I largely agree those that say that it is a difference of culture. I can understand that many Europeans and others would feel that it is strange here, the same way that I cannot imagine living somewhere where guns were heavily restricted.
I grew up in Louisiana where most of the cities are very unsafe with very high murder rates. I always carried a gun from the time I was old enough to do so, and still do when I return home. I wouldnt feel safe in any of the major cities in Lousiana without one. When I lived in Florida, the crime was somewhat less where I lived, but I still carried. Now I live in Oklahoma in a small town that has virtually no violent crime. I rarely carry my gun in my vehicle, or otherwise, mainly because I cannot take it legally onto the Air Force base where I am stationed. I do not mind so much because it is very safe here. If I drive up to Oklahoma City, or down to Dallas, I make sure I have it with me, and I always have it in my bedroom when I am at home to defend my residence against breakins.
I can understand that if you lived somewhere where the crime was lower that you might feel safe without a gun. However, crime exists in European countries too, and in many parts of Europe is on the rise. Personally, if I lived there, I would want to be armed.
I have a friend here that was stationed in England, and was unable to live on base. He lived out in the town, in rather a bad neighborhood. He said that they lived in fear at night, as there were frequent break-ins in the area. He said that he really wished he could have had a gun to protect himself and his family. His car was broken into four or five times while he was there, and although he heard the alarm go off, and rushed out, was unable to catch the culprits. They didnt steal anything of value, but did well over a thousand dollars in damage to his car in the break-ins. The last time it happened he heard the alarm go off, and rushed out to find that the thief had his arm caught in the door of the car. He ran out and started beating the thief while his wife called the police. The police arrived and instead of arresting the thief who was caught in the act, they arrested my friend instead for assault!!! This simply blows my mind. It angers me just to think of this situation. This punk criminal gets a minor beating, which he richly deserves and more, and gets off scot-free, while a law-abiding person is arrested for trying to protect his private property.
I am not saying that if my friend had a gun, that he would have been justified in running out and shooting this criminal. In this case, the criminal was obviously no longer a threat to him, and couldnt escape, so he could have waited for the police, and shooting the thief would certainly not be justified. Indeed the wise thing to do would have been to wait for the police as it was. What if the breakin had been into his apartment though? Self defense would clearly be justified in that case as you have nowhere to retreat once you are in your home.
My understanding is that even if these criminals had broken into his house that he wouldnt have been able to attack them even then, even without a weapon. What kind of nonsense is that? Someone breaks into your house and you have to just ask them to leave and hope that they comply? Is it true that in England that this is the case? Surely it cannot be. Someone that is a resident and knows the law on this subject please fill me in.
If that is the passive culture that exists in Europe where you have to hide in fear, and allow criminals to run roughshod over you, then I want no part of it. I hope that that mindset never succeeds here. I prefer to be the master of my domain, and I take responsibility for defending it. That responsiblity comes with this for gun safety is obvious, but I trust myself and have confidence in myself to be alert, ready, and capable of defending my dwelling, and my family from criminals. I have drawn a gun on several occasions to protect myself, and fortunately I have never had to fire a shot, but I can tell you that the fact that I had a weapon with me was immensely comforting in each of those dangerous situations.
I cannot understand the sympathy for criminals that seems to have taken hold in many liberal minds. For example, how can you have sympathy for the guy that robs a store with a BB gun and gets killed? Nobody made him do that. He robbed a store of his own free will, trying to take through force what other people had earned through hard work. He used a BB gun, hoping that people would think that it was a real gun, and would then acede to his demands. This obviously backfired on him, and the penalty he paid was death. It is a clear cut case of self defense on the part of the shooter though. If a gun is pointed at me, then I have to believe that the person pointing it has the will and the capability of killing me. I cannot pause to wonder if the gun is loaded, whether it is real, or whether the person really means the threat. If I have the capablity to resist in the form of a weapon, then I will certainly do so. The right of self-defense is a part of one of the most basic rights that we enjoy. It is an integral part of the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
