Why Didn't Sheriff Andy Taylor Carry a Gun?

[Que]

I recall one episode that he addressed the issue. He said that everybody knew each other and there was no need to carry. Barney insisted on carrying, so he and Andy negotiated from six, down to one bullet. The deal was, Barney could only use his bullet in an absolute emergency.

 

[WeAreNotAlone]

He was a small town dude, with no real crime to deal with. There were a couple episodes where he was going after bad guys and armed up. He always grabbed a rifle in those, though.

I think it was mostly a angle for a TV show.

That said it was a small town- with everyone knowing each other & there was no real crime to speak of.

One reason that there was less crime back then was that officers lived in the area they patrolled. They knew who was naughty, and who was nice so to speak. Nowdays LE is totally disconnected from those they are supposed to "protect" as they usually don't live in the same area they patrol, and very few walk the beat of the neighborhood they live in.

 

[WeAreNotAlone]

I recall one episode that he addressed the issue. He said that everybody knew each other and there was no need to carry. Barney insisted on carrying, so he and Andy negotiated from six, down to one bullet. The deal was, Barney could only use his bullet in an absolute emergency.

Yep, everyone knew each other. Back in the Good-ole days if you did something bad in school, you got a spanking at school, when your mother found out, later on that night when dad got home.


Q: How many people here know their neighbors these days?

How many people (unless you're in a really small town) here really know their neighbors a few houses in each direction?

.

 

[rhino]

It may not be common knowledge, but Andy Griffith was and continues to be extremely anti-gun rights for the individual. He may think it's okay for you to have your grandpa's side by side to hunt birds and rabbits, but he'd prefer that you not be allowed to own a handgun.

There's no documentation (of which I am aware), but I'd bet cash folding money that the real reason the character Andy Taylor didn't carry a gun regularly is because Andy Griffith was against it.

 

[TheJoker]

I found this quote; I'm not sure which episode:

Andy: When a man carries a gun all the time, the respect he thinks he's getting might really be fear. So I don't carry a gun because I don't want the people of Mayberry to fear a gun. I'd rather they respect me.

 

[antsi]

When a man carries a gun all the time, the respect he thinks he's getting might really be fear. So I don't carry a gun because I don't want the people of Mayberry to fear a gun. I'd rather they respect me.

I remember one episode where Aunt Bea said that Andy didn't carry a gun because it made him walk lopsided. lol.

You're both right.

I remember this episode.

I think it was a newspaper reporter from the city, or some such person interviewing Andy for a story. He asked Andy why he didn't carry a gun and got the high-falutin' answer about respect vs. fear.

Somehow Aunt Bea overheard and embarrassed Andy by telling the more prosaic answer.

 

[SSGSAD]

I wondered that myself until I watched an episode when andy brought in 3 moonshiners that resisted arrest ,If he can whoop 3 country boys then drag them to jail ....andys bad enough without a gun,but he would load up when he needed to. He always seemed to keep a pistol in his desk & on top of the china cabinet at home

That is what I remember... the belt, holster, & gun, in his desk drawer...

 

[LAZY DOG]

ONE EPISODE I REMEMBER.ANDY SAID HIS BADGE WAS HIS GUN AND THAT HIS BADGE REPRESENTED THE LAW AND THE LAW REPRESENTED A WHOLE LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN THE CRIMINALS THEY DELT WITH.THATS WHAT HE EXPLAINED TO BARNEY AND BARNEY EXPLAINED THAT TO A BULLY HE HAD TO DEAL WITH.ANDY DID CAREY A GUN WHEN UNKNOWN FELONS LERKED AROUND MAYBERRY

 

[denglazer]

My Great Uncle was a town marshall of a small (population 600) riverfront town in Ill. in the 50's and hardly ever wore a gun. He knew everybody and everybody knew that he was pretty good with his fists.He had very few problems with any locals. I always got the impression that Sheriff Andy was of a similar vein.Just my two cents.

 

[CarmelHP]

An interesting analysis:

Andy Griffith PROPAGANDA | Ron Paul 2012 | Campaign for Liberty at the Daily Paul

 

[bdj357]

This thread has brought up some good points...
1. What hapened to good ol' fashion community policing?
2. What happened to officer friendly?
3. Why the trend towards "tacticool" uniforms?...seems more "stand offish" than your older style uniforms.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Yep, everyone knew each other. Back in the Good-ole days if you did something bad in school, you got a spanking at school, when your mother found out, later on that night when dad got home.


Q: How many people here know their neighbors these days?

How many people (unless you're in a really small town) here really know their neighbors a few houses in each direction?

.

I know by name the ones on each side and their phone number and we speak regularly. Same for two neighbors with in a half mile to the south and one to the north east. I know visually most of the rest with in a mile and the vehicles they drive and a one or two sentence sumation of their circumstance and demeanor.

Criminal conduct in the area and information as is available, is probably dissemenated to the neighbors with a low probability of being involved and a high probability of being the next victim, is probably in every one's hands with in a day of it's occurance.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I seen him arm up with a shotgun a few times...
No handgun

He was pretty much the top shot gun guy in town until that smarty pants girl ringer came in and put it on him at the skeet range. He dumped her pretty quick and went back to the school teacher.

 

[Hoosier Gun Coat]

Maybe because Aunt Bee was always lurking off to the side providing cover. Andy knew she was a crack shot (huhuhuh I said crack) so he wasn't worried.

 

[littletommy]

He was pretty much the top shot gun guy in town until that smarty pants girl ringer came in and put it on him at the skeet range. He dumped her pretty quick and went back to the school teacher.

Yeah, that lady was hot too, way hotter than Helen Crump.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

I know by name the ones on each side and their phone number and we speak regularly. Same for two neighbors with in a half mile to the south and one to the north east. I know visually most of the rest with in a mile and the vehicles they drive and a one or two sentence sumation of their circumstance and demeanor.

Criminal conduct in the area and information as is available, is probably dissemenated to the neighbors with a low probability of being involved and a high probability of being the next victim, is probably in every one's hands with in a day of it's occurance.

Nearly the same here, Jack. If we don't see a neighbor out and about for a couple days, someone is knocking on their door to check on them. We also watch out for the school-age children in the neighborhood and if a child is doing something wrong, the parent(s) get informed. And yep, I've had a parent inform to me on my son's activities. I encourage it!

 

[crawfish]

I was told awhile ago when they first put the show together he kept getting the handle hung up on his chair, his desk and hated haven it pull on his side so he oppted for a rifle and they made a point to have gun rack close and they usaully had a rifle in the trunk of car to ad or remove from scenes also was on the hip where he would put his guitar across his leg and play during down time on set and during scene shots also was said it took away from his perfect gig line and barney was sloopy and he was sharp always

 

[X ring]

I think Andy was "connected" with the Mob underground in Mount Pilot, therefore everyone knew not to mess with him.

 

[right winger]

It may not be common knowledge, but Andy Griffith was and continues to be extremely anti-gun rights for the individual. He may think it's okay for you to have your grandpa's side by side to hunt birds and rabbits, but he'd prefer that you not be allowed to own a handgun.

There's no documentation (of which I am aware), but I'd bet cash folding money that the real reason the character Andy Taylor didn't carry a gun regularly is because Andy Griffith was against it.

I saw a interview with Andy.In it he said no one should be armed.
He had Don Knott's Barney character be a boob with a gun as that is how Andy saw all gun owners. Ron Howard and Andy are big Obama supporters.They hoped Obama would be able to get guns out of everyones hands except the police or the military.As far as I am concerned they both can rot in hell.I will never anything with Andy in it.Or Ron Howard produced.