So I got a call that there was a lockdown at my daughter's school today.

[ejpoeta]

Apparently, there was an armed robbery in a nearby town and there was a lockdown at our school. I called my husband and let him know about it and his response was that he would feel safer if we had a gun here. I said, how is that going to make it safer??? This is the first lockdown I've ever heard of at the school in the how many years we've lived here. We'd be more likely to have someone get hurt messing around with a weapon in the house.

I do not want any gun here. And I see no reason to have one now. Sure, people desperate do desperate things. But I don't feel any less safe then I did before. When a neighbor down the road was murdered, my thought was that I'd like a motion detector or something on the fence at the end of the driveway so I know when someone comes in our yard. I have never thought a gun would be the answer to any concerns I might have. I was so surprised by my husband's even suggesting such a thing.

[hedgehog]

1. Wait a minute, there was an armed robbery in another town,

so they locked down the school several miles away? Talk about paranoid!

[peacetalksforall]

2. The school administrators are doomed if they do and doomed if they don't.

If anything happened at the school, a post-mortum analysis would contain the question or the demand to know why they didn't close down.

[ejpoeta]

7. well, the message said the state police put them on lockdown.

[peacetalksforall]

11. And the statement could apply to them, also. Pre-caution - probably a good idea. No way to tell.

[MichiganVote]

5. Most people don't know that police usually recommend this to school officials.

[ejpoeta]

6. i think if i remember the original message correctly, the bad guys were headed

towards us. elba is less than ten minutes from here.

[Warpy]

3. The school lockdown is to prevent a couple of things

First, it's to prevent a thug going in and taking the kiddies hostage. Second, it's to prevent kids or teachers going outside and getting caught in any crossfire with police and said thug. It's a good precaution.

As for a gun in the house, it's more likely to get you in trouble. Just close the windows and lock the doors and the thug will pick something easier to take cover in.

[virginia mountainman]

4. I too share your husbands concern...

These are my daily, constant companians... On the left, is my cell phone, and two spare magazines, on the right, is my wallet, my CCW Permit, and my Glock 36 .45

I carry those items, with me EVERYDAY.

To the store, to the school (I follow the law), to the restaurants, EVERYWHERE.....



Just like the spare tire, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit, I pray I never need to use it.

[ejpoeta]

8. we don't have a lot of bad stuff happening around here. i think bill fickle's

murder was the first around here in years. the creepy part was that he was just at our house like the day before. he was running for something, if i recall... and he worked for the cable company and bob had asked him about working there. this is a quiet town. nothing ever happens here.

[virginia mountainman]

9. I too live in a quiet area..

Sadly, it is not "proof" against bad people. So I take precautions.

My life, is too important to my family, and their lives are too important to me, and I just don't want to take any chances and put my hopes for survival in the hands of a scared doped up felon, I also travel widely late at night, due to my job. Last night, I was in, Raleigh North Carolina, Greensboro North Carolina, and Charleston West Virginia.

Both North Carolina, and West Virginia, honor my Virginia permit.

EDIT: A gun in the house, can be a great thing, but it can also be a bad thing, if your willing to learn how to use it, use it well, and take proper care of it? Keeping it locked up? Are you also willing to USE IT, if needed??

If you are not willing to do all that, don't get it. But if you are, it can be a very effective tool, to keeping yourself and family safe.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. I agree with you to this extent

Having a firearm in the house is a good idea, but only if the person owning said firearm knows how to use it and how to properly store it. People who panic and go out to buy a gun "for protection" and never fire it are asking for trouble.

[virginia mountainman]

14. EXACTLY!!!

I am all for RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP...I am NOT in support of folks that go buy one, load it, and toss it in a dresser for about 10 years..

And they HONESTLY BELIEVE that if the time comes to use it, that they will be expert, and it will work perfectly...It does not work that way..

As I said, I DO, carry a sidearm, I have spent literally THOUSANDS OF HOURS shooting, and practicing, I will not trust to luck, I will rely on my skills, that I have honed over the years.

Granted, I am one of the exceptions, a novice, can get a gun, and within a few boxes of ammo, can become "Basically competent", as long, as the novice, makes it a point, to take the gun out to the range every few months, and shoot another couple or so of boxes of ammo..

Within a year, that little bit of good practice and training, will translate into a reasonably good shooter, in a self defence situation.

Actually, this is probably more training than most police departments offer..

[snooper2]

10. No Reason! Wait till that MOTHERFUCKING NARWHAL KNOCKS

MEAN BASTARD NARWHAL EAT YOUR FOOD AND EAT YOUR BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[anonymous171]

12. A gun is for self-defense. If you do not wish to defend yourself, do not get one.

Having a gun does not magically guarantee security.

[hedgehog]

15. I couldn't figure out why schools for 20 miles around would

be put in lock-down for a bank robbery until I saw this:




and this:

"The suspects are described as black males, wearing hoodies."

http://www.wbta1490.com/cgi_bin/news_view.pl

Races in Batavia:

* White Non-Hispanic (89.3%)
* Black (5.4%)
* Hispanic (2.5%)
* Two or more races (1.9%)
* American Indian (1.1%)
* Other race (1.1%)

http://www.city-data.com/city/Batavia-New-York.html



Sorry for the picture size - that's the way it came out.


Races in Elba:

* White Non-Hispanic (94.3%)
* Hispanic (3.3%)
* Black (1.4%)
* Other race (1.1%)
* American Indian (0.6%)

http://www.city-data.com/city/Elba-New-York.html

[anonymous171]

17. OH NOES A SCARY BLACK MAN!

It all makes sense now.

[northernlights]

16. You don't need a gun

you need a big, black loveable dog who will scare off anybody casing your place. And a little, high energy yappy dog, who will notify you if anything approaches within about 400 feet of your house, whether via the driveway or the backyard, the side yard, or tries to helicopter in.

Seriously, I had problems with neighbors (caught one literally casing my place) until I got my big dog. My neighbor's little yappy things (and my new noisy puppy) are the early warning systems that go off like cheap car alarms. The big dog checks out their warnings. If I hear him bark, I know there's either a passerby or a plane overhead.

[hedgehog]

18. With absolutely no evidence to point to, I am firmly convinced that most people

are robbed by someone from the neighborhood, regardless of the neighborhood.

[Fumesucker]

19. I agree..

It's usually someone you know or someone familiar with the neighborhood.

[ejpoeta]

20. we did have a big dog. he was a german shepherd and he had big sharp teeth.

he could keep people in their cars. he was a big baby who wouldn't hurt anyone.... he might lick them to death. though i think that if warranted he would have protected us. unfortunately, he was old and we ended up having him put down after he couldn't move anymore. I would like to get another dog at some point. I tend to prefer big dogs that are playful than yip yip dogs. We had a black lab some years ago that was the best!! he used to lick my daughter's feet as she lay in her car seat. we just need to find the right dog for us.

[konnichi wa]

21. Treat it like abortion. If you don't want one, don't get one.

:-)
\

[virginia mountainman]

22. Yep..

Too bad many in our party, tend to act like "jesus freaks" when ever the subject comes up..

They start shouting, and prostrating themselves on Sara Brady and Paul Hemlke's Rethug alter, at the cost of their's and our own freedom..