Change of attitude

A recent post by Xavier about a CHL holder who shot someone that bumped into him on a bus got me a thinkin', something I try to avoid mostly.  I thought about my own attitude when I have an iron strapped to my hip, the way I act and what I say around the general public and I certainly don't do or say some of the things I would normally do or say.  I suppose I feel that there is more responibility I am burdened with because I now posses the means to easily take someone else's life.

As Bill Muny (aka Clint) said in Unforgiven "It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have."

Besides being one of my all time favorite movie quotes, it is, for me, introspection.  I do think like all persons who carry should about the situations that one may face where I'd clear leather (draw my gun for the novice).  For starters, it'd never happen because I was indignant over some asshole bumping into me, insulting my mother or family, walking on my lawn or cutting me off in traffic.  In short, because someone is an asshole, doesn't mean I get to shoot them down, however unfortunate that may be.

An excellent post by Porta at The Cathouse sums up pretty well my feelings on the matter with this quote

"A handgun is for getting me out of situations that I would not have gotten out of if I did not have one. It is not for getting me into situations that I would not have gotten into if I did not have one."

I don't think I could have said it better given a hundred years.

A Jeffery Boyd from Solsberry, IN doesn't get it, apparently, since he got involved in a road rage incident in my hometown of Bloomington on Friday March 30.  From the Herald Times (subscription required)

According to police reports, Boyd was driving in the area of Fifth and Adams streets. Near that intersection, a white Geo merged into traffic ahead of Boyd’s Ford Bronco — complete with a “Jarhead” license plate — and cut him off.

The local rag can't help itself from taking a swipe at the military by pointing out the Jarhead license plate.  After some road rage driving and arguing.

During the argument, passengers in the Geo said Boyd brandished a 9mm handgun and began waving it in the air from the Bronco, the report said.

Boyd reportedly told the Geo driver that he was going to hurt him and the passengers — including two children, ages 7 and 10.

Why would a person act in such a manner (mind you I've thought of killing many drivers in this town since most are completely brain dead).  His response to police was and I kid you not.

According to the reports, Boyd told police he was trying to teach the Geo driver a lesson, telling him that he should be careful who he messes with, “because you never know when a crazy person might have a gun in the city.”

Really?  And what if the Geo driver had a gun and was as just as stupid as you Mr. Boyd?