Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- Last week, a California school-teacher, who is also a local reserve police officer, and an outspoken anti-gun Democrat, brought his issue-G21 to a school classroom to serve as a “prop” during his now-famous “gun-safety lecture!”
While sternly warning his charges of the inherent danger to guns, the teacher casually pointed his pistol at the ceiling and pressed the trigger!
The GLOCK G21 in question functioned flawlessly, of course, and launched a round upward, causing significant property damage and slight injury to a student.
The teacher has since apologized for his “accident,” but has not elaborated.
We understand the balance of his “safety lecture” has been postponed indefinitely!
The media reported, of course, that the G21 “just went off,” as they apparently do now and then, absent any input from the person holding the pistol.
Yet another “immaculate discharge!”
However, unknown to the shooter, the media, nor the manufacturer, the real culprit is the “LAD (Lilliputian Accidental Dischargers)!”
Yes, just a millisecond prior to the UD in question, the local chapter of the LAD, a highly-skilled, well-oiled, worldwide, intra-gun gang that has established a presence inside all manufactured firearms, swung into action!
Using pint-size axes, hammers, and wrecking bars, the LADs collectively beat on the innards of that hapless Glock 21 until they heard a loud bang and smelled the odor of burned gunpowder.
Their task for the day complete, they reverted back to drinking Australian beer and telling war stories.
As they shamelessly imbibed, LADs sang, in perfect harmony, their anthem:
“We’re the LADs, inside your guns,
Mighty tiny, we’re hard to see,
Takin’ the heat, when guns unexpectedly ‘go bang,’
For a most reasonable, monthly fee,Our job is to make your guns ‘just go off,’
We are talented gun-parts riggers,
With us inside your carried guns,
There’s just no need for triggers!We’re expert witnesses, in civil suits,
‘Weasel-word masters,’ when in the courts,
We repeat, ad nauseam, ‘accidental,’
Read about it in media reports.‘Negligent Discharges’ do not exist!
They’re figments of wild imaginations,
We LADs are inside all guns,
In all ‘No-one’s-accountable’ nations!”
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
I tend to agree that “accidental discharge” is generally due to careless action. It happened to me once years back as a teenager, with my Model 12 when crossing a fence. Instead of handing the gun off to someone who already had crossed, or laid the gun on the ground and picked it up once I was over, I handled the gun while crossing and when through the fence I, unsteadily, took the gun by the barrel and set the stock down hard on frozen ground … I had the safety “On” … but the jarring caused the gun to… Read more »
Just another California, know-it-all moron.
Funny about guns that are loaded and have the safety off. You pull the trigger and they go bang. What an idiot.
Re carriage of arms, the following might prove worth a thought. Opt for a double action pistol, I prefer classic double action, rather than double action only or revolvers, but the choice is yours. A number thereof available from which to choose, take your pick. The classic 1911 pistol is fine. I shot one in IPSC competition for years, though I don’t know that I’d want to carry one day in, day out. Once again, your choice.
Adios Dennis Alexander! You failed on all counts and will be removed from both of your positions. You will be forever known as a school shooter.
Several years ago, I experienced an “accidental discharge” or “unintended discharge”. Fortunately, no one was injured. The accident, purely my fault, not the pistol’s, ended up costing a few dollars, replacement of an old computer. There is no such thing as “accidental discharge or accidental firing”. There is however, human carelessness or lack of attention, which is what was involved, and how the thing should be described. After all 2+2=4, even these days, right?
On our range and in our training we no longer have or use the term “accidental discharge.” All unintended discharges, or discharges in unintended directions, or discharges at unintended times, are now called “NEGLIGENT DISCHARGES.” We want to be clear that the person having the unintended discharge has been negligent in his actions. This also places the responsibility for the negligent discharge where it belongs; on the person holding the gun when the negligent discharge occurred.
@Joe, That is wrong and who ever promulgates that language at your range is wrong. Negligence is a legal conclusion that occurs after a four step analysis. If the people at your range throw around legal conclusions, there could be devastating consequences. The discharge is unintentional until proved negligent by admissible evidence in a court of the proper jurisdiction.
An interesting caution.
Sorry Wild Bill, can’t ride with you on this. Of course I don’t ascribe to the, “It depends upon what the meaning of the word “is” is”, way of explaining things. The dictionaries are clear as to the meaning of the word “negligent.”
The fact that some lawyer somewhere would try to weasel out wouldn’t surprise me however.
@Wild Bill… Fingers rightfully SHOULD be pointed, and voices should be loud/unmistakable, in any attempts to identify (and to correct!) Eye-Dee-Ten-Tee [I D I0 T] Syndrome behavior around firearms. The word “unintended” really does not wield the psychological factor – the stressing of accountability – that the word “negligent” carries. If that was Joe’s point, it is certainly understandable. Yet your point is absolutely correct about the existence of a “legality” issue/factor in the use of the term “negligent,” particularly during court trials. But in real-world practice (outside courtrooms), the basic dictionary definition is simply but commonly used by us… Read more »
What??? Was this guy Barney Fife? Andy take his one bullet away, NOW!
Done.
LOL
My opinion is not universally accepted, but I think putting the safety in the trigger IS THE MOST MONUMENTALLY STUPID IDEA I’VE EVER HEARD OF!
Paul, safety or no safety, pulling the trigger, when not pointed at a target, is the most monumentally stupid thing I have ever heard of. Many handguns do not have external safeties, yet are safely handled daily. It’s not the firearm, it’s the user. The writer here is implying this person *intentionally* discharged his weapon to prove a point about firearms in schools, being as he is an “outspoken, anti-gun Democrat”. There was no “accidental” about the negligent discharge. However, I bet, yet again, will find that since he is “one of them”, there will be no criminal action against… Read more »
I read that the LA County Sheriff’s organization experienced an increase in NDs after switching to the Glock. Many were from clothing being caught on the trigger when re-holstering the gun. This is because the clothing depressed the “safety” allowing the trigger to be activated by the same clothing. DOESN’T HAPPEN WITH A MANUAL SAFETY.located somewhere besides the trigger.
Paul, which shows they were not properly handling the firearm, lack of training, not following the rules, etc. It still wasn’t the fault of the firearm. It took a human for it to discharge, however it happened, putting finger in trigger guard, getting caught in cloth, whatever.
His 1st mistake is bringing a loaded weapon into the class room. 2nd mistake he didn’t feel the extractor raised out of the side of the slide indicating there is a round chambered. 3rd mistake he put his finger on the trigger with out having sights on a target. 4th mistake is he pulled the trigger and the 5th mistake is he was a liberal that shouldn’t be around dangerous objects without adult supervision. So now you know how the “gun just went off”. So a trigger safety is stupid….No stupid is what stupid does, I’ve carried a Glock19 gen… Read more »
In case you didn’t know, there was a time when the Glock extractor was not configured so that it also served as a loaded chamber indicator.
Reguardless..If you don’t know if your weapon is loaded or unloaded then you’re too Stupid to own a gun. I know there are only (2) times when my gun is not loaded 1. when firing the last shot in the mag. 2. when cleaning. Otherwise 15 in the mag & 1 in the chamber G19 gen 3.
Mine is always loaded, even if it isn’t.
Paul, if it was considered a manual safety, you would be right. It is, however, never been considered a manual safety. the trigger safety on a Glock or similar type auto loader is part of the drop safety mechanism which also includes the firing pin safety. The FP safety is automatically disengaged when the trigger is moved to the rear. This allows free movement of the striker/firing pin. The trigger itself has enough mass to move the required about to disengage that FP safety if the pistol is dropped on the rear. That would create the potential for a “dropped… Read more »
Needless to say, for bringing a loaded gun into the classroom, discharging it, and injuring a student, he should lose both his jobs – school teacher and reserve officer – for his behavior, and the case should be referred to the local DA for possible charges of reckless endangerment (or whatever the relevant law says in that jurisdiction.)
Another case of blaming the device and not taking responsibility for your own actions.
For what it’s worth, this “teacher” told a news reporter after the incident that he intentionally pulled the trigger to make sure it was unloaded. It was no accident. It never is.
The useless piece of crap is a part time cop. Typical of a cop. They are all scum.
You are wrong sir! He is not typical of a cop. Cops are not scum, call your local Politician the next time you have an emergency. See how far that gets you.
We have called the cops. They are not to protect us. They are to determine what happened after the crime, if it’s important enough. Their primary function is as a revenue generator for local use. Their secondary value is in revenue generation for the private incarceration corporations. And when are they going to put the rest of the slogan on the cars? “To Serve, and Protect”(Ourselves) An armed America is a safe and soon once again a free America. Sure there are good people on the force. But they can’t stand up to the corruption that envelops them. But until… Read more »
Bryan:
Time and time again, courts at various levels have repeatedly ruled that the police, being there to protect society, whatever that might mean, owe the individual, that’s the citizen, no
particular service, protection or anything else. A computer search, for those who question the foregoing, will serve to substantiate my comment. To those who think otherwise, Look It Up.
You are spot on, Bryan!
Sorry, I meant that Alan was absolutely correct.
He is a liar! A Glock will only fire when the trigger is pressed rearward. The trigger safety has to be overcome, then as the trigger bar moves rearward it moves the firing pin safety up allowing the firing pin to fall once the triggers movement drops the triggerbar off the cruciform allowing the firing pin to ignite the cartridge…it is a SIMPLE machine.
He lies when he says he did not pull the trigger, he did or the arm would not have fired…
He failed his own “gun safety” class! I get a lot of hate for this, but I carry “Israeli style” with an empty chamber and a full magazine It might be a good idea for these school cops and marshals and maybe even teachers carry that way The gun CANNOT go off unless you deliberately rack the slide I am certain that these knuckleheads may be able to have a negligent discharge even with an empty chamber At least no one could claim it as an accident if they racked the slide first I know the drawbacks of empty chamber… Read more »
Correct, Doc…
These cuckoo-clocks absolutely WILL “find a way” to have a negligent discharge… yes, even with an empty chamber. And of course, they’ll swear it was an accident. Never underestimate the power of stupid!
I think the guys father had the negligent discharge
Well put
Docduracoat, his firearm didn’t accidentally discharge, he pulled the trigger. Do you regularly pull the trigger while you carry “Israeli-style” or do you still follow proper firearm safety rules? Many people carry with one in the chamber without negligently discharging their firearms. Following the basic firearm safety rules prevents negligent discharges.
To each his own, but carrying with an empty chamber indicates you are not confident & untrained with your firearm. I would say you need training & practice. It’s like saying you don’t feel comfortable driving in heavy traffic only on rual roads but your a good driver because you have your license.
I am very curious where did you find out that he is outspoken anti-gun person? None of the outlets mention it.
First paragraph is a *claim*, not a *source*. None of article mention his political affiliation. Given he is a cop he is much more likely to actually be a Republican. He was given presentation about guns, using a loaded gun – why do anyone assumes he is antigun?
Roman, speaking of *claims*, yours being “Given he is a cop he is much more likely to actually be a Republican”, is also false. It is far easier ti believe that he is as the author of this news commentary suggests, given that he has no clue how to check the status of a firearm, other than by pulling the trigger. I wonder if he is “qualified” as a reserve officer to even be allowed to carry on duty, may places reserve officers are not allowed to carry. I could find no data on their site as to whether or… Read more »