Why Guns?

[dkdaisy]

Dh and I have 4 guns - he has two for hunting (one is from his uncle who died, so family significance), I have a rifle my dad gave me (ostensibly for hunting, but I never hunt), and DH has a handgun that he bought last year because he wanted to. He does target shooting sometimes and we keep that one in a lockbox in our room for protection (though we don't worry too much - we do live across the street from a mental health facility and people do 'escape' sometimes though).

I have no strong feelings about gun ownership, but VERY strong feelings about gun safety. DH and I don't have kids yet, but we are planning on getting biometric locks for the gun safes when we do (if not before), as well as teaching them to respect guns. That what our parents did with us - no biometrics, but teaching us respect (for guns and for people).

 

[JR6ooo4]

Ask a police officer how he or she feels about security systems. A dog would be better than a security system. All security systems do is provide a false sense of security. And you would be AMAZED to find how many past convicted crimials are employed by these companies.

Don't they notify the residents of an intrusion?
Our alarm system would wake me up if someone broke into our home.

Mikeeee

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I'll guess you'd shoot me if I tried?

Whether you like it or not, I have a right to own a gun under the constitution. And no one is going to take that right away from me if I have anything to do with it, and as a voter I do have something to do with it. People on this board are so quick to point out that we have a constitution that guarantees us rights, like freedom of speech and religion. Well, I have a guaranteed right to own a gun. Plain and simple.

 

[MScott1851]

DH and I both have handguns, plus a shotgun, a rifle, and a BB gun in the house.

We're both from the south, we both grew up with guns in the house. My father and brother hunted, Dh used to hunt, and it was just a natural thing for us.

I never had any desire to own or use a handgun until we moved to Memphis. I wouldn't even touch DH's. But criminals around here are getting so bold, that DH insisted I go take the permit class. He wanted me to be familiar with the gun, and not be scared to touch it.

I took the permit class, then some more tactical instruction classes for both handguns and the shotgun so that if someone DID break into our house while I was home alone, I would be confident that I could scare them away or defend myself if I absolutely had to.

Even though I can legally do it, I don't ever carry the handgun. The way I look at it, if someone runs up on me pointing a gun, there's no way I could get mine pulled and aimed before they shot me. DH wears his a lot, but he works in a part of town where there is more crime, and he used to have to go into really bad parts of town to cover news. One of his employees got carjacked at noon just last month.

 

[budbeerlady]

I think the right to bear arms is important, besides hunting uses there is the security that if someone is threatening my family I can protect myself if need be. We live out in the sticks, it could be a while before help came! We use the deadbolts and have a few big dogs, but I also am aware of the crime of opportunities in this area.

I dont see the need for assault rifles, machine guns, etc. We dont own a handgun, I think alot of accidents are handgun prone vs a shot gun. Also there is a respect issue, if you are going to handle a gun its after a safe shooting class and its done correctly.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Don't they notify the residents of an intrusion?
Our alarm system would wake me up if someone broke into our home.

Mikeeee

Like I said, get a dog. Same thing but you don't have a past convict involved.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I'm surprised that so many people listed it as a reason. I thought it was more of a defense. I don't quite understand the reasoning of "The only reason I have a gun is because I can." Surely you (general you) have some other reason for wanting it?!?

There are plenty of responses here giving you specific reasons. I think when people say "it's my right", they feel they don't have to justify it to people on a message board. Everyone has their own personal reasons for owning a firearm.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Like I said, get a dog. Same thing but you don't have a past convict involved.

I guess that all depends on where the dog comes from.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I guess that all depends on where the dog comes from.

Good point. At least the dog is not a convict, I guess.

 

[storzo]

Don't they notify the residents of an intrusion?
Our alarm system would wake me up if someone broke into our home.

Mikeeee

My alarm would wake me up to but what good is that if I don't have anything to protect myself with? So I'd possibly be able to describe my attacker if I survive and he/she has not altered their appearance.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Don't they notify the residents of an intrusion?
Our alarm system would wake me up if someone broke into our home.

Mikeeee

So your alarm system wakes you up - then what do you do? Home invasion burglars, rapists and other twisted people can accomplish a lot before help arrives. This is why we own a gun.

 

[Art Vandalay]

We've come a long way since our founding fathers saw the need for the right of individuals to bear arms. I think it's a right we don't need.

I'll trust in those who have created a republic that has not only endured, but prospered like no other before it.

Sometimes I think people nowadays are far too willing to be led around by the government. Yes, it is a different world. But the fundamental principles of government and its relationship to the people remain the same.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I just found a few quotes I like on the right to bear arms.

As the Founding Fathers knew well, a government that does not trust its honest, law-abiding, taxpaying citizens with the means of self-defense is not itself worthy of trust. Laws disarming honest citizens proclaim that the government is the master, not the servant, of the people.

-- Jeff Snyder

"One of the ordinary modes, by which tyrants accomplish their purposes without resistance, is, by disarming the people, and making it an offense to keep arms."

-- Constitutional scholar and Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, 1840

The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to permit the conquered Eastern peoples to have arms. History teaches that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by doing so.

-- Adolph Hitler, April 11 1942

 

[3jsmommy]

My Dh & I both hate guns & would never own one.
My DH had a gun put to his head on a sidewalk in Brooklyn once & was robbed of his wallet.
He said if he had a gun by the time he pulled it out (the guy came from behind him, this was in the middle of the afternoon) he probably would have freaked the guy out & been shot.
He just gave the guy the wallet & they took the cash & threw the wallet on the ground.
I would love to know if the parents of children that are killed or injured w/ a gun in their home still think its a good idea to have a gun in the house. I doubt it!
I don't care if the guns are locked up or not kids are smart, I think its just crazy to own a gun, unless you live out in the wilderness...thats a different story.

 

[glasslipper]

Whether you like it or not, I have a right to own a gun under the constitution. And no one is going to take that right away from me if I have anything to do with it, and as a voter I do have something to do with it. People on this board are so quick to point out that we have a constitution that guarantees us rights, like freedom of speech and religion. Well, I have a guaranteed right to own a gun. Plain and simple.

Whether you like it or not I have the right to disagree. Nothing is guaranteed, don't you think laws can change? I never said I personally wanted to take your guns away, I just said I didn't think individuals need to bear arms. According to our constitution you mentioned, I have the right to express that opinion, freedom of speech, thank you. Your comment about me coming to try and take your guns away was unnecessary and implied violence. As a voter, I have something to do with it too, plain and simple. I don't see the need to become defensive and lash out because I disagree with your opinion.

 

[Andy B]

There are plenty of responses here giving you specific reasons. I think when people say "it's my right", they feel they don't have to justify it to people on a message board. Everyone has their own personal reasons for owning a firearm.

Then they didn't need to respond.

 

[NewJersey]

In short, I don't have any desire to own a gun.

But given the basis upon which this country was founded, it will remain a fundamental right of the people to do so.

Pretty much sums it up for me.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

My Dh & I both hate guns & would never own one.
My DH had a gun put to his head on a sidewalk in Brooklyn once & was robbed of his wallet.
He said if he had a gun by the time he pulled it out (the guy came from behind him, this was in the middle of the afternoon) he probably would have freaked the guy out & been shot.
He just gave the guy the wallet & they took the cash & threw the wallet on the ground.
I would love to know if the parents of children that are killed or injured w/ a gun in their home still think its a good idea to have a gun in the house. I doubt it!
I don't care if the guns are locked up or not kids are smart, I think its just crazy to own a gun, unless you live out in the wilderness...thats a different story.

It's called teaching your kids about guns and gun safety at a young age. Our guns have never been a fascination with our DD and DS because we allow them to touch and hold them. When they were old enough we invited them to the gun range with us. DS went, DD declined. They know what to do if they see an unsecured gun. They know what to do if they see a friend with a gun.

When DH was younger, he also had a gun pointed at his head in NY (Queens I believe). They took his boombox.

 

[pperfectmom]

My Dh & I both hate guns & would never own one.
My DH had a gun put to his head on a sidewalk in Brooklyn once & was robbed of his wallet.
He said if he had a gun by the time he pulled it out (the guy came from behind him, this was in the middle of the afternoon) he probably would have freaked the guy out & been shot.
He just gave the guy the wallet & they took the cash & threw the wallet on the ground.
I would love to know if the parents of children that are killed or injured w/ a gun in their home still think its a good idea to have a gun in the house. I doubt it!
I don't care if the guns are locked up or not kids are smart, I think its just crazy to own a gun, unless you live out in the wilderness...thats a different story.

Sorry to disagree, but I know personally I would feel a whole lot safer out in the wilderness without a gun than I would on the sidewalk in Brooklyn(not that I know anything about Brooklyn-just using your example). I've never heard of any encounters with a racoon hopped up on meth.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Whether you like it or not I have the right to disagree. Nothing is guaranteed, don't you think laws can change? I never said I personally wanted to take your guns away, I just said I didn't think individuals need to bear arms. According to our constitution you mentioned, I have the right to express that opinion, freedom of speech, thank you. Your comment about me coming to try and take your guns away was unnecessary and implied violence. As a voter, I have something to do with it too, plain and simple. I don't see the need to become defensive and lash out because I disagree with your opinion.

And I have a right to disagree with you, and that is exactly what I am doing. You know, freedom of speech, thank you. Sorry if you feel I lashed out at you, but when someone says that they feel we don't need that right anymore I get a little testy. I guard my rights closely.