Guns Kill - And Response (9)

In the past several weeks our area has been witness to three senseless murders.  The murders were all not necessary and were uncalled for.  There is a gun mentality in our U.S.A. and many hold the thought that murdering someone is acceptable if they feel threatened.  

Give me a break, these three murdered another person, took the life from an Innocent human being.  One murdered a young man because he was stealing metal from his yard.  Did this justify killing this young man?  The second murdered an elderly man with Alzheimer's who returned to his former home by mistake.  The murderer shot in the dark, wasn't even able to see but a shadow and he pulled the trigger knowing the police were on their way but he had to be macho, he murdered the man with Alzheimer's because he felt threatened, really?  The third and most recent was at the intersection of North Terrace and Moore Road where a 63-year-old man, another gun nut, who felt he was threatened, shot and murdered a young man over "road rage."  The young man was on his way to work at Brainerd Baptist Church.  Now this man's lawyer wants him out of jail for medical reasons, I don't think so, he did the crime so he must do the time. 

Guns kill, people pull the triggers, all three of these men are murderers and should go to prison never to see the light of day again.  The recent gun laws are the results of the NRA, gun manufacturers, and ammo producer and politicians.  They have no regard for life.  Case in point is Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Yes, 20 children were murdered, innocent children and three innocent men were murdered.   

You demented gun lovers have to proud of your deeds.

Chuck Mehan

East Ridge  

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Opinions are like our nose, everyone has one. I am 78-years-old and have owned guns since I was 16-years-old. For over 62 years I have never had a gun that threatened or killed another person. There are over 310,000,000 private owned guns. Handgun homicides are 2.0 per 100,000 and there are 3.2 per 100,000 deaths by DUI.  

If it is the guns that kill then cars should be included. In the 1960's, 1970's Tennessee had a law that in a DUI the seller of the last few drinks could be held accountable. Their beer and whisky license required them to refuse to sell if the person appeared impaired. This law was changed in Nashville led by two Democrat elected officials from Hamilton, one being a state senator. 

The problems with society are a lot more complicated than "Guns Kill." I guess like the many "demented gun owners" in this country that owns guns we need to have the authorities to take them away before these guns come to life and start a rampage of killing over this whole country. 

For the anti-gun folks they should ask all their friends and acquaintances if their guns have killed anyone, could even go door to door in your community and ask everyone. Want to see some of the change that has come about in society? Just watch video games and TV. On many programs the actors can't speak a sentence without several cuss words or the shows where women jump across tables and get in the face of another all while spewing numerous curse words and threatening to fight. 

There were a lot of good in "the good old days." 

N.D. Kennedy Sr.
Ooltewah

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Yes guns kill, that is what their design and purpose is. 

Guns are a tool for self defense.  If a person is trespassing and committing theft, are we to assume that they intend no harm to the property owner? 

Road rage. Two people stop their vehicles. One exits his vehicle and approaches the other vehicle and driver. Again, do we assume no harm was meant as this person walks to towards the other vehicle? 

In the dark of night there are sounds of attempted entry into a home. Does the home owner assume there is no danger or threat? 

All these are tragic accidents and mistakes.  But it is just as tragic when an innocent does not defend themselves.

What we have witnessed are mistakes by all parties involved.   Guns are not to blame for poor judgment.

Dwayne Cales 

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Yes, guns can kill.  If used improperly, so do ball bats, knives, automobiles, ropes, 2x4's, pitch forks, pokers, etc.  What is your point?  I would like for one, just one, person suggesting that something be done about guns to answer the simple question..."How would you plan to keep criminals and potential criminals from having or obtaining a firearm?" 

I have read many times that Chicago has the strictest gun laws in the country.  It also has the highest murder rate. 

Jim Holcomb
Harrison

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Mr. Mehan:

You are correct, Sir: “Guns Kill” and I could not help but think about your statement: “Case in point is Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Yes, 20 children were murdered, innocent children and three innocent men were murdered.“  

I think that’s an excellent “case in point” as you noted.  Just think, if one of those teachers had been trained and was armed, the outcome would have been entirely different. 

Guns do kill, as do many other weapons. In the right hands, guns also protect, but they fail to protect in “gun free zones”. 

Gus Bryan 

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Mr. Mehan and Mr. Bryan,
In regards to your ill-advised comments, any individual's position on gun control is none of your business. I suppose that it is also my job to inform you that guns are inanimate objects.  They cannot, on their own, do anything.  However, in the hands of the wrong person(s), destruction may soon follow.  In addition, citizens who have lawfully been certified to carry guns on their person by the State of Tennessee are not "gun nuts."  "Nuts" may indeed be needed to describe individuals who make senseless and uneducated comments regarding situations to which they have incomplete information. 

When the young man of 17-years-old was killed for robbing an inhabited home of metal, many people mentioned showing compassion. To thieves? I don't think so.  Perhaps you would like to provide your personal information, address, phone number, etc. to all of Chattanooga and Hamilton County and its surrounding areas so that when the robbers, burglars, rapists, home invaders decide to act out their criminal intentions, they will know where to go for "compassion." It's amazing that if you've never been a recipient of these criminal activities, you take offense to those of us who have.  As American citizens, the Constitution of the United States guarantees us the right to bear arms...and not just so we can look pretty. 

In case you are unaware, the father of the 17-year-old killed was just flushed out of his home by tear gas by police officials and was captured as he tried to flee out his backdoor.  A portion of his family was able to escape, but he held one of his daughters hostage for a period of time before allowing her to leave. 

As for the gentleman with Alzheimer's, that was tragic.  However, are home owners who hear unwelcome noises in their home at night just supposed to sit back and wait, hoping that no one will do them harm until the police arrive?  The answer is no.  It would be foolish to do otherwise.  As the "man of the house," it is your responsibility to protect your home and your family.  My next question would be, "Where was the gentleman's caretaker and why was he not being looked for in a rational manner?"  If you want to blame someone, blame those who could not or would not take responsibility for the care of the older gentleman. 

As for your mentioning the "road rage" incident that occurred at Moore Road, what else would you have reasonably expected the outcome to be?  I, indeed, do feel sympathy for the young man's family that was left behind.  However, as we have all been taught, sometimes the hardest lessons learned are the best.  Why would anyone get out of their car and attempt to confront another person in which "road rage" is being exhibited.  The smartest choice would have been to pick up a cell phone and call the police and inform them of the situation.  Another viable option would have been to get away from the cause of the trouble as quickly as possible. 

I do not know either of you personally, but I can only say that before you go out garnering compassion for the victims and calling legalized gun owners "gun nuts," you evaluate and understand the entire situation beforehand. As I have previously aforementioned, I feel certain that if criminal activity were occurring at your residence, you or someone in your family would do what it took to protect your self, family and your property. I would not expect you to merely open the door and say, "Come on in and get what you need. I'm compassionate, nor will I shoot you." If my understanding regarding taking appropriate steps to protect yourself and others is incorrect, you both have my deepest and most sincere apologies. 

I will not take additional precious time out of my day to respond to anything else either of you have to say. Both of you have wasted enough of my time and the time of the readers of Chattanoogan.com.  I wish the both of you best of luck in providing your personal information freely, willingly and compassionately to those who mean to do you harm.  

I would like to, once again, remind you:  Guns do not kill.  They do not kill anymore than the items Mr. Holcomb mentioned in his response.  People are responsible for killing; no matter what method improperly chosen. 

Rusty Munger
East Ridge

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Yes, I hear the so-called arguments that a gun doesn't "kill."  It just sits there and is a harmless little inanimate object, blah, blah, blah...truth is, they kill more efficiently than just about anything a US citizen can lawfully, or unlawfully, possess. 

Since the horror at Sandy Hook we are constantly advised that "if only teachers there would have had guns."  Really? That's the answer, more guns? I can see it now, let's see....a 59-year-old frail English teacher with a single handgun taking out a killer in combat gear and an AKG.  Holy cow, it's not like teachers have enough "No Child Left Behind" bureaucracy to overcome, without having to qualify every school year with a sidearm. No wonder the phrase "gun nut" is thrown around so often, with nutty answers like that. 

How about better mental health evaluations or just closing the gun show loophole?  Nope, for sure can't consider any of that. It might infringe on our "rights." In fact, according to Herr Wayne LaPierre, we need less gun laws and less restrictions and to do anything else is tyranny. Oh boy. 

Say all of the NRA talking points you want, but with the recent "road rage" death here, I'd say the chances would have been less had only a 2X4, ball bat, pitchfork or rope been involved. 

Herb Montgomery
Chattanooga 

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While it is true that it takes a person to pull the trigger, what I do know is that in every instance cited regarding the local shootings, three people would still be alive today had guns not been present.  One may have been arrested for trespassing or theft, one would have been returned to their worried family about their lost loved one and one would have gone on to work that morning, maybe a little angry at being cut off in traffic, but alive and would be celebrating Christmas this week with his wife and children. 

This is not wild west anymore, there are not bad guys hiding behind every tree and lamppost and every citizen does not need to be carrying weapons on them or in their cars. Leave your guns at home and save them for target practice or hunting trips. This is getting out of hand all across the country and the flames are just being fanned by the NRA, who just want people to buy more and more guns and ammunition, because they represent the gun and ammunition companies.  

Call the police, or at the very worst case...get a black eye because of an argument, but don't take a life, only to find out later it was an accident or a mistake. 

John Fricke

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In all the posts I have read in the chattanoogan.com, where many people suggest guns should be taken away from everyone except police, etc, I have never seen a post where any of these “gun free nuts” discuss a successful plan that can achieve this. That is because these people are acting from emotion and not common sense. If any one of these “gun free nuts” has a plan that they think will work to get criminals to turn in all their illegal guns, and promise to steal no more, please send it in and we can debate that for a while.    

We can all talk about gun owners being more responsible how they store and protect their guns. We can talk about making them harder for kids to find and thieves to steal. These are all good, but none of this changes the heart of these people who use them for no good. We can have enticements for people to turn in their unwanted guns, such as cash for guns or other programs. I have no objection to that, and I think fewer guns would be good. However, this does not persuade a criminal to turn theirs in. To them, they make their living with that gun. 

Until we as a society prosecute gun related crimes with stiff sentences that deter the criminal element from using guns to commit these crimes, we will continue to have the gun related violence. Until then, don’t ask me, a law abiding citizen, to give up my lawful way of defending myself, my property, and my family, from these… in most cases, amoral and asocial repeat offenders.

Stan Conner

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I agree, there's no way possible to disarm everybody, but existing laws surely need some serious "tweaking" so it won't be so easy for citizens to basically walk up on someone, shoot and kill them, then claim as an after thought, "I felt threatened." As the laws presently stand in many states now, almost anyone can shoot to kill with only their word taken as fact that they felt threatened by someone. To some people a brownie scout going door to door trying to sell cookies, or delivering phone books can be perceived as a threat. What constitutes a threat to one person doesn't seem a threat to another. And some people are just looking for an opportunity to test the news laws. 

I don't see anyone in my backyard as a threat, and I've had plenty over the years entering my "fenced" backyard. From children climbing the fence to retrieve a ball or some other toy object to the neighbor's dog wandering into my backyard. It never even remotely entered my mind to want to shoot someone. But then I'm of a different "breed" and mindset, I guess.