Re: Guns for home defense....
By: Lawton to All on Fri Aug 19 2005 11:45:00
> I don't get this thing with guns in the USA. In the UK we are fine without
> guns, I'm 16 and I can live on my own without any fear of being attacked, ev
> though I live in an area with a high amount of crime (mostly car theft, drug
> and assault). I don't know anyone who feels unsafe in their own home.
>
>
> I think the problem is the fact that firearms are legal in the USA. If peopl
> didn't have them in the first place there would not be a big fear of being
> attacked by them, therefore people wouldn't need to carry them for defence.
> my opinion carrying a weapon does not make you a tough person, I believe it
> makes you a weak one. I can see your point though if you have been involved
> with a gun related crime before, it would be for peace of mind.
>
>
> Anyway, there is my opinion...
Yeah, I think you and I aren't really entitled to an opinion on the matter. I
live in a very low crime area, in fact, when we go on vacation, we don't lock
our doors THEN either.
Somewhere that you simply cannot rely on strangers helping you (or even calling
the police) and you have a reasonable fear of being accosted with a handgun
(that is, densly populated areas of the USA) may make me want to carry some for
of "personal protection". Though if it would be a gun or not I'm unsure. Last
time my life was touched by violent crime I simply moved to a smaller centre.
For those of you interested in the story:
At approximately 6:30am, my and my future wife were awakened by someone at the
door. Upon answering it, we discovered an RCMP (police) officer. The
conversation went slong these lines (RCMP denoted by 'R', myself denoted by 'M'
and my wife denoted by 'S')
R: Good morning.
M: Good morning officer, what seems to be the problem?
R: Sorry to wake you, I just need to ask if you know anything about the dead
body behind your garage.
S: WHAT?!?!
R: We discovered a dead body behind your garage this morning.
M: In the yard or in the alley?
R: He's in the alley. It appears that he's been stabbed.
M: Well, I certainly don't know anything about it.
S: Me neither.
R: You didn't hear any strange noises last night? Yelling? Anything like
that?
M: No sir, I can ask the kids before they go to school though.
R: You have children?
S: Yes, 12 and 7.
R: I would appreciate if you would ask them <handing over a card> please call
me if they heard anything.
M: Do you want us to call you if they didn't hear anything too?
R: That won't be necessary.
M: Ok... anything else? Want some coffee?
R: No thank you, have a nice day. <leaves>
M: That's it Sharon, we're moving.
So later that day I gave my 2 week notice at work, and started job hunting for
somewhere in a smaller town. Found one for just a small pay cut (and housing
is cheaper, as well as the utilities, so it worked out to about the same
disposable income) and moved up two weeks later and lived at a campground in a
tent until my wife could arrage to sell the house, pack everything up, find a
new place etc. Well, a year or two after we moved in to Yorkton, the crime
rate started going up there too (no, no causual relationship honest!) so I
found a place in a very small town (approx. 600 people) 20 miles from Yorkton
and I've never been happier.
If for some unfathomable reason I was REQUIRED to stay in the same city I
started in, I'm sure I would have taken some steps... gotten a dog, motion
light in the alley, possibly a yard security system... I don't know. Staying
was simply not an option for me.
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