Why should I carry a gun? I take reasonable precautions not to get myself into bad situations, and if I still manage to get into a bad situation, having a gun with me wouldn’t prevent that. In fact, there’s a very real possiblity that introducing a gun to a bad situation could make things get even worse.
Instead, I make sure I’m not an easy mark. I pay attention to what’s going on around me, I drive with my doors locked, I keep a sturdy and very sharp doorkey between my index and middle fingers when I walk alone at night, and when possible I have someone else with me. I also tend to be accompanied by a loveable but extremely protective dog when I go walking.
I’m like the other Lola–bad temper. Lola+gun=BAD IDEA.
I just try to make sure I am not in a bad situation.
When I was younger I’d go to the gun range with my dad, and I got to shoot rifles and guns, so I’m not averse to shooting one, nor would I be afraid to shoot someone if they threatened my life. But with my bad temper, I don’t think it’s a good idea, even if I have mellowed out the last few years.
Last reason–I have my 2 year old boy in the house who tries to get into everything and I do not want a gun in the house. Period.
I like guns, I enjoy shooting, but I don’t want to shoot anybody, regardless of what they may intend to do to me. I’ve always tried to handle any dangerous situations without bloodshed, and so far I’ve been successful.
I started aikido training recently, as it fits well with my philosophy that the best result to come out of any fight is for all participants to walk away unscathed. It has a level of control that’s admirable, though difficult to master. It’s also a ton of fun.
My boyfriend, however, goes armed. I’ve found that reassuring more than once.
If you read the OP I think it is pretty clear why robert didn’t ask about straight males.
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He asked the question because there’s this perception that homosexuals and women are more likely to be victims of violent crimes. Since straight males didn’t fit why would he ask about them?
To be honest I’ve wondered about this as well. If I were a homosexual and felt there was a serious chance of being bashed I’d probably pack heat as well.
I was robbed while throwing papers once. I was out alone in the wee hours of the morning, walking at times. I had a number of apartment dwellers so I had to get out of the car to throw their papers. I carried a 38 Smith & Wesson under my seat. BTW, I threw these papers in a very high crime area. When I was robbed, I totally lost my ability to think clearly. Fear is a powerful thing. I did not even think about the gun until the guy was walking away from my car. My point is, without proper training and routine training, the gun is useless. Or maybe I am exceptionally cowardly. I never thought I would have reacted the way I did. Then, I think, hmm… do I want to shoot someone over pocket change… actually I had $100.00 stolen. If I had the option of shooting someone or giving up money, I would choose to give up money. Even if you place little value on human life, imagine how complicated your life would suddenly become if you shot someone. I am sure you would have to deal with law enforcement, courts, grand juries, testifying, loss time at work, etc. Then, the image of that event would be unforgettable. Perhaps I would think differently if the guy had assaulted me physically or sexually. FWIW, my two cents.
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That’s the main reason I haven’t chosen to carry a gun - it’s just too big a responsibility for me at this time. Where I live, concealed carry is not legal, so if I bought a handgun and obtained a carry permit, I’d have to carry the gun openly - and EVERYONE around me would be aware of that weapon (and, criminals aside, have you ever noticed how frightened many ordinary people become when they see a person carrying a gun?). And what do you do when you’re carrying and want to enter a place where firearms aren’t permitted? I couldn’t carry a handgun into my office at the hospital - the hospital security personel wouldn’t permit it. So what would I do with the danged thing? It doesn’t do me any good if I leave it at home. Take it along, and just lock it in the car when I arrive at the hospital? That’s NOT safe storage.
And in many large cities (Chicago, NYC, and DC come quickly to mind), handguns are effectively illegal. Dopers who live there couldn’t carry a firearm even if they wanted to, unless they are willing to risk a felony conviction in the event they are discovered to be in possession of one (which will obviously happen if they use one to defend themselves from a crime).
And if you DO end up shooting someone, you will probably find yourself up to your neck in legal problems - so you’d better make DAMN sure that you can justify using deadly force.
At this time, a handgun would cause more problems for me than it would solve. If I ever have to live in a crime-ridden neighborhood, or find myself being harassed by a stalker, ect., I might need to re-evaluate my decision not to own one, but right now a gun is just not a good defense option for me.
I don’t like guns. I really don’t like guns. The very idea of carrying a weapon that I could kill someone with is abhorrent to me. Like Potter, I’d rather be beaten into a bloody little smear than kill someone.
If you read my post, you would remember that I am a gay man.
I’m 48 years old, and I’ve been out of the closet for nearly 30 years. I personally have never been so afraid that I felt the need to carry a gun.
And using the logic of women and gays being the only targets of violence, would that mean that straight men would never need to carry a gun, because there is no threat to their safety?
We don’t have any small children visiting our house, so we do keep loaded guns. Not on the coffee table, mind you, but if we have them here anyway, they may as well be ready to use. Our family and friends know this.
There are times when one or both of us carry, but it isn’t an ‘everywhere we go’ situation. Fortunately, the people we carry them because of, don’t know when we aren’t.
Even with a permit, there are some places you aren’t allowed to have them, which can be awkward.
I have yet to carry a gun anywhere except on my person, because IMO, that is worse than having none at all.
Ok… I have a feeling this is a horrendously stupid idea, but I can’t see any immediate problems with it so I’ll post it.
People don’t want to carry guns because they don’t want to even have the potential to kill a person so easily and are worried about the consequences if it is taken from them. So why not carry an unloaded gun? The point is that in most cases you won’t need to actually shoot a person. Once you’re pointing a gun at them they’re likely to be rather intimidated and will probably back off without harming you. If they take it off you, all it really gives them is a heavy object and they probably have one of those anyway.
For that matter, it probably doesn’t even have to be a real gun - I imagine some pretty convincing fakes exist.
Apologies for the mild hijack and further apologise if this is a really stupid idea.
Reason 2): I have an instinctual fear reaction whenever I view a gun. I have no wish to carry such a device on me even if I could.
Reason 3): I would much rather have someone beat the shit out of me than jump me, have me attempt to defend myself, grab my gun, and shoot me. I feel that the fewer deadly weapons are involved in a confrontation, the lesser my chances of having such a weapon used on myself are.
I do carry a rather large switchblade whenever I go out to a bar or an event which causes me to walk to my car, late at night by myself. If anyone messes with me cuz I’m gay, if I feel it’s appropriate, I’ll whip out my blade and make them wish they hadn’t bothered me. They might get my wallet, but I’m going to get their finger or something. I did show it to a young thug a few years ago and it deterred him in robbing me or whatever he had planned. Mind you, it’s a BIG knife. I’d get thrown in jail if the police ever searched me.
Other reasons: I have a hard enough time finding my checkbook inside my purse…lots of good a gun is going to do me in there. I used to carry Advil in my purse, my two year old found it and, of course, childproof caps are really elderly and arthritic proof caps. I used to carry pepper spray on my keychain - got rid of that with children.
I would, I think, be able to kill if it were a “kill or be killed” situation. Why don’t I carry a gun, then? For all of the reasons that my fellow Dopers have elucidated, namely:
I generally feel pretty safe, and try not to appear to be an easy target (carry myself assertively, walk with friends at night, etc.).
Carrying a gun is a greater responsibility than I feel I need to have, as I’ve stated.
I carry pepper spray as well as a whistle that makes an eardrum-shattering noise that could either alert help or momentarily distract an attacker.
I can’t jump on or kick an attacker - all I have is my upper body. I could use one of my wheelchair footrests to club the attacker, causing enough injury to give me time to escape (I’m pretty strong and the footrest has corners). If, however, that didn’t work, I wouldn’t want to have my own deadly weapon turned against me.