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July 20th 2012 was one of those shocking national tragedies we're so used to in America. A crazily well-prepared, heavily armed PhD student stormed a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises, murdering 12 people and wounding 50 more.
I've had a lot of emotions about this case. I think about how I was with my best friend and my wife last night and we were all laughing while a few hours away twelve people were living the last few hours of their lives. I spent much of the day thinking I just didn't feel right about seeing the movie anytime soon, then reversing that decision and becoming eager to see it as soon as I can. I've read a beautiful story from a survivor of the attack explaining why it has not shaken her faith in a benevolent God. I have seen The Onion exchange their fictional news stories for brutal fucking truth.
I have also argued with 2nd Amendment/NRA fanatics who think the attack could have been magically ended by one determined citizen in the crowd with a gun.
It scares me that allegedly trained gun users would believe that. I am a trained firearm user. It's been more than a few years and I don't currently own a gun but I was trained by my father, a former U.S. Marine firing instructor. So I know what I'm talking about when I say that no, you would never have had a clear shot at the man with all those fleeing people and all that smoke and tear gas. Oh, and here's something even more fun: the gunman showed up with with no less than FOUR semi-automatic weapons, tear gas, explosives, and wearing full body armor. He was READY for a gunfight. He EXPECTED armed resistance. He would NOT have been impressed by anyone's bitty handgun. The best you could hope for in that situation would be drawing fire from the civilians for a few seconds.
But no, the internet badasses think if somebody with a conceal & carry permit had been there and on the ball Mr. Holmes would have gotten waaaaaaaaaaaaay more than he bargained for.
And coincidentally that somebody always just happens to look a lot like them.
Incidentally, Colorado does have conceal and carry. I haven't had any luck finding that state's specific restrictions, but I'm betting you probably can't legally carry your gun into a movie theatre there.
I was going somewhere with all this. I've lost the flow now. It's what happened today.
I've had a lot of emotions about this case. I think about how I was with my best friend and my wife last night and we were all laughing while a few hours away twelve people were living the last few hours of their lives. I spent much of the day thinking I just didn't feel right about seeing the movie anytime soon, then reversing that decision and becoming eager to see it as soon as I can. I've read a beautiful story from a survivor of the attack explaining why it has not shaken her faith in a benevolent God. I have seen The Onion exchange their fictional news stories for brutal fucking truth.
I have also argued with 2nd Amendment/NRA fanatics who think the attack could have been magically ended by one determined citizen in the crowd with a gun.
It scares me that allegedly trained gun users would believe that. I am a trained firearm user. It's been more than a few years and I don't currently own a gun but I was trained by my father, a former U.S. Marine firing instructor. So I know what I'm talking about when I say that no, you would never have had a clear shot at the man with all those fleeing people and all that smoke and tear gas. Oh, and here's something even more fun: the gunman showed up with with no less than FOUR semi-automatic weapons, tear gas, explosives, and wearing full body armor. He was READY for a gunfight. He EXPECTED armed resistance. He would NOT have been impressed by anyone's bitty handgun. The best you could hope for in that situation would be drawing fire from the civilians for a few seconds.
But no, the internet badasses think if somebody with a conceal & carry permit had been there and on the ball Mr. Holmes would have gotten waaaaaaaaaaaaay more than he bargained for.
And coincidentally that somebody always just happens to look a lot like them.
Incidentally, Colorado does have conceal and carry. I haven't had any luck finding that state's specific restrictions, but I'm betting you probably can't legally carry your gun into a movie theatre there.
I was going somewhere with all this. I've lost the flow now. It's what happened today.
