A sheriff speaks out.

http://www.wyff4.com/r/29638219/detail.html

I know that this doesn't have anything to do with what we have here in Virginia, but I thought it was very interesting that this sheriff was encouraging his citizens to arm themselves. If South Carolina was an open carry state, maybe this crime could have been avoided before it happened.

It's about CC (remember, this is a South Carolina article), but check out the poll... well over 10,000 votes!

TFred

Yeah, should have gone in the "News and Political Events" section.

Semper Fi.

T Dubya said:

Yeah, should have gone in the "News and Political Events" section.

Semper Fi.

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Oops! Sorry new guy here!

Semper Fi

Sheriff Wright on his gun control views: "Gun control is when you can get your barrel back on the target quick."

My kind of sheriff.

Along with Arizona's Sheriff Dupnik.

Don't forget Sheriff Joe Arpaio! My personal favorite is the uniforms: pink undies and widely striped pants and shirts.

http://www.google.com/search?q=sher...&ei=ammwTrOZKqH1sQKp9LDpAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CFoQsAQ

My sense of ethics says humiliation is not an acceptable form of punishment.

since9 said:

My sense of ethics says humiliation is not an acceptable form of punishment.

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Then what is an acceptable form of punishment?

The results of the attached poll is interesting in that 63% say they already carry a weapon. I realize that this is a very unscientific poll but 63% of the SC population does not have a CWP. That means either a select few are voting in the poll, people are lying about it or lots of people in SC are carrying without a CWP. The sheriff of a neighboring county of Spartanburg once told me that he estimated that at least 50% of all the men over 60 in his county carried a gun and very few had a CWP. He also said that as long as they "behaved" themselves with it he did not care. Just something to think about.

I may or may not know highly respected individuals that carried, in the past, without being granted the special privilege of carrying a firearm. I may or may not have said I would never get a permit to carry a firearm because permits are unconstitutional. I may or may not have finally decided to get the unconstitutional permit so I could stay legal (Ok, I did get a permit, and it really gets me heated to think I have to have one to be able to carry). I may or may not consider myself a sell out.

I don't condone breaking the law, but, you gotta do what you gotta do" to protect your loved ones.

As I said, don't take this as condoning breaking he law... I strive to do things within the law, now-a-days, so I can say I fight the "good fight" with honor. I wouldn't hold it against anybody to see it differently. If SC had the option of open carrying without a permit, like so many the states do, then there would be less people breaking the law.

carsontech said:

If SC had the option of open carrying without a permit, like so many the states do, then there would be less people breaking the law.

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I am not sure that there would be less people breaking the law or that it can be proven one way or the other. The numbers may not go down or up but the types of people breaking the law and the types of laws broken would probably change. It would be nice to find out and do a study on it to see what actually would happen. I will agree totally that if the ladies jogging in the park were carrying a gun openly on their side as they jogged the likelyhood of them being attacked would drop to near zero.

When one gets a gun and carries it they need to know several things. They need to know how to use the gun which is the part that everyone seems to focus on. Also they need to know when to use the gun and unfortunately that part seems to be lost or ignored by too many people. Along with that right to carry a gun comes the responsibility to know how and when to use it. Too many people seem to concentrate on the right without worrying about the responsibility.

since9 said:

My sense of ethics says humiliation is not an acceptable form of punishment.

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Punishment is generally not accepted as ethical. I would be curious to know what you consider ethical punishment.

To get back on topic; the sheriff seems to have a good idea.

PT111 said:

I am not sure that there would be less people breaking the law or that it can be proven one way or the other. The numbers may not go down or up but the types of people breaking the law and the types of laws broken would probably change. It would be nice to find out and do a study on it to see what actually would happen. I will agree totally that if the ladies jogging in the park were carrying a gun openly on their side as they jogged the likelyhood of them being attacked would drop to near zero.

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When I said there would be less people breaking the law if SC had unlicensed open carry, I meant there would be less people breaking the law because they no longer have to carry a concealed firearm without a permit, which is illegal.

PT111 said:

When one gets a gun and carries it they need to know several things. They need to know how to use the gun which is the part that everyone seems to focus on. Also they need to know when to use the gun and unfortunately that part seems to be lost or ignored by too many people. Along with that right to carry a gun comes the responsibility to know how and when to use it. Too many people seem to concentrate on the right without worrying about the responsibility.

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I agree that training is good, but a right is a right. We should recommend people get training, but shouldn't force them to.

I disagree with "Too many people seem to concentrate on the right without worrying about the responsibility." The amount of people open carrying without a permit, legally, seem to have there ducks in a row on how to use a firearm safely and when to use a firearm.

I can hear the Brady Bunch coming now, "...but, but, but... BLOOD WILL RUN THROUGH THE STREETS!" :banghead:

Whenever the idea of training is brought up different concepts of what training is enters peoples mind. Some consider training to be a formal Front Sight 4-day deal and others not so much. My idea of training that anyone needs before carrying a gun is the very basic concepts and knowlege. For instance unless you can fire a gun without closing your eyes and looking the other way you shouldn't carry a gun. Unless you know how to load one and which end of the barrel the bullet comes out of you shouldn't carry one. I don't care if you can put 5 in the 10 ring and 25 yards but you should be able to hit your assaliant at 5 feet without hitting a bystander 50% of the time. You should also know where it is legal to carry and were it is not and what is self-defense and what is excessive force. When I mention required training I am talking about the very basics of using a gun, and is what everyone should know. Unfortunately I have seen people wanting to carry a gun that could not do any of the above requirements. Yes it is their right but it is also their repsonsibility. It is your right to have free speech but it is also your responsibility to speak truth and know the difference.

carsontech said:

...
I agree that training is good, but a right is a right. We should recommend people get training, but shouldn't force them to.

I disagree with "Too many people seem to concentrate on the right without worrying about the responsibility." The amount of people open carrying without a permit, legally, seem to have there ducks in a row on how to use a firearm safely and when to use a firearm. ...

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Wrong. Society should compel people to be trained in the use of arms. Such is legal, constitutional, protective of peoples rights and simply prudent; it was even once federal law. However, I will agree that people should not have to get a license with training requirements to own, carry or conceal firearms.

Daylen said:

Wrong. Society should compel people to be trained in the use of arms. Such is legal, constitutional, protective of peoples rights and simply prudent; it was even once federal law. However, I will agree that people should not have to get a license with training requirements to own, carry or conceal firearms.

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Requiring someone to be trained in something is different than requiring them to be trained before they can exercise a right. By requiring training for everyone it doesn't discriminate against anyone and isn't directly tied to the exercise of one's rights. As such that is a different subject than requiring training before one can exercise their right.

One should be encouraged to take weapons training, but it should not be required. Much like how it would be wise for one to be able to speak proper English before exercising their first amendment in a public setting, but it isn't required.

Aknazer said:

Requiring someone to be trained in something is different than requiring them to be trained before they can exercise a right. By requiring training for everyone it doesn't discriminate against anyone and isn't directly tied to the exercise of one's rights. As such that is a different subject than requiring training before one can exercise their right.

One should be encouraged to take weapons training, but it should not be required. Much like how it would be wise for one to be able to speak proper English before exercising their first amendment in a public setting, but it isn't required.

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Maybe I'm just a bit dense right now but are you agreeing or disagreeing?

Daylen said:

Wrong. Society should compel people to be trained in the use of arms. Such is legal, constitutional, protective of peoples rights and simply prudent; it was even once federal law. However, I will agree that people should not have to get a license with training requirements to own, carry or conceal firearms.

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Wrong. :lol:

carsontech said:

I agree that training is good, but a right is a right. We should recommend people get training, but shouldn't force them to.

The amount of people open carrying without a permit, legally, seem to have there ducks in a row on how to use a firearm safely and when to use a firearm.

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Two very insightful contributions to this thread.

Thanks.

Daylen said:

Then what is an acceptable form of punishment?

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Incarceration, preferably short and intense, including hard labor, so as to make the prisoners wish they were anywhere but in prison.