Comments for A Shooting Shul

A Shooting Shul

2009-09-08T13:00:40Z

Remember: When seconds count, the police is only minutes away.

Though I wonder whether the Unitarians would react the same way.

BOQ

Comment from Barb on 2009-09-09

2009-09-09T19:03:48Z

JTG has it right, regarding everyone carrying. But that was not vigilante justice - it was more related to honorable dueling.
Sanger - maybe you are thinking of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - where the young bucks were all set to space a guy who unwittingly offended a young lady. Still not vigilantism, since they sought out a citizen to be the judge, and paid for him, and followed his judgement.
But in both books, someone walking into a public gathering *and shooting others* would be summarily shot by any number of nearby citizens :-)

(updated)

Comment from Justthisguy on 2009-09-09

2009-09-09T17:39:33Z

Sanger, I think that was "Beyond This Horizon." The protagonist did pretty well with "a heat engine burning a nitrate fuel" against rayguns. 1911, it was.

I agree a lot of the vid looked theatrical and contrived, 'specially that people looked like they weren't moving quite as quickly as possible.

Comment from Miss Ladybug on 2009-09-09

2009-09-09T05:14:39Z

I was also thinking about schools with children - not college students - in them. There was that incident in CA recently where the teacher tackled some crazy ex-student who was looking to settle a score with a teacher. Then there was that kid on the school bus in MS who tackled a girl with a gun. I was subbing today, and got into a conversation with a teacher's aide about different school designs I've noticed, and also talked about when we practiced a lock-down when I was student teaching. Make sure the door is locked (keeping doors closed & locked was SOP), keep the kids and yourself away from the windows, and keep them quiet and wait for an "all clear". Some elementary schools I've been in don't even have classroom doors to lock (a flaw left over from the idiotic '70s "open classroom" idea). How would a teacher protect students?

Comment from SangerM on 2009-09-08

2009-09-09T04:35:13Z

Heinlein fantasized about a populace that carried guns and dealt justice without police intervention, unless one chose to opt out and be a 'loser.' I think it was in Revolt in 2100, but I could be wrong.

Anyway, I always liked that notion, I'm just not sure I'd want everyone packing, even if it might otherwise reduce the number of jerkwads on the highways.

As for the rabbis and the video, yeah, I guess.... But frankly the ex-cop comes off as a crank and a shyster. I mean really, what kind of bullet is a plastic table going to stop? A rubber bullet?. Nooooo, after watching that video, I'd imagine that all that rolling around on the floor and table flipping is going to get someone shot--probably by a rabbi who falls on his face and discharges his weapon accidentally. Sorry, that's just too much like cowboys and indians, and I would feel more nervous than secure around that guy.

Frankly if the folks in charge of a church or synagogue want to protect the people, they should hire an off duty officer or two to attend services in plain clothes and to sit in different places, etc., armed and ready. Unadvertised, unknown to a casual assailant, and professionally trained.

Just my 2 cents.

Comment from Saker on 2009-09-08

2009-09-09T02:29:42Z

My alma mater, Liberty University, has a very active student group lobbying for the right to carry on campus. No word on that yet, but the President did build a gun range for the students. :)

I hope it works out. Maybe we can prevent what happened at our neighbor, V-Tech.

Comment from MIss Ladybug on 2009-09-08

2009-09-09T00:17:58Z

Same goes for school. By law here in Texas - and I think all states - a "weapons-free zone". Means that when the shooting starts, only the bad guys will be armed...

I really need to look into learning to shoot, so I can make an informed decision about whether I would be prepared to carry. Recently, a college kid down the road in San Marcos had 4 guys break into his apartment. He shot and killed two of them. Even here in Texas, I bet those 4 guys weren't expecting their victim to fight back. Other 2 guys were caught by the cops. We have the Castle Doctrine in force here, so the college kid doesn't have any legal hassles about dropping those guys...

Comment from Cricket on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T18:01:13Z

Yes...they did. To check their weapons and take out any rounds. I know of one woman who does carry hers in in her handbag...in spite of it.

Yes, civil disobedience is had even among us.

Heh.

Comment from eric on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T17:44:50Z

The Onion News Network used to be funnier.

Comment from Boquisucio on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T16:43:53Z

Didn't mean to pick upon The Unitarians. It is however, that all Unitarians that I've met drive Subarus loaded-up with funky bumper stickers.

Tells you how much interdenominational understanding of things, I have.

Comment from PeterT on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T16:00:34Z

Cricket,

I hope at least a few of the congregants got up and left after that statement was read....

PeterT

Comment from Saker on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T15:49:29Z

I gotta admit, it's pretty awesome to see this man concerned for the physical as well as spiritual wellbeing of his congregation.

Comment from Cricket on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T15:48:48Z

The Rabbis RAWK!

My own faith has issued directives for none of us to carry arms inside our buildings. Yes, they were read over the pulpit. The members of the congregation who were prior service or LEO types were STUNNED.

Comment from Oldloadr on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T13:58:14Z

OK, so BOQ dissed the Unitarians (a little bit), but the Rabbi is absolutely right. Remember the person in Colorado that dropped a crazed killer in a Church there, not too long ago? As I recall, he had already killed one of the ushers when he entered the sanctuary.

Remember when a house of worship was a sanctuary? Me too, but it ain't that way any more, except for Mosques, of course... hmmm... (flashback to Iraq)

The Judeo-Christian community is under a 2-pronged attack from both radical Islam and radical secularism. We must be able to defend the congregants in seconds, as the rabbi said. Jesus said to turn the other cheek, but he also said a lot about taking care of the defenseless among us. Which reminds me of what I heard may years ago, "A good soldier doesn't kill because he hates what's in front of him, but because he loves what's behind him."

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T13:31:11Z

Well, my first father-in-law was a Unitarian and university prof and as well armed as I am, kinda, at least in that he has (still does) far more arms than he can use himself, and while he can't quite outfit a company, he can certainly arm two platoons.

And I have a former boss who is a Unitarian, and she wasn't too bad a shot herself.