Associated Press/Pat Sullivan - In this Sunday, May 19, 2013, photo, Dan Blackford, right, shows Rory Strain, 12, how to hold a shotgun at a shooting range Sunday, May 19, 2013, in Houston. Strain lives in
Kyle Coplen, the project's 29-year-old founder said his group expects to train at least 50 Oak Forest residents and put up signs saying the neighborhood is armed."When we have a crime wave, we don't just say let's just increase police and that's all we do. We do multiple things. I see this as one aspect of what we can do," said Coplen, who graduated from the University of Houston with a master's degree in public administration.It costs the organization about $300 to arm and train an individual and about $20,000 for an entire neighborhood. All costs are paid through donations, said Coplen, though he declined to say how much his organization has raised so far.
While some residents in the neighborhood are supportive, several officials have mixed feelings about it.
Pro-gun folks don't seem to consider the downside of more guns in homes. Not only will accidents go up, but so will theft. Some of these guns will end up in criminal hands.
Plus, when these shotguns start protecting their owners and the owners' property, unnecessary DGUs will take place. People will be hurt and killed who don't deserve it.
David Hemenway, a professor of health policy and management at the Harvard School of Public Health who has written about firearms and health, said studies suggesting gun ownership deters crime have been refuted by many others that say the opposite.
"Mostly what guns seem to do is make situations more lethal because most crime has nothing to do with guns," he said. "When there is a gun in the mix, there is much more likely to be somebody dying or somebody incredibly hurt."
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
To use the Internet spam meme, there's one weird trick to not deserving to get shot: Don't break into another person's home.
ReplyDeleteCoplen is training the people he's giving guns to. He's founded a charity organization that's working to do good. But since he doesn't sing out of the control freak hymnal, he must be criticized by those who hate freedom.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that currently they are only giving away single shot weapons due to cost issues. Also because it isnt a popular weapon in regards to criminal users.
Our very own Vice President has said that all anyone needs to protect themselves is a shotgun to fire warning shots into the air, or through our door when we're scared.
While I understand that you and Laci dont like burglars being shot since you feel that protecting property using deadly force to be too extreme, please keep in mind that a more accurate term for a burglary committed when the occupants are present is a home invasion, or robbery.
Police officers respond to all of these crimes with guns drawn. Why shouldnt the victim?