The focus of the world is now on inner city NO, but there are a great, great many outlying parrrishes and rural communities throughout Mississippi in which order, cooperation, and mutual support has been the order of the day. For example, there has been a vast mobilization of support for Luke C over on the Outdoor Survival branch of Knifeforums. Luke has, in essence, set up a private, church based relief organization.

Back to the topic: there is no greater beliver in the Rule of Law than I, but it is a practical reality that the ever present threat of the use of firearms by property owners is a strong detererent to human predators. Sometimes power DOES grow out of the barrel of a gun.

I don't agree with that at all. At one time, we were a "society free of firearms." If you were small, old, female, etc. you pretty much did what the bigger or more numerous told you to do - or else. The gun changed that. It allowed the weak to stand up to the strong.

I fully understand people being angered by some of the evil being committed with guns, as I was, but that's the fault of the people committing the act, not the tool they choose to use. I heard about someone shooting at rescue personnel and just making a difficult and dangerous situation even worse. This type of person doesn't deserve anyone's respect or even mercy. They should be removed from the situation at once - quite likely by a police officer's rifle.

I, like many, was very disappointed to see the looting and other crap going on down there, but that was more a lack of what some would call personal or social responsibility than anything else. I don't mean the person taking food and water and such, that's absolutely understandable in a situation like this, but someone stealing jewelry or a television set has to be looked at in a different light. That person is just taking advantage of a bad situation for his own greed. That energy could have been put to better use in helping others. But, like it was said before, a situation like this brings out the best in people and the worst in people - it just depends on the person.

It's not that I don't want it here, but I don't own the board...

The gun ownership / use issue is a distraction from the real problems in New Orleans anyway. The illegal use of guns isn't the problem... it's a nuisance, yes. But remove guns from the picture and New Orleans is still a mess.

If anything, the current situation in New Orleans makes the case for gun ownership. In the absence of the structure and support provided by society, people revert. What recourse do the physically weak have in a situation like this? How else will they defend themselves?

Sure, bad people use guns. Bad people also drive cars. Occasionaly they use cars in the commision of a crime. But no one would seriously suggest banning cars just to keep them out of the hands of bad people. Why are guns different?

Unfortunatly there are so many people out there that think a gun/knife/other tool are not necessary in todays society except in the hands of LEO or military. I make the predition now that we will see many cities pass more strict gun control laws due to what happened in NO.

You're correct, water doesn't "pick up" radioactivity, that's why it's such a good barrior at reactors/power plants.

Troy

You're right, you just don't get it, but according to our Constitution, of which the Second Ammendment is a part, you have your right to think and say what you feel, at least, that is, UNDER our Constitution.

Troy

Thanks Groo, couldn't have said it better myself.

Troy

"If anything, the current situation in New Orleans makes the case for gun ownership. In the absence of the structure and support provided by society, people revert. What recourse do the physically weak have in a situation like this? How else will they defend themselves?"

Bingo!

The state and federal governements bared their a$$. And proved what many of us have known for a long time. Local, state, and federal authorities can't always be there to protect us, nor should they be exepcted to. How you choose to protect yourself and lvoed ones, is up to you. After all, it's a free country! At least it was when I woke up this morning.

Many thanks to those first drunken, inbread, toothless yahoos who to took up arms and gave this great nation her independence. They might have looked dumb, but they were smart enough to know they needed arms to free themselves.

Well, I did say might. A eutopia would be a geat idea. But it's not realistic.

The mayor sounded pretty angry about not getting help. Maybe he was looking for these officers to help out. Caution, this might make you ill!

http://www.zippyvideos.com/8911023771013466/countdown-looting-in-walmart/

If they have set up a system where a person is not permitted even the most reasonable form of self defence then yes they should be required to. Some cities don't even allow pepper spray, much less anything more effective.