Lion in Winter

Wouldn't work for me. The only time I had to share a house with a gun (and bear in mind I don't believe in arming the citizenry - or anyone else much) I insisted on being shown how to arm and disarm the nasty thing, and make it safe. Never shot it though. Didn't want it there, but if it was there I didn't want to be the only person around with no clue as to how it worked. I've forgotten since.

sibsie

I've been pondering this all afternoon. I lived in Spain who's national emblem may as well be a dude in a stripey top with a "swag" bag. I got hamburgled three times, twice when I was in the house and once with violence. The first time I stupidly gave chase, running down the street after them shouting "bandito" to alert my neighbours. I tried to stop their car by jumping in front of it and quickly jumping out of the way when they aimed it at me.

The problem is that it all happen so quickly. If I'd had a gun (and the penalties wouldn't have been stiff in Spain had I shot them) I'd have had to get it from wherever I kept it. I would have had to have hidden it in a decent place so I could get to it before they could. Then I'd have to take aim and actually fire the ****er. So thinking on the two occasions when I have been attacked in my home, I really think that even if I did have a gun, and even if I had wanted to fire it, I just wouldn't have had the time.

So my ponderence has led me to conclude that having a gun in your home doesn't really do an awful lot when you're faced with robbers/burglars/criminal nasty types.

cindyabs

I grew up with having more than one weapon in the house. My father was neither a vigilante nor paranoid. The only time I saw him use a weapon was hunting season.

After checking that website I see even in my little town, we have 2 offenders, 1 is a NY state import though.

sibsie

I learnt how to arm and disarm firearms when I was in the police. I did have a go at shooting but just didn't like it at all.

Lion in Winter

What, you mean "excuse me, could you hold on a moment while I go and get my gun" doesn't work?

The only times I've felt myself to be in physical danger, I was too busy thinking of how to defuse the situation and stop it, either via practicing "run fu" or just calming it down. It wouldn't have occurred to me to just blow them away instead. However, if you carry a weapon on you, and have been trained/used to using it, there may be a different reaction.

Lion in Winter

I was in Mexico. I didn't like it at all either. Went to an indoor shooting range here with someone (not for me to shoot, still never have) - the man was practically falling over himself to get me to fill out a license application.

Bob

legally, you'd be in your right, i'm just saying, you'd be putting your self in the moral dangers of having to face the fact that you'd pulled a gun and actually shot someone....as opposed to hiding away or legging it....I'm not against guns, don't get me wrong, I'm just saying that they are often a false sense of power, because you still have to shoot someone and live with possibly killing someone even if you didn't face legal actions...

Lion in Winter

Forgot to add, that if for some strange reason I happened to be armed and the life of my child was threatened, I'm pretty sure I'd pull the trigger. Actually, I'm completely sure. But it's very unlikely to happen, since the odds of my being armed are just about nil.

tony126

Now are you bragging or complaining?

tony126

Two comments to be made here.

1) When I applied for my CWP It was emphasised not to draw your gun unless you intended to use it.

2) Around 18 months ago a Defending Attorney was in his house having a meal with his family when two armed men came into the room and robbed them. The Attorney was anti-firearms. Unfortunately these two men had been defended a couple of times, no need to guess, by you know who. The Attorney (who was a witness for the prosecution at their trial) really tore into them an informed everyone that his household now had guns which the family knew how to use.
Now the percentage chance of being held up and robbed is obviously very remote. When it happened to the Attorney and his family he turned 180 degrees.
You do not need two kicks from a mule to learn a lesson.

Lion in Winter

These sorts of stories always seem to me to be arguments for disarming society, not arming it further.

NC Penguin

Hahaha. I wondered if anyone would take it the wrong way.



NC Penguin

tony126

I probably agree with you but banning weapons does not stop those on criminal activity from getting them. The UK banned firearms after Dunblane but from what I have read armed roberies and deaths from firearms have increased. I certainly do not know what the answer is but I would rather be 'hopefully' safe than sorry.

Lion in Winter

Agreed. But legalising them even less so. When I lived in the city (of Chicago), gunshots were a regular event (gang activity), and I saw a gun pulled twice in broad daylight, yards from me, when I was just crossing the street. Guns are as common as mushrooms in this country, and any 15-year-old can get one, apparently.

One only has to compare the figures on violent deaths in the US with those in the UK or Canada. Not to mention the people that get shot with their own weapons, and the children hurt and killed. I know we've been down this particular road a lot on this forum, so I won't rehash it all. I don't think that all gun owners are raving lunatics or anything, I know plenty of them; it just seems to me that if you want a less violent society, ruled by law, then arming everyone to the teeth is not going to achieve that. Secondly, weapons only make you feel safer if you have one and the "bad guy" does not. If weapons proliferate, and not only is everyone armed to the teeth but all the "bad guys" know this, they won't ask questions before robbing you, they'll shoot first and then take what they want. Just like in a war zone really. Not where I want to live thanks.

Ray

Seems the day of relying on other people to defend you against all ills is long gone..So it really is up to you to help yourself with the resources available to you .. Of course not everybody wants or can have guns available to them
but maybe the various other defence systems may be useful from pepper sprays to stun guns ..
And as for the criminal taking guns from you ..What does everyone think that your everday moron criminal is a gun expert ...most I met, and I have have met a lot in my years .. could hardly operate a can opener let alone a gun ..

And please if you do decide to own a gun.. please ensure you know how to load it, and operate it, and my biggest bug bear..ladies if you want a semi-auto ..please ensure you can rack the slide with ease..or even better ..get a revolver...

The term vigilante has been used in this thread ...and its really not the case ....I have the tool to protect me and mine... and while I carry a weapon legally on the street... I never go out looking for an excuse to use it. most people don't .. but if I saw YOUR life in danger ..I would assist you...