Thursday, March 26, 2009

Shoot Out at the Burger King Corral

Miami - In a bizarre confrontation of one gun toter against another gun toter, it seems what we have here is an incident that will feed the fires of both sides of the guns in America debate.

Around four O'clock in the afternoon in a crowded Burger King in Florida, a masked man wielding a gun went in and robbed the place. A gun carrying patron who up to that point I imagine was just enjoying his repast of burger, fries, and a coke noticed what was going down. He confronted the robber and an argument ensued ending with them both using their respective weapons to try to convince the other of their point of view.

Shots were exchanged, customers ducked for cover, and when the smoke cleared, the robber was dead in his tracks. The gun wielding do-gooder was still breathing but probably wondering if it was worth all the hassle now that he had a couple of new holes in his body.

The NRA types will jump all over this as a perfect example of why we should be free to carry guns on our person. A cop is not always there when you need one. The balls of the do-gooder will be weighed and found to be massive. The gun worshipers will fall prostate at the alter of self defense. The man will be and already is considered a "good Samaritan", "hero", and "courageous". Hmm.

The limp wristed ban all guns crowd will use this as their poster child of what happens when too many citizens have guns. Cowboys like this hero will put every one's life in danger by pulling a gun out in a crowded Burger King. They will contend that no one else being killed or wounded was a miracle.No consideration will be given to the notion that both gun toting fools might just happen to have been good shots.

I have no problem with folks owning guns. But I do not like the idea of "concealed guns". If you are going to carry one, hang it out in the open so everyone can see it. Had this robber gone into that crowded Burger King and seen four or five patrons with six guns strapped on like codpieces, he might have moved on.

The gun debate to me is a fools errand for both sides. The horse has already left the barn. Banning them might look good on paper, but it will hardly do much for the 200 million or so weapons already in American hands. Gun lovers are like drug addicts. No law will make many of them give the firepower up. Just more useless laws that will make someone happy that there is now a new law legislating something. That the law will not work is beside the point.

As to our "hero". The man was an idiot in my opinion. He needlessly put others in danger by pulling his weapon. I hope he recovers, but I cannot consider him as anything but a dangerous fool. No amount of money is worth a life.

See Ya................

(510 / 10,155)

10 comments:

Dawn Fortune said...

it's just Darwin at work, sortin' 'em out.

El Cerdo Ignatius said...

I was going to make a serious comment on this, but Dawn's zinger got me laughing so hard I forgot what I was going to say.

Well, except to say I swear I was nowhere near Miami on Tuesday.

Anonymous said...

If the robber had seen the guy was armed, wouldn't he have been more apt to eliminate the armed man before attempting the robbery?

CCW is advantageous in this situation. Armed or not, you can't defend yourself against being blindsided.

Demeur said...

I seem to recall a city that required everyone to be armed. I'll need to look that one up and see how they're doing. I recall one prisoner in that town forgetting that that was a requirement and trying to escape when the judge from behind the bench put the aim on him.

I'm up in the air on that subject though.

Randal Graves said...

Right on, proprietor. It's just goddamn money. Nice parallel about guns vs. drugs. Not a fan of the former, but good luck getting rid of them. And good luck changing hundreds of years of American culture, which is what would be necessary for this bizarre nation to drop their love of shelling objects, moving or not.

Nan said...

I kind of like the image of gun owners wearing their weapons like codpieces. Most of the guys who are so hot for handguns probably view them as substitute penises now; a full frontal position would just make it explicit.

Utah Savage said...

Dueling at Burger King. This is a twist. It might be a solution to the whole gun question. Shot outs at every burger joint in the world. One down and a few billion to go. Mexico is a good example of the law of anything goes. And their just trying to supply us our drugs. It's getting dangerous out there. Glad I decided to become a recluse.

Salt Lake is probable close to having a gun in every home, and concealed weapons carrying is just peachy, even in church.

Bill said...

I don't know why but this reminds me of the Dick Cheney incident. It never seemed right to me that Cheney got away with shooting the guy when the guy had a gun of his own but never shot back.

MRMacrum said...

Dawn on MDI - To allow for equal time here, what would God say about this? My personal opinion would be "Dumasses". And then he would take one and leave the other to possibly smarten up for the future.

El Cerdo Ignatius - No. You have carefully and predictably posted on your blog your whereabouts as being some 300 miles away. Yeah right.

Ben,N1WBY - I dunno. I keep thinking if our country had more people packing publicly, then maybe we would be more polite to each other.

I have had two instances of having guns pressed against my flesh in my past. And you are right, me having a weapon would not have helped in either instance.

Demeur - I think the town was in one of the Dakotas maybe? Up in the air? Yeah I am also for the most part. I do think though it is too late to try and regain lost ground. Americans are a violent crew. Laws will not change that.

Randal Graves - Nothing perks up a good ole boy's day like pumpin a few rounds into a "no huntin" sign.

Nan - When I was a kid and wacting Gunsmoke, Yancy Derringer, wanted, dead or Alive, all the bad dudes wore their six guns strapped in such a way that they would have to take off their guns to take a piss. Seemed stupid until I realized it was probably just some screenwriter over compensating.

Utah Savage - Carrying a gun in Church makes perfect sense when one realizes that the unwashed heathens might just figure out church os the best place to catch the faithful with their guard down.

Bill - I heard Cheney provided the ammo for everyone that day. Hmm. wonder if anyone's gun would have worked except his own. One thing I never heard was the after story on this. How is the guy he shot doing?

Gary ("Old Dude") said...

If the law of the land allowed everyone to carry a gun---it would have to give those out to rob something to think about---on the other hand criminals are noted for their stupidity---and then there are the psychotics, and well guess I will just scratch eating at Burgerkings to my list.