Underneath yesterday’s IGOTD, a commentator took me to task for “rallying for more individual rights for some, while criticizing those who use them in the same breath.” Not true. I don’t rally for individual rights “for some.” If you’re an American citizen I support your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Period. (If you’re looking for elitism, please contact your local gun control advocate.) This feature only criticizes those who exercise their gun rights irresponsibly. The fact that the safety-challenged faux Ruskie [who goes under the name FPSRussia] is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of gun-happy YouTube youth isn’t the reason Kyle gets the IGOTD nod. But it certainly increases the seriousness of his transgressions. Exponentially. The same goes for cops who do stupid things with guns, like this dufus . . .
On one hand, nothing. Officer Testosterone’s just fooling around. A little boastful ironic preening helps ease the tension of a difficult job. Note his trigger discipline. He’s a professional. What could possibly go wrong?
Question: how did he get the shotgun into position without lasering his head or the noggin of the worshipful female law enforcement officer standing stage right? How can he maintain the safety of any one weapon when he has to maintain the safety of three, all of which are pointing in separate directions?
Putting an open-blade knife in your mouth is an open invitation to an event which will distract you from, say, anything else. Like . . . gun safety. I know this sounds crazy, but what if he’s startled? What if the kooky cop has kooky compadres who figure it might be funny to blast a siren to scare him out of his cartoon-like macho posturing?
While I’m no great fan of today’s militarized constabulary, there’s no escaping the fact that the police are still an important role model for kids. By posing for this picture Officer Stupido is telling impressionable minds that it’s OK to fool around with guns. Which it isn’t. Especially for a cop.
Irresponsible? Probably. Humorous? Yes.
I think this police officer is posing for a satirical picture regarding the militarization of the police which you guys often bring up.
Actually reminds me of the film Hot Fuzz lol
Which is one of my favorite movies of all time.
It is just the Sarge preening for the new cute trainee… I am sure they are all unloaded. You can read her face – this is the one I can claim sexual harassment against in three years.
Give it up for the SIG 226. !!!
Why are there never IGOTD’s of actors/move characters? Kids learn from them too. Film posters have the stars holding a gun (eg Tomb Raider) with their trigger finger inside, and no one wears ear or eye pro in films. The fact that most of their rounds don’t connect with the intended target increases the risk of bystanders being hit, which alone makes them an IGO. I understand there’s a lot of adrenalin pumping inside you during engagements, but doing (unlimited?) magdumps and not hitting the target at all (at room distances)?
-End of Rant
I’ve never understood the point of posing with firearms… It’s like taking a picture of yourself holding a hammer in one hand and a screwdriver in another.
Actually we took Lindsey Lohan to task not too many days ago.
By the way, if anyone wants a graduate-level course in incorrect and irresponsible gun handling it’s hard to do much better than the “Lethal Weapon” series.
For what?
She had a gun and that’s all he told us on top of calling her irresponsible.
IGOTD should be like what I sent him, a guy showing his gun safes and pointing out he does not have the combination to one of them.
But Lindsey Lohan wasn’t caught red handed doing something as an IGOTD unlike FPS Russia and the lot. It was more along the lines of: “based on her past history, this is what will most likely take place in the near future” kind of thing.
Rutger Hauer has been IGOTD too
I like the picture, and there’s nothing wrong with showing off for the hot young cop at his side.
“If you’re an American citizen I support your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Period. (If you’re looking for elitism, please contact your local gun control advocate.)”
No need. I found the elitism right there.
Um… where, exactly?
Try this instead: If you’re a human being, I support your unalienable right to keep and bear arms.
You’re right. People think I’m crazy when I think everyone in the world should have their rights to self-defense respected.
Okay, but the Second Amendment only applies in the US, so technically not elitist.
I find myself in the unexpected position of defending a police SGT. While I’m generally not impressed with police marksmanship and weapons handling, he looks safe. His finger is well off the trigger of his pistol and his left hand is well forward of the receiver of the shotgun and on top of the barrel. It’s a simple two point sling, rather easy to get the shotgun in position without lasering his head or the female officer.
So, unsafe? Doesn’t look it. Silly? Yes. Poor example? Possibly. Kids don’t need this picture to get any ideas about hanging various guns off their body. I’ve seen plenty of kids with their toy weapons festooned off their little bodies just like the SGT. It still comes down to Mom and Dad to teach safe handling of real firearms.
Okay, he’s a putz, but cut the guy some slack. At least he wasn’t photographed trying to stick a plunger handle up some black guy’s ass. That’s gotta count for something.
+5
I’d love to a stage briefing at a three gun match that begins with something like that.
“Starting position is in Box A, shotgun loaded and on safe in weak hand, rifle loaded and on safe, pistol loaded in strong hand, knife in teeth. Start signal is audible, ending is last shot fired. At the start signal, engage targets as they appear. A procedural penalty will be assessed for each shot taken without the knife in your mouth.” 😀
Ok you got me it was me, and I posted the comment, and it was in response to posts like this.
“Question: how did he get the shotgun into position without lasering his head or the noggin of the worshipful female law enforcement officer standing stage right?”
Umm I don’t know, maybe becuase he did not turn on the laser?
“How can he maintain the safety of any one weapon when he has to maintain the safety of three, all of which are pointing in separate directions?” Lets see his right hand has control of the pistol, his left is maintaining control of the barrel of the shotgun, the rifle is slung close to his body and is pointing in a safe direction. The knife is lodged in his mouth and his teeth are keeping it from dropping out of his mouth. While the knife is unsafe, this hardly counts as irresponsible.
These two minor concerns are not really your major problem with this officer, you have a problem with….him posing for a picture?
“By posing for this picture Officer Stupido is telling impressionable minds that it’s OK to fool around with guns. Which it isn’t. Especially for a cop.”
Really? The picture could lead impressionable minds to strap on three weapons and clamp a knife between their teeth. Come on that is stretch even for you guys. This is exactly the kind of posting I was referring to, you believe in the second amendment, but you will only criticize those who use it irresponsibly, leaving yourself and those who post for you as the end all of responsibility. More times than seems responsible for any editor you have proclaimed responsible fun owners to be irresponsible according to the rules you create. Your sense of responsibility is so far skewed you end up posting articles that seemingly condemn good and responsible owners for actions that make little or no sense. You are doing more harm by misrepresenting these people and harping on them for nonsense rather than educating responsible gun owners, and that is just irresponsible posting.
Agreed!
Come on, sometimes you guys take this “Irresponsible Gunowner of the Day” thing too far. This was posted on reddit.com, it was a picture of an officer’s last day on the job. He was just having some fun, posing for a picture to remember his service by.
Don’t be that hall monitor on gun forums.
My knife’s sharp enough to shave with. I’m not putting it anywhere near my mouth. Just sayin’
My razor is sharp enough to shave with and I put it right close to my mouth every day.
“Question: how did he get the shotgun into position without lasering his head or the noggin of the worshipful female law enforcement officer standing stage right?”
How could he have? Take a look at the length the sling is adjusted to. It is not physically possible for him to have. He probably lifted it over his head, and slung it in the direction it is pointing in; away from everyone.
“How can he maintain the safety of any one weapon when he has to maintain the safety of three, all of which are pointing in separate directions?”
He doesn’t have to. Safeties and triggers don’t manipulate themselves, and those weapons are all pointing away from people.
Oh no! Not a police officer holding guns! What’s next? A soldier with a grenade? What is this world coming to?
Most citizens do not understand that the police have no obligation to “protect” the individual, primarily because they can only enforce the law. This has been upheld multiple times by the.courts. When they come upon a crime scene they have great difficulty discerning the criminal from the innocent.
The institution of “hold your ground” laws were put into place for that reason..to allow a law abiding citizen to protect themselves. I look at a firearm like a spare tire, I carry one but hope I never have to use it.