Body armor poll

[tt11758]

I apologize for my comments, but I still feel the same. I agree about it being no ones business about owning or wearing body armor. I did mention that my view about it may not be popular. I have made many posts on this forum and I try to shoot straight on what I am posting about. But one thing I do not agree with is body armor.
Yes, I have worn a vest. I wore a flak jacket in the military and a Threat Level 3 Vest when I worked for the Sheriff Dept. But seeing gangbangers having the opportunity to purchase body armor to commit their crimes and give them a fighting chance against law enforcement officers, then I have a serious issue with that.
My whole perspective is the safety of the law enforcement officer. Contrary to the paranoid belief that the cops and military are out to take your guns, I can honestly say that the officers I know or have known over the years side with people able to bear arms.
I hope this explains a little more as to why I am biased about this subject. If it still continues to piss people off, then you are wasting your emotions on negative energy that will get you no where. But I will not be a pussy and back down just because a few did not care for my opinion. 

Ping, no need to apologize for your comments.  As a former LEO I agree with your position on bangers and body armor.....bangers and guns......and/or bangers and breathing.  I believe that in all three things I just cited, the two (bangers and whatever) should be mutually exclusive.  I take no offense or even opposition to your point.  My point, however, (which I think may have been lost in my rant) was two-fold:

1)  The "why does anybody need" argument particularly bothers me because that's the one that the anti's are using (perhaps successfully) to call for a renewal of an AWB........which I'm confident that will be followed by "why does anybody need a handgun....they're only designed for one purpose, to kill people".  How many times have we heard that song in reference to so-called "assault weapons"?  Once they convince the sheeple that nobody "needs" a handgun, then why would anybody "need" a high-powered rifle?  The only thing they're good for, afterall, is killing Bambi.  (It's for the children, you know). 

The point is, it's sets us en route down a slippery slope.


2)  The gun rights issue is the only one that comes to mind that places the bruden of proof on the individual that they should be "allowed" to excercise a Constitutional right.  When I was in school (WAY before the PC BS they teach anymore) we were taught that everybody was entitled to a presumption of innocence.  That seems to be the case today, EXCEPT for 2nd Ammendment rights.  I mean, they don't require background checks to purchase cars, although many more people are killed in car crashes than are killed with guns.  The last time I went to the liquor store there was no background check required before I could make a purchase, although alcohol-related deaths far outpace gun-related deaths in this country each year.  There's no background check to go through before you buy a pack of cigarettes, even though they have been proven to cause cancer.  Why are guns the only item that you must pass a background check before purchasing.  The only items, I might add, the ownership of which is a right protected (supposedly) by the United States Constitution!! 

For many years gun owners have "gone along" with a series of minor restrictions, thinking that if we played nice the bad people who don't think we should be able to defend ourselves will take their small victories and leave us alone.  We can see how well THAT has worked out, now, can't we?

The illustration of the frog in the pot of water has been made many times on this site, but in case you missed it, here it comes again.  If a frog is placed into a pot of boiling water he'll immediately jump out, but if he is put into a pan of room-temperature water he'll sit there, calmly, while the water is slowly heated to a boil, and he'll be cooked.  As gun owners we have been sitting in the pot, not noticing the ever-increasing temperature, and now it's approaching a boil.

On the subject of paranoia, there's an old joke that comes to mind........."Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get you!"

Ping, I apologize if you thought that I was bashing you for your position, for that was absolutely not my intention.  I am simply sickened by the path down which this country that I have served, and that I love, finds herself traveling.  And, much like Haz and "clips", there are certain things that tend to set me off.  The things about which I am passionate. 

I want you, and everyone elsse here, to know where I'm coming from.  If I have offended, I apologize.  Have a nice day.