🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <3bdn7p$93n@uudell.us.dell.com>, springer@dellgate.us.dell.com (David Springer) writes:
|> Pardon me for butting in (like I'm really sorry ;) )...
|>
|> The fact is that a gun doens't have to be fired to be used.  Indeed
|> the majority of times a gun is used it's used as a deterrant.  It need
|> only be shown.  You can liken this to the way we've been holding off
|> the commies not by using nuclear weapons but just by showing them we
|> have them ready to use if need be.  You can also liken this to the
|> number crimes wherein a gun is used but isn't fired.  It's easy to
|> show *that* figure, but not the former.
|>
|> Unfortunately for anti gun control supporters there is no way to show
|> how many crimes are *prevented* by the mere display of a firearm.
|> Estimates range into the millions.  While this can't be accepted at
|> face value because it's a wild ass guess common sense should tell you
|> that there are a large number of crimes that are prevented and
|> unreported because of handguns.  How many ?  Who knows.  I'm sure
|> it's a hell of a lot and places with concealed carry laws like Florida
|> and places with tough gun control laws like Washington DC back my
|> case.

Let's use existing legally owned firearms in many Texas homes as an example of
deterrence, but without actually *displaying* a weapon.
   How many burglaries don't happen because the burglar thinks the occupants
might be home, and those occupants might be armed? I can't offer any statistics,
but I'd be willing to bet that the typical burlar isn't willing to lose his life over
our property. He'll strike unprotected (and unoccupied) homes most likely.
   I believe that CCW would extend this deterrent effect to the extent that
a criminal contemplating a carjacking or mugging has to wonder,
"Is he/she packing?". We already know that the way one carries *thereself* in
public can deter attack.

I believe everyone benefits because some of our homes are armed. I believe that
same benefit can be extended if some of us are allowed to be lawfully armed
on the street, or in our cars. And the weapon may not have to be displayed, but
simply it's possible presence being a deterrent.

--
Lee Johnson     (leej@austin.ibm.com)