Texas police chief, others urge citizens to arm themselves against mass shootings

[webfact]

Texas police chief, others urge citizens to arm themselves
By DAVID WARREN

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas police chief who warns President Barack Obama in a social media video that trying to disarm Americans would "cause a revolution in this country" is the latest law enforcement official to urge citizens to arm themselves in the wake of mass shootings.

Randy Kennedy, longtime chief in the small East Texas town of Hughes Springs, about 120 miles east of Dallas, says in the video posted this week on his personal Facebook page that the Second Amendment was established to protect people from criminals and "terrorists and radical ideology."

"It's also there to protect us against a government that has overreached its power," Kennedy says in the video. "You are not our potentate, sir. You are our servant."

He warned people in his town to prepare themselves: "Be ready when the wolf comes to the door, because it's on its way."

Law enforcement officials in Arizona, Florida and New York also have recently prompted citizens to arm themselves — some using similar comments aimed at terrorism.

Kennedy said his call to arms was the result of his disappointment with Obama's Oval Office speech Sunday in which the president vowed the U.S. will overcome a new phase of the terror threat that seeks to "poison the minds" of people here and around the world. The police chief told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he's not asking residents to turn into vigilantes or "become super action heroes."

He said feedback on his video has been supportive for the most part.

"There have been a few extremely nasty comments, calling me basically a backwoods redneck hick creating monsters that don't exist," he said.

Wayne Ivey, the sheriff in Brevard County, Florida, said in a video post on the department's Facebook page over the weekend that political leaders appear more interested in being politically correct than protecting people. He urged residents to arm themselves as a first line of defense against an active shooter.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said.

Another Florida sheriff, Steve Whidden in Hendry County, this week encouraged more people to carry weapons because "we as a nation are under attack by radical Islamic terrorists."

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona issued a statement Tuesday asking "legally armed citizens to take a stand, and take action during a mass shooting/terrorist event until law enforcement arrives."

And last week, Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum in upstate New York called for licensed gun owners in his county to arm themselves when leaving home, citing mass shootings in Paris and San Bernardino, California.

John Moritz, spokesman for the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, said he assumes the comments from Kennedy, the Texas chief, reflect the views held in his community. But Moritz said caution should be used when giving such instructions to people who have no law enforcement training.

"Most times citizens are going to be best served and best protected by calling trained law enforcement officers whenever they feel their lives or property are in danger," Moritz said.

The FBI said last week that it processed a record number of firearms background checks on Black Friday, the busy shopping time the day after Thanksgiving. The agency processed 185,345 background checks — roughly two per second — the same day that three people were killed and nine others wounded in an attack at a Planned Parenthood office in Colorado.

The previous record for the most background checks in a single day was Dec. 21, 2012, about a week after 20 children and six adults were shot to death in a Connecticut elementary school. The week following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary saw the processing of 953,613 gun background checks.
___

Associated Press writers Diana Heidgerd in Dallas and Alicia A. Caldwell in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-12-10

[TheCruncher]

In Thailand he would be arrested by now.

[sirineou]

""The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said."

I remember when they used to call them cops

[GeorgesAbitbol]

When in a country you will soon be able to buy gun from your sofa

http://time.com/money/4137258/guntv-gun-sales-cable-channel/

you know something is not going well....

Take the flu : the more you stay with people, the more your chance to catch it.

But guns? nooooo more guns means less shooting due to road rage, lunatics, drunk, bad neighbouring....

[sirineou]

When in a country you will soon be able to buy gun from your sofa

http://time.com/money/4137258/guntv-gun-sales-cable-channel/

you know something is not going well....

Take the flu : the more you stay with people, the more your chance to catch it.

But guns? nooooo more guns means less shooting due to road rage, lunatics, drunk, bad neighbouring....

Cool.

watch TV, eat your dinner , initiate a mass shooting and no even have to get out of your sofa.

Sweet!!!

[jvs]

And just how are we supposed to see the difference between a good person toting a (machine)gun and a bad one?

You have to be prepared right?As soon as you spot anyone with a gun shoot him just to be sure!!

terrorists and radical ideology,just what is a terrorist and what is radical ideology?

[BKKBrit]

[lungmi]

No, impossible that they know: They have been Trumped.

[car720]

When in a country you will soon be able to buy gun from your sofa

http://time.com/money/4137258/guntv-gun-sales-cable-channel/

you know something is not going well....

Take the flu : the more you stay with people, the more your chance to catch it.

But guns? nooooo more guns means less shooting due to road rage, lunatics, drunk, bad neighbouring....

Good thinking but................

You show me how to do good neighbouring, i.e. where nobody stands over me just because of there size, and then I will throw away my gun.

[car720]

And just how are we supposed to see the difference between a good person toting a (machine)gun and a bad one?

You have to be prepared right?As soon as you spot anyone with a gun shoot him just to be sure!!

terrorists and radical ideology,just what is a terrorist and what is radical ideology?

I can explain this one.

There was a guy in Tasmania that shot a whole bunch of people. Men, women and children, which led to Australian guns being taken away.

Imagine how many would still be alive if you or I had had a weapon on us at the time.

[eggers]

And just how are we supposed to see the difference between a good person toting a (machine)gun and a bad one?

You have to be prepared right?As soon as you spot anyone with a gun shoot him just to be sure!!

terrorists and radical ideology,just what is a terrorist and what is radical ideology?

I can explain this one.

There was a guy in Tasmania that shot a whole bunch of people. Men, women and children, which led to Australian guns being taken away.

Imagine how many would still be alive if you or I had had a weapon on us at the time.

The massacre was at a tourist attraction in 1996 (former penal settlement) at Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia & 35 people lost their lives & 23 injured.

The Australian Gov't immediately brought in strict gun laws that:

- limited type of weapons that could be owned,

- declared an armistice period when excessive calibre weapons were impounded & destroyed,

- deemed who could own weapons & how stored

- required regular checking/reporting to police .

Since that time,19 years, throughout Australia there have been no mass killings.

By controlling & limiting type of weapons & who can own, certainly is best option if really want to stop these massacres.

Unfortunately, in US, the NRA & weapons manufacturers have the politicians/parties by the proverbials!!

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

the best way to avoid being shot is to shoot everyone first.

[sickwaterbuffalo2]

In Thailand he would be arrested by now.

In Thailand if one has money one get away with anything.

[DoctorG]

In OZ the only civilians who have guns are the bad guys. Thankfully they mostly only shoot each other,

[up2u2]

Myth #4: More good guys with guns can stop rampaging bad guys.
Fact-check: Mass shootings stopped by armed civilians in the past 30 years: 0

[ronrat]

Why take any notice of a small hick town redneck. As Dirty Harry said "when does it stop, you will be killing people because their dog pissed on your lawn"

[connda]

""The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said."

I remember when they used to call them cops

When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

[lucky11]

Stupid people.jpg

I wonder if the trend is going to lead to people buying accessories like horses and saddles before they go out to the saloon for a drink and a woman?

[slipperylobster]

I see stupid comments all the time...

Like...lets take a piece of the constitution and trash it.

Does it get much worse than that?

[Linky]

I see stupid comments all the time...

Like...lets take a piece of the constitution and trash it.

Does it get much worse than that?

So all those amendments to the constitution.....does it get much worse than that?

Treating ancient writings as sacrosant....now where have I heard arguments against that kind of thinking.

[sanukjim]

""The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said."

I remember when they used to call them cops

A person is walking along a dark street going home at night.An armed man with intent to harm rob or rape said person.The said person has a cell phone to call police over six minutes away and a Smith and Wesson.Which one do you use.?

Edited December 10, 2015 by sanukjim

[Thorgal]

""The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said."

I remember when they used to call them cops

A person is walking along a dark street going home at night.An armed man with intent to harm rob or rape said person.The said person has a cell phone to call police over six minutes away and a Smith and Wesson.Which one do you use.?

A street with lights...

No serious, so many dark streets in countries where even a gun ban is applicable, people will always try to figure out to come home safe anyway...

Edited December 10, 2015 by Thorgal

[sanukjim]

In OZ the only civilians who have guns are the bad guys. Thankfully they mostly only shoot each other,

There is that word "MOSTLY"

[sanukjim]

Since Texas went to the "right to carry" law there have been a drastic lowering of robbery at commercial stores there.Because little dxck hexd with his Saturday nihjt special ,just might get hie axx blown away ,not by the owner but by a customer..Reminds me of the Dirty Harry movies."Hey Punk .did I shoot five or six already? Want to try your luck Punk?"

[White Christmas13]

The USA can't afford to get rid of guns read this

http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/why-the-gun-industry-has-us-over-a-barrel/news-story/e4b72289e90b5ceda7778208410d1d99

[sanukjim]

I see stupid comments all the time...

Like...lets take a piece of the constitution and trash it.

Does it get much worse than that?

So all those amendments to the constitution.....does it get much worse than that?

Treating ancient writings as sacrosant....now where have I heard arguments against that kind of thinking.

Or you could it like LOS and just write a new one every year to suit you.So,Linky,does your country have no constitution or such ?

[sanukjim]

""The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Ivey said."

I remember when they used to call them cops

A person is walking along a dark street going home at night.An armed man with intent to harm rob or rape said person.The said person has a cell phone to call police over six minutes away and a Smith and Wesson.Which one do you use.?

A street with lights...

No serious, so many dark streets in countries where even a gun ban is applicable, people will always try to figure out to come home safe anyway...

Oh Yes ,ever street is lit at night and on every corner is a cop.Keep dreaming or playing games on your PC or whatever you do.

[sanukjim]

Why take any notice of a small hick town redneck. As Dirty Harry said "when does it stop, you will be killing people because their dog pissed on your lawn"

So tell me your definition of "hick" town.(bet you got that out of a movie).Oh and by the way The Mayor of Los Angles has made the same statement after the shootings in California.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Gotta Love those Good Ole Boys down in Texas!

What a catchy phrase to!

"The only thing that stops a Bad Guy with a Gun, is a Good Guy with a Gun."

I can't argue against that. Nor could my 86 Year Old Father who kept a loaded shotgun in his bedroom until the day he died.

An Old Friend told me a true story about how he once worked in a remote area in Pakistan. He said that there living area was quite a ways to the place they worked and security was nervous about this as this area was famous for Highway Robbers. So to protect the Expat Workers they sent a Jeep early in the morning with 4 armed Police Men ahead of the buses to check out the road first.

They never heard from these Police Men for hours and until they came wondering back down the road early evening in just there underwear. So the next plan was to teach everyone on basic Gun Safety then issued everyone a sidearm as they got on the bus, and collected them again when they got to work. They never had one instance with Highway Robbers. So sometimes giving a Good Guy a Gun stops the Bad Guys with a Guns.

[copa8]

In Thailand he would be arrested by now.

In Thailand, you don't get mass shootings like in the US.