Quote:
Originally Posted by jsarno
I just needed to point this out...no matter if there were strict gun laws, or loose ones, those situations will still exist. The evil people of the world will still ignore them and find way to own those guns.
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Yes. Absolutely true.
For that very same reason, however, gun ownership does not guarrantee safety nor does it
neccessarily enhance one's personal safety.
Given that the existence or non-existence of strict gun laws (or enforcement of the same) has no effect on whether or not evil people will use guns, the ownership of guns will not deter those same evil people intent on inflicting harm. I suggest to you, that those intent on doing harm with guns or those who could care less if they cause harm with guns will do so whether or not those around them are armed.
While owning a gun for home defense
may protect you from injury in certain limited circumstances (A break in occurs, it does so in such a manner as to allow you sufficient warning to retrieve your weapon, avoid discovery and safely confront the burglar (i.e. make sure you don't harm those whom you would protect)). At the same time, I would argue that the inherent danger posed to residents and visitors by a readily available weapon with readily available ammunition is not insignificant.
As others have pointed out, however, it seems unlikely to me that someone intent on doing you harm by waylaying you will be deterred by thought you might be carrying a gun. It seems to me that, if someone is intentionally carrying a gun with intent to cause harm
despite the possibility of governmental reprecussion, those people are unlikely to be deterred by the possibility of you being armed. Rather, they will be more careful in their actions and, essentially, kill you before you have a chance to retaliate.
Further, for those who carry guns with a complete lack of concern as to whether or not they do good or evil with the weapons, the fact that you are armed will, again, be of no concern to them. In these cases you may see the danger approaching and prevent it prior to being shot by using a weapon (in this scenario, it doesn't even matter whether or not the weapon is concealed because the individual creating the danger is unconcerned as to
anyone's safety including his). Given the unpredictability of these types, the greater danger is to those unaware that this person is present. You will simply be an innocent bystander dead without even knowing what hit you.
As I said, I got no problem with guns. They are simply tools -inherently dangerous, powerful, efficient with limited purpose - but tools nonetheless.
I do believe, however, that those who argue they are necessary for increased safety are assuming the bad guys think and act like they themselves would. I suggest to you that this is not true. People who are willing to use deadly force to impose their will upon others - either out of a specific intent to do whatever it takes to do so or out of a complete disregard for the destruction they may cause - are not likely to concern themselves with how easy or difficult a target, in the first case, their prey or, in the second, anyone around them actually is.
I believe that, generally, carrying a gun (and I have just so we're clear), rather than heighten one's personal security, actually dulls it by creating a false sense of security and, thus, lessening the truly important factors of personal safety - self and situation awareness.