Arming one's self?
As you might tell from my signature, I am very pro-gun. I pretty much carry a gun wherever I go. Most of my RVing is for traveling to shooting competitions. So, I get plenty of practice shooting guns. My wife also carries a gun at all times, (she's a competitive shooter, also). We both have concealed carry permits. That said, here's my take...
To me, a gun is just a tool, like a fire extinguisher. I have an extinguisher in my RV. I hope I never have to use it. But, I know how to use it and keep it handy.
I have a gun on my belt. I hope I never have to use it. But, I know how to use it and keep it handy.
As with the extinguisher, it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
FIRST question, if someone was about to rape and/or kill your mother, would you do WHATEVER it takes to stop them? Even kill them? A gun is very effective in stopping someone.
SECOND question, are you willing to take the time to become proficient in the use of a firearm?
If the answer to either question is "NO", then a gun is not for you.
If you said "Yes", then a firearms safety and personal defense class would be a good starting point.
As to some of the other issues brought up on this thread...
Most pro-gun organizations claim that most of the time that a law-abiding citizen uses a gun to stop a crime, the gun is never fired. Many times, just showing the weapon is enough to send the criminal running. All gun use statistics reflect a gun being fired. So, gun use statistics are flawed.
I don't know of any case where someone was convicted of murder just because they used hollow-point ammo. That is just a scare tactic used by trial lawyers :angry: .
There is plenty of ammo that disintegrates on impact, reducing the chance of it penetrating several walls. You can also get NON-LETHAL ammo. The bullet or shotgun shell is loaded with rubber balls.
Shotguns are indeed great defensive weapons. If you have enough room to move them. A long gun can become a problem in a narrow hallway or while sitting in a tow vehicle. Shotguns DO have to be aimed, although it is not as critical as a pistol.
Is America a violent nation? Well, we DO have some violent criminals. But, we have a population of close to 300 million people. You're gonna get some bad apples in that big of a crowd. We also have close to 300 million guns in this country. If even 0.1 percent were used to shoot people in a year, that would be 300,000 shootings. We're not even close to that. Great Britain, on the other hand, which banned ALL firearms a couple of years ago, is seeing a huge increase is shootings and murders.
Every state in America that has passed a concealed carry law has seen a drop in violent crimes. (Just check the stats at the U.S. Department of Justice).
I carry a small sized .45 caliber semi-auto that is loaded and cocked, with the safety on. The pistol is designed to be carried that way. I have used a firearm to protect my family once. Someone was trying to kick in my front door at 3 AM. When I displayed the pistol, he fled. I don't go around looking for a chance to shoot a bad guy. In fact, if I and my loved ones can safely leave the area, that's what we'll do. My carrying a pistol does not make this country any more violent.
I am a Christian. Can I, as a Christian, kill someone else? I believe that in the original language of the 10 Commandments, it says "Thou shall not MURDER", not "kill". I do not believe that killing someone in the course of protecting my family is murder.
I do NOT believe that God would want me to passively stand by while my wife or daughter was assaulted. I have a responsibility to protect them.
Just my humble opinion.
