This week’s South Brunswick Post includes a follow-up story to a recent item on a local home-invasion/push-in robbery in Monmouth Junction. The June 9 robbery, in which a homeowner and housekeeper were held at gunpoint as burglars ransacked the house, was a scarey event and local police issued a list of basic precautions that residents could take.
It was a straightforward list — or so I thought: install “quality locks” on entrances and windows; install motion-detector lights outside the home and leave lights on inside and avoid opening the door for strangers and ask for identification. Most important, however,
Police advise homeowners not to resist and to follow commands without offering additional assistance. They suggest being as observant as possible without looking directly at the robber, because doing so may be interpreted as a threat. Try to remember the robber’s physical characteristics and specifics of the car the robber was driving, if possible, police say.
After a robbery, residents are urged to call police immediately, write down anything that can be remembered about the crime and make a list of missing items.
Common sense, as I said. But not everyone agrees. Since the story hit our Web site earlier today, we’ve been inundated with comments, most following along the lines of this one:
Solid locks? Check,
Lights with motion sensor? Check.
Ask for ID? Check.
12 gauge loaded with 00 buck? Hmm, oddly enough, the police seem to have left that off the list. Citizens, start thinking for yourselves, be prepared, and act when necessary. Don’t rely on the police alone. In a situation such as a home invasion, their only role is to clean up the mess.
Huh? Our commenters apparently have been watching too many movies, especially old westerns in which everyone is carrying a loaded gun at all times. But aside from the obvious gun lust, there is a basic flaw in the self-defense argument, one that is more likely to get the homeowner or someone else killed than to stop any home invasion.
Let’s follow this logic to what should be its obvious conclusion: You are the homeowner and gun owner. You’re sitting in your living room on a Tuesday night watching the Yankees with your son and daughter. Your gun is in the closet. The doorbell rings and your son gets up to answer it. As he opens the door, two masked men packing handguns push into the house and take him hostage.
What do you do? The gun, as I said, is in the closet. Your son has got a gun being pointed at his head and the two men are now ordering you and your daughter onto the couch, where you’ll sit, gun pointed at you by one bandit as the other ransacks the house.
They steal some jewelry, your cash-filled wallet, etc., but no one is hurt.
The gun was kind of useless in this case.
What if you went for your gun? You better have been quick, because the two thugs already have theirs in hand, as well as your son.
There are other potential scenarios here — but few of them that I can think of involve the homeowner getting a shot off before all hell breaks loose. And the ones that do assume a level of paranoia that, frankly, scares the hell out of me (i.e., the homeowner answering the door with his gun out and pointed at the intruder, who could be anything from the aforementioned bandits to a neighborhood Girl Scout selling cookies).
My suggestion? Listen to the police on this one, be careful and don’t be foolish.
Hank Kalet 
I'm a gun nut. However, in your example, a more likely outcome is that everyone gets their throat slit. Before the slitting, all females are raped. Now let's talk about fear.Criminals are no longer afraid in \”hot robberies\”. Punishment isn't certain. There's no certain retribution to put fear in their heart.It IS a very tough situation.In most cases, you're right. Submit and hope for the best. We have, as a society, bigger problems. And, we better solve them. And, don't let your children answer the door. Wonder if we can revise the New Jersey gun laws? If the formulation is that \”A citizen exchanges allegiance for protection. But the State has no specific duty to protect (as decided by the Courts). Then there is no citizenship.\” Obviously, we need a better answer.
I absolutely despise the NRA and their crap arse philosophy that the more guns there are the better things are. They constantly gin up the false straw man of gun confiscation. Total nonsense. Guns are lethal weapons and they should damn well be regulated. You know, simple stuff like criminals and insane people should not be able to buy guns, you should have to register your gun and have a permit. Yeah, yeah, I know, criminals manage to get guns but let's not make it easy for them, OK? The NRA solution to gun violence is to have more guns. Sometimes I get so fed up with the gun nuts and their idiotic arguments and rationales, I just feel like saying OK, OK, let's get rid of all the gun laws, all the gun regulations and allow anyone any where to carry a gun at any time. Happy now? Let's allow people to pack heat in a court room, allow then to carry weapons into the Congress or state legislators. Happy now? Let's all have pistols strapped to our waists at all times, even when we take a dump because you never know when you're going to be attacked by a criminal. Make sure you have a gun in your shower, that's a very vulnerable moment. Kids should be allowed to carry guns to fight off bullies. Happy now? Everyone should be armed and dangerous in their churches, temples, mosques and pagodas. Happy now? If you want to buy 1,000 guns a month that should be your own business. Happy now?Anything to shut up the gun nuts and the NRA. I am so sick of all their bogus whining and wicked convoluted logic (illogic).
>I absolutely despise the NRA I too don't like the NRA; I prefer the no compromise GOA. So we agree!>gin up the false straw man of gun confiscationKatrina, the tornado in the mid West. Any major city! The first thing they do is confiscate. And it leaves innocent people defenseless. Think the Korean grocers and the Watts riots.>Guns are lethal weapons Yup, just like chainsaws and other power tools.>be regulatedAgree, as in \”a well regulated milita\”, meaning the shooter can hit what they aim at. (Couldn't resist that Constitutional joke.)>simple stuff like criminals and insane people Criminals should be in jail. (Make some room; pardon all the non-violent drug offenders.) (End drug violence by stopping the \”psuedo drug war\”. People can't be stopped from putting stuff int heir bodies. Let walMart and Walgreens put the Columbians out of biz.)>register your gun have a permitJust scrap that Second Amendment. Then the First. Ahh, just scrap the whole Constitution thing. Nothing bad can happen here. The gooferment is our friend. Unless your a Japanese American, American Indian, Minority, White Religious \”nut\”, etc. etc. etc.>I know, criminals manage to get guns but let's not make it easy for themHow much easier could it be? It's the honest gun owner that falls afoul of all the rules and diktats and \”barbara streisand\”! The criminal has ZERO dificulty buy one in the black market. Like drugs.You can't keep \”contraband\” out of your prisons! Think you'll do better int he real world?>OK, OK, let's get rid of all the gun laws, all the gun regulations and allow anyone any where to carry a gun at any time. Happy now?Yes!>Let's allow people to pack heat in a court room, allow then to carry weapons into the Congress or state legislators. Happy now? Yes!>Kids should be allowed to carry guns to fight off bullies. Happy now? Like they don't now? See a firearm is an equalizer.>Everyone should be armed and Don't forget the \”victim zones\” schools. (But, I'd like to close all the pre-prison-training-grounds.)> I am glad you finally agree!