*** The Official MAGAposting thread ***

[Poopadoop]

Bullshit.

Oskar clearly stated that he does not believe teachers should be tasked with preventing or stopping crimes. His phrasing clearly demonstrated that he think the idea crosses beyond ill-advised into the realm of comical. If that's in dispute, then you just don't get English.

He then went on to say that an alternative solution would be to treat social disorders with enhanced healthcare programs. If that's in dispute then you just don't get english.

So...statement 1: Teachers acting as cops is laughable

Statement 2: A better solution is for wizards to control people's minds and tell them not to do bad things.


I'm merely asking why he thinks that statement 2, in its original or paraphrased form, is not also laughable.

Lol you can't even get through one post without committing reductio ad bananum.

"Teachers acting as cops is laughable" is in line with Oskar's post.

After that you go off on some fantasy about mind control and magical beings, which is an attempt to rephrase his argument, such as it was, in a way so as to mock and belittle it.

Tell me, if you don't take the idea seriously, why are you asking him to defend it? I mean apart from the fact that he didn't say it, why should he indulge you?

You're obviously not open to hearing anyone else's thoughts and considering any merit they might possibly have. You're only apparent reason for being here is you're bored at work and think calling everyone who disagrees with you an idiot (or whose words you can twist into something absurd they didn't say) is a form of entertainment.

Fuck your life must be sad if this is the best thing you can find to do with your time.

[OngBonga]

Who cares if he's mocking or belittling oskar's argument? He's also challenging him to elaborate, which is what I'd rather see, than waa waa stop being childish.

[OngBonga]

The mockery, it's purely tone, it's purely a difference in debating styles. I hate it when people go "you're being mean" and use that as an excuse to sidestep the debate in question and even attempt to grab moral high ground.

Stop being so fucking sensetive. It's just words, you know what he means. The idea a shrink can do more to stop school shootings than an armed teacher is laughable, and warrants challenging.

[Poopadoop]

Who cares if he's mocking or belittling oskar's argument? He's also challenging him to elaborate, which is what I'd rather see, than waa waa stop being childish.

I'm simply pointing out how poor his argument skills are. Challenging someone doesn't involve changing their argument to make it sound retarded, sorry.

[OngBonga]

Mockery neither makes someone's argument stronger nor weaker. Ignore it and focus on the actual argument, rather than the method of delivering it.

[Poopadoop]

The mockery, it's purely tone, it's purely a difference in debating styles. I hate it when people go "you're being mean" and use that as an excuse to sidestep the debate in question and even attempt to grab moral high ground.

If it were only mockery, that's one thing. I do it myself. But I generally have a point to make other than 'if I change what you said to X, I can argue against it being true.' Wtf is the use of that?

The idea a shrink can do more to stop school shootings than an armed teacher is laughable, and warrants challenging.

See how easy it is to say that without being obnoxious about it?

Why are defending his right to be obnoxious but complaining when someone's obnoxious to him in return? Are you his mum?

[Poopadoop]

Mockery neither makes someone's argument stronger nor weaker. Ignore it and focus on the actual argument, rather than the method of delivering it.

If there were an actual argument that were stated in such a way that you didn't have to sift through a lot of ad hominem and reductio ad bananums to get to, people might be more inclined to address it.

All fuckwits who behave like that do is kill people's desire to have open discussions about things.

[OngBonga]

Because obnoxiousness is not something I give a flying fuck about.

[OngBonga]

The problem isn't you being obnoxious back, it's deflecting from the argument to bicker about how mean he is.

[Poopadoop]

The problem isn't you being obnoxious back, it's deflecting from the argument to bicker about how mean he is.

Well i'm going to keep pointing out his reductio ad bananums and other logical fallacies until he does something about it. Maybe have a word with him if you don't like it.

[OngBonga]

Point is, we're all adults here, if we can say fuck and cunt we can mock each other's ideas and not get butthurt.

[Poopadoop]

Point is, we're all adults here, if we can say fuck and cunt we can mock each other's ideas and not get butthurt.

Then don't get butthurt when we point out the weakness of said approach to argumentation.

[Poopadoop]

You could just as easily say 'we're all adults here, let's try to have reasonable discussions and not just fling poo at anyone who disagrees with us'.

The fact that you prefer to try to reason with me than try to reason with a certain other person speaks volumes doesn't it?

[OngBonga]

Then don't get butthurt when we point out the weakness of said approach to argumentation.

This is exactly what I mean.

[OngBonga]

You reduce to insults and butthurt without argument.
Banana reduces to mockery while maintaing debate.

You think I'm butthurt? Absolutely not, I'm simply pointing out that you have moved away from what was actually being argued about to instead complain about banana's mockery, and now to argue with me about who's butthurt and who isn't.

[OngBonga]

At least banana is arguing something of substance. All he said was wizards instead of shrinks. How hard is it to mentally replace one word with the other? Too hard, clearly, because saying wizards is mean.

Honestly, it just descends into shit slinging (like this) and attacking each others' personalities. It's getting boring.

[Poopadoop]

You reduce to insults and butthurt without argument.
Banana reduces to mockery while maintaing debate.

Lol. Fuck off.

I point out where his insults and butthurt make debate impossible, because the person he's 'debating' with would eventually rather ignore him that engage him. And when those insults and butthurt are directed at me I point out that they aren't actually arguments.

You think I'm butthurt? Absolutely not, I'm simply pointing out that you have moved away from what was actually being argued about to instead complain about banana's mockery, and now to argue with me about who's butthurt and who isn't.

Well you're the one who started this argument with me, so if complaining about what someone else says counts as being butthurt when I do it, it must the same for you.

and now to argue with me about who's butthurt and who isn't.

You're the one who started the argument about butthurt lol.

[Poopadoop]

It's getting boring.

You're right about that.

[OngBonga]

There are countless times you guys are obnoxious to banana, but while actually arguing about the topic in question. I don't complain then.

It's when it's "fuck the debate, you're being mean".

You knew exactly what banana meant, yet YOU decided to turn this into an issue about mockery.

[OngBonga]

fwiw, I rarely see banana abandon the topic in favour of being a twat. He does sometimes, but as I recall he's nearly always taking the bait.

He just uses language that sensetive types don't like. And I'm brutally honest about what I'm observing.

[BananaStand]

Any psychologist with a clue about anything knows that it is an absolute waste of time to try and help someone who genuinely doesn't want to change. You can't just put someone in a "healthcare program" (whatever that is) and expect them to get better. They have to WANT to be there. And if they truly do desire change, then they've already made the monumental breakthrough of realizing that their problems aren't with the world, but rather with the way they interacts with the world.

Someone intent on mass-murder does not have those thoughts. They just don't.

So, I'm wondering how Oskar expects these "health care programs" to reduce mass-murder. And the only explanation that fits...is sorcery.

If that's wrong then Oskar, or anyone else, is welcome to posit an explanation for how a government funded social welfare program is going to change someone who doesn't want to be changed.

[OngBonga]

^ a great example.
Ignoring the bollocks, getting on with the topic.
Nice.

[OngBonga]

I don't even agree with him. I think psychologists can help those who don't want to be helped, or at least maybe encourage someone into reflecting on their behaviour and perhaps sewing the seed of someone wanting to change.

Shrinks can do great things if they understand what's going on in someone's head better than the individual does himself.

[CoccoBill]

Is it better to treat the symptoms or the disease?

[Poopadoop]

There are countless times you guys are obnoxious to banana, but while actually arguing about the topic in question. I don't complain then.

It's when it's "fuck the debate, you're being mean".

You knew exactly what banana meant, yet YOU decided to turn this into an issue about mockery.

I understand; you hate to see your little banana friend getting spanked.

[OngBonga]

That said, I don't think a shrink is better placed to stop school shootings than a specially trained armed teacher.

[OngBonga]

I understand; you hate to see your little banana friend getting spanked.

Actually I would quite like to see it happen. It hasn't for a very long time.

[BananaStand]

I think psychologists can help those who don't want to be helped,

False. This really isn't debatable. I mean, sure you can have your opinion. But do know that it's objectively wrong.

[BananaStand]

That said, I don't think a shrink is better placed to stop school shootings than a specially trained armed teacher.

Explain how that's possible without magic

[CoccoBill]

Someone intent on mass-murder does not have those thoughts. They just don't.

How do u know? Fwiw, "they just don't" and "it just is" are often clear signs of cognitive dissonance.

[Poopadoop]

Is it better to treat the symptoms or the disease?

it's a bigger question that often gets ignored. If you stop people from either a) wanting to go on a shooting spree; or b) having the means to go on a shooting spree; that's a lot more effective than just saying 'let's have someone in the school who can be just as dangerous as the person we're letting exist outside of it.

[OngBonga]

Is it better to treat the symptoms or the disease?

Do you think psychologists are treating the disease, or symptons?

[OngBonga]

Explain how that's possible without magic

Um... read it again. Slowly.

[Poopadoop]

Actually I would quite like to see it happen. It hasn't for a very long time.

Completely missed that elections thread bit then i take it.

[CoccoBill]

Do you think psychologists are treating the disease, or symptons?

Both. Which one are armed teachers treating?

[BananaStand]

How do u know? Fwiw, "they just don't" and "it just is" are often clear signs of cognitive dissonance.

The thoughts that drive mass-murder are anger at the world. Anger at "being" itself. It's a position of hopelessness that the thinker believes can only be remedied through the introduction of huge amounts of chaos.

That kind of thinking is completely incompatible with a desire to improve one's own life through improving their perceptions and interactions with the world.

A person obsessively and purposefully driven towards chaos can't also be seeking order.

[OngBonga]

Completely missed that elections thread bit then i take it.

What, the one where you argue a swing in favour of a pro-gun dem is indicative of Trump losing popularity? I only glanced through and he looked like he was making more sense to me.

[OngBonga]

Both. Which one are armed teachers treating?

The disease.

[Poopadoop]

It's a position of hopelessness that the thinker believes can only be remedied through the introduction of huge amounts of chaos.

Reminds me of a certain orange person I keep hearing about in the news.

That kind of thinking is completely incompatible with a desire to improve one's own life through improving their perceptions and interactions with the world.

Presumably that way of thinking isn't ingrained, otherwise it would afflict six year olds too and they would go on killing rampages. If the development of that way of thinking could be arrested or channeled in some more positive direction, then prevention seems possible.

[Poopadoop]

What, the one where you argue a swing in favour of a pro-gun dem is indicative of Trump losing popularity? I only glanced through and he looked like he was making more sense to me.

Reductio ad bananum.

Try reading the whole thing.

[OngBonga]

Reductio ad bananum.

Try reading the whole thing.

I really cannot be bothered. My interest in that is zero.

[BananaStand]

Presumably that way of thinking isn't ingrained, otherwise it would afflict six year olds too and they would go on killing rampages. If the development of that way of thinking could be arrested or channeled in some more positive direction, then prevention seems possible.

Well, we can debate this. But assume for a minute I'll stipulate

The kind of evaluations, identifications, and classifications that go into this would be so invasive that I would rather live in a world with mass-shootings.

Like...we could end rape if we just castrated all the men. I'd rather people get raped.

[Poopadoop]

I really cannot be bothered. My interest in that is zero.

But you're fine with reaching a conclusion about who won the argument. Well played.

[CoccoBill]

The thoughts that drive mass-murder are anger at the world. Anger at "being" itself. It's a position of hopelessness that the thinker believes can only be remedied through the introduction of huge amounts of chaos.

That kind of thinking is completely incompatible with a desire to improve one's own life through improving their perceptions and interactions with the world.

Well it's great your clairvoyance extends to mass-murderers too. Unfortunately it isn't as black and white as in your world. There are a multitude of reasons and motivations behind them, but there's nothing to suggest that they're not detectable, preventable and treatable. They're not caused by physical deficiencies, traits or conditions. I'm not talking about medication, that's the aspect of psychiatry where I agree with you, diagnoses and prescriptions are handed out way too easily. Then again therapy, counseling and other preventive measures definitely have their place and should be used more.

[CoccoBill]

The disease.

Hint: Shootings are the symptom.

[BananaStand]

Then again therapy, counseling and other preventive measures definitely have their place and should be used more.

These remedies can only be used on someone who doesn't want them through force. Using these methods through force has been proven ineffective.

what are you not getting?

[Poopadoop]

These remedies can only be used on someone who doesn't want them through force. Using these methods through force has been proven ineffective.

Again, making the assumption the person is born that way and never wanted help before they became a psychopath. Maybe had they received help in time, they wouldn't have ended up with the mindset that mass murder is a better option than seeking help.

[CoccoBill]

These remedies can only be used on someone who doesn't want them through force. Using these methods through force has been proven ineffective.

what are you not getting?

Your lack of understanding. Do you think mass-murderers are born that way, that all we can do about them is shoot first?

[BananaStand]

Again, making the assumption the person is born that way and never wanted help before they became a psychopath. Maybe had they received help in time, they wouldn't have ended up with the mindset that mass murder is a better option than seeking help.

And you think the government stands a chance at accomplishing this???

[Poopadoop]

And you think the government stands a chance at accomplishing this???

I think they stand a better chance if they try than if they don't try, yes.

[Poopadoop]

I think a lot of what goes into not wanting help is the notion that 'no-one cares about me' or 'no-one is on my side', leading to the conclusion of 'fuck society, it won't help me'. I don't think these people go around thinking 'i'm fine with the idea of wanting to kill everyone'. it's more like 'i'm fucked in the head but no-one cares.'

So, if someone gets to them before they reach that point, and convinces them that someone does care and wants to help them, I think it could save a lot of heartache later on.

[CoccoBill]

I'd bet 80% per cent of teen suicides could be prevented if the person had someone to talk to who wanted to listen. School shootings are a form of suicide.

[BananaStand]

I think they stand a better chance if they try than if they don't try, yes.

Fine. What exactly could be done that's not already being done? How do you identify who needs help? How do you identify who needs enough help that it will stop a shooting? How do you measure success? How do you keep this program(s) from being abused? How do you protect people's rights?

I posted a link a couple weeks ago of a NY Times opinion piece written by an accomplished psychologist who ADMITTED that she had no reason to incarcerate (not the clinical term I know, but it's apt) a person but did so anyway merely because she wanted to avoid any potential fault if she was wrong. AND she also admitted that she would be personally gratified if this innocent person were not allowed to buy a gun.

Funny enough, that injustice wasn't the point of her paper. It was just an innocuous detail that doesn't seem to be getting much play in the liberal media.

What you're advocating is a slippery slope, and not even a very long one, toward government oppression.

[BananaStand]

I'd bet 80% per cent of teen suicides could be prevented if the person had someone to talk to who wanted to listen. School shootings are a form of suicide.

How would gun control stop this?

How would teachers having guns increase this?

[CoccoBill]

How would gun control stop this?

I don't know, maybe you should ask someone who thinks that.

How would teachers having guns increase this?

I don't know, maybe you should ask someone who thinks that.

[BananaStand]

I don't know, maybe you should ask someone who thinks that.



I don't know, maybe you should ask someone who thinks that.

so then you agree that gun control won't help, and arming teachers won't not help.

now we're getting somewhere.

[BananaStand]

So, if someone gets to them before they reach that point, and convinces them that someone does care and wants to help them, I think it could save a lot of heartache later on.

That's so sweet. I think I'm getting a cavity.

How would you suggest we make that into policy without being invasive or violating rights, and also having the policy be measurably effective?

[Poopadoop]

How would you suggest we make that into policy without being invasive or violating rights, and also having the policy be measurably effective?

Don't know I'm not an expert in the area. It just strikes me as a better use of resources to try to prevent people from becoming mass killers than giving everyone in a public space a gun and training in how to kill potential mass-killers.

[CoccoBill]

so then you agree that gun control won't help, and arming teachers won't not help.

now we're getting somewhere.

Let me try to put this in more understandable terms. Gun control good, arming teachers bad. Guns bad, therapy good.

[OngBonga]

I'm more pro gun today than I was two days ago. Here's why.

So as you may or may not remember, I just moved from Shittyminster to the beautiful countryside. I am at the top of a massive hill in the middle of nowhere. It's bliss (literally, the nearest village has Bliss in the name).

So anyway, yesterday at around 8pm (it's pitch black), a car pulls up at my gate. He hangs around maybe 30 seconds, and leaves. 5 minutes later, he comes back, turns around at the gate, fucks off again.5 minutes later, returns, and appears to pick someone up. So whoever that was maybe was walking around my land, having a look. I can't imagine what the fuck else was going on. So I get paranoid, start looking at the law to see what I can arm myself with at home.

I can't even have pepper spray. Jesus fucking christ, it's very much illegal for me to boil up some chilli powder and some ethanol in an attempt to defend myself against potentially armed burglars. But I can have a big fuck off kitchen knife, because they can be used for other reasons beyond defending oneself. I've ordered a baseball bat off ebay, that's about as good as it gets for me.

Today, 8pm, car comes back. This time, instead of peering out the window thinking "wtf are they doing" I march to the gate, shine a torch at the car, note the registration plate, and return to my house. I wasn't subtle. They left shortly after, and didn't return (at least not yet).

So I'm left here, on my own, waiting for my baseball bat to arrive, hoping that writing something down on a piece of paper is enough of a deterrant for them to not return.

I want a gun.

[BananaStand]

Let me try to put this in more understandable terms. Gun control good, arming teachers bad. Guns bad, therapy good.

There's no such thing as "gun control". It's really 'people control'. It's an important distinction to which the left is totally oblivious.

And therapy only works if the person wants it, and most mass murders don't.

[CoccoBill]

There's no such thing as "gun control". It's really 'people control'. It's an important distinction to which the left is totally oblivious.

And therapy only works if the person wants it, and most mass murders don't.

Obviously gun control is shorthand for controlling people's access to guns.

It's a bit late for therapy when they already are mass murderers. I'm sure there's plenty of ways to give special attention to high risk groups, identify and monitor behavioral patterns and early warning signs, invest in preventative care and be able to intervene in extreme cases. I don't know how to implement these, that's why they (should) have smarter people making policies. I'm sure all it'd take to see improvement is to invest in these things.

[OngBonga]

It's a bit late for therapy when they already are mass murderers.

Yeah, it's also a bit late around an hour before they become mass killers, which is why it might not be such a bad idea if they were headed somewhere they can expect to encounter armed personnel.

[OngBonga]

As for my visitors, pretty sure they were sniffing around the oil tank. Good luck with that, they'll swallow more than they can steal if they try to syphon that shit. Still, whoever put it where it is needs a fucking slap. It's in plain sight of the lane, it's a super quiet part of the country, it's basically asking for it. Fuck's sake.

[Poopadoop]

Yeah, it's also a bit late around an hour before they become mass killers, which is why it might not be such a bad idea if they were headed somewhere they can expect to encounter armed personnel.

It would be nice if everyone who wasn't crazy could be trusted with a gun as well.

[OngBonga]

All the more reason to have one.

[BananaStand]

Obviously gun control is shorthand for controlling people's access to guns.

Wrong. Get woke.

It's a bit late for therapy when they already are mass murderers.

Or already have the thinking of a mass murder.

I'm sure there's plenty of ways to give special attention to high risk groups

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a county in Florida called Broward. And their school kids were angry criminal ass holes. The number of incidents requiring police intervention and arrests was extremely high. Like all crime, poverty was at the root. And that means that minorities were over-represented in the arrest figures. Then someone said "There must be some way we can give special attention to high risk groups (i.e. minorities)"

Like any misguided liberal governing body, the degenerate fuckheads in this Florida county thought they could solve problems with legislation and government policy. Enter the PROMISE program. This dumbass misguided garbage enacted new policies requiring schools to NOT call the police when kids commit certain misdemeanor crimes like fighting, pot, bringing a knife to school etc. Instead of calling law enforcement when laws were broken, the schools decided to keep shit in house.

offenders were given all kinds of special attention. Moved to different classes, different schools, whatever. And it worked...ostensibly. Arrest statistics went way down. Number of crimes didn't. But arrests did. So everyone in Broward was happy. And one day this program sucked up the wrong psycho. He was given all kinds of attention. He was moved around. And yet he never felt like he was getting the right kind of attention. He definitely wasn't getting the right kind of attention from the police despite his many clear offenses. And then one day this psycho decided to get attention by murdering 17 people.

And after that happened, the Sheriff of Broward went on TV and said this could have all been prevented if the whole country was banned outright from owning an AR-15.

Now if you're a person with any sense. Your head just exploded.

identify and monitor behavioral patterns and early warning signs

Medical surveillance?? Ask any doctor you can find if they think that's ethical.

invest in preventative care

From the government? Preventative care is called parenting. Gov't sucks at that.

and be able to intervene in extreme cases.

This already exists. The problem is that there is invasive and unconstitutional intervention in non-extreme cases. Society can not handle this policy. It's a nice idea. But it's objectively not viable.

I don't know how to implement these,

Probably a good thing because they're terrible ideas. And what has been implemented, like the PROMISE program, produced the most catastrophic result.

that's why they (should) have smarter people making policies

I'm considering a run in 2032. I figure Trump's gonna do his 8. Then I forsee a president Kanye. After that vote Banana.

I'm sure all it'd take to see improvement is to invest in these things.

Invest how? I don't think society can effectively do this right now. Perhaps we're just not evolved enough. The problem here is that society's instinct is like yours. We talk about "identifying high risk groups". So the next question is "which groups?" and "how do we identify them?". Broward tried to answer that. They said "who's getting arrested the most?". The answer was minorities. So they made policies to help favor minorities. And then some psycho white kid fell through the cracks. So we invested. And what was the return on that investment? 17 dead kids.

Nice investment.

[wufwugy]

Hint: Shootings are the symptom.

When put into those terms. I'm not sure those are the most productive terms.

[wufwugy]

That's not an argument Wuf, that's just being patronizing. You're better than that.

I'm still trying to figure out the best course of action to when a response to what I have said assumes I said something different than what I said and applies absurdity to what I said.

I probably should have used the high ground maneuver.

[CoccoBill]

Yeah, it's also a bit late around an hour before they become mass killers, which is why it might not be such a bad idea if they were headed somewhere they can expect to encounter armed personnel.

I'm sure there's a not insignificant chance that armed teachers may act as a deterrent. I'm also sure there's a not insignificant chance there would be more accidents and additional casualties. I'm not sure armed teachers would improve the situation overall.

[CoccoBill]

Wrong. Get woke.

Ok. Right. "The left" think gun control means telling guns to behave.

Let me tell you a story.

Cool story bro. You give me one anecdote where in Florida some stupid ass backwards program was tried, and it failed. What exactly were you trying to prove?

Medical surveillance?? Ask any doctor you can find if they think that's ethical.

I don't know what you mean by medical surveillance. I meant surveying how pupils act. There's plenty of teachers, counselors etc staff in schools, kids have medical exams, I'm sure there's already plenty of ways to find behavioral patterns that are high risk, other than just violent behavior. In many cases of school shootings there had been clear warning signs, they just hadn't been acted upon.

From the government? Preventative care is called parenting. Gov't sucks at that.

As long as the govt is providing the education, they also have a very central role in that. Something could be done about parenting too. Such as disincentivizing making a billion kids in poor and troubled households, or in general requiring people to pass some basic tests to be able to make kids or vote.

This already exists. The problem is that there is invasive and unconstitutional intervention in non-extreme cases. Society can not handle this policy. It's a nice idea. But it's objectively not viable.

I wouldn't consider forced interventions in countries with less than one shooting a week.

Probably a good thing because they're terrible ideas. And what has been implemented, like the PROMISE program, produced the most catastrophic result.

None of them are terrible ideas.

Invest how? I don't think society can effectively do this right now. Perhaps we're just not evolved enough. The problem here is that society's instinct is like yours. We talk about "identifying high risk groups". So the next question is "which groups?" and "how do we identify them?". Broward tried to answer that. They said "who's getting arrested the most?". The answer was minorities. So they made policies to help favor minorities. And then some psycho white kid fell through the cracks. So we invested. And what was the return on that investment? 17 dead kids.

Nice investment.

Like with anything in life, give it a half-assed shot and if that fails, fuck it.

[oskar]

Mental healthcare isn't exactly magic. People don't usually go from no signs of a personality disorder to mass murder. A good sign to give as an example would someone literally saying "I'm going to murder a lot of people," and you take that as an incentive to take him aside and talk to him. The most recent school shooter has done exactly that.

It's also worth thinking about why this is such a localized phenomenon. Why is this happening primarily in the US and could it possibly have something to do with the accessibility of firearms and a lack of mental healthcare? Whatever the root cause is, arming teachers is the most retarded suggestion I have ever heard. There are at least two publicized instances of negligent discharges of a firearm in a classroom in the US and teachers are not currently carrying weapons. How do you prevent more of that happening when you increase the number of firearms in classrooms by a couple thousand percent?

[oskar]

I took a quick at UK gun laws. Rough times, Ong. Have you seen Home Alone?

[OngBonga]

I took a quick at UK gun laws. Rough times, Ong. Have you seen Home Alone?

Haha I had my mate over yesterday, and we were talking about this! Rather than people appearing to have a party, I'm gonna have someone appear to be waving a knife at one window, a shotgun at another, and my stereo will be constantly playing Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner.

Honestly though, psychology is a good weapon. They were clearly up to no good, and if someone alone approaches you with a torch, shines it at your car, notes the reg, then casually walks back into the house, you're sitting there thinking "this guy isn't even intimidated". As far as they're aware, I could have a shotgun. That will deter most people. Once they've been seen, it's very unappealing to be robbing off people like farmers. They don't know I'm nothing to do with the farm next door.

But I still want to be armed a little more than a baseball bat. I might be able to apply for a shotgun license, but I have suffered from depression in the past, that's on record, so I might not be allowed. Plus, it's not like I can have one by the weekend.

[oskar]

Assuming that guy was really scouting you out and not getting cucked by his satnav... the reason he's scouting out houses is to find out when you're not home. So even if you're lucky enough to catch him red handed, and you can actually get to your gun, and it's the 0,1% of that case where that guy wasn't just going to run either way... You still live in the UK, so you're still fucked. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(farmer)