"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin
This has less to do with guns than it does about responsibility. Since the beginning of time there have been people that provide for themselves and family, and there have been those that depend on outside sources.
Those that are independent know who they are. Those who are not often like to turn a deaf ear.
Last time I moved back to the states, I was there for 6 months and could not stand the attitude of the majority any longer. I sold what I could and left the rest. I was in Miami for my connecting flight by the time I was late for work.
I don't look over my shoulder, nor do I expect any government agency to do so for me.
As for the DR not being like the wild west, have you not noticed that many dominicans carry guns. Many of those dominicans carry unconcealed guns, just like in the west of old.
What this always comes down to seems to be that people that are self suffient scare the people that are not. XR mentioned that might come from jealously. I'm not sure what it comes from.
I've had plenty of discussions with anti-gun people before. All the while sitting there with a gun concealed on my person. Brandishing is illegal in the US. Here it is legal but not a good idea in my opinion. The element of surprise is an important one.
I've had gun discussions with anti-gun friends in the past. One of them that was absolutely against civilians having guns of any form changed him mind one night.
This incident happened in CT. My buddy was going to the movies with one of his friends and his friends' wife. He had known his friend since they were little kids. They grew up together. When they got to the parking lot at the theater, he stopped near the entrance to let them out of the car. He was going to go park the car. They got out of the car. At that point he noticed a guy walking up to them. As he got closer, he opened his jacket and started to pull out a gun. My buddy didn't know what to do. Without much else to do he punched the gas pedal and left. Now out of danger, he was thinking about the possiblity that he might never see his friends again. Some how that cell phone and 911 seemed completely helpless. He was close to the Police station so he drove there. They dispatched a black and white. Luckily his friends had not been harmed. They were a bit shaken up. They found the guy from the description but he had long since stashed the weapon somewhere. Without the weapon he walked.
My friend now carries a ccw and an hk. He never wanted to have to make a life or death decision but he found out the hard way that those decisions can be forced upon you. It is up to you whether you develop the means to answer them.
As anyone knows, nothing is 100%. Even so most of us choose to wear seat belts. Most of us that ride motorcycles choose to wear a helmet and leathers. Most of us lock our doors. You can call us paranoid for any of those things. That is fine. That is your choice. Live the way you want. We will live the way we want.
If you think the we will live upsets your life, you should do some research.
Take a look at this from ABC news:
Lies, Myths and Downright Stupidity
Stossel's List of Popularly Reported Misconceptions
Myth No. 3 ? Guns are Bad
America is notorious for its culture of gun violence. Guns sometimes do cause terrible harm, and many kids are killed every year in gun accidents. But public service announcements and news stories make it seem as if the accidents kill thousands of kids every year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, fewer than 100 kids 15 and under are killed in gun accidents every year. Of course that's horrible, and I understand why demonstrators say we need more gun control.
But guess what? The Centers for Disease Control recently completed a review of studies of various types of gun control: background checks, waiting periods, bans on certain guns and ammunition. It could not document that these rules have reduced violent crime.
The government wants to say things like the Brady Gun Control Law are making a difference, but they aren't. Some maximum security felons I spoke to in New Jersey scoffed at measures like the Brady law. They said they'll have no trouble getting guns if they want them.
A Justice Department study confirmed what the prisoners said. But get this: the felons say that the thing they fear the most is not the police, not time in prison, but, you, another American who might be armed.
It's a reason many states are passing gun un-control. They're allowing citizens to carry guns with them; it's called concealed carry or right to carry. Some women say they're comforted by these laws.
Many people are horrified at the idea of concealed carry laws, and predict mayhem if all states adopt these laws.
But surprise, 36 states already have concealed carry laws, and not one reported an upsurge in gun crime.
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If you want hard stats, then look up all the research that John Lott has already done for you.
Talk to who you have to talk to. See who you have to see.
Do what you have to do.
