Talking Points Memo: A Connersville, Ind. police chief accidentally shot himself in the leg while doing some shopping at a gun store on Saturday, the Indianapolis Star reported.This is actually the second time Councellor has shot himself accidentally.
“I need to pay more attention,” David Counceller said. “I know what the dangers are. It was pure carelessness on my part.”
Counceller, who was off-duty at the time, was comparing his 40-caliber Glock handgun with a newer model at Wullf’s Gun Shop. The trouble began when he began to holster his weapon.
“It got tangled in my clothing,” he added, as quoted by the Star. “I was wearing a sweatshirt and a fleece jacket. I felt (the gun) go in the holster and I pushed it, but it was tangled in the material which caused it to discharge. The bullet went into my leg and then into the floor.”
Look, here’s the thing; this guy has had more training in using a firearm than most people and he’s still had two accidental discharges happen while he wasn’t thinking. Humans are imperfect creatures and no matter how much you prepare and train, you are going to make mistakes. Your mind will wander, you’ll get distracted, etc. For whatever reason, you won’t always be paying attention to your firearm.
And this is why having people walk around armed is dangerous and stupid. And the more people there are doing it, the more dangerous it becomes. That’s just math. It’s human nature to sometimes suck at what you’re doing — even if you’ve done it hundreds or even thousands of times before. To get an idea of what it would be like if everyone carried a gun, take a trip on your local freeway sometime. Every time you think, “What’s this clown think he’s doing?” think, “What’s this clown think he’s doing with that gun?” Every time someone cuts you off or merges without looking, don’t just think, “Idiot!” think, “Idiot with a gun!”
These are all people who probably drive several times a day and they still make mistakes, because they’re human. They’d be no less human in handling a firearm.
The idea that more guns make us safer is not only not born out by the facts, but it’s such an illogical statement that anyone making it should be made to feel embarrassed by all the derisive laughter they’ve invited.
