Is it better?

[yssie]

Exactly what HouseCat said.


1. If we ever have a gun, with children in the house (or even people visiting), the gun would be in a LOCKED safe UNLOADED.
2. If we ever needed said gun in a hurry, we wouldn't have access to it because it would be in said LOCKED safe UNLOADED.
3. This is assuming that never, not even once, have I (or DH) ever left the gun safe unlocked and/or the gun loaded, because that is a recipe for a tragedy.


So, for my scenario the choice, CUSO, is rather this:
Would you rather have a gun and not be able to use it in a dangerous scenario, and risk someone in your household misusing it disastrously, or would you rather not have a gun?

 

[princesss]

I'd be more concerned that a "helpful" citizen would end up shooting me rather than the perp.

I'm in the "the odds are slim that I'll actually be in a situation that requires me to defend myself with lethal force" camp, so I am content not having a gun. I know the crime rate in my city isn't great, but to me it's just not worth it to own a gun. I can't say I *never* would, but it would definitely be a last resort for me.

 

[TravelingGal]

Would you rather be run by fear, or rationally consider the odds?

It's ironic but I think the people with the most fear are the ones who get guns.

I wouldn't say that Kenny. Some people just do like guns. Some people like the idea of "insurance".

I admit, I don't get a gun BECAUSE of fear. Because what would kill me is accidental death in my house.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Would you rather be run by fear, or rationally consider the odds?

It's ironic but I think the people with the most fear are the ones who get guns.

I wouldn't say that Kenny. Some people just do like guns. Some people like the idea of "insurance".

I admit, I don't get a gun BECAUSE of fear. Because what would kill me is accidental death in my house.

Me, too. Guns freak me out. I'd like to learn to shoot one for fun, on a range with professionals, but I would never own one. DH often says he wishes he had one, but now with Micah, I would never let that happen without a fight. The idea of Micah shooting himself or one of us...omg.

 

[waterlilly]

The police are not fans of people trying to help with guns. My brother is one. In his department, miraculously only 5 people have been killed in the line of duty. None of them by a criminal. One of them was shot by a civilian with a gun who was attempting to "help."

Not true in my neck of the woods, at the local town hall meetings, they advise that they think everyone should own a gun.,

No way. I lived in Alaska, if anywhere is going to suggest gun ownership, it would happen there - and it certainly does not. And NO police force would EVER advise citizens to have guns, ever.

 

[TravelingGal]

Would you rather be run by fear, or rationally consider the odds?

It's ironic but I think the people with the most fear are the ones who get guns.

I wouldn't say that Kenny. Some people just do like guns. Some people like the idea of "insurance".

I admit, I don't get a gun BECAUSE of fear. Because what would kill me is accidental death in my house.

Me, too. Guns freak me out. I'd like to learn to shoot one for fun, on a range with professionals, but I would never own one. DH often says he wishes he had one, but now with Micah, I would never let that happen without a fight. The idea of Micah shooting himself or one of us...omg.

I went to a range once with a friend, and it was fun. But I wouldn't care to own one.

If Amelia is going to shoot one of us, I'd highly advise it to be TGuy because his cooking is worse than mine.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Would you rather be run by fear, or rationally consider the odds?

It's ironic but I think the people with the most fear are the ones who get guns.

I wouldn't say that Kenny. Some people just do like guns. Some people like the idea of "insurance".

I admit, I don't get a gun BECAUSE of fear. Because what would kill me is accidental death in my house.

Me, too. Guns freak me out. I'd like to learn to shoot one for fun, on a range with professionals, but I would never own one. DH often says he wishes he had one, but now with Micah, I would never let that happen without a fight. The idea of Micah shooting himself or one of us...omg.

I went to a range once with a friend, and it was fun. But I wouldn't care to own one.

If Amelia is going to shoot one of us, I'd highly advise it to be TGuy because his cooking is worse than mine.

Good thing she's picky, in case she hits you instead

 

[princesss]

Would you rather be run by fear, or rationally consider the odds?

It's ironic but I think the people with the most fear are the ones who get guns.

I wouldn't say that Kenny. Some people just do like guns. Some people like the idea of "insurance".

I admit, I don't get a gun BECAUSE of fear. Because what would kill me is accidental death in my house.

Me, too. Guns freak me out. I'd like to learn to shoot one for fun, on a range with professionals, but I would never own one. DH often says he wishes he had one, but now with Micah, I would never let that happen without a fight. The idea of Micah shooting himself or one of us...omg.

I went to a range once with a friend, and it was fun. But I wouldn't care to own one.

If Amelia is going to shoot one of us, I'd highly advise it to be TGuy because his cooking is worse than mine.

I just snorted.

I'd love to learn how to use one, because honestly, guns terrify me, and usually the quickest way to get over fear is to put yourself in a situation where you have to face it - so a gun range with professionals and my ex-military friends that know their way around guns is probably in my future. But I just don't think the odds of something happening in my day-to-day life that would make me wish I had a gun are high enough for me to get one.

 

[TooPatient]

The police are not fans of people trying to help with guns. My brother is one. In his department, miraculously only 5 people have been killed in the line of duty. None of them by a criminal. One of them was shot by a civilian with a gun who was attempting to "help."

Not true in my neck of the woods, at the local town hall meetings, they advise that they think everyone should own a gun.,

Wait. The COPS where you live say everyone should have a gun?

I CALL BULL. No cop of any worth would say that. Sorry.

Do you live in the backwoods, perhaps? Nice watch for someone who does.

I'd believe it.

The gun club I belong to often has police in to speak about different topics. Several of the SEATTLE police officers say that they are glad that people like us (responsible gun owners) are around and DO carry. I asked a question and he specifically said that if I was walking/driving down the street and saw an officer being beaten that I should stop to assist (with my gun!) if I feel comfortable doing so.

He also says that stepping into the middle of a fist fight with a gun is a BAD idea (not called for since only minimal damage is being done) and we should call for help.
Each situation is different and as RESPONSIBLE gun owners, we need to evaluate each situation on its own and determine if it is a neccesity to bring a gun into the situation.

As RESPONSIBLE owners, the members of my gun club are NOT going out looking for fights to step into or people to shoot --- we are aware of the possibility (however remote) that we may at some point be faced with a life-or-death situation in which our training (which is also relaxing and enjoyable) may be the difference between us or our loved ones living or not.

 

[iLander]

Okay, this is a funny thread, I am laughing out loud!

But, anyway, the thing about guns, is that it's a lot like armchair football; it looks like you could do it just like they do it on TV, but when push comes to shove, and you're on the field, it's a LOT harder than you think.

So, "shooting the perp" is not a likely scenario in Real Life.

Then, let's think about the odds; what are the TRUE odds that this will happen to you? Seriously? I think there is a certain twisted narcissism that out of thousands of houses, a home invader will choose yours. I think it's more likely that he will hit the home of his drug dealer, loan shark, ex-girlfriend, etc. The same narcissism extends to thinking that you'll be around to see a kidnapping, etc.

I would rather have a Tazer, a big dog, or pepper spray in my purse, if I lived in that kind of area or that kind of life.

On the other hand, we do have a .357 Magnum, a ginormous shotgun and a .22.

But I'm saving them to fight the robots from the future. . .

 

[MichelleCarmen]

What about you baking cookies and providing refreshments for the cops or whatever it was you told another poster you do to keep on the cops' good side. doesn't this negate the need for a gun?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

You CUSO said, "So that does not happen to me, I became proactive. When I moved to town 6 years ago, I immediately went to the police department and did volunteer work. My town only has 3k people in it and has 15 police officers. I bring them cookies or cupcakes at least every other week. They all know me and my family well. They probably come by my home way more than others simply because I always give them refreshments. So when I do have issues (mostly with people who let their pets roam) they take care of me immediately. I have primed the pump, so if I did ever had this kind of issue, I could call the chief of police and I absolutely garentee it would be taken care of."

 

[TravelingGal]

What about you baking cookies and providing refreshments for the cops or whatever it was you told another poster you do to keep on the cops' good side. doesn't this negate the need for a gun?

I believe if you bake cookies and provide refreshments for an invader, it will be more powerful than a gun.

Seriously though, have any of you ever heard the story about the home invasion guy who crashed a party? He was offered a glass of wine by the host. He stayed for awhile, had the wine, and apologized for the intrusion before running off....

 

[iLander]

And that is absolutely cool. A great way to live. Most feel the same way, I am sure. I dont really fear anything for myself, just nice to know I can deal with stuff if it comes up. It really makes me feel a lot better knowing my wife is packing though. But weather you do or dont, to each their own.

Why? I would think that this would worry you. . .

Just a joke . . .

 

[MichelleCarmen]

What about you baking cookies and providing refreshments for the cops or whatever it was you told another poster you do to keep on the cops' good side. doesn't this negate the need for a gun?

I believe if you bake cookies and provide refreshments for an invader, it will be more powerful than a gun.

Seriously though, have any of you ever heard the story about the home invasion guy who crashed a party? He was offered a glass of wine by the host. He stayed for awhile, had the wine, and apologized for the intrusion before running off....

hahaha - Huh, his fingerprints would be on the glass. Wonder about that.

There was one...I think in Britain, where a guy was robbing a house and found fish in the fridge and decided to cook it up before leaving so he did and then fell asleep on the couch and the owner came home and smelled the fish and called the cops. lol

 

[MonkeyPie]

Any cop that says he is glad you're packing all the time is an idiot and a liar. Unless he knows you had SWAT or military level training with that gun, and MOST PEOPLE HAVEN'T. So asking citizens to step in and "do their duty" is just stupid.

This thread is hilarious. Cupcakes? Cookies? SERIOUSLY?

 

[vintagelover229]

Mark,
I Agee with the others who say tha the question could have been worded better. That being said when I lived in Houston I had a bretta and a 9pm smith and wesson. I also was taught to shoot privately by homeland security friends of mine who were gun lovers as well. I carried my gun, loaded in my car and slept with it under my pillow.

I also was single, drove a nice car, lived alone and worked until very late hours of the night and knew how to use it. But to answer your question I'd must be frank....even loaded and a good shot I doubt my gun would have helped me. If I were to be assaulted, it'd probably be by a man and he'd probably be able to get the gun away from me and then have been even more upset and probably would have used it against me instead.

I now reside mostly in Canada and gave my gun to my dad. I love to shoot but it's safer up here and the gun laws are more strict and it's just not worth ghe hassle. If you are able to get the permit you must call the police station and inform them of the hours you'll be traveling with the gun(must be locked in the trunk) and if you're pulled over after those hours and still have it with you the consequences are very severe.

Being from the south were guns are highly favored and fairly easy to obtain I'm not sure this is the best place to ask this question. There's people from all over the world and Texas is about the only place with gun laws like that.

 

[TravelingGal]

Here it is, "Would Be Robber Stays for Wine, Hugs"

http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2007-07-13-wine-robber_N.htm?POE=click-refer

Which brings me to the point...this woman used quick wit. A gunowner lacking brains seems like it would be really, really scary...

 

[Jennifer W]

What about you baking cookies and providing refreshments for the cops or whatever it was you told another poster you do to keep on the cops' good side. doesn't this negate the need for a gun?

I believe if you bake cookies and provide refreshments for an invader, it will be more powerful than a gun.

Seriously though, have any of you ever heard the story about the home invasion guy who crashed a party? He was offered a glass of wine by the host. He stayed for awhile, had the wine, and apologized for the intrusion before running off....

hahaha - Huh, his fingerprints would be on the glass. Wonder about that.

There was one...I think in Britain, where a guy was robbing a house and found fish in the fridge and decided to cook it up before leaving so he did and then fell asleep on the couch and the owner came home and smelled the fish and called the cops. lol

MC, I was in court last month and one of the cases was a burglar who got caught largely because he had left his wallet and house keys in the kitchen of the house he was stealing from. There were some other clues too - the man seemed to shed evidence like viral load.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Here it is, "Would Be Robber Stays for Wine, Hugs"

http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2007-07-13-wine-robber_N.htm?POE=click-refer

Which brings me to the point...this woman used quick wit. A gunowner lacking brains seems like it would be really, really scary...

That is really weird. If a kid wasn't involved, I would may have felt differently...but, in that situation, I would have bonked the guy over the head with the bottle. lol

 

[charbie]

My father has been held up at gunpoint TWICE in his life, and still says he feel no need to purchase a gun. In fact, he said if he had a gun in those situations, it would have done more harm than good, bc he would have been seen as more of a threat and more than likely killed. See, the thing is, most people who are committing a crime actually do NOT want to hurt you. If they wanted to hurt you, they wouldnt be stealing your stuff. There are the occasions where people scare a burglar and are shot, but the chances of you having your gun on your person at that exact moment are slim to none.
Honestly, I live in the 'hood right now. Seriously. There was a scene on Police Women of Cinci just feet away from my hubs mom's house, and we live 2 mins from her. My husband and I have taken proactive measures of knowing our environment in order to best protect ourselves. My home was actually invaded while we were away at work, and completely cleaned out in the middle of the day (this actually happened when we lived in a nice little suburban neighborhood). We both said in this instance, we believed our best defense was having proper security in places...nice tight security system. Most of the time there is a shooting, the shooter knows his/her victim. Now, not that I think my husband ever would kill me, but why provide the gun in my home??? And knowing my luck, id shoot him if he were coming home to "surprise" me.

 

[Gypsy]

I'm going to answer the question honestly:

I don't think that if I am being attacked I would show good enough judgement to carry a gun. I'd either be too scared or too angry, or in shock. In any event, even if I managed to get the gun, I'm not confident enough in my other 'combat skills' (judgement, hand to hand... decision making), which are non-existent, to not have the gun turned on me by the attacker or to be outwitted. I am a good shot, at the firing range under optimal conditions when I am relaxed and doing it for fun against a piece of paper. But I think in any danger situation a gun in my hands would be a potential liability. It also creates a false sense of safety in my opinion. I don't have kids so that's not a concern for me, but I do have "me" and I don't want one in the house in I am here.

 

[Tuckins1]

Have a gun and never need it!!! DH and I are both gun advocates (not crazy gun people, just advocates for home protection and safety). We both have our concealed weapons permit. I don't often carry, but it makes me feel better to have my gun here. Hopefully I will never need it! I live in a safe area, but it's very busy (downtown area) and is in close proximity to Detroit, so there are people coming in to this area ll the time. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Tuckins1]

I'm going to answer the question honestly:

I don't think that if I am being attacked I would show good enough judgement to carry a gun. I'd either be too scared or too angry, or in shock. In any event, even if I managed to get the gun, I'm not confident enough in my other 'combat skills' (judgement, hand to hand... decision making), which are non-existent, to not have the gun turned on me by the attacker or to be outwitted. I am a good shot, at the firing range under optimal conditions when I am relaxed and doing it for fun against a piece of paper. But I think in any danger situation a gun in my hands would be a potential liability. It also creates a false sense of safety in my opinion. I don't have kids so that's not a concern for me, but I do have "me" and I don't want one in the house in I am here.

Gypsy, I completely agree with your view. If a person doesn't feel that they could safely use a weapon in a danger situation, then they shouldn't carry one. Perhaps pepper spray or some other kind of protection would be better suited. DH carries his gun everywhere and I completely feel safe with him. I do think that I would be of sound mind enough to use my gun to protect myself, I choose not to carry (unless i'm going into the city...) Now, if someone were to come into my house- game on.

 

[rosetta]

I'm going to answer the question honestly:

I don't think that if I am being attacked I would show good enough judgement to carry a gun. I'd either be too scared or too angry, or in shock. In any event, even if I managed to get the gun, I'm not confident enough in my other 'combat skills' (judgement, hand to hand... decision making), which are non-existent, to not have the gun turned on me by the attacker or to be outwitted. I am a good shot, at the firing range under optimal conditions when I am relaxed and doing it for fun against a piece of paper. But I think in any danger situation a gun in my hands would be a potential liability. It also creates a false sense of safety in my opinion. I don't have kids so that's not a concern for me, but I do have "me" and I don't want one in the house in I am here.

I couldn't agree more with gypsy.

Carry around a loaded gun everywhere? Are you kidding? How paranoid are you?
And it creates a completely false sense of security. I've not seen a single case of gunshot wound in the ER that was a result of a shot going where the shooter intended, in the case of so-called self-defence. They were all complete c*ck-ups.

 

[E B]

I'm going to answer the question honestly:

I don't think that if I am being attacked I would show good enough judgement to carry a gun. I'd either be too scared or too angry, or in shock. In any event, even if I managed to get the gun, I'm not confident enough in my other 'combat skills' (judgement, hand to hand... decision making), which are non-existent, to not have the gun turned on me by the attacker or to be outwitted.

This is almost exactly what I was going to say. If I've got my gun locked up and hidden from my child(ren), I assume it'll take my husband or me some time to unearth said gun...time probably better spent grabbing our child(ren), locking ourselves in a bedroom or bathroom with a cell phone and calling 911. That is if the intruder still decided to rob us while our alarm system wails.

 

[lulu]

I'd rather have it and not need it. I am haunted by the idea that some moron will start shooting innocent people and I'm there unarmed.

 

[redfaerythinker]

I'm going to try and keep to what I assume is the spirit of the OP's original question.

I grew up in a major metropolitan city, and we had a rifle under every bed and in most closets (for hunting and marksman use only). They were all unloaded, and locked at all times. I was brought up with a healthy knowledge of the danger that guns can pose to those who are uneducated about them, and even those who know what they are doing. My parents forbid me to touch a gun until I was around ten and could demonstrate proper respect. I then had to work my way up to a rifle following many practice sessions, and getting certified. I feel that it is entirely a personal choice, whether or not to own a gun. I also do not have one in my home at present. I believe that, a knowledgeable gun owner would never leave a loaded weapon in their home. So in the event of a break- in, I would only be able to use the gun as an extremely expensive club. I would also prefer not to give my would-be-attacker a weapon if they caught me off guard.

I guess my more concise answer would be, be educated, educate your friends, family, and children about the dangers of firearms and how properly to use them. But with that fact in mind, the owning, or not, of a gun, matters very little as you would probably not be able to use it if proper storage protocol were followed.

(edited to clarify the use of our personal guns)

 

[Tuckins1]

cross-bow and machete are my preferred weapons. if they invade my house to harm me, they will suffer.

Seriously, DH got me a big a$$ machete for Christmas this year. I got him a 9mm carbine highpoint. Between us, within arm's reach of the bed, we have a carbine, 9mm walther pps, .40 cal springfield armory, and a .380 ltp reuger. Also, a huge Bowie knife, a baseball bat, and a machete. It sounds crazy, but it's not all there for home defense... It just happens to be handy. I seriously pity the idiot who breaks in while we're home!

 

[Tuckins1]

I'm going to answer the question honestly:

I don't think that if I am being attacked I would show good enough judgement to carry a gun. I'd either be too scared or too angry, or in shock. In any event, even if I managed to get the gun, I'm not confident enough in my other 'combat skills' (judgement, hand to hand... decision making), which are non-existent, to not have the gun turned on me by the attacker or to be outwitted. I am a good shot, at the firing range under optimal conditions when I am relaxed and doing it for fun against a piece of paper. But I think in any danger situation a gun in my hands would be a potential liability. It also creates a false sense of safety in my opinion. I don't have kids so that's not a concern for me, but I do have "me" and I don't want one in the house in I am here.

I couldn't agree more with gypsy.

Carry around a loaded gun everywhere? Are you kidding? How paranoid are you?
And it creates a completely false sense of security. I've not seen a single case of gunshot wound in the ER that was a result of a shot going where the shooter intended, in the case of so-called self-defence. They were all complete c*ck-ups.

Pretty presumptuous that a person has to be "paranoid" to be proactive about self defense.