NationStates Jolt Archive

There have been some interesting posts on gun control recently, and It would be interesting to see how many of those who own firearms could actually shoot another human. Please be brutally honest, nobody's going to break into your house once they know that you won't shoot them.

Only if someone I cared about were threatened...

..and then I wouldnt hesitate.

Poll's up

If my life or the life of a loved one utterly depended on it, yes.

I should also mnetion that I dont now, or have any plans, to own a gun.

It depends on who was being threatened. There would be very few circumstances where I would shoot to kill.

Of course not. Are you trying to find future criminals and murderers here?!

I don't own firearm and I would never ever try to shoot somebody. There is nothing that could justify taking human life. Many try to justify with arrogance but at the end it doesn't work out.

Of course not. Are you trying to find future criminals and murderers here?!

I don't own firearm and I would never ever try to shoot somebody. There is nothing that could justify taking human life. Many try to justify with arrogance but at the end it doesn't work out.


What if, hypothetically, I were a nasty child molester, and I kidnapped your son/duaghter, with the purposes of doing some terrible things to them, and you caught me, and I had a weapon with wich I might harm that child, and you are holding a gun..and could stop me before I do?

Are you saying...at that point, my life isnt worth your childs?

I would pull the trigger on Bigfoot. For science.

Well, I don't own a gun, so that's what I voted in the poll, but I would shoot someone in the right circunstances. Given the option I probably wouldn't shoot to kill, but I would certainly kill someone if it were the only way to avoid something I saw as worse.

I would pull the trigger on Bigfoot. For science.


Sadly...it seems we are immune to conventional weaponry.
Wich, is why weve never been killed by hunters.

Of course not. Are you trying to find future criminals and murderers here?!

I don't own firearm and I would never ever try to shoot somebody. There is nothing that could justify taking human life. Many try to justify with arrogance but at the end it doesn't work out.
I find this belief a little odd. You honestly believe, for instance, that it's better to let someone set off an explosive killing hundreds of people than to shoot them to stop them?

You're right of course that arrogance is an issue here - someone who thinks they know best is more likely to shoot when a less violent option is available, but don't you think that there are situations when it becomes necessary?

Do you think that police who shoot criminals in gunfights are murderers?

Yes.
I voted 1.

Do you think that police who shoot criminals in gunfights are murderers?
Is the gunfight unavoidable? Are they trying to kill the criminals or just stop them? Not murder, but probably a manslaughter.

we dont really have guns here much, but I think I would use one on somebody attacking my family. I wouldnt aim for the head or anything, perhaps somewhere else... i dunno... ive never used one before..

Your Poll is strange, You dont have a "No" option just "I dont own a firearm" What does that have to do with anything? The question wasnt "Firearm owners would you ever shoot somebody?"

What if, hypothetically, I were a nasty child molester, and I kidnapped your son/duaghter, with the purposes of doing some terrible things to them, and you caught me, and I had a weapon with wich I might harm that child, and you are holding a gun..and could stop me before I do?

Are you saying...at that point, my life isnt worth your childs?

If I had a firearm and I was properly trained in its use, I would try to stop you with an incapacitating hit, as long as it would be a feasible choice.

(I don't have a firearm, and I just can't aim, so I'm way safer - for myself and other people - this way, I suppose)

Yes, I voted for one although it is ridiculously loaded. I am not at all proud of the fact and don't particularily like to think about it.

And from what I've seen, if you can pull the trigger on someone at all, you will most likely be able to pull the trigger on someone for the stupidest reason.

I would kill you all just to stop the voices in my head long enough to get some sleep.

I would kill you all just to stop the voices in my head long enough to get some sleep.


By the way...Sam called..he said he was your father.
Said something about a barking dog.....?

That dog is teaching me how to kill squatches.

Your Poll is strange, You dont have a "No" option just "I dont own a firearm" What does that have to do with anything? The question wasnt "Firearm owners would you ever shoot somebody?"

'No' is 'I could never kill somebody'. I thought that it might be more interesting to have a set of options that weren't just black and white.

That dog is teaching me how to kill squatches.


Then Im afraid your out of luck.

It seems all small furry woodland creatures have an affinity with Squatches.
Paricularly...the domesticated canine types.

Now...if you had access to a Gnu....THEN you'd be a problem.

as the situation required, without hesitation.

Of course not. Are you trying to find future criminals and murderers here?!

I don't own firearm and I would never ever try to shoot somebody. There is nothing that could justify taking human life. Many try to justify with arrogance but at the end it doesn't work out. As Il Camlengo says: "Which is worse? To kill your enemy or to stand by while your true love is strangled?"

I don't have a firearm… being in Britain… but I think I could shoot if I was forced to. Some things push me over the edge.

I find this belief a little odd. You honestly believe, for instance, that it's better to let someone set off an explosive killing hundreds of people than to shoot them to stop them?

You're right of course that arrogance is an issue here - someone who thinks they know best is more likely to shoot when a less violent option is available, but don't you think that there are situations when it becomes necessary?

Do you think that police who shoot criminals in gunfights are murderers?


He wants to talk about feelings.

Your Poll is strange, You dont have a "No" option just "I dont own a firearm" What does that have to do with anything? The question wasnt "Firearm owners would you ever shoot somebody?" Also, those of us who don't own guns could go to town with a carving knife, or a hatchet, or a hammer, or indeed a humourously sounding frying pan.

IF I had gun and myself or someone else were threatened, yes, I'd not even hesitate to pull the trigger. But I'd aim as carefully as possible for a non-fatal area

IF I had gun and myself or someone else were threatened, yes, I'd not even hesitate to pull the trigger. But I'd aim as carefully as possible for a non-fatal area I wouldn't. It's damn hard to, and it doesn't necessarily incapacitate someone. Also, you may be endangering the lives of others in allowing for unwarranted mercy.

Right now all I own is a crossbow for home defense. And yes, I would use it should the need arise.

Right now all I own is a crossbow for home defense. And yes, I would use it should the need arise. Mm… crossbow. I want a crossbow. Loads of my friends have machetes, swords and axes, which could easily harm an intruder.

Actually...being the son of a butcher, I have quite the collection of knives, some of them very large and nasty. Oh, and a proper cleaver, with experience using it to chop clean through bones (of dead animals, true, but still) And yes, I'd damn well use it given threat to my home/family/life.

I have actually thought about this and I believe if the need arose I would be able to pull the trigger.

So have I, and I wouldn't be able to. It not only goes against all my believes, but also against my instincts...

So have I, and I wouldn't be able to. It not only goes against all my believes, but also against my instincts... It might not go against my beliefs, but it probably would go against my instincts. It's actually quite hard to force yourself to kill (unless of course you really are pushed over the edge).

I'd also probably miss. :p

if someone was placing me or my family in mortal danger and didn't respond to warnings that i was going to shoot them, you bet i'd put a cap in them. if i came by and saw a stranger on the street being raped, kidnapped or brutally physically assaulted by someone, then i'd shoot them to. i probably wouldn't shoot to kill them, but incapacitate them until they could be carted off to jail, with a mangled shin or the like.

if someone was placing me or my family in mortal danger and didn't respond to warnings that i was going to shoot them, you bet i'd put a cap in them. if i came by and saw a stranger on the street being raped, kidnapped or brutally physically assaulted by someone, then i'd shoot them to. i probably wouldn't shoot to kill them, but incapacitate them until they could be carted off to jail, with a mangled shin or the like. I wouldn't let the rapist be taken to jail, because here at least they have absurd sentences. Not that I'm fascistic about jail or anything… my friends call me a bleeding heart liberal, but 7 years…

The whole thing about absolute non-violence is acceptable, even noble to apply to someone hurting you. It is your choice whether to defend yourself or not… but if other people are getting hurt or worse, to ignore it isn't good.

I've thought about it, and I'd like to think I could, but I don't know if I could ever shoot someone. I've never been able to hurt people. Hell, I've never been able to hurt anything.

Besides, whenever I have been in a situation in which I've hurt someone, I've never been in the proper mindset to use a gun. It's more of a "gouge out their eyes and rip their throat open with my teeth" mindset.

Better to let armed criminals run around free?

Is the gunfight unavoidable? Are they trying to kill the criminals or just stop them? Not murder, but probably a manslaughter.

It is grossly irresponcible to shoot at anything but center mass. This is from somebody that used to teach close combat pistol in the Marines.



If I had a firearm and I was properly trained in its use, I would try to stop you with an incapacitating hit, as long as it would be a feasible choice.

(I don't have a firearm, and I just can't aim, so I'm way safer - for myself and other people - this way, I suppose)

Better to let armed criminals run around free?
And killing is the only other option? Obviously you think it is. Around here police usually just surround them and wait. and wait. and wait. If they can't surround him, they try to shoot the suspect in the leg to stop him, not to kill him.

It is grossly irresponcible to shoot at anything but center mass. This is from somebody that used to teach close combat pistol in the Marines.
Why??? That's not what they teach around here.

Why??? That's not what they teach around here.

He's American, what do you expect?

I respond other.
I do not own a gun.
I would not shoot someone for something like home invasion.
I could however shoot someone if i was in the army for defense of my nation, or if i had gone overseas for my country, in the army. (I have seriously considered joining the Army, and am firmly pro gun control, go figure)

Then Im afraid your out of luck.

It seems all small furry woodland creatures have an affinity with Squatches.
Paricularly...the domesticated canine types.

Now...if you had access to a Gnu....THEN you'd be a problem.

Indeed. If you get belligerent with a gnu, it'll attack you and knock you to your gnees.

My god, people here would shoot like they don't have anything else to do.

Maybe they tell you that's what they do, but in reality no police department will shoot a pistol at anything but center mass because the risk to themselves and bystanders is too great to do otherwise. (richocets overpenitration etc.)

Why??? That's not what they teach around here.

Seems to me if you're not shooting to kill you shouldn't be shooting. If you're not willing to pull out your gun and shoot when someone threatens your life, you shouldn't own the gun. Brandishing a weapon without using it is usually a great way to get yourself or somebody else hurt. If your assailant is armed, you better believe they're gonna shoot as soon as they see you pull a gun.

I personally don't own a gun. But if I was ever attacked in the street and I could reach my 7" fold-out blade in my pocket, you better believe I'm sticking it in the bastard's back.

Of course not. Are you trying to find future criminals and murderers here?!

I don't own firearm and I would never ever try to shoot somebody. There is nothing that could justify taking human life. Many try to justify with arrogance but at the end it doesn't work out.

I take it, you don't have any children...

exactly correct.

I wouldn't. It's damn hard to, and it doesn't necessarily incapacitate someone. Also, you may be endangering the lives of others in allowing for unwarranted mercy.

Maybe they tell you that's what they do, but in reality no police department will shoot a pistol at anything but center mass because the risk to themselves and bystanders is too great to do otherwise. (richocets overpenitration etc.)
In that case, the Finnish police don't shoot. I remeber only two incidents when police have killed the suspect in Finland. There might be more, but not many. An accident like that is always front page news in this country. Somehow I do remember various incidents where police have shot the suspect in the leg or arm. BUT in this country, every shooting will be on the news.