Sorry to rain on your gun rights parade.
Dear Gun Rights Advocates:
Me again.
I know. I’m a pain in the tush.
Likewise…
Since I have subscribed to many of your newsletters and read many of your blogs, I’ve noticed that a lot of you have been celebrating a recent “victory” that happened in Trimble, MO last week. Here’s a brief summary.
Bank robber walks into the First Security Bank of Trimble and shows a gun demanding money.
Sounds like something taken from the Bank Robbery 101 play book.
Mr. Bank Robber gets shot in the bank while attempting to rob the bank.
Mr. Bank Robber gets in car fleeing the bank.
Mr. Bank Robber takes police on a high-speed chase.
Mr. Bank Robber gets caught and is now in hospital and will go to jail.
Gun rights advocates go crazy with joy! See good guy with gun took out bad guy with a gun - a la Wayne LaPierre. Parties are had all over the country celebrating a victory showing that armed civilians won this round.
Everyone lives happily ever after.
The end.
Not so fast my gun-toting friends. Let’s stop and think about some of these facts for a moment.
First,it wasn’t exactly an armed “civilian”, it was a guard at the bank. As far as I know, most guards at banks carry guns. I know, here we go again with those silly facts.
Also, it begs the question if it was a civilian doing business at the bank, what’s the point of those signs posted everywhere with a gun and a slash across it?
Second, if the guard/civilian did shoot the bank robber in the face, the guard/civilian is a pretty bad shot and was just lucky not to hit innocent bystanders.
Mr. Bank Robber gets out of the bank, into his car and leads police on a 25 MILE POLICE CHASE from Trimble, MO to Kansas City. Now I’ve never been shot in the face, so I’m just guessing, but I can imagine that if I was accurately shot in the face, operating a motor vehicle correctly for 25 miles would be pretty gosh darn hard. It was reported that the robber got up to speeds in excess of 95 mph and ran over 4 stop strips. Pretty good for being shot in the face.
Again, I’m no gun expert as I’ve stated previously, but if I got shot accurately in the face, I would assume I would be dead. That’s right - probably pretty darn dead. Now I’m also no driving expert - just a regular driver, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say I would need a face to drive a car. I need two eyes and maybe even my mouth to scream, “holy crap that hurt.” So where exactly was he “shot in the face”?
I know…like I originally stated, I can be a total pain with all of these questions. I was one of those kids who constantly asked why.
So before you keep celebrating your gun rights victory, take a second and think about some of these things. I don’t consider a guard at a bank a “civilian”. I think the Department of Motor Vehicles may want to add on our driving requirements that everyone driving have a face. That is if we are going to be able to drive say more than 5 miles.
Anyway, sorry for interrupting your gun love fest.
Yours in annoying questions,
Aimee
Rick Boatright
2 months, 3 weeks agoNot a guard. By all reports the Trimble bank doesnt have guards. Nor is it posted as a gun free zone so the person carrying wad breaking no law. Finally, would you like us to cite the number of people head shot with 45s that continued to fight? In one cheek and out the other or in the jaw and out the cheek. Lots of ways a face shot isnt life threatening. It did stop the robbery tho..
Matt Henry
2 months, 2 weeks agoThe key words in this piece of sanctimonious tripe: “As far as I know…”. A tantamount admission that she doesn’t know but will talk about it anyway. Followed closely by “I’m no gun expert,” but she’s going to tell us what we should know about guns and marksmanship and how people shoot and how they react to being shot anyway. Crimony.
And why is a bank guard not a civilian (if it even was a guard)? There is a reason they call them “rent-a-cops” and they hold no more power than any other civilian. If they carry a weapon it is as a civilian, not as a cop, right? As far as you know?
The regulars on the Star board are pretty bad about writing about things they absolutely have no clue about. The guest voices are utterly absurd, constantly writing whole columns on things they haven’t even taken the time to investigate even the biggest and most obvious details.
If you want an example of a person who saw what they wanted to see because they went into a situation full of preconceived notions, this one was it.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 2 weeks agoyou get your atta-girl ms. patton for publishing something you obviously know little about…. but like my grandfather said, “never let a lack of knowledge prevent you from speaking with authority”…
Kent Mueller
2 months, 2 weeks agoAimee. Let me start by saying that I know you are a bright lady. We may disagree on most things, but you are a bright person.
But, I have to ask why you choose to write in your acerbic style? I think everyone pretty much agrees that there is very little political dialogue and that that is a big problem. Your style is nothing less than poking a finger into each eye of those who believe differently than you. What is the point? I know others do that. Rush Limbaugh and Paul Krugman come to mind, as well as Sean Hannity and Bill Maher.
Why do that? It may be fun, but currently, you are part of the problem. However, you could become part of the solution if you would change your style.
Matt Henry
2 months, 2 weeks agoIf you think this author in interested in any kind of “political dialogue” then I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I can sell you really cheap. When someone leans in and pokes a finger in your eye, there’s a pretty good chance that he or she meant to do it. Nope, that finger was aimed. And it hit its mark.
Those on the left who scream about wanting “compromise” or “dialogue” want nothing of the sort. Has the President himself been an agent of dialogue, despite all his protestations regarding the obstructionism of the Republicans? This sequester thing, from beginning to end; has he looked for any compromise, anywhere, to solve the problem? Please…. How can someone whose ideology is centered around the antithesis of personal liberty compromise with those who believe personal liberty is a self-evident right? Conservatives will continue to get their hind-ends handed to them until they are willing to absorb this simple truth and begin to stand up to his (and this author’s) elitist thuggery.
Aimee doesn’t want to compromise. That finger is in your eye on purpose.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 2 weeks agoAimee….is Matt right?
Brian Gleason
2 months, 2 weeks agoYou can tell by the entire tone of the article she clearly hates guns, and goes on to rant about the whole situation without even knowing the entire facts of what occured.
Lets first start with this “First,it wasn’t exactly an armed “civilian”, it was a guard at the bank. As far as I know, most guards at banks carry guns. I know, here we go again with those silly facts.
How about the actual FACTS. IT WASN’T A GUARD. It was a bank teller that has his concealed carry permit. Those are what we call “civilians”. So that throws out that horribly biased garbage phrase of hers ( that she toutes as fact ).
Then there is this, “Also, it begs the question if it was a civilian doing business at the bank, what’s the point of those signs posted everywhere with a gun and a slash across it?” Does this bank even have that? You can conceal carry at banks that allow it, because owners who have gone through the hoops to be allowed to conceal carry ( takes alot of time and work here in NY ) are RESPONSIBLE citizens that aren’t going to draw or show thier gun in the bank, unless a situation like this robbery arrises. The phrase just shows her sheer ignorance on the topic.
Then lets get to this, “”Again, I’m no gun expert as I’ve stated previously, but if I got shot accurately in the face, I would assume I would be dead.”” Nope. This robber was shot in the jaw, so he was still able to function. AFter he got shot, he felt it was in his best interest to leave the scene before he got shot again. You must be like the Politicians here in NY that think 1 bullet magically kills people. Must get your gun knowledge from Movies like most liberals.
“”Second, if the guard/civilian did shoot the bank robber in the face, the guard/civilian is a pretty bad shot and was just lucky not to hit innocent bystanders. “” When you get into situations like this, aiming a gun, even in short ranges isn’t an easy task. Most Concealed carry holders under-go pistol classes for requirements of getting a license, are taught well in gun safety, and in knowing when to fire a gun. When it comes to shooting a gun, any gun, it is one of the main points of safety, that you are always aware of what is behind the object you are shooting at.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 2 weeks agoAll these questions ms. patton and no answers. Cat got your tongue or is it a sore tush from the spankings WITH FACTS????
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 2 weeks agonotice how libs don’t answer questions when they are proven wrong?????