I sincerely hope that's true. But then, I'm a cynic and have very little faith in the self-control of my fellow man I'm afraid of someone pulling their gun too quickly from either fear or anger or an over-abundance of testosterone.Tony Prior wrote:I seriously doubt that anyone who carries concealed thinks it's ok to shoot someone for stealing there Nashville 112.
Let me tell you a story:
My dad was a gun owner, and one day, when I was about 10 years old, I came home from school and found him lying on the couch passed out with alcohol on the table and pills scattered on the floor, his pistol also on the table in an obviously failed suicide attempt. Me and my sister stayed outside till our mother got home from work just a little bit later, and she immediately took us to a neighbor. Later, my dad shows up on the neighbor's front porch with gun in hand making demands. Our courageous neighbor refused him entry while he held the gun and eventually the situation was defused. But I can tell you it would have ended in bloodshed if not for our neighbor's calm stance. Yes, my dad did enter treatment and the incident was never repeated, but it was a very close call.
Another story:
One of my favorite composition professors from college opened a restaurant with his partner a couple of years after I graduated. After a about a year into it, he shot his partner, then himself. Murder/suicide made MUCH easier by the small amount of effort it takes to pull a trigger.
Another story:
I knew another person who had serious depression issues. He checked into a hotel with his girlfriend for a romantic get-away, but didn't tell her he planned to kill her, then himself. Well, when she saw the gun she ran, and he proceeded to shoot himself in the head.
Another story:
A friend who had serious delusions of grandeur went to India where he thought he could set himself up as a guru. Well, he was turned around immediately and sent back. Later, he shot himself in the head in what seemed to be an attempt to transcend death through force of will.
Now, in the States, we take it for granted that certain officials carry guns, i.e. police and other law enforcement types. We assume that in the course of their duties that they may need to protect themselves or others with deadly force. This is the nature of their jobs. Is it truly in the nature of a musicians job to have the need for recourse to deadly force?
And for the record, I am not anti-gun, but I am in favor of VERY strong regulations for hidden carry permits.