Why own a gun?

JimmyV · December 2012

know1 wrote:

ofthegirl99 wrote:

When someone breaks in your house, go ahead and make sure you ask if they plan to rape, murder or just rob your family. You certainly won't need that gun when they are just gonna rob you.

I actually feel sorry for people who live with this kind of fear.

I've never had anyone break into my house in the middle of the night but I can only imagine it is one of the worst fears imaginable. Particularly if you are alone or if you have children.

Jason P · December 2012

DS1119 wrote:

Kind of like people who abuse prescription meds...however that thread was locked. 112 people a day killed by that...but lets concentrate on guns. :?

Again, please cite your sources.

Statistics from 2009 (a year a cited deaths related to both cars and guns), there were 15,000 people how overdosed and died on prescription meds.

http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/MethadoneOverdoses/

That is 42 deaths per day for prescription med deaths.

Compared to 85 deaths per day related to guns.

Again, you are rallying for focusing on the bigger issue. Yet you then ignore the bigger issue or start trying to find a different one to compare against.

MotoDC · December 2012

Cosmo wrote:

As long as everyone stands their ground on the issue... nothing is going to change.
If nothing is going to change... then, we... as Americans, will simply have to reach the conclusion that the deaths of people due to gunfire is just part of what defines us as 'American'. It becomes a part of who we are and we have to face the reality that we accept these types of losses as payment for our freedoms.

Haha, I see what ya did there!

elvistheking44 · December 2012

know1 wrote:

ofthegirl99 wrote:

When someone breaks in your house, go ahead and make sure you ask if they plan to rape, murder or just rob your family. You certainly won't need that gun when they are just gonna rob you.

I actually feel sorry for people who live with this kind of fear.

You've obviously never been assaulted or mugged......consider yourself lucky.

know1 · December 2012

ofthegirl99 wrote:

know1 wrote:

ofthegirl99 wrote:

When someone breaks in your house, go ahead and make sure you ask if they plan to rape, murder or just rob your family. You certainly won't need that gun when they are just gonna rob you.

I actually feel sorry for people who live with this kind of fear.

You've obviously never been assaulted or mugged......consider yourself lucky.

I am lucky. But I'm talking about the kind of fear that would make someone make the decision that they would murder someone else and buy a gun.

fife · December 2012

ofthegirl99 wrote:

know1 wrote:

ofthegirl99 wrote:

When someone breaks in your house, go ahead and make sure you ask if they plan to rape, murder or just rob your family. You certainly won't need that gun when they are just gonna rob you.

I actually feel sorry for people who live with this kind of fear.

You've obviously never been assaulted or mugged......consider yourself lucky.

I have been assaulted and actually shot at at work and I don't have a gun. Why not you ask? cause I don't believe its keeps you safe.

pandora · December 2012

know1 wrote:

Outside of hunting and target shooting for recreation or sport, what is the purpose of owning a gun?

I know the answer will be for "protection", but in my mind that is the same thing as saying "to potentially murder someone".

I am not necessarily in favor of banning guns, but the people who are most enthusiastic about their guns (bragging about them, etc.) disturb me a lot more than those who are most enthusiastic about banning them.

In a way, I feel sorry for people who let fear so dominate their lives that they put their faith and take comfort in a gun to murder someone who threatens them.

I don't own a gun or carry but sure hope if I am in danger a good guy will be there
who is not afraid to step up and save a life, his own, mine or any of ours.

I find it fearful to have your head in the sand, disregard the fact that very bad people are
victimizing good people. There is a hero in the making this minute.
We could have used a hero Friday, no disputing that.

And if you don't mind giving up your life to the soulless scum that preys on good people
like parasites, that is your choice.
No one says you must own or carry a gun. This is choice.

That is the key... individual choice. Just like abortion ... individual choice.

The states , the people are making the laws they want where they live.
Each state is handling making the regulations how they see fit. The people.
The federal government does not need to make laws for the states.
States, the people, are perfectly capable of making their own choices and laws.

Cosmo · December 2012

goingtoverona wrote:

man i've read your post like ten times and i'm just not getting the point you're trying to make. it's over my head i think, but i'll answer your questions and you tell me how i did.
1.about once a week, i'm unemployed
2. no idea, tens of millions if i had to guess.
3. lately about once every 4 months
4. no i don't
5. no i wouldn't feel safe if people were driving around shooting guns in the air.

...
Basically... you cannot compare gun deaths to car deaths. Why?
Because many, many more Americans use their cars on a daily basis. And they use their car for extended periods.
Far fewer Americans own guns, than cars.
And those gun owners do not operate their guns as much as the average American uses their car. Most gun owners do not use their guns, everyday.
...
Now, if you are going to compare the two... guns vs. cars... then, you either have to up the gun ownership to be equal to the car ownership... and you have to up the gun usage to the same as the car usage.
Or... you can drop the car ownership and usage equal to the gun ownership and gun annual usage.
After doing that, you can make a fair comparison.
Would gun accidents increase, if everyone who owns a car, owned a gun... and if everyone used their gun as often as they use their car?

redrock · December 2012

pandora wrote:

know1 wrote:

Outside of hunting and target shooting for recreation or sport, what is the purpose of owning a gun?

I know the answer will be for "protection", but in my mind that is the same thing as saying "to potentially murder someone".

I am not necessarily in favor of banning guns, but the people who are most enthusiastic about their guns (bragging about them, etc.) disturb me a lot more than those who are most enthusiastic about banning them.

In a way, I feel sorry for people who let fear so dominate their lives that they put their faith and take comfort in a gun to murder someone who threatens them.

...I don't own a gun or carry but sure hope if I am in danger a good guy will be there
who is not afraid to step up and save a life, his own, mine or any of ours....

So,not being the registered owner but having a gun in one's home for 'protection' is absolutely useless if one's partner/husband is not there to 'protect' with it?

Hmmmm..... OK.

goingtoverona · December 2012

yeah i think if everyone who owned a car owned a gun and shot is as often as they drove that there would be more gun accidents. i can compare gun deaths to car deaths because they break down the same. both car deaths and gun deaths could both be prevented if neither of them existed.

hedonist · December 2012

I won't get into the analogies and comparisons being batted about.

So...while I too wonder about having a gun to protect oneself (I'm not a gun-owner so I don't know, but even that's irrelevant) and how safe having it at the ready is, I also haven't walked in the shoes of people such as ofthegirl.

Would I take the life of another who was threatening my life or the life of a loved one? Not having been in such a situation, I think - I hope - I would...I hope I'd have the balls, and the wherewithal to think clearly, not panic, and do what I could with whatever means I had.

I'm fortunate to live in a generally safe area, in a generally safe building. I just don't feel I can dictate what others should be able to possess (and I'm gonna tack on "within reason" here, since certain weaponry doesn't strike me as necessary...and yes, I get the hypocrisy).

pandora · December 2012

redrock wrote:

pandora wrote:

know1 wrote:

Outside of hunting and target shooting for recreation or sport, what is the purpose of owning a gun?

I know the answer will be for "protection", but in my mind that is the same thing as saying "to potentially murder someone".

I am not necessarily in favor of banning guns, but the people who are most enthusiastic about their guns (bragging about them, etc.) disturb me a lot more than those who are most enthusiastic about banning them.

In a way, I feel sorry for people who let fear so dominate their lives that they put their faith and take comfort in a gun to murder someone who threatens them.

...I don't own a gun or carry but sure hope if I am in danger a good guy will be there
who is not afraid to step up and save a life, his own, mine or any of ours....

So,not being the registered owner but having a gun in one's home for 'protection' is absolutely useless if one's partner/husband is not there to 'protect' with it?

Hmmmm..... OK.

See the thing with me is I respect peoples rights. It doesn't mean I would make use of the
right myself but because I don't does not mean others should not.

What we are seeing here is some people who have had guns banned in their countries.
Countries nothing like America. That's ok for you guys, you like this socialist type
environment. This is what you wanted, you think it is a good thing.
A government that is big taking care of you.

I liken it to people who know God. That is a very good thing and they want to share it.
The gun banned people want to share their good thing, understandably....
cool beans.

But as we know God is not for everyone, banned guns are not for everyone.
I'm sure you can understand that. In our country owning guns is a right
that we want to keep, so far. It is a choice, we like choices. Abortion is a choice,
people have spoken they want that choice too.

I do not have access to a gun.
In the future I may but so far I am not trained nor permitted and really do not feel the need
as my hubby is with me. If my hubby passed I may want a gun. Or maybe a Great Dane
the bed would be lonely without him. Yes a great Dane to keep Miss Lucy Lew
and Miss Maddie Lew Who company too.

I'm not a gun person but you know this...
you also know I don't have to be to defend the right to choose to own one.

Cosmo · December 2012

goingtoverona wrote:

yeah i think if everyone who owned a car owned a gun and shot is as often as they drove that there would be more gun accidents. i can compare gun deaths to car deaths because they break down the same. both car deaths and gun deaths could both be prevented if neither of them existed.

...
No. You are trying to slip out of something by trying to negate both.
You cannot compare two things that are different, even though they share similar qualities... in this case, deaths. That's what that old saying about comapeing apples to oganges... even though both share the similar aspect of both being treeborne fruits.
In order to make a fair, therefore, true comparison... you have to make sure that both sides are equal. Increase the gun ownership and gun usage... or decrease the number of total cars to equal the same as guns and reduce the operational hours of the cars to the operational usage of the guns.
Example, let's say I am an avid gun shooter. I have one hand gun.
I also am a working Joe who drives to work each day... I own one car.
Now, If I drive to work everyday except weekends and only go shooting about 7 weekends a year... the numbers do no add up:
Per year, 5 days per week times 52 weeks per year is 260 days of driving my car vs. 14 days of shooting the gun. 260 = 14 is not a true statement.
Make them equal... 260 days of driving and 260 days of shooting. OR... only 14 days of driving and 14 days of shooting.
Add in the varibles, such as the driving occurs on sometimes busy streets with lots of other commuters. Place a gun in every car and have the driver/gun owner shooting his gun for equal amounts of his daily car usage.... or have me only drive 14 days per year... on the secluded area where I go target practice, away from other cars and commuters.
That, is a fair comparison that will lead you towards a more truthful outcome.

Smellyman · December 2012

I knnow god wants people to have guns.

Cosmo · December 2012

Smellyman wrote:

I knnow god wants people to have guns.

...
I saw Him on a green, grassy hillside... passing out Mac-10s with rainbows painted on them... and extra clips tack welded to flip and click.

Horos · December 2012

ofthegirl99 wrote:

know1 wrote:

ofthegirl99 wrote:

When someone breaks in your house, go ahead and make sure you ask if they plan to rape, murder or just rob your family. You certainly won't need that gun when they are just gonna rob you.

I actually feel sorry for people who live with this kind of fear.

You've obviously never been assaulted or mugged......consider yourself lucky.

I've been mugged and have awakened to burglars carrying my electronics out of my house. I still choose not to live in fear.

adropinthepark · December 2012

I'm glad the OP posted this question. I am genuinely curious about why people own guns.

Seems there are at least a few people who have them as protection against intruders. Why a gun rather than an obnoxious alarm system with all of the bells, lights and whistles? I would rather spook an intruder than wait for it to become a confrontation.

For those who have guns for protection, do you carry it with you everywhere you're legally allowed?

My mom has a gun for protection. She started carrying one when she was traveling alone with me and my younger sister. She figured that three females out in the middle of nowhere could be at risk. The one time it seemed like we actually were, she had left the gun in the hotel room. We found a kind stranger who helped us instead.

I have a couple of female friends who have posted pics of themselves on facebook posing with their guns. That's all sex and violence, isn't it? A grown-ups toy.

I had a shotgun in my house when I was living with my former. He aimed it once at some college kids who were harassing our cats through a window. It was an effective deterrent. But, was it necessary?

redrock · December 2012

pandora wrote:

What we are seeing here is some people who have had guns banned in their countries.

Such ignorance and lack of information. I know of no country from which people are posting on this thread that have stripped their citizens/residents their 'right' to possess firearms (though I do not know about China, where Byrnzie lives - I think there it's very strict).

pandora wrote:

you like this socialist type environment

:shock:

This is cracking me up.

redrock · December 2012

pandora wrote:

See the thing with me is I respect peoples rights.

And I respect the right of these children - the right they had to continue the life they were given. The right to grow up, to be happy kids, to wake up Christmas morning all excited. I respect the right of their parents to kiss and cuddle their children.

I respect the life of the teachers, life they had to give up to protect the children. I respect the right of their children to have their mother with them and the right of their parents to still have their children, albeit grown up.

Rights THEY lost because some think the right to own an arsenal if you wish is more important.

I respect people's rights. If one value's one's right to own a lethal 'toy' over the right of any of the 27 people (and many others who have died at the hand of one establishing his right to bear arms) to continue to live a fulfilling life, I can only look at this with sadness.

deserteddotse · December 2012

pandora wrote:

What we are seeing here is some people who have had guns banned in their countries.
Countries nothing like America. That's ok for you guys, you like this socialist type
environment. This is what you wanted, you think it is a good thing.
A government that is big taking care of you.

If a "socialist type environment" keeps me away from people waving their guns around in the street, then yes, I think this "socialist type environment" is my thing...

Socialist type environment... :fp:

Why own a gun?

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