From: jmd@cube.handheld.com (Jim De Arras)
Subject: Re: My Gun is like my American Express Card
Organization: Hand Held Products, Inc.
Lines: 66
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: dale.handheld.com

In article <93105.215548U28037@uicvm.uic.edu> Jason Kratz  
<U28037@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
> In article <1993Apr15.202811.29312@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU>,
> andy@SAIL.Stanford.EDU (Andy Freeman) says:
> >
> >>I have been at a shooting range where
> >>gang members were "practicing" shooting.
> >
> >How do "we" know that they were gang members and not undercover cops
> >or even law-abiding menacing minorities.  BTW - Why the sneer quotes?
> >
> "We" know because the area that the gun shop/shooting range is in is right on
> the border of the west side of Chicago.  That is a gang infested area.  There
> are many, many bad things going on in that area.  Also, I have several  
friends
> that live very close to that area who have had problems with some of these
> folks.  By the way, where did I say that they were minorities?  

That was what I got from your phrasing, too.  Well, then, were they (the ones  
you saw) black?  You don't deny seem to deny it, either.

> Do you think
> that only minorities have gangs?  Not so.  As far as the quotes are concerned
> it was totally obvious that they weren't just practicing for marksmanship.  I
> don't know about you but I have never seen anyone else practice marksmanship  
by
> taking their gun out of their coat as fast as possible and start shooting.

That is the recommended way to practice with a CCW, too.  Aim alone is no good  
for defense, if you can't get the gun rapidly.

>  If
> you would have been there Andy it would've been obvious to you too.  

What, outside of prejudice, would have made it obvious?

> Of course
> it might not have been.  Who knows.  All I do know is that I was there, I  
live
> here and I know that they were gang bangers.  When you live here long enough  
it
> becomes pretty easy to spot them via gang colors, gang signs, etc.  

Yes, prejudice is more subtle in the north, isn't it?

> One last
> thing.  My sister is a social worker.  She makes it her point to find these
> things out (gang signs, colors, etc) because it is in her best interest to do
> so.  She is nice enough to let me know these things so I can watch out for
> myself as I live right on the border of the west side of the city. Enough  
said.
> 

More than enough.  I understand you completely.

> Jason

Jim
--
jmd@handheld.com
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"I'm always rethinking that.  There's never been a day when I haven't rethought  
that.  But I can't do that by myself."  Bill Clinton  6 April 93
"If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed  
in my country, I never would lay down my arms,-never--never--never!"
WILLIAM PITT, EARL OF CHATHAM 1708-1778 18 Nov. 1777
