters student working to put herself through college, almost lost her life to some s#$%head for tip money. Two or three years later, she was groped at gunpoint after resisting the advances of another S$%^head f$%^bag in d/t Buffalo. Right in the bar she worked, gun to her head.

Just a year ago, I had some animal bust into my house and threaten to kill me for 90 minutes. I didn't shoot him because, despite having a gun in every room, being legally allowed to own said weapons, and having a legal right to defend myself at that moment, I still have the ethical and moral responsibility and ability to go down the list - mental, verbal, physical. I managed to halt things at the verbal. But if I didn't, he would be dead. And my son would still have his father. The way it's supposed to be.

I've also been charged by bear, have been within 12' of one on at least three different occasions, one of which I was with my then-3yr-old son. I've had someone trash my house and threaten to kill my old man (back when we lived together), I've had someone climb through my third story window into the bathroom (years ago in apartment life), I've had my tools stolen out of my garage, I've been accosted in the streets. You can say most of this was insignificant, and you're likely right. But last time I needed the police, it took me 45 minutes just to contact one, and the only way it took "only" 45 minutes is because I hopped in my truck, went into town, and hunted him down. I live exactly 0.58 miles from the police station, according to MapQuest

I've never hurt someone in a car accident, but I have liability insurance. I've never had a heart attack, but I (usually) have health insurance. I never capsized my boat, but I have a life jacket. I never wrecked a motorcycle at speed, but I wear a helmet. I've never wrecked my race car really bad, but I wear a fire suit.

I'm too old and too brain damaged to fight anymore. After 31 concussions, even body contact rings my bell and leaves me punch drunk. I've no doubt an open handed slap from a 100lb woman would knock me clean out. And don't you YouTube? Have you not seen the thugs who randomly jump someone for cred? Or just snuff a random passerby because they went down the wrong street? Nope. Not this guy. I'm not giving my life for your entertainment or benefit, nor am I relying on the compassion of an animal to keep me safe.

You've been lucky, and for that, I'm a little jealous.

Wow, I have been lucky.
Never experienced any of the above situations.
I have never been robbed. Never been in a fight as an adult. Never had my place broken into.
I've walked all over Hong Kong alone unarmed
Walked all around Tokyo alone unarmed
Walked all around Taipei alone unarmed.
Walked all over Manhatten with friends and alone and unarmed.
Lived in Downtown Philadelphia going to Drexel U just 2 blocks from the black revolutionary group MOVE.
I often walked by MOVE unarmed just to get to a grocery store.
Did the entire Boston Freedom trail alone unarmed.
I love to walk and explore any new city I am visiting.
I've walked from MGM to Circus Circus at night unarmed.
Worked in a liquor store night shift while going to college, opened till 2am, unarmed.

The scariest situation I have been in, Orlando Grateful Dead Spring Tour 95.
Downtown Orlando
A black guy walked up to me offering to sell me drugs. I just started laughing. I was buzzed and thought the situation was funny. I could tell this really pissed off this black guy.
He started following me. I was a little taken aback but just a little bit frightened. I was surrounded by tons of deadheads since the bands in town. I kept walking away, eventually he cooled off and stopped following.

Maybe I am stupid. Maybe I am lucky.
Maybe I am street smart, dressing down, always aware of my surroundings.