Well, in that case, http://www.cafepress.com/orderofthestick/2111621 .

As I mentioned above, I can count the times I’ve stepped onto a range with a handgun on one hand, but I spent 2 hrs on the range each time. The limitation on my visits were due to the pressure of my other hobbies combined with a lack of ammo (it’s been a bit short) and no range close to me. I am not any kind of serious gunnie – ask someone who participates in a shooting sport such as cowboy action shooting or practical shooting how much time they spend on the range.

And that 90 hrs of training the cops do is neither all on the range nor every year.

But my main point was that 90 hrs of training ISN’T NECESSARY to give someone adequate shooting skills for self-defense purposes. It takes a couple of hours to teach someone how to shoot to the accuracy level necessary for self-defense.

I happen to be an NJ resident; and could easily lay my hands on the qualification requirements for NJ law enforcement – I doubt the NY quals are substantially more rigorous, the NJ requirements are semi-annual qualification and aren’t terribly difficult – see http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/pdfs/dcj-firearms.pdf pp 9-35 – 9-44 inclusive for the 2 handgun qual courses. (I believe the last time I was at the range, one of the guys at the far end was going through his handgun quals). I wouldn’t want to go through that course cold, but I’ve shot most of those courses of fire and done better than the 80% on-target requirement. I doubt I’ve fired much more than a thousand rounds of handgun ammo in my life; and my actual formal instruction consisted of some summer camp riflery (.22 rilfes at 5-10 yds) and an NRA Basic Pistol course.

My point was not that the average PA LTC holder trains 90 hrs a year (though it wouldn’t surprise me that many do – plenty of people serious about their hobbies spend that much time and more on them); but that 90 hours of training is *unnecessary*. Basic marksmanship to the point of being able to pass the basic police quals can be taught in a handful of hours; even leaving time to teach the basics of firearms and the 4 Rules. Handgun marksmanship adequate for self-defense is EASY. And cops don’t have to pass a very difficult test to qualify – which is good, because they have a LOT more to learn than just the handgun.

But we have topped that. Thank you Mark. You have put this sad chapter behind me. And if you follow that link, you can see, if you think I’m nuts, you should be thankful you’re dealing with people like me, right now, through the political process, rather than that crowd.

As has been mentioned before, it is a rare talent to look deep within another’s mind and discern what was really meant by a statement. Some even feel it’s impossible. All I ask is that you rein in your exceptional ability in this area, and simply respond to what I say, as opposed to what I might have said, what somebody else once said, what you may wish I’d said, etc.

Finally, it’s unusual to enclose a phrase in quote marks — as in “one last time” — when the source you appear to quote never used the phrase or anything like it. Where, in your many travels, did you encounter that practice?

Furthermore, it doesn’t *take* a whole lot of training to be an adequate shot. I shot my first handgun a year ago this weekend, and can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have stepped foot into a range. I can group within 2 inch radius reliably at 5 yards, and at 25 yards against a human torso/head target I can put all the rounds I want into the head and/or the heart/lungs. Sure, I’m not training under stress – but neither are the beat cops.

My wife had never TOUCHED a gun before my first handgun experience, and has a similar level of accuracy. (I had a fair amount of summer camp riflery).

And while I haven’t trained in a stressful situation with a firearm, I’ve done both high school wrestling and college fencing, as well as paintball – all of which are (imperfect) combat sims. I know my reactions to stress and surprise.

God forbid I’m ever in a situation where I would need to defend myself or my loved ones with a gun, but I am confident of the necessary skills. I dont’ say this to brag – far from it. Many (most) of the gun owners posting here are far more skilled than I am – a few have even defended themselves with a firearm (all by display as far as I know). The level of training necessary to be safe and effective with a firearm is LOW, the level of effort required to maintain is low. The level of physical fitness required is VERY low.

If you admit to a right to actual self-defense; then you have to admit to the right of an individual to be armed with a firearm. Nothing else levels the imbalance of physical fitness.

Look, I am fairly educated, both formally and informally, and have lived all over the nation, in red and blue states, urban and rural. I have been all over the world and have met and interacted with a diverse array of humankind. I am pretty tolerant, too, unless folks do something to warrant intolerance.

Mark, you’re not sorry. You’re a fucking prick. And as far as I am concerned, you can just go away.

My apologies to everyone but you.