Why are Americans so afraid?

Cap'n T

I do not own a gun. I never have, and most likely never will.
The problem comes down to the fact that there is no simple solution for crime. Some will say if everyone is allowed to own guns, then criminals will be afraid and stop committing crimes. Others say that without guns, it will be harder to committ senseless crimes. Both solutions have their glaring problems and a severe lack of factual support.
Guns are here and always will be. Our Constitution has guaranteed that. The gun industry is large and extremely powerful. There are already a significant number of gun laws and regulations. Whether necessary or not, everyone has a right to protect themselves. Some need protection more than others, be it from the area they live in, the color of their skin, past involvements with the wrong people, etc.
There are no simple solutions to the issue of violence.

cook g

I don't want to live in a country where the only people who have the right to own a gun is the government.

cool_breeze_2444

I own guns. I enjoy target shooting and hunting. I keep my guns locked up and the ammo locked up in a separate location. If anyone broke into my house, I'd never be able to get to them in time to do any good. That said, in my 43+ years, I've never needed a gun to protect myself or my family. The people who say they need guns to protect themselves must be living in the wrong neighborhoods. :)

Now, there is a situation where my guns would be used for defense. The first thing any totalitarian government does is disarm the citizenry. That's why Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms. It provides an armed base for our nation's defense, but it also provides an armed base to fight attempts to establish a totalitarian regime within our nation. It is one more way the Constitution provides checks and balances to keep the government under control. That's an extreme case, of course, and unlikely to happen; but part of the reason it is unlikely to happen is because our founding fathers anticipated that possibility and provided a defense against it through the Second Amendment.

HMS88

It is my right to bear arms

regerugged

In the US, we have a Constitution. The Second Amendment gives us the right to own guns. That will not change.

Guns are used for hunting and for sport shooting as well as individual protections. Over the many years, lots of people have protected themselves with guns. If you don't have a gun and are confronted by an armed gunman, you lose the confrontation.

Calling the police is very naive on your part. Chances are you will not have up to one half hour to wait for someone to show up. Further, how would you call the police if you are looking down the barrel of a shot gun? Answer: you won't.

electronic_dad

Our founding fathers thought, that the inalienable right of all of our citizens being armed was so important, that they placed it second only to the "Right" of free speech.
Not only for their own protection from criminals, but from the very real occurrence of a tyrannical government.

Every dictatorship depends on one critical first step......

Disarming the populous.
Unarmed people are allot easier to control...you see.

The fallacy of "Gun Control" is just that!.....A >FALLACY<!

Laws only work when people follow them, and criminals, by their very definition...DO NOT!
So the only thing that these preposterous laws serve to do is to disarm the very people that we need not worry about in the first place...

Here in America it is estimated that personal arms are used to stop/discourage crime >OVER< 2.5 MILLION times a year.

That isn't idol talk, it's from the government's own studies.

Kids that are properly educated, do not have troubles with guns......they never have.....ONLY uneducated ones do.

And according to the US supreme court...the police DO NOT have a responsibility to protect us......WE DO!

So, Thanks for playing....Go read FACTS..then come back and we can talk more..

T.S.

ARFCOM, We run the Interweb!

www.scapegoatz.com

First off in the US the police are not responsible for your protection. The police will normally just respond to a crime.

We own guns as it is a part of the Constitution. Even if you elminated all the guns in the country, you would still have to deal with the military. This would also give the comander in chef absolute power, to maybe become a dictator.

With every citizen being able to own a gun, the military could never force the rule of the law.

Proud to be an AMERICAN

You are asking the wrong question. It is a basic constitutional right in my country.

Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure is also a basic right, and so I would not think that any discussion of it would benefit from someone asking "why are you so afraid to let the cops search your home?/what are you hiding?"

I have the freedom not to purchase a gun, and to consent to any search, if i want to.

But it's MY choice, not the government's.

That's the important point, in my opinion, not the question about why any given individual chooses to exercise such right.

Danial J

My guess is you never had a gun stuck in your face and threatened. I have and thanks to my gun, that SOB isn't going to hold up anyone else.

We have two cities in the US where it's the law that people have to own guns. In those two cities, the violent crime rate is .004%. That alone tells me that guns really do work when it comes to keeping crime away.

Tom =]

if americans wanna have a gun in there home its there responsibility
as a lass said above, its your right aswell
im not american so i dont know bout ur laws or anything but here in britain were not allowed to have guns or anything and we get along just fine

horseshoes

The 2nd amendment to our consitution gives Americans the right to bear arms. If a criminal barges into my house, I am going to hear him, as my bedroom is upstairs, and I have two dogs. I would certainly have time to grab a handgun to protect myself. It is silly of you to make light and say we fear "the boogeyman" when there are real sociopaths out there, as well as drug addicts looking for a fix. Criminals will always find ways to get weapons, and if guns were outlawed, do you not think that they would find a way to obtain an illegal gun? We have a right to protect ourselves. Police can't be everywhere.

BBQFootballPimp

you don't live in hood rich girl.

you would understand then.

Mike S

it's not so much a fear as it is being prepared. If the criminal has a gun and you've got a knife, there's not much you can do. And most people do have time to grab thier gun. It's not illegal, and not uncommon for gun owners to leave their guns loaded so they can just grab and go. Also, many people who have the guns practice them and possibly practice clearing tactics, should it come to that.

"What about all these kids that get ahold of these guns, take them to school? What about these guns are stolen by the criminals, and put into cirrculation for crime?"
Actually, there's not that many that take them to school. It also happens moreso in places where guns are not common to have. I have not heard of a school shooting out in the country. it always seems to be in a city. As for the crimes used by stolen guns, that is a very small amount. most illegal guns come in from outside the country. And as you say, the criminals have them. Why lower your level of protection?
"What exactly is the purpose of having police, if all the citizens now feel it is their own duty?"
The police are there to uphold the law. your safety is a byproduct. It may be different in Canada, but it can take a few minutes (sometimes more than 15) for cops to arrive on the scene. It only takes seconds for you to die, and a few minutes is a really long time to be fighting for your life.
"If you own a gun, what are your reasons? Have you ever been threatened in a case you would even need it?"
I don't have/carry a handgun yet due to age restrictions, but I plan on it as soon as I can. Why? it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I have never been openly threatened, but around where I live (a campus inside a medium-sized city), there has been several armed robberies, one in which the victim was shot in the arm. When I was still in high school (in a small town), our school cop was shot and killed on the campus after hours by someone who had recently killed another person a couple of states away.

Try telling me that I shouldn't have a firearm to protect myself and others around me.

Aside from that, it is a guaranteed right in our country, and we should be able to exercise that right without question, no matter the reason behind it.

Destrier

The police are for 'investigating after the fact' and tracking down criminals. They typically are not going to be quick enough to stop a home burgler etc.

I own my firearms here in the U.S. because it is my Constitutional right to bear arms. I do not have to 'justify' myself to do so.

However... I own firearms to ensure to the safety of my family. Through vigilance and awareness of my surroundings, practicing reasonable security measures in the house. Firearms practice.

I also hunt.

I have also had a person break into my home in the past. I was able to 'ensure' to the safety of my family through having a firearm and utilizing my head. I did not have to shoot the criminal, simply the presentation of the firearm and by placing myself in a good position to not be harmed.

My teenage children are all well versed in firearms safety and home security measures.

We do not live in a state of paranoia, but being situationally aware and by preplanning emergency responses (to the best of ones ability) seems far more prudent than simply living in a fantasy land and depending on others to respond for your protection.

Be well.

edited to add: look at the population differences and the fact Britains stabbing rate is 'drastically' higher than the U.S.
People-the bad people, will still kill you. A firearm leaves you on even footing regardless of size, age etc.

sandra e

I do own a gun and althought i think it is rare for a person to have one at the same time they need to use it in self defense... I have actually used it in self-defense once. I didnt shoot anyone but someone was trying to break into my kitchen window, i heard something at the same time the dog did and we got out of bed and i had never been so scared. when we got to the kitchen someone was trying to pry open the window so i took a shot. I missed and hit the cabinet but he ran off. The cops found him only a few blocks away in an alley and all he had on him was a knife but that is still a weapon.

I now have children so sleeping with a gun next to the bed will never happen again. The guns are now in a safe and the clips and ammo are in another safe. I have an alarm system on the house and security motion sensor lights all around the house and i feel safe. There is really no way that i could get a gun out of the safe then open another safe to get the ammo and clips and get a gun loaded for self defense now....

so....

My husband only uses our guns for hunting now. They are very useful for hunting and they put meat on our table but that is about all that they are used for except for the occasional target practice which is actually a fun hobby if you have time for it.

Juanita T

It's not that we are afraid; it's protecting what's ours;and yes I have had a gun pointed in my face during a robbery ; and if I had a gun when it happened; I probably would have shot to kill

masterjack_98

I really like guns they are awesome!

They are fun to shoot and maintain.

Annnnd if i need to I can blast a hole in you the size of a grape fruit.

Lucky

Seems logical to assume that criminals are armed. Why shouldn't law abiding citizens be allowed equal protection. Or maybe we can just get the criminals to agree not to use guns or violence against us......LOL

Gotz V

Yes, I've been threatened in my own home, and yes, I had time to get my pistol, ram in a clip and use it. Those kids will think twice about ever egging my house again.

Sway_27

Ask Joe Horn

Jupiter

I don't need a gun and I don't walk around afraid of what may happen. I know my neighborhood.

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