Next we need Countyman telling us how safe Downtown is at night.

Downtown is a safe place. I didn't go home until after 4 am last night. I live on broad street downtown.

Key words here "very intoxicated." I have no pity for someone who gets too drunk and walks the 400 Block of Broad at 3 a.m.

You must have control of yourself to have control of the situation.

Good score for some muggers huh?

Countryman, I have never been afraid to walk any street downtown at night at any time. But we do need more security for the folks that ARE afraid to because of folks like this.

Countyman, sounds as if you may blend in with the crowds than many of us would. I believe downtown is unsafe, have many reasons to substantiate my beliefs, and conduct my visitation accordingly. Some are just to "hell bent" on making the downtown scene work. Wasted effort, and unfortunately...tax monies.

Taylor you should never unholster your weapon unless you intend to use it. They are not to be used for scare tactics.

Its funny you call me a cowboy shortly following the statement that I don't know you. No situation warrants you brandishing your weapon to scare someone off. I never stated that you should have taken a life. I simply stated you should have never unholstered your weapon.

Tmy I would hope that anyone carrying a weapon for self defense would not brandish it if they were robbed or shot at. You cannot go around brandishing your weapon at everyone because you do not know their intentions. As for me being a good target ... I try to use situational awareness all the time. I also stay away from areas that I consider to be high risk.

There is never a good time to brandish your weapon. If you feel your or someone elses life is in enough danger to justify the use of deadly force then you need to end the threat. Places have different levels of risk. I am much more comfortable leaving my weapon at home(Stupid Public Gathering Law) and going out somewhere in Columbia county than I do somewhere downtown Augusta.

I think that most people who fire a weapon at someone wishes they didn't have to. I for one never want to, but I am prepared if the need arises.

RAWR - If you weren't there, there is really nothing for you to say about whether a weapon should have beeen unholstered or not. The reason for unholstering a weapon is sometimes for another reason than to scare someone off. If you don't know why, then you really have no business in this conversation. AND I am not going to waste my time telling you if you can't figure it out on your own. And one more thing. Leave your firearm at home, because you obviously don't have enough tactical expertise to carry it yet.

RAWR I'm fine with discussing this, and I think its great we have differing opinions. All people who decide to have weapons are different (no matter what the left tells you) and this goes to prove it. I did not unholster to scare anyone. I did so to protect my self and property. The scare was a side effect. In two of my cases, bystander safety was an issue due to the firearm I had (.45 caliber in one case, shotgun in another, plus group of six people trying to break into the bar I worked at). The other two cases were a woman with a razor and a group of teenagers beating a homeless man for fun that immediately turned an ran away. Should I have shot them in the back? Would that have been justified? Of course not. These are isolated cases and should not detract people from going downtown. I still go downtown because I'm not going to let the unruly control where I go. I am prepared to not be a victim, though.

Curly, merely being intoxicated in public does not constitute Public Drunkenness. Maybe he wasn't arrested because he didn't violate the law? Maybe?

Some younger people do not understand what safe means- they have a different concept than older people do- but they will understand when they get older.

If you arent willing to kill, don't pull a gun does not mean everytime you pull it means you have to kill. It means exactly what it says don't pull it unless you are willing, in other words don't pull it just for show or scare tactics if you can't pull the trigger if it is needed. It does not mean you can't pull the gun to protect yourself by keeping the perp at bay, he may stop the crime and run off or you can keep them at bay until help arrives. As much as I would like to see most criminals put down like that, that's not accpetable in todays world. So in other words you are saying if you have a gun on you and someone jumps into your car you only have 2 options, pull immediately and kill or never pull it and let the criminal kidnap you. How about door #3, pull it and if it runs him off, drive away and call police, if pulling it doesnt run him off and he advance you anyway, yeah shoot. But do you pull it and put a bullet in their brain immediately? If someone starts threatening you saying they are going to beat your brains in starts walking towards you and you have a gun do you shoot them before they can touch you or do you pull the gun to see if that stops them first, then shoot if they continue to attack? You don't see the real meaning behind don't pull it unless you are willing to use it.