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On the Blog Post A real explanation of "assault weapons" and the myths perpetuated by the uninformed
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On the Blog Post A real explanation of "assault weapons" and the myths perpetuated by the uninformed
Alan Kaufman
5:13 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
Ms. Hayes didn't actually read the article and has bought into the misinformation in the media. None of the weapons used in any of the recent mass shoots were automatic weapons and an assault weapon ban has nothing to do with automatic weapons. Why bother responding if you haven't read the article?
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On the article Jeff Ward: Conceal and Carry Vs. an Armed Robbery? I Don't Think So
Alan Kaufman
10:31 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Jeff,
With all due respect, the reason that the posters are upset is due to your article's advocacy of pacifism. While you may not actually believe that pacifism is the solution, due to your response that you support concealed carry, the pacifism preached in your writing raises huge red flags to self defense advocates.
I don't want to put words in your mouth, but based on your posts, I suspect that you would support a "may issue" (California, New York, and Maryland) concealed carry system rather than a "shall issue" (Florida, Utah, and Wisconsin, etc.) system.
Illinoisans will never support a "may issue" system due to the abuses by sheriffs and police officers with those systems. It is next to impossible to convince a sheriff in a "may issue" state that you "deserve" the right of self defense, the "may issue" permitting systems are currently being challenged in multiple federal cases as being discriminatory and unconstitutional. A "may issue" system in Illinois would result in no permits being issued for residents of Chicago or Cook County, places that need concealed carry the most.
As for the "be a good witness" argument, all concealed carry classes teach this in some way. For example, when I obtained my Florida permit in Florida, we were specifically instructed NOT to intervene to try to stop a bank robbery for example. We were told to be witnesses in those situations. -
On the article Jeff Ward: Conceal and Carry Vs. an Armed Robbery? I Don't Think So
Alan Kaufman
10:30 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
ReplyJeff,
Let's take your logic to its conclusion:
If no one resisted crimes, would this encourage or discourage criminals from committing more crimes in the future? -
On the article Jeff Ward: Conceal and Carry Vs. an Armed Robbery? I Don't Think So
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On the article Jeff Ward: Conceal and Carry Vs. an Armed Robbery? I Don't Think So
Alan Kaufman
10:30 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
ReplyJeff,
Now you're just making up numbers. Did you run out of hypothetical situations to support your views? -
On the article Jeff Ward: Conceal and Carry Vs. an Armed Robbery? I Don't Think So
Alan Kaufman
10:30 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Jeff,
Your use of a hypothetical druggie just shows how utterly uninformed you are on the facts of concealed carry. Typical anti carry responses always consist of unfounded hypothetical situations. A criminal's number one fear is an armed victim, do some research. -
On the article Jeff Ward: Conceal and Carry Vs. an Armed Robbery? I Don't Think So
Alan Kaufman
10:30 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
ReplyI completely agree with Bud above. Furthermore, this article completely ignores the deterrent effect of concealed carry. In states with concealed carry, criminals at least have to consider whether their victims are armed. In Illinois, criminals are free to rape, murder, and rob whomever they please without fear of their victims being able to respond with what is considered lawful self defense in every other state in the country.
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On the article Turelli Joins Race for May’s Seat
Alan Kaufman
10:32 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
Reply“I’ve seen what Republican legislatures have done in other states," Sperling said. "I don’t want that to come to Illinois."--
Indeed, budget surpluses and balanced budgets achieved by republican controlled legislatures in other states are horrible things that should be avoided at all costs! It's no wonder that Illinois' businesses are fleeing the state, they can easily move to one of our Midwestern neighbors with favorable business environments. It's the myopic thinking of the democratic controlled legislature that has put Illinois into a mountain of debt and "more of the same" is not the answer. -
On the article Concealed Carry First Step Toward Obeying Constitution?
Alan Kaufman
5:18 pm on Monday, July 25, 2011
ReplyRik, very well said. Justice Scalia has made it perfectly clear, that we do not make decisions on constitutional law based on statistics.
Alan Kaufman
8:51 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
I appreciate all of the positive comments. I really wrote this article to try to clear up some of the "fog" around the current gun debate. Unfortunately, people will always make decisions based on emotional responses, rather than logic and there's no "reasonable" discussion that's going to change those sort of emotional views.
Again, no AUTOMATIC weapons were used in any of the recent mass shootings and an assault weapons ban has NOTHING to do with automatic weapons.
I intentionally avoided getting into a statistical discussion, because quite frankly it's been done to death and there are others that do a much better job of explaining it than I could, such as John Lott, linked above.
Yes, handguns are used in many more murders than rifles, but the discussion in congress, Illinois, and the media isn't about handguns--it's about rifles. Furthermore, an outright ban on handguns is unconstitutional, see DC v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago.