why do you need a gun?

Accidents are preventable even in a tactical situation if one is trained. I operate guns as a hobby and in my career. There is rarely a true accidental death/injury from a firearm. Other than that, 99.9% is the result from negligence, recklessness, ignorance and stupidity- all of which is preventable. If someone is suicidal in the family common sense would dictate to keep the guns and ammo locked up in a separate place. If that can't be done I keep it on me. I'm not worried about the Fed. Gov't being a tyrant and all that bs. I shoot to keep up my skills and as a hobby. I actually practice tactical movements and shooting so I can use my rifle in self defense as needed. I know some people blow smoke up their asses when they say they can just buy a gun and use it for self defense without even going out to the range to shoot, I'm NOT one of them. I hope you learn something new out of this. It is your personal choice to not own one. I chose to own one and I know the responsibilities in owning a gun more than someone who hasn't own one.

illitrt

I don't need a reason. And I certainly don't owe you an explanation.

GRUMPY

Well I can only say this. BREAK into MY house and you'll see first hand why I like my gun. And don't even think for a minute that ANY of your staements above are true they are NOT. NO one and I mean NO one in my house or family will be hurt accidentally or otherwise by one of my many guns.

og0925go

Guns Vs. Crime
by Jeremy D. Blanks, Ph.D.

When one asks a gun control supporter why they support additional gun laws they will undeniably answer that they do so to stop crime, and to "save the children." The same thing can be said for gun control groups like Handgun Control, Inc. and the Violence Policy Center. Obviously, these are positive goals, which are shared by this author and essentially every law-abiding citizen in the United States. However, the problem with this position by gun control supporters is that there is no evidence to show that any of their laws have ever reduced crime or violence. Hence, the question must be asked; does gun control equal crime control?

A review of the areas in the U.S. with the most restrictive firearm laws, including such areas as Washington, D.C., Chicago, IL, New York, NY, and the state of California, shows that these areas have some of the highest crime (especially violent) crime rates in the U.S. The crime rates in all of these areas exceeds the national average and they all have enacted in-depth restrictions on firearm ownership that includes licensing and registration schemes, various taxes, testing, and even bans on firearms. In essence, these areas have become a gun control supporters Utopia.

Yet, even with all of these gun laws and the high praise from gun control groups like Handgun Control, Inc., crime has continued to be a serious problem. The issue of continued high crime is especially disconcerting when comparing the crime rates in these gun control Utopias to the crime rates in areas that have not gone the route of extreme gun control. In almost all cases, the areas in the U.S. with the fewest gun control laws and highest gun ownership also have the lowest crime levels. One of the most interesting comparisons is that of Washington, D.C. with its gun bans since the 1970s, and the D.C. suburbs in Virginia, which has very little gun control. Even though gun ownership is high and there are few gun control laws in the Virginia suburbs of D.C., gun control has reached extreme levels the crime rate is much higher across the state line where gun ownership is almost non-existent.

Some try to turn this argument around, blaming crime problems in Washington, D.C. on weak gun laws in Virginia, but the reality is that Virginia with all of its guns and few laws does not have the crime problem that plagues Washington, D.C. and its gun bans. If guns are the problem, then why is it that those areas with the most guns have the lowest crime levels? If one believes that gun control lowers crime and violence and thus guns are responsible, then these aforementioned facts are counterintuitive to the logic of gun control. This is especially true of the 31 states that have enacted concealed carry laws. Even though groups like Handgun Control, Inc. continually attacked such measures in saying that they will lead to higher crime, "blood on our streets," and "wild west shootouts," just the opposite has occurred. Those states that have enacted concealed carry measures have seen their crime rates immediately fall and continue to do so at rates in most cases faster than the national average. One of the best examples is Florida. Prior to their enactment of concealed carry laws in the late 1980s, the crime rate in Florida was higher than the national average. However, following the enactment of the concealed carry law their crime immediately began to drop and has continued to do so today. In fact, today the crime levels in Florida are considerably lower than the national average. Additionally, the U.S. state with the lowest crime rate, Vermont, also happens to be the state with the fewest gun control laws and they allow all law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons.

The simple fact is that those areas in the U.S. with the fewest gun restrictions and highest gun ownership rates also have the lowest crime rates. Even a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which is well known for its anti-gun bias, reported that the 1994 Brady Law has not had a discernable impact on homicide or suicide rates. The results from this study are completely counter to claims by gun control groups, like Handgun Control, Inc., which have repeatedly claimed that such laws have saved thousands of lives. This aforementioned study also pointed out that crime has been falling for a decade now and it began to fall over three years prior to the passage of the Brady Law. Furthermore, there was no increase in the rate of crime reduction after passage of the Brady Law. In essence, the Brady Law has done nothing to lower crime or violence. Again, this is a continuation of mounting evidence that gun control schemes have no relation to crime or violence prevention.

Based on the crime rates in areas with the most and fewest gun control laws, one could argue that gun control schemes contribute to higher crime rates. There is much evidence to support this hypothesis

consrgreat

Facts please....OH YOU HAVE NONE just lame opinion...
FACTS show in States that allow a more liberal carry policy...CRIME GOES DOWN...

Thunderstruck

It's simple. If you don't feel you need or want a gun then don't get one. No ones going to put you down because of that. Remember, your opinion is your opinion, it may not reflect what others believe. Some people have been victims or know victims of crime where a firearm may have helped them. You are lucky because it's apparent that you've never been harmed enough that you feel like you need protection so you must live in a great place. Your right in that it has been abused, there's no doubt about it. But the benefit of being able to do something about a bad situation whether it's to protect yourself or someone else is huge. In gun owner's eyes there's a fine line between wanting and needing. Most of us know the Federal Govt's not going to take our firearms, but we do get a little touchy when the subject comes up. If we give up that right, how many more are you willing to give up? Once you take one away, there's no reason they can't take another and another. Pretty soon we're no longer known as the USA, land of the free, home of the brave. Just enjoy that you still have rights.

electricpole

Please cite your sources for the first paragraph. Fact, opinion, or preconceived notion?

Yes, most certainly, (highly unlikely to play itself out though)

We still have a right (today) to decide if we "need' one, or even just "want" one.

The "potential downside" is nearly nil with a sane, competent individual. It may seem foreign to many folks today, that the world is a dangerous place, no matter how one wishes to ignore it. I work with far more dangerous tools on a daily basis, (like 13,200 volts) but no one is calling to outlaw electricity, nor would you stand for all kinds of outages at your home so that we can be safer by working the lines dead!
It amazes me that so many individuals who have no familiarity, training or background with firearms can be so "informed" that they are "bad"! People fear what they do not understand.

The "benefit" (actually a RIGHT) is that ownership is part of the general tapestry of having the right to defend ones legal interests, and possibly your neighbors.

Kasey C

Shooting the damn gophers that eat up my beautiful front lawn, possibly for some protection, just in case.

Dont get Infected

i need one to protect my home. theres been several break ins in my neighborhood within the past month and i don't trust my security alarm to keep them out seeing that most people would know it takes awhile for the police to respond to a house alarm. ive grown up around guns and shot them since i was in grade school. i even taken a gun safety class as part of a college research project.

if you also look at the history of why our country has never been invaded its because so many people in the US has a gun.

a little fricking sarcasm

Alright, aside from what everybody else said such as protection, right of having one etc.
This is America. America was founded by claiming our freedom from a country while we were at war. War includes guns, we were made with guns. That's right. And it helps to, proof? Every hick, hillbilly, and redneck owns a gun. They would be the first to our borders to protect our country should something happen.

Bubuh

Not that many really need it. But things in constitution shouldn't be because we really need to use that something all the time. That's not the entire point of constitution. Its also about fundamental human rights, and people who believe gun rights believe gun rights and rights to protect oneself go hand in hand.

Its like freedom of speech. Neo Nazi hate racist hate speech is protected by constitution. What's the benefit of that? But it still is protected, right? That's why they can actually get police escort through town for protests.

Wipe out freedom of speech over Nazi hate groups? Probably not.

joseph

It's to stop world world overpopulation. Getting rid of the stupid people is for the greater good.

Moderate Conservative Democrat

Just ask someone from Europe..
alfalfa I am glad my daughter from Texas is fighting for your freedom of speech

MP US Army

I don't NEED a gun.

But i have a license to carry one. So I do

Alan L

maybe someday, someone will ask you a very stupid question...

ronlowsea

busta cap in someone about to kill me

tethysis

You sound like a broken record. Where did you get these stats? They are a little suspect.

Agent99

i have a several guns, am educated HOW to use them and i have them because i have been robbed, beaten and physically violated by someone who said they LOVED me. After the domestic mess was over
the judge ordered the sheriffs to return my guns. NOT HIM

Heisenberg

actually, that statistic you quoted there, of it being used against you, only applies to hand guns. it is completely opposite for rifles and shotguns.

i own a cabin on a lake up in the mountains and own guns that I use there. I've discharged my guns to scare away bears, raccoons and coyotes that have come far too close to me on my property up there. I also enjoy target shooting.

will a gun protect you from the Fed govt if it ever came to that? you bet it will. additionally, this is precisely the reason why this right was included in the Constitution.

also, by stating the Constitution is 200+ years old in no way invalidates this right or any other right or freedom expressed in the Constitution.

While you may not agree with gun ownership, you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

DAR

Why is it any of your business why I want a gun?

And if your fears would keep you from enjoying one, don't get one.

i like the way it sounds............
when am hunting down liberals

Greg

I think you're wrong. Ok, just think of it. You're a burglar right? You want to rob a house. Now, would you try to rob the house if you thought the person inside it might have a gun? If guns were outlawed, what would you think then?

Exactly. Most burglars will run away when they hear a shotgun.

Jake D

The benefit is the state of mind it provides me.

Many people in my family and countless gun owning friends have been saved because they had a firearm either on their person or in their home.

Though not many of them actually had to discharge rounds, simply drawing their weapon was enough to save them from intruders or other criminals on the street.

I live in Flint, MI and owning a weapon definitely has more potential to benefit me than it does to harm me.

Statistics do not apply to situations that haven't happened yet, so I feel I am statistically safer to own and carry a weapon.

blackdog301664

I needed a gun for my work. I worked in rural Australia and needed it for shooting feral animals (pigs, dogs etc)
I grew up on a property and we always had guns, usually at the back door where they were easy to grab on your way out.
Everyone I know does the same, and no one has ever accidently or purposely shot another person with them.
we view a gun as a tool, like a shovel or hammer, it's there to do a job, and that's the only thing they get used for. The idea of grabbing one while having an argument just doesn't happen.
The people who live in cities and have guns are just trying to compensate for the lack of something.(this last statement is a generalisation and does not include everyone, just a large majority)

Crazy Dave

Because the criminals have them and I want to be on the same playing field! Because when the government or anyone else tries to violate me, violate my civil rights, or try to take my rights away from me then I will have something to defend myself with! It does not matter what the laws say criminals will still be able and will find away to get guns! The second amendment was put in place to keep the government from becoming tyrannous, that is why the government does not want you to have guns! They want you to not be able to defend yourself against them! The same crap that is happening now is why the revolutionary war was fought! Arm yourselves America while you still can because it is only going to get worse! The police state is on the rise.

Blame Obama

Its my protection! I feel a lot safer knowing I have a gun to protect myself!

Citicop

Why do you need a car?

A computer?

Electricity?

You don't NEED any of those, yet you have the right to them.

If you don't want a gun, don't get one. But stay out of my rights if you don't mind.

Anonymous

Actually, a weapon is far more likely to save your life. Read the statistics before you start forming opinions.

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