Keith Devens .com

what do you need a gun for?

you christianity thing was bothering me, but now this "yeah baby i have a new gun" is the very last type of news i'm expecting on such a blog... from now on you are not part of my feeds list anymore (too bad, some of you techy notes are interesting!)

It's a fair comment. Why do you need a gun?

I could live with the Christianity, but bragging about a new gun?

Sure, its... nice... very gunny.

Killed anyone/anything with it yet?

Just when I came back after a long spell unsubscribed (that polarised politics crap around election time and the creationist stuff will really piss off any right-thinking person) you go and do this. Stick to technology - it's what most people are here for.

It seems some people have forgotten to notice that the site is keithdevens.com. I only know one of us here who can legitimitely call himself "Keith Devens".

I don't often agree with him, as I've said in previous comments, but I'm not about to try and dictate the content of his own site. He's free to post about whatever he wants. He can post about his bowel movements for all I care, and I'm free to choose whether or not to read it, as is everyone else.

But nobody has the right to tell him what to post about. Frankly, I'd just wipe all the comments about people saying that they are leaving, or saying that you shouldn't post about that because it's not their place. In fact, I'd delete the comments, mark them all as trolls, and permban them in the style you reserved for asdf. Comments like that are worthless and intentionally manipulative. Keith's (usually) a nicer guy than I am, though.

As for him "needing" a gun... well, I don't know his reasons, but "need" might not be the appropriate question. He might just have wanted one. Maybe the guy just likes guns and wanted one. People want TV's or a new couch, it's not unreasonable to want a gun. He could take it to the range, for example, to help relieve stress. I don't know what he wants to do with it, but the question isn't certainly one of necessity.

but the question isn't certainly one of necessity...

Indeed, the very question "What do you need a gun for?", er, begs the question. It biases the discussion because it presupposes that you need some special reason to own a gun.

That's all I have to say about the matter, though I do find it strange that people would complain about and try to dictate what I put on my eponymous web site. You can just stop reading if you'd like. You don't need to tell me about it.

Oh, and this thing takes 15 rounds in the magazine! Yeah baby!

One more thing... in the immortal words of some chick in Alien vs. Predator, when asked why she always carries a gun: "It's like a condom; I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it."

Lastly, it does surprise me that people seem so offended by the sight of a gun. It's like being offended by the sight of a hammer.

Wow, sorry to berate this point any further (although many posters to your blog have that 'problem', so "When in Rome...") but allow me to retort...

The only reason you blithering idjits (like Yosemite Sam says it) have the right to speak, is because some of this country's founders (if you are in the USA) were a helluva lot smarter than you weenies who think guns are bad... or not topic-worthy.

Had he posted about his new shovel, would the response from the gallery been so rude? I mean, many many people have met their demise from the shovel, and it is probably still used as a weapon of self defense when someone cannot reach for their favorite hand-cannon due to circumstances...

The BEST comment is from Sparticus.... OF ALL monikers to ask a feeble question like that... I mean, change your ID to to something not so revolutionary and violent. Like DoodleBerry.

As for the rest who disagree, move to China, they'll be happy to remove such entries from an individual's blog.

Later Putz'

Leslie comments: http://decafbad.com/blog/2005/09/27/on-attempted-conversions-via-blog-comment

I wonder if he means me when he writes about people who aren't "rational actors".

Congrats on the new toy... I had a similar post a few months ago:
http://mark.denovich.com/archives/000292.html

And I'm correct in calling it a toy (at least for me.) I didn't buy it for any other reason than to have fun putting holes in targets. Shooting IPSC (http://www.ipsc.org) is a ton of fun... see if there is a club local to you that has IPSC shoots. Way more fun than any FPS.

I grew up in a somewhat more rural area... I'm always so surprised by how deeply the anti-gun programming took hold with those never exposed to them.

Anyway, have fun with yours.

Congrats on the new toy...

Thanks! It's funny that you call it a toy... my friend in Texas has this to say about my 9mm:

Congrats, but by texas standards that's a total pussy gun... "only city slickers fire a 9mm down here" I've heard said more than once.

Heh.

Way back, when I was growing up in Texas, (maybe 9 or 10) I got a .45 to shoot from an uncle. Never seemed much like a pussy gun to me. I don't really know what the difference is, but I imagine a 9mm is pretty much the same. Always looked the same to me.

Here are some pictures: http://www.sathayer.net/ammo.html
And some more: http://nslog.com/archives/2004/07/15/ammunition_comparison.php

9mm is .354 inches, so a .45 round is 27% larger than a 9mm. Of course, along with the extra size comes extra space for gunpowder

I also gave Keith a full magazine of Cor-Bon +P 9mm, which has excellent ballistics and stopping power.

This calls for a few lines from "Get Shorty"...

Guy #1: "What is that, a wop 9? You can't trust your life to one of those, they always jam at the wrong time." (wearing a revolver stuffed in his pants)
--other guy-- BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM
(Four hits)

And another from "Pulp Fiction":

And Mr. 9mm here, he's the shepherd protecting my righteous ass in the valley of darkness.

Ha, you're not a true man until you get a permit to conceal and carry.

Congrats on your personal decision to make use of your constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

It frustrates me that I live in a liberal state that makes it so difficult to do the same.

On a slightly different note, in Palestine they encourage young boys to flaunt assault type weapons in the streets. Those poor kids are being raised in a cult of death.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=17558#comments

When I was a young boy my mother divorced my father. For a few years we lived with my grandparents. My grandfather was a police chief and an avid gun collector. The walls and ceilings of the living and family rooms were lined with his collection of about two thousand guns (a wide variety of pistols, shotguns, rifles, etc., from the revolutionary war period all the way up to the present). I learned a profound respect for such a powerful tool from a man who held the correct view on firearms. For this I'm grateful.

The problem is not in the tool itself, but rather in its misuse. The misuse stems from the fallen heart of man (i.e., sin, not living according to God's standards). Therefore, merely banning or limiting the use or ability to own such weapons could never solve the problem. Promoting such a "solution" merely treats a symptom rather than the cause.

Ok, enough of my ramblings.

You can peg me as your "friend in Texas." I will stand behind what I say. Of course, you also know I just like giving you crap as much as possible.

Nothing at all wrong with that gun, but I'm not lying when I say that around my more deep-south, gun-totin' type friends, that it would be laughed out of the room. A "man's gun" should be big enough to decapitate an elephant, at least that's how it seems to be down here, heh.

There is, amusingly, an increasingly-larger and increasingly-vocal anti-gun contingent in Texas that is trying to get our state to tighten the gun laws. I don't see it happening, but people sure are getting into a shitfit lately (a law was just put into effect that allows people in TX to carry a concealed, loaded pistol in their vehicles).

hey, i just asked what you need it for. don't be offended.

i have no idea what your laws are like, but are you allowed to walk around with it in public? to defend yourself?

if so, i think thats very bad. Here (the netherlands) you cant just buy a gun and walk around with it. But you there are more and more guns coming into the country by smuggling. You can see the dramatic increase in shootings on the street. If someone walks around with a gun there's a bigger chance that he'll use it when unappropriate.

by the way, the 'condom quote' is totally flawed. it should be: 'i have it on me and hope i need it too!'. but perhaps that's not so christian.

just my 2 cents.

ps. good luck with your gun

Indeed, the very question "What do you need an atomic bomb for?", er, begs the question. It biases the discussion because it presupposes that you need some special reason to own an atomic bomb. We actually just like to make holes in the ground with it.

Cordially, your friendly neighbours in Teheran.

I'd like to add my congrats to you on your very nice purchase. I've wanted one of those CZs for a while. Please post your impressions when you get the chance to try it out some. The sport shooting posts are great advice. Those activities will make you more competent for defensive purposes, should that necessity ever arise (God forbid). A concealed carry permit is a real benefit, too. After all, what's a gun worth if you don't have it with you. I started carrying and made up my mind on the issues here when I saw reports about the school shootings at Staunton, Ca. (I think that's the spelling). Police didn't arrive to stop the shooter until he'd been at it for like 30 minutes and had shot a few kids. A citizen in the neighborhood with his own gun could've taken the jerk out at the first shot. That's reason enough to "need" your own gun. God's blessings and peace be with you.

Thanks Ay! Though, it was actually a gift from a friend, not a purchase, as I'm not yet allowed to buy guns in Tennessee because I haven't been a resident for 6 months.

The CZ seems like a great gun -- it was one of my friend's favorites before he gave it to me -- but I'm by no means a connoisseur so my impressions probably won't be very helpful.

Watch out, next he's buying a tank.

And if you've ever seen him drive his little car, that will make you very, very scared.

people walking around with guns make me scared anyway... at least you can see a tank coming your way

I feel the opposite way -- people walking around with guns make me feel safe. It's like having lots of cops or martial arts experts around you.

Gumuz, so cops make you scared? If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
It is a deterent to not only criminals, but also any government that wishes to deviate from our constitution.
Checks and balances.

Go shooting for a few weeks, read both sides, and I bet you find 4 things are true;
A) An enournmous respect for guns (rather than fear)
B) A realization that either you are, or are not responsible enough to own one.
C) The solemn power that comes with such a decisive weapon.
D) An appreciation of hunters/shooters/and law enforcers who depend on these humbling tools.

Or, move to China. I bet it still sucks more there....

Just saw the link to my post earlier this week...

And, no, I didn't mean you. You I just disagree with sometimes, but I don't think you're a nutjob whatsoever.

It's the really irrational people who won't even engage in a discussion and either just parrot from rote dogma or launch straight into violence (in real life, anyway). Despite this post being about the purchase of a gun, I don't see you doing either of the above.

Oh yeah, and I posted that on my own blog so as to underscore not wanting to engage in blog comment conversion I meant to follow up with a link here, but got distracted.

Ho Hum, I wasn't saying "You've got a gun, aren't you a terrible person" I was just saying "why do you need one?" but as you've answered that question then fair enough. I was asking out of curiosity more than anything.

Nice purchase. It's always funny to see the ignorant people come flying out of the woodwork when someone mentions a gun.

I have carried a concealed weapon (yes, completely legal) for over 12 years and my stock answer when asked why I carry one? Because I can.

Sorry for another post but I forgot to add, for those of you who decry public citizens owning or carrying firearms. In Washington DC guns are illegal, except for the police. Washington DC also has the highest violent crime rates per capita in the country. Now let's look at Vermont, where you do not even need a permit to carry a weapon...yeah, you guessed it, the lowest violent crime rates per capita. Believe it or not, an armed society is a polite society.

keith, good for you. while i don't feel a large portion of america is responsible/educated enough to own firearms, you're one person that certainly is. in response to tony though, i highly doubt that those two statistics (gun laws vs. violent crimes) have anything to do with each other. they make more ben and jerry's ice cream in vermont than anywhere else, and they have few weapons restrictions. is an armed society an ice cream making society? or, to not be a dick about it (sorry tony, its been a long day) i present this little nugget, taken from http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=78.

Many foreign countries have less restrictive firearms laws, and lower crime rates, than parts of the U.S. that have more restrictions. And many have low crime rates, despite having very different firearms laws. Switzerland and Japan "stand out as intriguing models. . . . (T)hey have crime rates that are among the lowest in the industrialized world, and yet they have diametrically opposite gun policies." (Nicholas D. Kristof, "One Nation Bars, The Other Requires," New York Times, 3/10/96.)

i gotta say, i never thought i'd be either a) an NRA website, much less finding a NYT quote there, or b) supporting gun ownership. and yet here i am, sort of doing both...

The "I'd rather have a gun and not need it than need a gun in not have it" quote did not originate in Alien Vs. Predator; it originated in Tony Scott's masterpiece "True Romance".

The gun...............ahhh the stuff that surrounds it. A gun, something about it just brings out so much in people. Why do I need a gun. I'll tell you. I live in a rural area with little if any preventative crime control. Sure assistance arrives after the fact, lot of good that does. My wife shoots as well as myself. We depend on our guns to help put food on the table. We enjoy recreationall shooting. We both have the one thing that a lot of you have not mentioned. RESPECT for our firearms and ourselves. Owning guns is a responsability. We put that in front of our gun barrel!