News article on the Gold Coast

[Heckler303]

If I ever argue with people about this again, I will ask them why police have weapons if weapons only make things worse-or the military, for that matter.

I've always agreed too, the threat of violence is a deterrent to violence itself.

[scotty87]

There is a series on YouTube called first person defender which places people with CC/OC in scenarios with actors to see how they respond to different levels of threat then assess the response.

[Gwion]

If I ever argue with people about this again, I will ask them why police have weapons if weapons only make things worse-or the military, for that matter.

People have a tendency to take things completely out of context, or just a snippet with no supporting background and then believe it as cold hard fact.

In this case, they are taking the fact that many people are known to have their own weapon used against them in an assault. This is because many people are under the delusion that simply having the weapon and some vague idea how to use it gives them the protection they need. The reality is that to successfully defend your self with any weapon you need three things:
1/ the weapon
2/ effective training in it's proper use and application
3/ the willingness and ability to use it effectively in a necessary situation.

Many, many people do not have the 2nd &/or 3rd requisites and some simply will never acquire them. In these cases, having a weapon does indeed 'just make things worse', because if the attacker was previously unarmed, they have now just been armed by and ineffective display of weaponry.

It is actually well documented by many law enforcement agencies but is very poorly understood by the general public.

[GLS_1956]

I wish you all well in getting a CCW permit law passed. I've had mine for about 5 years now but let me clue you into a few things about a concealed weapon, first they are a pain to carry, you have to dress around the weapon and with Australia's restriction on firearms, handguns specifically, you do not have the options that I do here in the USA. My preferred carry gun is a full sized 1911 in 45ACP, but people it is for the most part a winter gun, but the 5 inch barrel and full length grip frame is a bear to conceal. The 2 inch barreled 38 snub nose is easier to stash but with its steel frame and a couple of reloads it still hits the scales close to 2 pounds. My default gun is a 1 1/2 inched barreled 22 magnum mini-revolver that fits in a watch pocket but the grip and sights are so tiny that I'm sure only for the first shot, and it will be under 15 foot distance with follow up shots being timed in seconds and not tenths and hundredths of a second while a reload would be timed with an hour-glass. But in the long run the old saying that: "Carrying a gun is supposed to be comforting, not comfortable." runs true.

[vexesus]

It is actually well documented by many law enforcement agencies but is very poorly understood by the general public.

Nothing a little education wouldn't fix but people don't care to learn.

I'm not an expert or instructor or anything in this but you can see the mentality in a lot of people, especially yanks, when they pick up a pistol or talk anything about defence really, that they start feeling like Rambo and that's that... Or so they think.

[Jandamurra]

@vexuses
Not all yanks are braggers but they tend to be, and part of that is to talk tough. Sure, I'll concede that, but has it resulted in a bloodbath when gun laws were relaxed over there?
No, it hasn't, because this whole yanks-are-big-talkers thing has its limits.
Even most of the big talkers know how to be responsible with guns, otherwise we'd have seen an increase and not a decrease in violence after carry laws were liberalised over there.
You and Gwion seem to think you need to be some sort of SAS person to be able to carry in a safe and effective way. Of course safety is paramount, but IMHO there is such a thing as putting too much emphasis on training. I know that could come out all wrong but there, I said it.
Before the Glorious Revolution of 1996, members of the public the police considered to be sufficiently at risk because of domestic violence or some other reason were temporarily lent a handgun. I don't know precisely what kind of training was involved, but I imagine an officer took them through the basics for an hour or two. A useful basic level of ability to defend oneself with a gun is not rocket science after all.
They didn't seclude them in some ninja academy for two years on a diet of bread and water or something.
BTW I wonder how much training our hypocrite pollies get with their self-defence guns.

[vexesus]

Hey Jandamurra,

I never said anything like you need to be trained special forces, I said "a little education".

My point was more that in the states there is an over abundance of 'tough guy' mentality and persona.

Like the signs people put up with pictures of firearms and slogans like "This house doesn't call 911", "Make my day" or some other challenge or dare to break into the given household.

Home and self defence is obviously a serious thing, and being forced to shoot someone in a defence situation would be a horrible, horrible thing. I realise most of the signs and bravado are done jokingly, but I don't think there is any call or place for daring someone to try something or glorifying shooting an intruder.

I'm not arguing against self defence in any way, but it's serious thing and should be approached with respect, not bravado.

[Jandamurra]

@ vexesus
I didn't put words into your mouth and I'd appreciate it if you didn't put them in mine.
You said "a little aducation". Well, so did I!
Re-read my post.
If you do in fact realise those signs are bravado mainly, then I fail to see what you're worrying about.
I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to be joking about popping a cap in some criminal's ass than joking about having my wife and children raped and murdered. But that's just me.
Anyway, do you have any idea how much training was required to be allowed a handgun for self-defence in Australia before the post-PAM laws were brought in?