# Okay to ask guest to leave their guns at home? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 20, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226 "2009-11-20T00:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![independentminded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@independentminded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/independentminded)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/521 "2009-11-29T21:05:50Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Anyone I’ve ever known to have beavers on their property have found them to be problematic. They don’t stop flooding they cause it. Beavers are perfectly harmless creatures. Why shoot them? it’s nasty, imho. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/522 "2009-11-29T21:15:34Z")
> [@independentminded](#): > > Beavers are perfectly harmless creatures. Why shoot them? it’s nasty, imho. I’ll make another thread for this one. ---
**Author:** ![independentminded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@independentminded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/independentminded)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/523 "2009-11-29T21:20:51Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > Most of the reasons I saw were because the homeowner has an irrational fear of firearms, or because of ridiculous stories dreamt up as worst-case catastrophic scenarios like a person eating a lot and falling asleep and then a kid discovering and taking the gun, or the person getting drunk and presumably doing a massacre. I wouldn’t call either of those “cogent reasons.” Of course maybe I did miss a few decent reasons. > > I really don’t see why everyone is going so uptight about my position. I’ve already repeatedly said I would respect the homeowner’s decision. Wanting at least a rational discussion of _why_ they don’t want someone carrying a concealed weapon in their home isn’t that much to ask. All too often though, BrandonR, heated arguments, even among ordinary, law-abiding citizens turn rather deadly when firearms are present. A murder or permanent crippling of a person is more likely to occur when there are firearms present. To paraphrase the quote: An angry person with no gun is just angry. An angry person with a gun shoots his/her neighbor. " I believe that this phrase holds true. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/524 "2009-11-30T01:43:38Z")
If you were angry and had a gun would you start shooting? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/525 "2009-11-30T01:57:56Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > If you were angry and had a gun would you start shooting? Well… _how_ angry? ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/526 "2009-11-30T02:16:24Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > If you were angry and had a gun would you start shooting? The overwhelming majority of gunowners in the US who will never shoot anyone would say no. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/527 "2009-11-30T02:28:13Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Any CCW holders here carry their weapon into work? Assuming you’re not a LEO or armed guard. I work in a hospital, so it would be both against the law and against company policy. Short answer, no. It stays secured in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/528 "2009-11-30T02:37:30Z")
> [@JXJohns](#): > > The overwhelming majority of gunowners in the US who will never shoot anyone would say no. I imagine that the overwhelming majority of gun owners in the US who _will_ shoot someone would also say no. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/529 "2009-11-30T03:37:07Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Any CCW holders here carry their weapon into work? Assuming you’re not a LEO or armed guard. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/530 "2009-11-30T12:49:19Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > If you were angry and had a gun would you start shooting? I can only conclude that those who believe other people would start shooting think that way because (whether they will admit it or not) it is what they fear they, themselves, would do. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/531 "2009-11-30T13:50:05Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Any CCW holders here carry their weapon into work? Assuming you’re not a LEO or armed guard. Yep. Small business owner, sole proprietorship, so I make the rules, and I allow myself to carry. I take $$ to the bank, often after dark. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/532 "2009-11-30T17:25:01Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I can only conclude that those who believe other people would start shooting think that way because (whether they will admit it or not) it is what they fear they, themselves, would do. It’s like they’re _latent_ or something! ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/533 "2009-11-30T18:56:41Z")
> [@Harry1945](#): > > I’m sorry, but it _is_ “really that mystifying.” If I’m carrying a concealed weapon, for whatever justification, and anyone else winds up with it, then for several reasons, I’ve failed as a gun owner, and your guest. There is more than enough “Fail” to go around, especially if someone’s brains redocorate the bathroom wall, but I will say that not even my wife knows if I’m armed in any conceivable situation. Your rights end at my front door. I don’t want you to have the chance to “fail” as a gun owner in my home. It is my business to know if you’re bringing a firearm to my property. I make conditions for entrance into my home. Don’t like it? Stay away. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/534 "2009-12-01T00:55:50Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I can only conclude that those who believe other people would start shooting think that way because (whether they will admit it or not) it is what they fear they, themselves, would do. And why not? Shouldn’t we always judge others on the standards we trust of ourselves? I know that I am not perfect, and its not inconceivable that I could find myself in a situation where shooting someone was apparently justified. Now I don’t believe I would actually do it, but I can admit to myself that its not inconceivable. And if you read at all you will see that there are thousands of crimes of passion committed. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/535 "2009-12-01T15:01:48Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > And why not? Shouldn’t we always judge others on the standards we trust of ourselves? Counterpoint–I judge that Michael Phelps is a significantly better swimmer than I am. In the generic case where you know nothing of a person, certainly you can judge them as harshly as necessary, but by no means is it implied that “I would probably do thing A, therefore everyone would.” Of course, **Scumpup** ’s also responding to [QUOTE=independentminded] All too often though, BrandonR, heated arguments, even among ordinary, law-abiding citizens turn rather deadly when firearms are present. A murder or permanent crippling of a person is more likely to occur when there are firearms present. To paraphrase the quote: **An angry person with no gun is just angry. An angry person with a gun shoots his/her neighbor. " I believe that this phrase holds true.** [/QUOTE] which I’d hope you could agree is so over the top that it deserves the sort of abrupt dismissal that it was given. **independentminded** , by the way: I own several firearms. I am currently very angry at my landlord because he sends me condescending nastygrams about yard maintenance while not repairing the serious water damage in the house’s bathroom–and the thing I irrationally hate most in this world is being condescended to. Explain to me, in the context of your quote, why my landlord is still alive and not severely shotgunned. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/536 "2009-12-01T15:35:48Z")
Well, do you own a shotgun? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/537 "2009-12-01T16:19:32Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > and the thing I irrationally hate most in this world is being condescended to. [puts on kevlar] Awwwww, poor _you_… there, there, eveything’s gonna okay, I promise… ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/538 "2009-12-01T16:34:40Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > [puts on kevlar] > Awwwww, poor _you_… there, there, eveything’s gonna okay, I promise… \ I like you. You can come to my house and fuck my sister. _sucker-punch_ \ > [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Well, do you own a shotgun? Indeed I do. Granted, the only ammo I keep around is #8 light target, so “severely shotgunned” is more like “moderately annoyed” to a human-sized target at any appreciable range, but my question stands. =P ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/539 "2009-12-02T19:45:06Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Post a permanent sign in the front of your house visible from the sidewalk that > “NO GUNS OR WEAPONS OF ANY KIND ARE ALLOWED IN THIS HOUSE” > > I didnt say we \*“needed” \* to post signs, but a sign is the quickest, easiest, simplist, nicest, clearest, least discriminating, and most effective way to accomplish what you want…immediately. > > Anyways, using a sign wasn’t _“my”_ idea. Sorry for the late reply on this (I was on vacation). I mentioned the sign thing. I also mentioned I thought it was weird. In any case, while it might solve some problems with this why should anyone have to blight their yard with a big sign that is visible from the street just to make sure you do not come armed to their house? Especially since I live in Chicago so, currently, I would not expect anyone except law enforcement to even have a gun when they visit. Aside from that this is simply not possible in many cases. I personally live in a condo (and lots of other people do as well). There is a homeowners association which restricts what people can do in common areas or areas visible to all (e.g. your front yard). There is little chance the majority would agree to a sign in the front (if you’ve never dealt with a homeowners association you will just have to trust me on this…won’t happen in most cases). Ours restricts what you can put on your front door as well (again considered a common area visible to all). Add in all the people who live in apartments. I also would not be surprised if various towns have restrictions on what signs are ok to plop in your front yard. So, even if I were amenable to putting up a sign that you think is such a good idea I literally cannot (at least doing it and expect to remain where I am living for long). ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226/540 "2009-12-02T20:04:02Z")
If one of my guest brought a gun along, I’d say, “I hope you brought enough ammo for everyone”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-to-ask-guest-to-leave-their-guns-at-home/518226.md?page=28)