RW> them.  Two armed gang members can control a  hundred unarmed people.
 RW>
 GD> You don't need a gun to call the police, or to yell out into the
 GD> street, to tell someone to stop loitering in front of your house.
First, I certainly don't want to start a gun control debate. The only
restrictions that I'm aware of are laws specifically related to the carrying
of guns in public, owning machine guns without a proper license or owning one
period in some places. There are also bans on assault type weapons in certain
places. As far as I know, there's not a place in America that you can't
maintain an arsenal of weapons in your home with enough ammunition to fight
World War III. I'm not aware of anyone being disarmed or even discouraged
from buying a weapon other than certain exceptions in various jurisdictions:
1) convicted felons in all jurisdictions; 2) people of diminished mental
capacity, sometimes called lunatics in the older laws; 3) people of various
mental illnesses; 4) drug addicts; 5) and other misc. reasons in certain
jurisdictions that the person has a propensity for violence because of
previous actions (i.e. domestic abuse).
Please, let's not start a gun control debate, as that would violate the
written rules of this echo. As far as I know, there is no jurisdiction where
a citizen can't protect himself and his family in their residence, as long as
certain conditions are met. Various "Make My Day" Laws in numerous
jurisdictions usually list being afraid for the loss of your life or the life
of a family member as the ultimate reason for the use of deadly force in the
protection of yourself or a family member. Generally speaking, that would
mean that you couldn't shoot a teenager trying to steal your hubcaps unless
he was pointing a gun at you.
The Charge of the Light Brigade (Citizens) against the local gang would be
against the law. That would be taking the law into your own hands and
becoming vigilantes. However, protection of yourself and your family in your
home with a weapon is no problem at all. Armed invasion of most homes in
America is a very bad mistake, as there are a ton of very legal guns out
there in the hands of folks who know how to use them.
Tom Rightmer - A Victims' Rights Advocate
... ...Isn't it strange how "wise" resembles being old and tired?
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