A short while ago I wrote about too many permits being issued to carry guns. Then all the would-be cowboys came out of the barn to shoot me down. Now a man has been shot in the knee by his four year old son. He could have just as well been shot in the gut or groin…he could be dead.
One child in a school in Ohio is dead and several others are injured; where did the gun that was used come from? Did it drop out of the sky? What if it were your child who went to school that day and never returned home…what would be your decision then?
In this country guns are a sacred right and they should be. In many countries around the world you cannot own a gun, but then you are not allowed to say what’s on your mind either, and more than likely the boarders are locked down….those are the people who need guns. If you are afraid in your own home it could be because you’re cooking something you shouldn’t be and you’re afraid the smell will attract the law. If you are simply afraid to go to the store without carrying then you need to see a shrink.
When there are a lot of guns around, there is a much greater chance one will be used in a domestic argument resulting in a fatality, or something similar to what happened to the man who was shot by his four year old.
I am in favor of guns, not against them. But when I am in a restaurant having lunch I don’t want to see some drug store cowboy sitting at the table next to me with enough firepower strapped to their leg to take out half the patrons. If you open your eyes and see where you are at you will find out no one is threatening your freedom here. You want to worry about Iran and the bomb; if they acquire one and drop it here….well you know what you can do with that pistol.
Peter Children
Did the dad have a permit to carry? To all the gun haters here 1. You will have your CC permit taken if you are caught drinking while carrying 2. where would a criminal least likely go a. a place where he knows some patrons are carrying or b. a place where no one is because they hate guns. I do agree if you are to get a CC permit you should HAVE to shoot and pass the test, if you dont score well enough you go practice until you are good enough to pass. I seen that there is a program online now for $10 to get a CC permit that to me is just wrong. Alice I do hunt with my pistol and have for years I carry it with on my trap line also…
I’m more concerned about some big loud mouth on their cell phone talking at the top of their lungs in a restaurant or with two foot of ass crack showing than I am about possibly seeing someone’s gun.
Wow, touchy subject. You guys are gonna love my article on this…looks like Ive got some writing to do.
Did anyone else hear the shots fired last night/this morning around 2:30?
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Sherlock brought this subject up again, and I will adress it once more.
Anyone who is an advocate of gun ownership, should throughly understand the case of McDonald v. Chicago, as well as they know the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Read it here: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-1521.pdf
After reading that, you will find that the states have no need to pass more laws, than the Federal Government under the Bill of Rights, already provide you.
Since states are prohibited from restricting or altering those rights, there no real need for the states to duplicate them either.
You are so right Observer. These elected officials keep making stupid laws that overburden the legal system with more work and expense than they can handle. Since senators can push laws that make them money personally without fear of legal action. Every law they pass should come under scrutiny.
Once again we have another article written by a totally ignorant liberal. This kind of myopic thought is no surprise since it came from an obmama supporter!!
I am not at all surprised yu would be interested in guns Mr. Honken
Dont be afraid of the guns you can see on people who are legal, be afraid of the ones you cant see, and are hiding their illegal firearms.
Exactly! But you will never get some people to beleive that, they are to busy burring their heads in the sand!
Just a thought. There has been a large increase in carry permits.
I have been reluctant to obtain one for several reasons. One is a class of people shopping for and already carrying guns. They just don’t look very smart. That scares me. Are they smart enough to tell who the bad guys are and not shoot another good guy gun owner? Visions of a wild west shoot out come to mind.
Not having been around hand guns all my life, a period of use at the gun range seems appropriate before aquiring a carry permit. Whatching retired law enforcement handle and shoot a weapon makes me realize I am poorly prepared for that event of self protection. I dare say that many current carry permit holders are inexperienced and may even be a danger to themselves or others.
Liability isuues of using a gun for defense, being correct in it’s use, and being taken to the cleaners by the shot thief and his crook.
The current laws are inadequate.
The right to own a gun in Iowa should be included in the State constitution.
The privilage to carry a gun to enforce the right to self protect should be backed up with state legislation requiring training, proficiency standards, more training, more training, and more training.
Keep in mind, 1 in twelve are gun owners. The average gun own, owns 12 or more guns.
Public safty and a jobs program.
Maybe the city council can figure out a way to spend TIF money on a program.
I’m liberal. I’m a Democrat. I have a permit to carry issued by my county Sheriff and I carry.
Why? Because crime happens everywhere…in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and in smaller cities like Mason City, too.
I’m not a hothead with a gun strapped to my hip for all to see looking for a fight. I’m the guy, like a lot more, who carries his for the day someone strung out on meth kicks in my front door becaus they think I’m not home. I have a family, and I take protecting my family from harm seriously.
So I take a little exception to your statement about the current class of gun owners, gun shoppers and permit holders as “not looking very smart.”
HOWEVER, I do agree with you, and most LEOs, that the current law that doesn’t mandate range qualification is unsafe. Even though I obtained my permit in 2011 and I wasn’t required to take a class with range qualification as a requirement, I did anyway. From a legal standpoint, were I ever to be involved in a self defense shooting, it makes sense.
“So I take a little exception to your statement about the CURRENT CLASS OF GUN OWNERS, gun shoppers and permit holders as “not looking very smart.””
“I have been reluctant to obtain one for several reasons. One is A CLASS of people shopping for and already carrying guns. They just don’t look very smart. That scares me. Are they smart enough to tell who the bad guys are and not shoot another good guy gun owner? Visions of a wild west shoot out come to mind.”
I will not discuss the specifics of THE CLASS of people that are of concern.
I think you just proved my point. If you aren’t smart enough to understand what is written, how can I trust you to make life and death decisions?
Quit frankly, if you are concerned about a break in while you and your family is at home…..YOU DON”T NEED A CARRY PERMIT to carry in your home.
I am hoping all those with carry permits, have $100 in liability insurance just in case someone get caught in the middle.
Most threats are at close range, less then 15 feet. If you cannot hit your assailant at that distance you certainly should not be carrying a gun or anything else. In that distance there should be no one else in your line of fire.
This is taught during firearms training. You obviously have little experince in such things.
Who will pay your bills if you are assualted? Should your insurance company cover this? Perhaps the assailants insurance?
A few months ago, I was in line at a convenience store here in town. Some chap had on a firearm in a holster under his arm, pointing directly to the rear. No one else in line would wait behind him, as he dug in his pockets, ect.
And who could blame them? Safety or not (since it was in a holster, who could know?) when a gun is pointed in your direction, the smart thing to do is move away.
Let me repeat myself. Yes, the Constitution gives the right to bear arms. However, just because we can, should we?
Let me give context to my feelings. In my 55 years, I have had a gun pointed at me once in an offensive manner. It was in the middle of an urban jungle, where I had never felt unsafe before. And the incident did not stop me from going to that neighborhood again. On New Years Eve, the place sounds like a war zone. Did I cower in a corner and hide? No! The moron with the gun, had no idea it had the safety still on.
Mason City on the other hand is as tame as a place can get in society today. It beats the heck out of Philadelphia, New York, or Chicago’s South and West side. Places where police and firemen are moving targets. We have our share of boozers and drug heads in Mason City, just like anywhere else. I avoid places where they like to be (most bars in town).
In my eyes, the need to strap a gun to yourself in general public, is a sign of bigger issues. Issues where a gun is dead last on the list of solutions.
Less than 15 feet. Okay. I am no expert in ballistics, however to even try and suggest that a human body at 15 feet, even 20 feet will stop a bullet dead in it’s tracks, is silly. Just because it hit it’s intended target, does not mean it stops.
And I don’t want to be in that area.
That’s another reason for the hollow point bullets, they will expand in the intended target and travel a shorter distance. Alot less chance of the bullet hitting someone else.
None of us hope to be in a situation that requires the shooting or taking of a life. But, the perpatraitor would be the one who puts us in that situation and I for one will protect myself if need be.
Peter: You have the right NOT to carry a gun, you have the right NOT to own a gun. If you don’t like sittin in a resteraunt or any other place where some law abiding citizen has a gun you have the right to LEAVE! You also have the right to be a victim of a violent crime.
You do not have the right to condemn those or try to stop those people who are legally in possesion of their fiream and choose not to be a victim.
Violence is on the rise. Recently a man was shot and killed near the Casey’s gas station here in Mason City, the person who shot him was not in legal possesion of that weapon. Recently in nearby towns, convinience store clearks were shot and killed simply for being at work by a deranged individual.
I choose to carry my weapon to protect myself and my family. No one requires you to do so.
Patriot, here’s the scary part of someone sitting in the restaurant carrying a gun. What if they have a too much to drink and become hot headed or enraged? I surely wouldn’t want to be sitting next to the drunk guy with a gun. Too many people are walking around carrying guns. That’s one of the reasons violence is on the rise. I don’t understand or will ever understand why people think they need handguns? They aren’t used for hunting. They are used for killing, plain and simple. If someone really thinks they need it for protection, why do they need all this protection? From friends? Acquaintances? People in the neighborhood? Of just plain paranoia.
This country going down the toilet when it comes to violence, and I truly believe that handguns are a huge part of the problem.
That little boy, he’s darn lucky to be alive and so is his father. I certainly hope there’s a child endangerment charge in this man’s immediate future.
No legally carrying person with good sense is going to sit in a resteraunt (or bar) an drink until drunk with there weapon. Scarier is those that drink until drunk then drive. Many people are injured or killed by drunk drivers yet you don’t call for prohibition or the banning of automobiles.
The rise in crime certainly is not caused by legally carring citizens. It is caused by those who ilegally cary and wan’t what others have or take out revenge, they will do that anyway they see fit.
Also you are mistaken when stating “handguns are not used for hunting” when indeed they are.
I pick my friends very carefully, I fear none of them. What I do fear are the gang members and drug dealers whom I don’t know. They’ve already proven here in Mason City that they will kill (remember the shooting at Casey’s in the north end?), this is why I carry a weapon. I shop at the store frequently and park my truck near where the shooting occured. It is not a far stretch to say I could have walked into the midst of that crime. That man had already killed one person, why not kill an eye witness to the crime as well?
You choose to live in a fariytale land where no guns mean safety, I choose to see reality and protect myself and family. When you give away your rights for the illusion of safety, you have niether.
No legally carrying person? Are you sure about that? I do know of some of those legally carrying people that are armed sitting in the bar.
And do not even start with me about drunk driving.
I HATE drinking and driving. I lost 3 family members to one drunk driver. I sat in that funeral with 3 caskets and 3 children that were left without their parents and a sibling. So yeah, been there seen that.
I grew up in a family of hunters and there were guns in our house, locked up. No handguns.
I don’t like guns. I think too many people own guns. And I certainly wouldn’t carry one just to go to Casey’s. Go to another stop and shop. Too many people own guns, like the guy who shot another man at your Casey’s. I think that’s part of our violence problem in this country.
Too many guns, and more and more licenses keep being issued.
Peter dropped the ball again….I knew the knee jerk reaction would be something like this.. It is my right to carry a gun being a law abiding person. I have been around firearms all my life.. The guy who got shot has to pay the price not anyone else on this forum. Simple as that… You want to limit MY right because of someone else?? Well I think that the media is generally leaning to the left and THAT is much more dangerous than someone with a gun. Maybe we need to start having”common sense” media laws? Too many media outlets out there in the wrong hands… What if someone steals a media outlet and goes on a rampage??? I’m going to do my best John Skipper and change it up from “silly me” to “YOUR AN IDIOT” Yep….
Wow-Katie and Janet, you two sound just like I think and believe. Keep up the good thoughts. If enough people hear it maybe they will wake up to the reality of life and do something to help. Someone needs to help us defend against the immigrants both legal and illegal who all want to come here and then when they do they want to change us to be like the slum hole they came from. Goes for second generation as well. If they don’t like it here they can go back where they came from.
guns dont kill ppl criminals do… if the kid who did a school shooting did not hav a gun he would have used a knife or sword or blunt object to harm ppl, his goal was to kill ppl.
however if everyone at the school had a gun he would have been shoot before he shot anyone
*shot
so smartguy, was the 4 year old who shot his father a criminal? Not only do criminals shot and kill people but to often just a gun owner shots or gets some one shot. Carrying a gun also seems to turn people into criminals. So I would say to you guns do shoot and kill people and the gun owners are the ones that make it possible!!
Wow! What a warped theory you have there! I have carried a wepon for many years and have never performed a criminal act!
Maybe someday someone will save your life with the weapon they carry legally from the person carring one illegally!
That little fella may well be on his way to criminal behavior. He certainly shows a predisposition for bad decisions. Kinda like his father’s bad decision. Who gets spanked and who does time?
Rather than talk about taking one of our constitutional rights away do any left leaning people want to talk about trying to change the culture away from drugs, casual sex, violence and not much emphasis on the family? Look at the garbage kids see on TV every day. How about the poor examples many of them see (that Ohio kid’s father) every day? I use to be a big liberal for many years and then after observing the state of affairs our country finds itself in and educating myself on the problems I found out I was just uninformed. Once I stepped out of my college readings and main stream media I found there was a lot I didn’t know. Go figure. People who are mentally ill enough to want to hurt someone like that will find another weapon. Also no responsible gun owner would ever let a 4 yr old access a gun
one of the problems with guns is the fact that there are way to many gun owners who are not responsible and that is a threat to me and my family. It seems you hear or read everyday of someone getting shot by accident. The more guns and the easier it is to get them the more accidents there will be. You seldom hear of some one actually using a gun to protect there family…usually it is some one in the family being shot. Why can’t we limit the number of guns that are out there and make it harder for the people that shouldn’t have a gun to get one. I see no problem with people owning a gun to use in hunting game…I do see a problem when humans become the game. Come on people use some common sense!!!!!!
So how about cars? People use them to kill and maim everyday as well. Lets get rid of those as well! Lots of unresponseable people driving as well!
I agree with you Dave, and Patriot, you’re an idiot. Cars? Really, that’s all you could come up with? You are probably one of the people that shouldn’t be walking around with a gun.
Alice, I beleive you have proven yourself the queen of idiots!
I am quite proffecient with my weapon. Let’s hope you never find yourself in need of protection. Yell loud for law enforcement and hope they get there before your dead.
So your saying people are not killed or maimed by cars? Seems to be a daily occurence, the way you talk they should be outlawed.
Yes, Janet. We need to talk about our culture of drugs and violence. I’m sick to death of what has happened to our country in the past 40 years. I’m tired of drug users slacking off and having no ambition. I’m tired of kids dropping out of school and then out of society. I’m tired of welfare mothers living off everyone else. I’m tired of 50.5% of us paying taxes for the other 49.5% I’m tired of our government enabling all of the above. We need a president and a surgeon general who will put some teeth into a drug penalty program and a mandatory rehab program. We need mandatory drug testing for every job. We need to be tough on illegals. And we need the government to actually crack down on drug shipments and sellers. And we need to prepare for the resulting problems. Yes, I have a lot of ideas how to do this and generate jobs doing it, but no one asks me. LOL
Don’t let Peter L hear that too loud, he wants a country where drugs are legal and proper.
Put the 4 year old in BeJe. Will learn to use gun properly there.
Gun ownership is a right. However, I dare say after the last incident where a child shot an adult here in Mason City, it is no longer a stretch to think one could get caught in the crossfire as they do in gang infested Chicago.
Same carelessness applies.
That guy whose kid shot him is the dumbest pos I ever heard of. He give all us good gun owners a bad name.
What good gun owners? Most of you are crooks!!
Tracy, you are SOOOO wrong. You would be shocked at the names of people who own guns in North Iowa who are upstanding businessmen who have guns to protect their businesses and to protect themselves and their families. You would not be calling these people crooks. These people carry inconspicuously so that if some yahoo starts shooting somewhere in their business or in public, SOMEONE with firearm training other than a crook will have a gun to take him out if there’s no law enforcement officer around. After all the public shooting rampages there have been, these law-abiding, responsible gun owners realized that they would have felt so angry and helpless had they been present at one of those situations and had no means to try to take out the shooter. They carry to try to protect lives, not take them.
Peter-one of the main reasons for owning and carrying a gun is people with attitudes like you. Another very good reason is our current president who is so far left he should be in Russia. If you think people in this country who want to be free will stand for this left leaning government you are wrong. Soon there will be rioting in the streets and it could happen here in the windy city. When it does you will be glad your neighbor has a gun and can protect you. As far as current events, the child who shot his fellow students in Ohio stole the gun from his uncle and obviously has a mental problem. You should be pleased with him stealing the gun. He could have used a propane bomb and killed a lot more. Maybe we sould go after the bully’s that were the real problem. As to the 4 year old who shot his dad, shame on the dad for leaving a loaded gun where aq child could get it. Stupidity is everywhere. Look at your article.
stay safe Larry
Well said Larry, We have pre school cuz parents don’t know how to be parents etc. I’m tired of babysitting others!!!! My gun just lays there and does nothing until one picks it up. Blame the gun instead of the idiots. And Peter seeings your being hypothetical, suppose a teacher or school employee was packing and was able to stop that school incident before it got out of control!!! Run and hide while I charge for you which I will gladly do!!! If you wait for the police or Government good luck to you and I’ll drop a little dirt on top of you as your being lowered into the ground. Remember when City Council was going to ban guns and then thought it out and said well maybe someone should be packing incase were assaulated!!!! Stay safe PETER
We are pretty safe right now and have been since George Washington was president. Once we get to the point everyone is packing that could change quickly. I could compare it to food and drink; Both are necessary to stay alive, but too much of either could kill you.