Mandate, My Ass: "You're Going To Shoot Me?" "Yep, 'Fraid So, Ol' Chap! Sorry!"

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TERROR

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OUT

OF IRAQ

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

"You're Going To Shoot Me?" "Yep, 'Fraid So, Ol' Chap! Sorry!"

Wonkette, writing for the Time Magazine blog, picks up on John Derbyshire, over at The Corner at National Review Online:

Spirit of Self-Defense [John Derbyshire]

As NRO's designated chickenhawk, let me be the one to ask: Where was the spirit of self-defense here? Setting aside the ludicrous campus ban on licensed conceals, why didn't anyone rush the guy? It's not like this was Rambo, hosing the place down with automatic weapons. He had two handguns for goodness' sake—one of them reportedly a .22.

At the very least, count the shots and jump him reloading or changing hands. Better yet, just jump him. Handguns aren't very accurate, even at close range. I shoot mine all the time at the range, and I still can't hit squat. I doubt this guy was any better than I am. And even if hit, a .22 needs to find something important to do real damage—your chances aren't bad.

Yes, yes, I know it's easy to say these things: but didn't the heroes of Flight 93 teach us anything? As the cliche goes—and like most cliches. It's true—none of us knows what he'd do in a dire situation like that. I hope, however, that if I thought I was going to die anyway, I'd at least take a run at the guy.

Okay, Fucknutz. Never mind how bloody-ass macho you need to make yourself out to be, at the expense of thirty-two dead kids. Never mind calling a ban on concealed weapons on a fuckin' college campus "ludicrous".

If handguns aren't very accurate at close range, and you can't hit squat and you doubt this guy was any better than you, why isn't the body count goddamn zero?

Why didn't anyone rush the guy? Have you actually been in a classroom? They aren't exactly designed for Hong Kong combat moves.

"... [T]wo handguns for goodness' sake—one of them reportedly a .22. At the very least, count the shots...." COUNT THE SHOTS?!? Someone comes bursting into a room firing guns, and you expect people to know what weapon is being fired at them, with what modifications, and keep track of the ammo? This isn't fuckin' Gunsmoke, you cretin.

I'm not precisely sure what's on Derbyshire's alleged mind, or what idea he hopes to advance by this -- that he himself is a Manly Man? that handguns really aren't that dangerous unless the victim is a coward? that gun control laws are pointless and we should all just be vigilant, or vigilantes? that doing badly at a firing range makes you an expert on self-defense against gunmen? that A = Blue, or kumquats divided by chef's knives = dessert?

I am quite sure of one thing, though.

John Derbyshire is a pompous, preening bag of shit.

# posted by filkertom : 7:59 AM

Comments:

Tom,

ChiRaven here, but I'm logged in today remote and don't have my passwords handy.

On this shooting issue I just don't agree with you. If this asswipe is already shooting people all around me just for the fun of hearing his gun go "bang", and I were close enough to do so, I'd like to think that I would be stand-up (OK, or stupid) enough to try to take the guy down before he could do any more. I mean, it may put me next on his list instead of 3 or 4 further down, but it might actually keep a few people (maybe even including me) alive, especially if it encourages a few other people more or less in the same area to lend a hand.

Maybe the difference is that I'm in my 60's and you're not, or that you're an American singing icon and I'm not, but I think that if I could possibly make a difference in such a situation it would be my obligation to my classmates and myself to give it a try.

# posted by