I don't get it - explain?

Gry

I’ve never been in a situation in which I needed a gun to defend myself.
Maybe it's a brain thing.

My mind has served me well.
Even as a gay boy in private and public schools I have never been stabbed, beat up, or shot.
In fact the only extreme physical violence I have ever been the victim of was at the hands, and various other objects, of my father in our Christian nuclear family.
Come to think of it, maybe guns in the home would have been a great idea.

Maybe Bernard and I, growing up gay, have dealt with fear so constant, relentless and socially sanctioned that after 47 years we have come out on the other side.

Now, the closest I get feeling concerned for my safety is here the Coffee Room.
There are some scary people here.

I don’t think you and I need to talk about Christ.
You come across as quite well informed.

OMG. How did I miss 9 pages of this thread.

I just had to bump it back up to make Kenny cringe one more time.

Kenny, if we ever meet, do me just one favor. Don't look at my butt. It creeps me out when gay guys look at my butt. OK? Deal?

Hey! Stop it! My eyes are up here.

We'll talk hybrids later.

Huh? You hope you're one what? Gay guy??

What's that[/b], Mr.Plays?
You mean that avatar ISN'T your backside?




Bob

[editor's explanatory note]:

Plays88's post crossed mine.
The MR.Plays reference was not a typo aimed at Plays' avatar ... or anything else of hers :rolleyes: )
It referred, rather, to the recent "outing" of Improviso as Plays88's real-life husband, heretofore euphemistically (and mendaciously) referred to by Plays88 only as "Mr.Plays".

Mr. Plays thinks he's going back in the closet.

Imrpo I don't give a rats butt about your butt.

Besides, why are straight guys so freaked out if a man looks at them?
I don't freak out when women look at me all the time in that hot and bothered, lustful, passionate, longing, pleading, begging, and desparate way.
I just break their little ol hearts and pass them on to TomK

But I just register the compliment and move on.
I feel no threat to my manhood or gayhood or whatever.
I certainly have never felt uncomfortable, embarrased, nervous, hostile, or decked a woman for her wandering eye.

I think we need more Chris and Mr. Plays and less Improv around here (at least on this thread).

jf

I know *for a fact* that Kenny's butt is cute. Get over it.

I second that!

I have never had to use a gun to defend myself, either, but I know people who have, including a 30 year old wife. When a couple of guys approach you at an ATM wielding knives I hope your brain can get you out of trouble. When you encounter someone else being assaulted I hope your brain can save them.

Unfortunately you can open up the LA Times every day and see evidence of people whose brain did not save them.

Fear Fear

I'm slow. Perhaps you can explain your statement.

Fear redundancy.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Let's see, who said that?

A guy who definitely was not afraid of using force.

I have legally carried a gun for 27 years. I have never had to use it, but have pulled it on 2 occasions, once when a guy pulled a 10" Rambo knife because I laid his wife off at work. How these 2 situations would have turned out, had I not had the gun, I don't want to know.

It gives me a warm in control feeling, even though I can't hit a barn with a handgun. I can hit though with the 12ga Ithaca pump with a pistol grip and 14" barrel that I have under my truck seat.

lb

The only time I needed a gun was in boot camp.
I'm careful to stay out of trouble.
Sure, crime *can* happen anywhere to anyone.
But I just am not afraid enough to go get a gun.

Fear, it must be a very powerful emotion in your life.
Not in mine.

I contend that if a man were to be truly Christ-like he would have to let his enemies utterly destroy him, as well as anyone else they pleased, and raise not a finger of defense but only the clasped hands of prayer.

I'm not necessarily advocating such behavior, but that's how I see Jesus.

I'm not necessarily advocating such behavior, but that's how I see Jesus.[/b]

Maybe as you grow and mature into an adult you'll learn to see the whole picture.

Kenny

Some people are not able to lead the peaceful sheltered life that others enjoy. There are jobs and situations that some people must face, so others can enjoy the benefits.

lb

lb
I think I understand.
Sort of.
Are you saying that you support people so you have do work in a situation where your safety is compromised?

I don't think that is a good argument for carrying a gun.
If that is, then dump the job and the gun.

I have a good paying job.
I don't need a gun to defend myself at work.
I use the ATM in the middle of the day, at lunch where I work surrounded with my coworkers.
I always get enough cash to last me.
I never run low so I never have to go out in the dark to an ATM.

I'm just saying we make choices.
We can be careful to *prevent* trouble.
Nobody is forcing you to have a job in which you have to lay people off.
I have turned down such positions for that very reason.

As I said before, crime can happen to anyone anywhere, but it is my opinion that, like car accidents, you can avoid most of the crap that can happen to you.

I burn credit card offers I get in the mail.
I lock my car, home doors and windows.
etc. etc.

Just be smart and careful.
Not fearful.

To me getting a gun would signal a failure.
It would mean that I no longer feel in control of my safety.

Just my opinion.
Keep your gun.
I don't care.

I have firearms just in case. It is a hell of a lot easier to to have a firearm when you need one than to need a firearm when you don't have one.

Kenny

If you were running a company and a hard decision had to be made to lay people off, what would you do, not do it and let the company go broke.

If you had ot cross a picket line to get to work and the companies future depended on you doing it, what would you do, let the company close.

If you had to go to a piano store and reposses the stores inventory because they couldn't or wouldn't pay for it, what would you do, let the poor sap keep it.

I could go one and on with examples. These are positions that some people must put themselves in, and they have the potential to be hazardous. Fear has nothing to do with it.

You lead a self imposed sheltered life, but someone has to do these jobs, so you can enjoy the benefits. Don't criticize them, thank them.

lb

Posted by Larry:

By all means, share those parts of the picture I seem to be missing. Where in the Bible did Jesus use force to protect his own safety?

Jim beat me to it.

So you are saying that there is nothing to be concerned with, eh? You, the one who was gleefully contemplating being a martyr for wearing the "I had an abortion" T-shirt? I will continue this in a later message.

Practice is the key, Larry. You need to go to the range a lot more often.

No, Kenny, fear is not an emotion in my life, period. Fear is not why I choose to take responsibility for myself and others. I can only ask why you choose not to defend yourself and others? Now who is exhibiting fear? You'll only use an ATM during the middle of the day when you're surrounded by other people you work with?

Oh, the mom I mentioned earlier who had to pull her concealed handgun at an ATM? Happened at about 5pm during the middle of the summer. In the city.

Maybe the reason you (and Bernard) abandon defense is because you aren't responsible for the well-being and the welfare of others. You have no wife. You have no kids. You don't have to worry about protecting your seven year old daughter because you don't have one.

Perhaps I was wrong in trying to get you and Bernard to take responsibility for your self protection. Perhaps I shouldn't care if you or Bernard protect yourself or not. That is your choice. I only care if you try to deny me the ability to protect myself and my wife and kids.

You're a presumptuous sort aren't you, gryphon!?

From the little I've written you've decided that I don't take responsibility for protecting myself!?

How small minded.

Don't worry about me gryphon, I've survived a mugging, 2 against 1, they had a long sharp kitchen knife (Oh, yeah, really scary) (and yeah, they got my money--all $40 but I got my life); a mugging, 3 against 1 (I scared the pants off those little bastards let me tell ya--and they got $5!), and another mugging by a crazy (well, that might have been a fair fight! HaHa!). An here I am.

Lord knows where I'd be now had I been carrying a gun. Some people fight fire with fire, some think water works better.

I was just curious because I read it somewhere recently and didn't know if it was true or not but is Van Cliburn gay?