Omaha Mall Shooting. With a *six minute* response time for the police that is an unqualified good police response. I mean that with no sarcasm. Yes, 6 minutes seems like forever if you're under fire - but in the rest of the sidereal universe, that's a commendable response time. Of course, it's followed by the time they have to take to gain entry and gain situational understanding, they can't just burst in shooting. But I'm not criticizing the police response. I think they did well.
Two killed at Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada, Colorado.
Two killed, gunman killed at New Life Church, Colorado Springs.
All events happening in "Gun Free Zones" - well, except for the New Life Church, which apparently doesn't mind a gun or two around.
My point? Simple enough.
1. Like it or not, you can't confiscate all the guns. Just ask the countries who've tried. And there are a *lot* more firearms in this country than most.
2. Disturbed people and criminals, oddly enough, don't obey those nice signs with the international "No" symbol superimposed over the pistol. Only law abiding people do.
3. I suspect far fewer people than you might expect would be offended (there will be some who are *always* offended) if there were some suitably trained, armed citizens around. In fact, that's really what policemen are... suitably trained, armed citizens. Like this quote from a citizen of my acquaintance:
We have a couple of policemen in our church - one a KC motorcycle cop, the other a Gladstone trooper. When they're in church, they are carrying. On days when the Gladstone cop is working, he comes to church in uniform, including his holstered, very visible, weapon. Funny thing - no one is offended.
Just sayin' - disarming the law abiding isn't the *only* rational response to events like this.
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