I’ve been thinking about it for awhile. I’m still not entirely sure what the right answer is just yet though. Before you go off on the standard arguments, let me give you a bit of background.
I live in the country. Very isolated country. I have five neighbors, one of whom is a drug dealer. There is a one mile forest on one side of me, a US Navy reservation on the other, the water for about 15 miles to the East and a few lower income homes to the West up a big hill. We are easily 5-10 minutes from any hope of law enforcement in a crisis situation. We also have a wide variety of woodland critters, from foxes to snakes (many of the latter, one of which can be poisonous).
We live outside of DC, about 35 miles away. Our town is a bit off of one of the major evacuation routes of the city, and yes, we do think about mass evacuation and terrorist attacks living in DC. We also have natural disasters mainly in the form of hurricanes, the last of which resulted in the National Guard being deployed and checkpoints to keep out looters.
Now here are the negatives. I don’t want a gun.
While I understand it is a tool for things like wild animals, and I might actually use it more than others, it’s not something I suspect I’ll need anytime soon. I also have a kid, and the thought of him ever finding it scares the hell out of me (I should note that if we do get one, we’re having our contractor build a secure and nearly ‘invisible’ safe area where it will be stored, a la James Bond). It would be my goal for him to never know it was here.
Finally the idea that society is broken to such an extent that I have to arm myself is one that I haven’t quite gotten my head around just yet. I don’t think that is necessarily the case, though I may actually have my head in the clouds a bit. I do fear a major breakdown in civil order, i.e. a mass evacuation of biologically infected people following a terrorist strike or something, but I’m not sure that is on the horizon just yet (and as crazy as that sounds, just go watch the near riot situations in the evacuations from Hurricane Ike and Rita down in Texas). I don’t think we’re in a zombie status, but folks outside of the DC area never quite ‘get’ the terrorist threat like you do living in a target zone. It’s something that you do think about here when you drive past the armed checkpoints on Capitol Hill or see the anti-aircraft missiles hidden away on military bases in DC.
So for now, I’m still thinking about it. I don’t think it will be a purchase this year though, but it will be something I think about some more.
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Three quick thoughts:
yes, put in a gun safe, it also good as a fire safe for the house papers, wills , etc.
Kids are very bright. He will find out about it. Demystify it.. Take him to training and let him shoot it under supervision. That will stop a lot of accidents in the future.
Don’t buy into it has to be a ‘big’ (hard to shoot) gun . During the Roddy King riots, many LA shop owners successfully protected their places with a little Ruger 10/22.
Three quick thoughts:
yes, put in a gun safe, it also good as a fire safe for the house papers, wills , etc.
Kids are very bright. He will find out about it. Demystify it.. Take him to training and let him shoot it under supervision. That will stop a lot of accidents in the future.
Don’t buy into it has to be a ‘big’ (hard to shoot) gun . During the Roddy King riots, many LA shop owners successfully protected their places with a little Ruger 10/22.
There are a couple of concerns that I have with your post. First is the idea of concealing it from your kid. If you feel that this is the only way you can have a gun, get a big dog instead. I guarantee your kid will find it, they always do. I agree with Tom O’B on this, it would be better to educate him. The NRA has great classes for kids about Guns.
Secondly, the idea that there is something wrong with even the idea of owning a gun. As you correctly noted, there are those in our world who would do your family harm. It is nothing new, though, they have always been there although drugs have accelerated the breakdown of society. But there have always been predators, sheep, and those who stand guard. To me, it is my job as a parent, to stand guard to protect my family. Nothing wrong with that, in fact there is a lot right with that.
The problem is, we have been taught that we shouldn’t do it, we should leave it to professionals. Well, here is a news flash, unless you can afford to keep a policeman in your house (and have him travel with you 24/7), the professionals can’t keep you safe. Can’t. Even if they wanted to. And they don’t. Police, by their nature, come after the fact and take names, jot down notes, and try to apprehend the perps. That’s perps, as in past tense. People who have already perpetratED a crime.
If you understand (correctly) that rape is not about sex, rather it is about control and rage; can you apply that thought to breaking and entering? It is not about acquiring stuff. If a criminal really wanted to acquire more stuff, he or she would get a job, it pays better than crime. No, what they want to do is take YOUR stuff and hurting you is a benefit to them, they get off on it, just like a rapist gets off on the fear he sees in a victim’s eyes.
Being prepared is not paranoia. Being prepared is not being afraid. Being prepared is a rational response to an unreasonable situation, the danger that your family faces.
But if you do get a gun, make sure you get the proper training for using it. Otherwise don’t get one. I am not talking about commando training, I mean firearm safety, legal requirements, marksmenship, and strategies for home and personal defense.
Work all the way through your negatives first. Make sure you understand the ramifications of, should the unfortunate event occur, having to use it for defense of your family or self. It will change your life completely and not for the better, even if fully justified. But I believe (and this is just me) that it would be better than going to my child’s or my wife’s funeral or them coming to mine.
There are a couple of concerns that I have with your post. First is the idea of concealing it from your kid. If you feel that this is the only way you can have a gun, get a big dog instead. I guarantee your kid will find it, they always do. I agree with Tom O’B on this, it would be better to educate him. The NRA has great classes for kids about Guns.
Secondly, the idea that there is something wrong with even the idea of owning a gun. As you correctly noted, there are those in our world who would do your family harm. It is nothing new, though, they have always been there although drugs have accelerated the breakdown of society. But there have always been predators, sheep, and those who stand guard. To me, it is my job as a parent, to stand guard to protect my family. Nothing wrong with that, in fact there is a lot right with that.
The problem is, we have been taught that we shouldn’t do it, we should leave it to professionals. Well, here is a news flash, unless you can afford to keep a policeman in your house (and have him travel with you 24/7), the professionals can’t keep you safe. Can’t. Even if they wanted to. And they don’t. Police, by their nature, come after the fact and take names, jot down notes, and try to apprehend the perps. That’s perps, as in past tense. People who have already perpetratED a crime.
If you understand (correctly) that rape is not about sex, rather it is about control and rage; can you apply that thought to breaking and entering? It is not about acquiring stuff. If a criminal really wanted to acquire more stuff, he or she would get a job, it pays better than crime. No, what they want to do is take YOUR stuff and hurting you is a benefit to them, they get off on it, just like a rapist gets off on the fear he sees in a victim’s eyes.
Being prepared is not paranoia. Being prepared is not being afraid. Being prepared is a rational response to an unreasonable situation, the danger that your family faces.
But if you do get a gun, make sure you get the proper training for using it. Otherwise don’t get one. I am not talking about commando training, I mean firearm safety, legal requirements, marksmenship, and strategies for home and personal defense.
Work all the way through your negatives first. Make sure you understand the ramifications of, should the unfortunate event occur, having to use it for defense of your family or self. It will change your life completely and not for the better, even if fully justified. But I believe (and this is just me) that it would be better than going to my child’s or my wife’s funeral or them coming to mine.
I think if you’re more comfortable without one than with one, do without. I would do whatever makes you comfortable, however, I would tell my child about it, would make sure he knows how to use it, then keep it in a gun safe.
I think if you’re more comfortable without one than with one, do without. I would do whatever makes you comfortable, however, I would tell my child about it, would make sure he knows how to use it, then keep it in a gun safe.
I had only just recently considered acquiring a handgun, and had reservations similar to your own for years. Shortly after making the decision to be armed, but before actually having the gun, there was a shooting right outside my bedroom window. Ten shots fired and swarms of police on the scene for the next hour. People were running and yelling throughout my apartment complex. Doors were slamming in my building. I had no idea where the shooter was or what he wanted. I live in a nice area. These things DO happen. I share an apartment with someone who owns a .45 pistol and I was glad he was home and loaded at the time. It is the unexpected scenario like this, or so many others that can be so much worse, in which I need to be able to defend myself and others.
I know what you mean about being dubious about our society lacking cohesion to the point that we must arm to protect ourselves from each other. There is another consideration as well, however. I am not given to conspiracy theories nor do I fear our government. In fact my politics tend toward the liberal side (as evidenced from the nickname I use to post this reply, although I go by JFK all the time.) There is a strong argument to be made that we needn’t fear the paradigm CHANGING to the point that we might fear our government, but that we take a serious look at the paradigm as it exists and WHY we don’t, as a whole, fear our government today, or the possibility of invasion. I will close with a list of statistics which illustrate my point and have reinforced my decision, as a liberal, to be armed. My best to you and your family.
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million peaceful citizens who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 innocents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED! Now, because the U.S. government and DHS are so fearful
of 90-million, well-armed, law-abiding American citizens, they haven’t declared martial law.
SWITZERLAND ISSUES a gun to EVERY HOUSEHOLD and provides training! SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN-RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
I had only just recently considered acquiring a handgun, and had reservations similar to your own for years. Shortly after making the decision to be armed, but before actually having the gun, there was a shooting right outside my bedroom window. Ten shots fired and swarms of police on the scene for the next hour. People were running and yelling throughout my apartment complex. Doors were slamming in my building. I had no idea where the shooter was or what he wanted. I live in a nice area. These things DO happen. I share an apartment with someone who owns a .45 pistol and I was glad he was home and loaded at the time. It is the unexpected scenario like this, or so many others that can be so much worse, in which I need to be able to defend myself and others.
I know what you mean about being dubious about our society lacking cohesion to the point that we must arm to protect ourselves from each other. There is another consideration as well, however. I am not given to conspiracy theories nor do I fear our government. In fact my politics tend toward the liberal side (as evidenced from the nickname I use to post this reply, although I go by JFK all the time.) There is a strong argument to be made that we needn’t fear the paradigm CHANGING to the point that we might fear our government, but that we take a serious look at the paradigm as it exists and WHY we don’t, as a whole, fear our government today, or the possibility of invasion. I will close with a list of statistics which illustrate my point and have reinforced my decision, as a liberal, to be armed. My best to you and your family.
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million peaceful citizens who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 innocents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED! Now, because the U.S. government and DHS are so fearful
of 90-million, well-armed, law-abiding American citizens, they haven’t declared martial law.
SWITZERLAND ISSUES a gun to EVERY HOUSEHOLD and provides training! SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN-RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
@jfk, great comments.
At the very least invest in a secure gun safe and lock.
@jfk, great comments.
At the very least invest in a secure gun safe and lock.
i always thought that gun control should be mandatory in all places””~
i always thought that gun control should be mandatory in all places””~