Anthony, Claire and other "foreigners" I ask you to consider the position I am in. If I did not have a gun in at least two instances, I would be dead. If I did not have a gun in several separate instances, my life would have been endangered.
In regards to the "would be dead", clearly self-defense. The last was last year. If I did not have a gun present I feel that a man that had forced his way into my home would have done me serious bodily harm or even murderedme. I honestly don't know. And quite frankly, I honestly don't care to debate the potential that was there.
I was raised around guns and for all my life I have been a safe shooter. There have been instances where I have been in the mountains, in a "bad spot" and had to hunt for my next meal. I assure you Anthony, fried rabbit tastes pretty darn good when you're hungry! Personally I love rabbit, period. But nothing like having the ability to take care of yourself in such a place.
I have a violent past. If I did not have a gun, it would be far worse. I wish so much that in seveal instances that I had a gun. If I had a gun, I'd have never been raped. If I was "packing", several instances of assault would never have happened, and one case of attempted murder would have been prevented. Put yourself in my shoes, and ask youself what you would prefer.
One thing that people in other nations fail to recognize when they speak about how wrong America is to have guns, is that no government is perfect. The US government, included. I can tell you of specifically TWO instances where government employees were abusive of their authority, and a civilian in possession of a firearm prevented the situation from escalating. In both instances *I* was the person holding the gun. Just because Americans have freedom does not mean our government is not abusive. Look at Ruby Ridge and Waco. Extreme cases I know, but in each the USG lied repeatedly to the public. Granted mistakes were made on the civilian side, but does that means it's ok fo the government to make mistakes? No, but accidents happen. And I also know that some of the "accidents" were not accidents, but malicious and planned. End result is innocent lives lost in order to get one man, in each case. How many lives were lost when the feds tried to get David Koresh? Can you tell me those children, 5 & 6 year olds, were any kind of threat to the agents? No, not hardly. Likewise, an unarmed woman nursing a baby, what kind of threat is that? These events would be more often if there were no guns.
Guns possession is not for everyone. And there are some people that you really don't want to have guns. But when you look at events like the Virginia Tech shooting, I have to ask you how many lives could have been saved if one or more instructors or students had concealed carry permits and were "packing heat"? At worst, no effect and 33 would still be dead. At best, you could have 33 survivors, instead. That was shown in the shoot out some months back in Salt Lake City at a shopping mall.
A young man goes into a shopping mall and starts shooting. An off duty police office was carrying a concealed weapon and he stopped it right there. A lot less casualties because he was armed. Irregardless of his professional affiliation.
If criminals want guns, they'll get the guns. They won't care if it's illegal or registered. But law abiding citizens DO care. That is the difference. Laws are only there for those that respect them. How often does a pedophile nearly rape a kid, but stop because "it's illegal"? Robberies? Assaults? Try NONE. Again, they don't care. Packing an illegal weapon is nothing compared to assault, rape or arson. In fact, the criminals are more prone to victimize people they know are unarmed than they will someone they aren't sure of.
Ask yourselves this- if you was a criminal and wanted to break into someone's home, whose home would you pick? One where you knw the people living there are unarmed or the one where you know they likely have weapons and you stand a fair chance of getting shot if caught?
More people die in reckless car accident in a 4 months period than they do from gun-related crimes AND accidents all year long.
Something to consider, Anthony.
