gun-loving US cop draws Twitter jeers in Canada.

[Deleted]

www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/gun-loving-us-cop-draws-twitter-jeers-after-aggressive-encounter-with-canadians/article4471289/


SO, i can't cut and paste the above article because the formatting is wonky. But here is the guys original letter to the editor. You can imagine 98% of Canadians were not impressed with this dude.



I recently visited Calgary from Michigan. As a police officer for 20 years, it feels strange not to carry my off-duty hand-gun. Many would say I have no need to carry one in Canada.

Yet the police cannot protect everyone all the time. A man should be al-lowed to protect himself if the need arises. The need arose in a theatre in Aurora, Colo., as well as a college campus in Canada.

Recently, while out for a walk in Nose Hill Park, in broad daylight on a paved trail, two young men approached my wife and me. The men stepped in front of us, then said in a very aggressive tone: "Been to the Stampede yet?"

Herald columnist Naomi Lakritz: Officer's comments reflect cultural divide between Canada, U.S.

We ignored them. The two moved closer, repeating: "Hey, you been to the Stampede yet?"

I quickly moved between these two and my wife, replying, "Gentle-men, I have no need to talk with you, goodbye." They looked bewildered, and we then walked past them.

I speculate they did not have good intentions when they approached in such an aggressive, disrespectful and menacing manner. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ they did not pull a weapon of some sort, but rather concluded it was in their best interest to leave us alone.

Would we not expect a uniformed officer to pull his or her weapon to intercede in a life-or-death encounter to protect self, or another? Why then should the expectation be lower for a citizen of Canada or a visitor? Wait, I know - it's because in Canada, only the criminals and the police carry handguns.

Walt Wawra, Kalamazoo, Mich.

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald


Read more: www.calgaryherald.com/Nose+Hill+Park+confrontation+makes+visitors+feel+unsafe/7050028/story.html#ixzz234H8Jwn0

[Deleted]

So, here's a sampling of the comments:

So...in the end you didn't need a hand gun? That's what I got from that story...


What would the introduction of a concealed weapon on your part have done to improve the situation you described? As a police officer, you are likely comfortable and accustomed to having a gun on your hip. You have likely also had much training in the handling and deployment of your weapon. It likely provides you with a degree of security and confidence that you apparently felt lacking when you were without one while in Calgary. The average Canadian does not encounter life-threatening situations. That said, scary confrontations like yours do occur. They produce adrenaline and strong emotions, both of which cloud reason and judgement. The last thing I want in my community is a bunch of concealed weapons that could potentially be used during confrontations like the one you described, that are not life-threatening, but could be by introducing a deadly weapon.
Thank you for keeping your guns at home when you visit.
Violent crime rates in 2010 (per 100,000)
Michigan: 490.3
Alberta: 41.7


So let me get this straight - you didn't like the way they looked and sounded - and so wished you could have shot them. Wow. Words escape me except to say : How effed up you are.


Such a perplexing story. So they aggressively asked a question and you felt threatened enough to warrant pulling a lethal weapon on them? No wonder the US ranks first in gun homicide out of any 1st world country. Get over your wild west mentality. They were probably on drugs or drunk and you think that requires deadly force or the threat of deadly force?

The US is a mess, it's time for America to do some inward reflection.


In Canada we don't shoot each other because someone asked us a question and we didn't like their tone of voice. We don't shoot them for wearing hoodies either.


As an experienced police officer you should recognize, perhaps more than others, the risks and negative outcomes of carrying hand-guns. The data and evidence is very clear.
Further evidence to this is the outcome of your interaction - clearly there was no need for a gun as the situation was resolved with your words only. I shudder to think what the outcome may have been had you actually produced a hand-gun.


Read more: www.calgaryherald.com/Nose+Hill+Park+confrontation+makes+visitors+feel+unsafe/7050028/story.html#ixzz234HrjV2t

[pixy0stix]

They probably had extra tickets they were trying to give him and/or sell to him. Hardly a gun shooting offense. I have to think this guy doesn't get out much other than his police duties.

[rosiedozie]

Even if the guys were weird, how does them asking you a question twice = a threat? I feel like I'm missing something.

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 11:56:52 GMT -5 rosiedozie said:

Even if the guys were weird, how does them asking you a question twice = a threat? I feel like I'm missing something.

Exactly. He just 'felt' threatened. a lot of commenters on his letter to the editor are speculating that they were either 'not white' or drunk.

Regardless, I think its this type of situation exactly that reminds me why I hate guns. Because this very likely would have ended with injury or death.

I don't think a lot of the mass shootings would necessarily be stopped with more gun control (ie Aurora). But the shootings from arguments, escalating fights, etc. would certainly be lower.

[miesl]

Aug 9, 2012 12:01:23 GMT -5 @lauriergirl28 said:

Regardless, I think its this type of situation exactly that reminds me why I hate guns. Because this very likely would have ended with injury or death.

I disagree, I think it would have ended up exactly the same way.

This assumes that the cop is good at his job and at reading people. They know that drawing is going to escalate the situation. It's the fact that the officer knows he has his gun if/when he needs it instead of being in a situation he knows could escalate to violence without him being prepared to deal with that situation.

Just because he wishes he had his sidearm doesn't mean he wishes he had DRAWN the sidearm.

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 13:58:58 GMT -5 miesl said:

Aug 9, 2012 12:01:23 GMT -5 @lauriergirl28 said:

Regardless, I think its this type of situation exactly that reminds me why I hate guns. Because this very likely would have ended with injury or death.

I disagree, I think it would have ended up exactly the same way.

This assumes that the cop is good at his job and at reading people. They know that drawing is going to escalate the situation. It's the fact that the officer knows he has his gun if/when he needs it instead of being in a situation he knows could escalate to violence without him being prepared to deal with that situation.

Just because he wishes he had his sidearm doesn't mean he wishes he had DRAWN the sidearm.

No way, or dude wouldn't have felt the need to write a letter to the editor over this. He absolutely would have drawn it. He's commented in an interview he stands by his letter.

The irony is this just reminded Canadians why we have strict gun laws - no way he will get his wish for a gun filled Canada anytime soon!!!