This is a perfect example of the way it works. If you shoot someone "by accident" you can generally expect no consequences at all, as long as you don't lie about it or try to cover it up.Authorities say a member of a Florida National Guard unit assisting at the Republican National Convention has been accidentally shot while examining his personal revolver in a hotel room with another guard member.The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said 21-year-old Michael Wdowiak was showing his handgun to Jeffrey A. Spurr when it discharged a single round while in Spurr's possession. The sheriff's statement said Wdowiak was hit in the upper body and left hand and required surgery. There was no immediate report on his condition.The sheriff's statement said alcohol did not appear to be a factor and there were no charges. It added at least three others in the room were not hurt. Wdowiak and Spurr are with a guard contingent from Ocala staying at the hotel, it said.
Even if you're a trained professional who should know the basic rules of gun safety, there are usually no charges, since it was only an accident.
This is wrong. Anytime a gun is negligently handled the responsible person should be held accountable.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Wherever there are guns, there are shootings. Knowing the rules of safety and having thorough training are no guarantee. Society is NOT safer with more guns around.
ReplyDeleteCurious how no one has been shot in my home. Firearms don't shoot themselves, and with a little bit of responsibility, they are as safe as any other powerful mechanical device.
DeleteHOLY CRAP, how in the world did I miss the part in your "One Strike You're Out" BS that says "report to a probation officer for 10 years". You're bat shit crazy Mike! If someone drops a gun or doesn't keep their gun in a safe and someone breaks into their home, you notice the "break into their home", and steals a weapon from the home, they'll have their weapons taken away and be on probation for 10 years, unable to protect themselves and their family? You want to victimize someone twice?
ReplyDeleteWhat you're saying equates to every time some thief steals a car, the owner of the car has his driving privileges taken away and has to report to a probation officer for those 10 years because he didn't keep his car in a safe.
BAT SHIT CRAZY!
Accidents happen every single day in this world Mike, if everyone were punished as you are suggesting we would need 10X the prisons that we already have. You are sounding more and more like you want to be the judge jury and executioner for anyone that has even the slightest mishap when it comes to guns. What about all of the other accidental ways people die everyday mike? You don't seem to care about those at all. You're being very hypocritical if you only focus on guns.
Why don't we start talking about how many people die from doctors negligence in prescribing medication? I guarantee you more people die every day from prescription pills than they do from being murdered by a gun in a month. We should put every doctor that accidentally kills a patient by over prescribing prescription meds on probation for 10 years and take away his dr. license.
Do you even care about how many children alone die each year from poisons? We should take away children and put parents on probation for 10 years everytime a parent leaves a poisonous chemical in the possible reach of children.
Why don't we talk about how many children alone die each year from drownings. I can guarantee you that more children drown each year than die from gun shots. We should take children away and put parents on probation every time the toilet seat is accidentally left open or accidentally leaves the back door to their house or gate to their swimming pool open.
By the way, who's going to pay for all of the probation workers to check on every single person that has these accidents?
What I'm saying doesn't equate to anything, not car theft or kidnapping. What I'm saying is about gun owner responsibility.
DeleteWhy are you so reluctant to hold irresponsible people accountable for their actions?
Removing guns from someone who has proven to be unfit and dangerous is not the same as "victimizing" them. It may be hard for you to believe, but most people protect their families and property without guns.
Mike a car is an object, poisons are an object and a gun is an object. Theft of an object is theft. Why should the owner of an object be punished if someone else stole that object? Isn't the thief the one breaking the laws and should be punished? Why aren't you trying to promote harsher punishments for the ones breaking the law by stealing instead of the property owners?
DeleteCan't you see what you're trying to do is just put a band-aid on that situation. Why don't we make potential thieves afraid to commit crimes. Why don't we make potential murders afraid to commit crimes. That is the root of the problem, criminals are not afraid to commit those crimes with our current system and statues.
I do not think dropping a weapon or leaving a weapon unsecured in ones home where there are no children present is a crime at all. If someone lost a gun, I could see making them take several training courses or at most 3-4 months without a gun but your 10 years on 1st offence is ridiculous. A judge and jury could figure out the rest of the sentences but I still think you're suggestions are crazy for some of them. Repeat offences changes things and depending which one, I could go along with some of your recommendations. But not on the first offence.
Honestly, I don't even know why I'm debating this because your suggestions are so ridiculous that they'll never be enacted.
Mikeb, this is the silliness that we've pointed out to you on many occasions. Remember how you wailed for the "severe" sentence that Rob Blagojevich received? The only "crime" that deserves stern punishment to you is an accident with a firearm. That's a strange set of priorities.
DeleteGreg, you're misrepresenting my position and you know it. I don't think jail is for white collar criminals except in rare extreme cases or multiple repeat situations.
DeleteI also don't think most gun mishaps should result in jail for the irresponsible gun owner. It's the loss of gun rights that is non-negotiable in my book which would improve the gene pool, so to speak, of you gun owners.
I agree with Greg here Mike, why aren't you posting more stories about these:
DeleteNumber of deaths for leading causes of death - 2009 - CDC
Heart disease: 599,413
Cancer: 567,628
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 137,353
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 128,842
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 118,021
Alzheimer's disease: 79,003
Diabetes: 68,705
Influenza and Pneumonia: 53,692
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 48,935
Intentional self-harm (suicide): 36,909
The vast majority of those deaths could be preventable if we changed laws restricting food manufacturers from making unhealthy processed foods. Force food manufacturers to reduce portion sizes. Force drink manufacturers to stop using high-fructose corn syrup and aspartame. Here's a great idea; punish people who have strokes, heart attacks and cause accidents(not just car accidents) because they were negligent in their lifestyle choices and it put others at risk.
But guess what Mike, people have rights and freedoms to do what they want and eat what they want. I chose not to eat *ANY* fast food or processed foods. I haven't for years in fact. I grow and raise 60% of the food my family eats because I have freedom to do that. There are people and companies that are trying to take away my right to grow my own food though because I'm not purchasing the majority of my food through them. Rights must be protected at all costs otherwise greed and corruption will take over.
You should change your blog name to "MikeB - Guns are evil, punish gun owners!"
Oooh! I got a good one, we should charge parents and put them on probation every time a child is kidnapped. Obviously they weren't being responsible and keeping an eye on their child 24/7.
ReplyDeleteLet me see if I get this right. Brady, VPC, CSGV, et al, claimed there would be blood in the streets because CCWs didn't have their rights trampled and could carry their firearms, but the security detail has a ND.
ReplyDelete...Michael Wdowiak was showing his handgun to Jeffrey A. Spurr when it discharged a single round while in Spurr's possession.
This is why I unload my firearm before turning over to someone else for inspection.
Baldr Odinson said: "Wherever there are guns, there are shootings. Knowing the rules of safety and having thorough training are no guarantee. Society is NOT safer with more guns around."
Really? Gun ownership is UP, concealed carry permits are UP, violent crime is DOWN, murders are DOWN, it seems as though society is safer, despite the fact that MORE guns are around.