Do you go strapped?

[Newrider42]

wannadie, whilst I understand your thoughts, if everyone can carry a concealed weapon, the bad guys can too.Rather than having the complications of carrying a gun around with them where they're outlawed, they blend in.

Guns are heavy and will get noticed by the police, which makes it more likely that if they're outlawed, they'd break into homes with only a knife. Whilst a knife is still a dangerous weapon, it adds distance and fear into a standoff, making it more likely for the intruder to backdown and leave without harming people. It also would get rid of a lot of crims who wouldn't break into a house with anything less than a gun.

Getting rid of concealed carry laws would help the police do their job, and cause less people to be hurt IMHO

As far as locking your door goes... if they want in, they'll get in regardless

I don't mean this to sound like a wise guy, but most of the criminals have guns anyway. Even if they did outlaw guns, it would be extrememly hard to get all the guns off the street. America has a very good underground connection that if you want something bad enough, you'll get it. I know that the U.S. will never get rid of their gun laws because there are too many rednecks, which I hope they never do.

Police do not notice guns as much as you think. That is why it is called 'concealed' carry and gun makers are making them lighter and smaller than ever. Zootech's gun he pictures earlier is only 14- 15 ounces. I carry a Rossi .38 Special and it weighs about 23 ounces. I carry alot and nobody ever notices because of the way I wear it.I see where you're coming from about getting rid of concealed carry to help the cops. It would help the cops to feel a little safer answering calls knowing that the probability of the caller having a gun would be decreased, but I don't care about the cops. I want me and my family to be safe. Then the cops can do their job. They are people too, just like you and me and sometimes they can't help you like you would like and can't always be there when you want. It was just six months ago or less that in a city called Bristol, some 20-35 minutes away from me, that a police officer was shot point blank in the face. Sadly he died immediately. My point is that you can't always depend on the cops to help, sometimes you have to help yourself. I look forward to that day when the world will be perfect again.

Iwanna, our laws in TN are about the same as yours. It is legal to carry openly, and illegal to conceal without a permit. Many rednecks and hunters ( me included) wouldn't know how to act if they took our guns away.

[TechTMW]

Just a difference of philosophy, I guess.

Here in Napoli, western europe's most populous city, thefts are rampant. Kids are brought up on the streets learning how to pickpockets, and no amount of security can keep a thief out of your house. Thieves have even been known to use aerosol mists of ether to knock you out while you sleep so they can steal your stuff with impunity.

That being said, there is a very low rate of violent crime here There is a very real respect for human life which permeates the society here. Women aren't afraid to sit next to a strange man on the metro at night - rapes are very uncommon.

On the flipside, the American sailors on base make up for a large number of the sexual assults that DO happen here. My wife's a criminal investigator for the Navy - I'm not making this stuff up. The assults usually happen within the American community.

I'm not saying that gun ownership is wrong - While in the states, I owned a Sig p229 .40 cal handgun. I liked to take it to the range and practice, often burning through a few boxes of rounds at a time, and it always felt good to know that it was there for me if I ever needed it for personal defense.

You could say that Americans terrorize themselves - they carry or own personal weapons because they are afraid of their fellow Americans. I really like living in a place where this isn't such a big deal. It's a relaxed feeling thet I think many Americans have either forgotten about or simply never had. People can deny it all they want, but in order to carry a weapon, you must have an initial foundation of fear - if you weren't afraid, you wouldn't even be thinking about carrying in the first place.

I live in an area with high theft rates, I accept that, and I'm not going to blow someone away because they want my stuff - the stuff really doesn't mean that much to me. That's why I have insurance, and I also have 3 dogs to scare away any potential intruders.

It's unfortunate that many Americans act so self-righteous about their firearms and even more unfortunate that the possesion of firearms even adds to the feeling of distrust of our fellow man. Right or wrong, I surely don't think it's a civilized approach.

[mustangski]

I am not willing to kill a man over my stuff either, however just because they are in your house doesn't mean that they are going for your tv. You say that in order to carry a weapon you have to be living in fear, I guess you could call it that but I like to call it reality. I am not afraid of everybody that walks down the street, but that doesn't mean that I trust them either. The people that live in constant fear are the pyscho's that flash their gun to every person that comes to the door, or the people that never leave the house. As for me, I live happy knowing that if something did come up I would be able to handle it. I don't go looking for trouble, I'm just trying to be prepared for it.

[Abner]

When driving in a car, most people lock thier doors. And that is the recommended norm, by most security experts. Motorcycles don't have door, so you are at the mercy of anyone that wants to attack you.

I normally ride with my wife and if anyone thinks that we are easy targets they will certainly get a bullet between the eyes! I don't go looking for trouble, but I prefer to be prepared if trouble looks for me.

Crooks don't normally attack people when cops are around to protect thier victims. People must be able to protect themselves. An our constitutions states that we have the right to bear arms and I elect to carry to protect my wife and myself.

Those liberal democrats don't want you to be armed. That way they can control you!! A lot of people are also scared of guns, simply because they have never been exposed to guns. I have taken many people to the gun range that were apprehensive about guns . After shooting a few rounds, they were hooked. I have never seen anyone turned off by guns after they have fired a few rounds! Most people that I take to the range end up buying guns! And thier main reason is for protection.

[Nibblet99]

you lock your doors when driving???

[Aggroton]

I don't go looking for trouble, I'm just trying to be prepared for it.

be prepared....boy scout motto...thats where i learned to shoot.

[iwannadie]

i see people saying 'if they want in they will get in anyways' in response to locking doors/windows. well yes that may be true but why leave the door open and make it easy for them? chances are if your doors/windows are locked they will move on to an easier target down the block. i just cant understand that whole line of thought, not wanting to protect whats yours acting like its free for the taking to anyone willing to attempt it. if someone wants my stuff im going to make it as hard for them to get as i can.

someone thats breaking into my house i cant treat them like they are there to merely steal my tv and not to harm me. what if i wake up while they are carrying my tv out, do you expect them to see me set the tv down and apologize? most likely they will react violently in that situation and you need to defend against it.

noone said you need to kill the person(although with the laws these days it might be better to kill them rather than go to court for shooting him in the leg and ruining his career chances). but a good leg shoulder take down shot will at least drop the guy so you can wait for cops if you want. guess people have good luck waiting on cops, something ive never had. call the cops and see them drive by an hour later not bothering to stop, then do a report over the phone a week later.

[cb360]

Those liberal democrats don't want you to be armed. That way they can control you!! A lot of people are also scared of guns, simply because they have never been exposed to guns. I have taken many people to the gun range that were apprehensive about guns . After shooting a few rounds, they were hooked. I have never seen anyone turned off by guns after they have fired a few rounds! Most people that I take to the range end up buying guns! And thier main reason is for protection.

I'm a liberal democrat (though fiscally conservative) and I don't give a rat's a-s-s if you want to be armed. I think people should have the right to be armed. And I think I'd enjoy shooting at a range. But I've lived all over the US for forty years (and even, horrors, Africa) and I've never needed a gun and I don't plan on it. The paranoia around here is shocking. You're all way more likely to be killed by a family member or a friend than a stranger and you damn well know it. I'll let you get back to your Soldier of Fortune now.

[ZooTech]

if everyone can carry a concealed weapon, the bad guys can too.

They already do...illegally...that's what makes them bad guys.

Guns are heavy and will get noticed by the police

My gun fits in my hand and weighs 15-ounces, yet carries five 38 caliper rounds. It's easier to spot my wallet than my gun.

[Wizzard]

Amongst other guns , of which my spousette and I have several , I too have a Rossi 38 and a shoulder holster that you cannot spot under my leather vest with the vest worn completely open .
No , I am neither afraid nor paranoid . I live in a city that has long been called "Scream City" and the folks that coined that name were the hard core scooter tramps .
My generation of the '60s had a phrase ; "If guns are outlawed , only outlaws will have guns" That is truer today than back then .
We have a large gang population around here with members of the same gangs from different areas shooting at each other constantly . There were times in my neighborhood that it sounded like Little Beirut .
When I lived in Arizona , I loved that fact that I could pack openly like the 2nd Amendment says I should be able to .
Less drive bys cause the perps know that they were taking a chance of peeps shooting back .
Remember that gun control means hitting what you aim at with a two handed stance . And as far as I am concerned this is definite "Social Security"
Regards, Wizzard