should everyone go back to the western days and carry a gun and maybe get shot for looking at someone wrong?

Answer 1

Bound's hubby here:

First off, your grasp of history is a bit distorted. Gun fights and shootings in the Old West, were more the work of dime novelists.

Armed societies, in general, are polite societies. Look at any state that permits their residents to carry concealed. In 99% of the cases crime rates have dropped. The reason for this? Criminals are cowards. They like passive victims that can not fight back. Look at the state of Florida about 10-15 years ago when the criminals targeted foreign tourists. You should ask... why was there a surge of violent and deadly attacks on foreign tourists? The answer to that is very simple. Foreign tourists were the only category of persons not granted the right to carry under the Florida legislation.

The majority of people that carry concealed know the consequences of carrying concealed and, perhaps, having to use their firearms. They face civil and criminal action if they use their firearms and those carriers will not flee the scene of a crime.

Will there be more shootings in an armed society? More than likely, no. Will an armed society be more polite? Damn right.

Good luck and sleep tight.

Answer 2

I honestly don't believe it was quite that bad back then but I sure do see it happening now more than ever. Back then you wouldn't see a 12 yr old carrying a gun but today it's a common thing. It's sure too bad what the world is coming to because even snot nose kids that are 12 yrs. old or so can buy a gun off the street. The difference between then and now is that back then they had mostly revolvers but some derringers and with todays guns they are more sleek and small where you can carry them in your pocket and noone would know you were carrying.

Answer 3

Times were different, duelling was not considered outrageous, there was little in terms of formal law enforcement, and there were a couple of major economic depressions. The Wild West was full of young men who drank heavily, so the demographics were such that the groups likely to resort to violence were grossly over-represented. And yet we still remember the names of almost all the old "bad men" who became infamous because, during their lives of crime, they killed perhaps a half-dozen men. Truly crazy violence is more likely now than then, and in states where "carry laws" have been liberalized, gun crime has pretty well uniformly decreased as more normal citizens have been armed, either in actuality or at least potentially in the minds of the bad guys, so going back to the western days could very easily decrease illegal shootings based on what is known about such things, though it runs counter to the instinct of many who aren't very familiar with guns.

Answer 4

You've been watching too many Westerns. . .

While going around armed was not unusual, gun fights in the street were. Most of the stories about old west gunslingers were just that, stories. Mostly exaggerated.

One of the reasons for so few gun fights was that western justice was swift and sure. Murder someone and your neck was stretched pretty darned quick. No 10 to 20 years of appeals then.

Answer 5

Now that you mention it we are being shot for looking at someone wrong at present while everyone is not bearing
arms. Are not happy of limiting self defense arms to projectile weapons. They kill too easily and often death flys to an uninvolved third party. Suggest every citizen carry the weapons of Imperial Rome. Watch heads and limbs fly but no further than a spear toss. Where can I buy these same autocratic tools of steel?

Answer 6

Self preservation from psychos may dictate gun carry for those who wish to survive. Getting shot for no reason (to wit: Looking wrong at someone) is homicide/attempted homicide and must be prosecueted as such. Same as when someone shoots at another driver over a road-rage incident, the shooter must face the consequences of his actions. No exceptions. Then and only then will things improve.

H

Answer 7

Wow. This is one of the STUPIDEST questions I've ever seen.

Do you actually know anyone who has been shot for "looking at someone wrong"? Do yourself a favor, and quit listening to the morons at the Brady "Campaign" to Prevent "Gun Violence", and refuse to fall victim to the jingoistic generalizations about guns being foisted on us by the media.

The credibility you save may be your own...

Answer 8

As the U.S.Supreme Court itself has ruled that no police force has the duty to protect an individual citizen, who do you think is responsible for the personal defense of your family or your own self?Why do you think crime statistics, especially violent crime, DROPS drastically wherever a new Concealed Weapon Law is passed? ! ! ! AND THEY ARE HIGHEST WHERE THERE ARE NO SUCH LAWS?! ! !
Are you gonna be a Citizen, or a Slave? Wolf, or sheep?
A man, or a mouse?
P.S. There was a LOT less violence, with firearms, or otherwise, in the "Old West" than there is in ANY 'modern city' TODAY!
In the words of one of our greatest authors, Robert A. Heinlein, the "Dean of Science Fiction", "An armed society is a POLITE society."

Answer 9

That depends on whether you want to be a Victim or Survivor. Predator or Prey, the choice is up to you, you decide.. The old Boy Scout Motto is be prepared.. Good Luck

Answer 10

Jeff Cooper said it best, " You cannot prevent bad people from having guns, therefore, you should encourage good people to carry guns and count on the fact that there are more good people than bad"