Are gun owners paranoid/scared/fearful?

Question

Are you paranoid/scared/fearful if you:

- wear your seatbelt in the car?

- lock the doors on your house/apartment?

- have homeowners insurance?

- have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen?

- teach your kids to not talk to strangers?

- keep important documents (passports, birth/marriage/divorce certificates, etc) locked in a safe?

- have an alarm system on your house?

- microchip your dog and have it wear ID tags?

What makes owning a gun any different than the rest of those things?

Answer 1

Very well said Abbyful. I agree 100%! Gun owners feel impowered, not fearful because of their gun ownership. People against gun owners rights are idealists living in a dream world. Seeing life as it should be instead of seeing it the way it is dangerous. Do you know most gun violence occurs in so-called "gun-free zones"? You really think mass murderers just can't read? Laws only exist for people who have an interest in obeying them. It's the people who are not interested in following the law we have to worry about, not law-abiding citizens who only seek to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Sorry, but if a burglar was trying to break down my door or crawl through my bedroom window, the phone within my reach to call the cops, is not going to do me much good at that moment, but the .38 revolver within my reach will. No one owns a gun with the hope that they will have to use it on someone someday, just as no one buys a fire extinguisher with the hope of their house catching fire, but it's there if it is needed. If we expect this to be a world where good is to triumph over evil, than good people must fight for it. Beware of those who do not recognize evil, for they are very dangerous. Yes, I am a proud supporter of the 2nd amendment and the NRA

Answer 2

   The only thing I'm scared of are idiots like you.We exercise our 2nd amendment rights because we are sick of rapists , thieves , & murderers having more rights than the average American. Why don't you leave your door open & see who comes in. Do you think the police will get there in time? 11 minutes is more than ample time to turn you into hamburger.And what is your question? Pro-gun or against? I don't know about you, but I'm not just going to debate the criminal until the police arrive. What the h**l are you afraid of / paranoid about? I'm quite at peace.

Answer 3

It is my personal opinion that if a person owns a gun for the sole purpose of being safer...they are fooling themselves.

The vast majority of us don't need, and never will need the protection of a gun.  I see absolutely no reason to have one for protection in a home.

I have a terrible fear of bear and like to spend time in the "northwoods" area of my state.  I once considered a gun for protection in that case.  But, the more I learned about it - the more I realized it too would be a false sense of security. (and every bit as likely to get me killed as save my life)

That said, if a person wants a gun and can legally own one - I see no reason why they can't have one.

Answer 4

Because of all the things that can go wrong, owning a gun requires more responsibility than owning a fire extinguisher.  If your kid accidentally sets off the fire extinguisher it won't kill him.

I don't think keeping a handgun in the house makes you paranoid necessarily.  Homes are invaded on a fairly regular basis.  However, many gun owners rationalize doing so based on an exaggerated threat.  Random acts of violence are *extremely* rare.  Almost all murders are committed by family members or close friends and the victim has almost always chosen to live a dangerous lifestyle.

There is nothing wrong with responsible gun usage.  However, as with pitbulls, guns have an increased capacity for severe damage in the event something does accidentally go wrong.

Answer 5

Paranoid? Nope.

Scared? Nope.

Fearful? Nope.

I sleep very soundly at night.

What is different from firearms ownership than those other things on your list? Only one thing - Nothing on your list is a Constitutional Right, but firearms ownership *is.*

Answer 6

The difference is that seatbelt, insurance, fire extinguishers, alarm systems, etc. are meant to keep you save and can't harm anyone.

Guns are not. What if it gets in the wrong hands.

Can you imagine someone with a gun in a subway with hundreds of people...

Why do you need a gun unless its used for hunting? That is what the polices are for. If you need it for protection why don't you just use a "chef's knife, a belt, a baseball bat, a pillow, etc." lol

Answer 7

Nothing, while a lot of people are good, there are just as many shifty people out there.

Answer 8

The only difference is that a gun may be used for defense as well as offense,  I suppose one could aim a fire extinguisher at the face of an intruder as well, but it is unlikely to kill them.

Answer 9

Gun owners shouldn't be afraid because THEY HAVE GUNS!

I support gun safety, and I don't own a gun or keep one in my house for moral reasons. I can understand why gun owners would ignore most rules and regulations, and I trust the professional ones. But if something goes wrong, like children harming themselves out of the parents' negligence, then the law should bring the hammer down.

Answer 10

I support the 2nd amendment. My husband is a cop in the military; h**l im a pretty decent shot myself. I also support strict screening of potential gun owners and a wait period! That's just common sense to me reguardless of anything else!

I was raised to respect weapons (i.e. guns) I was taught to always treat a firearm as a loaded weapon whether it was or not. I was taught how to safely handle a firearm, and was taught to be comfortable with one.

I was taught gun safety not just how to use it.

I think a lot of people that are "anti-gun protection" are people that are either scared of weapons, have no experience with them and are completely ignorant of them except what they see on TV or in movies.

Guns don’t kill people, stupid people w/hate in their heart kill people. If they didn't have a gun, it would be a knife, a bat or their bare fists...if they have that much hate in them in the first place weapons are an after thought.

Having said this however, I will say that I do NOT allow them in my house. My weapons are locked safely away at the armory where my husband works.

I do this because I have 4 children, ages 12 yrs, 10yrs, 2yrs and 11 months.

My oldest are boys, they are curious about life, and about certain things. I have no problem educating them in responsible gun ownership and safety, but I will not keep a weapon in my house, if that's paranoid so be it. But I’ve seen far too many kids play around w/them because of irresponsible parents. Again not the "guns" fault...the parents fault.

If I was a single woman, or had no small children I certainly would not have a problem having a weapon in my home. They would however be locked up tight, ammo in one location, gun in another.

As for protection in my home, I have a home security system, and as a bonus, we discovered one night that one of my 4 dogs hates burglars, has a taste for them actually. lol

I don’t think we are putting enough time into seeing what the real problem is here...and that is lack of gun education.

Answer 11

Well, in that line of thinking...are you paranoid if you wear tinfoil on your head? See, being a reactionary loon is good.

Since you seem to be Ms.Safety - why not be REALLY safe and perform background checks on gun owners - you know make sure they aren't the kind of people who wear tinfoil on their heads or are convicted felons. Why not be real safe and make people get a licence to have a gun - like we do to drive a car?

Edit: Yeah, it would be much better if we all started shooting it out old west style...then nobody is going to get hurt right?!

Answer 12

I have often wondered if I should consider a gun for protection.  I've never needed one, but when I was a single woman there were times I felt threatened or scared.  Now I am not single and have a small child and instead of feeling more reassured I now have 2 more people to worry about.  Sometimes, I still think it might not be a bad idea.  You see such horrible things on the news happening to children...but then again, most of those things happened in a situation where a gun would have made no difference to the outcome...

It's a very tough decision.  At the moment, I have resolved any home security problems with some very strong doors, windows, and locks, and a dog with a huge bark that likes to use it.  No one is breaking into my house without alerting the dog.  Cell phones now mean no one can cut your phone line and prevent you from getting help.  Home alarm systems are excellent these days.  So I do feel more secure.

Does some part of me still imagine the worst happening and me being helpless?  I guess because I love my people I will always feel some fear.  But I don't think it's paranoia and I do think it is appropriate (if unfortunate)  that to live in today's society you have to be a little bit suspicious of almost everyone.

If I do (hopefully) move to a more rural location I will once again go through the arguments and seriously consider a gun.  Although it would probably be a rifle/shotgun that could also be used for substanence hunting, not a handgun.

Just my opinion- I know it hasn't helped much.  LOL

EDIT:  Whoa, way to read there, Tommy Boy.  Guess Marines don't need to read?

Answer 13

Depends on the situation. If you carry a gun into NY city saying, "If anybody tried to attack me I will blow their brains on the floor!!" you are most definetly paranoid. If you live in the countryside like in Wyoming where wolves and bears might appear at night, if you don't have a gun then you are tired of living. If you are in the military, often they make you keep the gun where you can immediately grab it and go out to the battlefield from home in the event of a national emergency.  

Answer 14

Depends on what you think of. I don't call it paranoid or fearful. But I can call it " cautious.."  First off, wearing seatbelt in the car is good for everyone. One plausible reason is a sense of self-reliance. Guns can be used for two purposes, defending yourself from imminent danger and offense as well. Baseball bats can break human skull...To have a gun will help you save a lot if you're using home security system such as Brinks.

Answer 15

The things you list are passive, i.e. they have no potentially deadly effect on other people. Not so with guns. But I suppose it comes down to a question of training and appreciating when firearms are an appropriate form of defence and when they are not.

Answer 16

Absolutely nothing.

There is nothing wrong with owning a gun, provided you know how to use it and intend to use it responsibly.