[Vision2020] Dorner and Gun Control

[Jeff Harkins]

Joe gets it . ..It is not uncommon for Joe and I to disagree.  It's nice 
and .... fun when we agree.

Remember the tragic Oklahoma City bombing.  For several days after the 
attack, news outlets were speculating on the perpetrators of the 
bombing.  Most fingers pointed to muslim/arab terrorists.  We all 
remember those ultimately identified as the culprits.

One lesson here is that the news should not be the result of speculation 
but facts.  In the rush to get the headline, the actual story is lost - 
and in the rush to be the first to pass on the story, the actual story 
is lost.

And given the apparent skills of the perpetrator, it is important to 
know, equivalently, his status.

I'm leaving the gun issue aside for awhile.  We will have ample 
opportunity to discuss guns in the near future and it should be a good 
discussion.

For the moment, let me highlight a couple of points:

1. The killer in this episode was not a currently serving peace officer 
(apparently he had been "wrongfully" discharged), but an armed services 
soldier trained and experienced with use of firearms.  If one is a 
civilian (without extensive weapons training) and encounters someone 
like Dorner, the best to hope for is to vacate the premises, pronto and 
if you are so inclined .... pray, but don't stop running!  And no doubt 
about it, Joe is correct when he says that police officers with special 
weapons training can be a menace.

2. Firearms in the hands of individuals without firearm training and 
experience are a problem and can also be a menace.  The solution is 
relatively easy - get training and practice.


On 2/12/2013 10:02 PM, Joe Campbell wrote:
> I'm watching the Dorner episode unfold and reading the V2020 posts, 
> and it is pretty clear no one knows what is happening at this point. 
> Is he dead? Not clear now, according to CNN.
>
> Keep in mind that this one man with a few guns worked skilled, trained 
> police officers into a frenzy. How many innocent victims were shot? I 
> don't remember.
>
> But what I do know is that skilled, trained police officers with guns 
> are a menace -- under the right unfortunate circumstances. People 
> blame the cops but what would you do? How would you react to a 
> situation in which you were a target? I'm guessing, not very well. Me 
> either.
>
> And you say guns are safe? If they are in the right hands? What hands 
> are those? Not the LA police.
>
> Guns are always a risk. That's why gun control is worthy of 
> consideration. Even skilled, trained police officers can be a menace 
> if the circumstances are unforgiving.
>
>
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