A controversy is raging in household Bushatz, and its name is “gun ownership.”
Servicemembers are, by and large, weapons people. And why shouldn’t they be? If anyone knows how to use a weapon correctly and effectively, it’s a member of America’s military. Downrange their weapon is like an extra appendage. Back home it’s a tool for hunting, target practice, training and (if need be) protection.
But that doesn’t mean I like having one in the house.
Don’t get me wrong, of all guys on earth, my husband knows how to use his weapon correctly. He also knows how to safely store it so that our 3-year-old (or anyone else for that matter) won’t be able to get his sticky little jam hands on it.
But I still don’t like it.
Of all people, you’d think I’d be OK with it. My father’s gun safe was his pride and joy. He held a license allowing him to buy and sell guns at will, using it to help private owners legally sell their weapons without going through an expensive shop or dealer. He took us to the firing range for target practice. There were never any accidents. Never any stories that ended with “and then he accidentally shot himself in the foot.” Never any reasons to not feel safe around guns.
But I still don’t want one in my house.
And then there is my husband. Why wouldn’t he want a gun in the house? He knows that it brings protection. He knows how to use it.
So the battle discussion rambles on. He says “yes,” I say “no.” He says “just a shot gun.” I say “then we should store the ammo somewhere entirely different.” He says “then what is the point of that?”
And our final decision? Well, I’m not going to tell you that because, frankly, I don’t want anyone knowing whether we have a gun in the house or not. We’ll call this my contribution to “PERSEC” for the day.
Is this a debate in your home? How do you handle it.
About Amy Bushatz
Comments
I think as long as both parties are able to articulate their reasons for wanting to own firearms or keep them out of the house calmly and rationally, the conversation is valuable no matter which decision a given household reaches. By "calmly and rationally," I mean there should be reasoned pros and cons beyond an emotional "But guns are cool!" or the visceral "Guns are scary and icky!" The ownership of firearms is a serious responsibility, and it deserves equally serious thought — not merely emotional reflex — from all adult members of the household.
I think that the objector should go to the firing range and become familiar with firearms. We are a retired military family and I love guns. My children were taught how to safely use guns at an early age and had BB guns as well as pellet guns and now our sun has quite a few guns and our daughter doesn't want to have anything to do with them. It just depends on the person. I was on the girl's rifle team in college – I have a gun within reach at all times – for protection.
IF CHILDREN GOT THEIR TAILS TORE UP FOR NOT OBEYING THEIR PARENTS LIKE THE GOOD OLD DAYS, PARENTS WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BRATS GETTING THEIR HANDS ON THEIR GUNS. THERE USED TO BE A GUN OVER THE MANTEL OF HOMES THAT SETTLED THIS GREAT COUNTRY, AND THE KIDS DID NOT TOUCH THEM, BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WOULD GET PUNISHED. TODAY, DON'T TOUCH THE CHILDREN, IS THE REASON WE HAVE SO MUCH VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS. SPARE THE ROD, AND SPOIL THE CHILD, AND WORRY ABOUT THEM GETTING THEIR HANDS ON OUR GUNS…
DAY – you nailed it!!! Seen this coming years ago during in the 90′s where it was no longer acceptable to spank your child – instead it was/is suggested that you reason with them and basically let them do as they please. I call Bullshit!!! This country has gone to hell in a hand basket because of these stupid assed ninny rules and accolades… Parents need to step up to the plate and stand accountable. Stay together and raise your kids with morals, ethics, and faith. Praise and Discipline them accordingly. Not a trophy for losing a friggen game or coming in last. Come on people – past generations have shown us how to raise our kids – why must we change the recipe for success??? It’s NOT working!!!! – just as my wife tells me there was yet another mall shooting…
Friggen freaks!!!
The guy this woman is married to was a fool to marry her in first place. This should have been known before marriage. If she 'was' okay with it but has changed her view, then tough, the gun stays. Women like this are the fools who vote idiots like Obuthead into office!
My husband would be fine with a weapon in the house. Me, I would be dangerous. I'm not diligent enough or detail oriented enough to have a loaded weapon in the house. Or a pool in the backyard.
My wife was appalled when I came home with a Mossberg Maverick shotgun. I finally talked her into going to the shooting range and learning to use it. Once she realized it was just a tool like a screwdriver and it's as safe as any other tool AS LONG AS YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT, she was fine.
Perfectly done Sir! It is a tool like any other tool and your wife seems to accept the fact that if she uses a power tool of any sort like a skill saw, chain saw, etc it to will certainly kill or seriously hurt you! I am a former active duty Marine and a retire Police Officer of 30 years. I recently gave my new daughter-in-law a firearm as my son who is a Marine is gone so much I wanted her to feel and be protected. I took her to the range and was completely and totally shocked as to how well she did with absolutely no firearms experience whatsoever.
Sounds like our house. My wife was not a gun person when we got together. She now owns 3 pistols of her own and enjoys going to the range to shoot. She too came to understand that a gun is not good or bad, it is an object. It is how the tool is used that makes the difference.
1 – Military member feel naked without some way to defend their homes. We're told to keep our weapon on us 24/7 during a deployment, and that it equates personal safety. So we need something to sleep at night at home.
2 – I think as wives we don't want guns in the house, because it feels like a boundary issue. We're okay with them going out in the woods and blowing up the world…just not OUR world. It messes with the sanitary nature of our spouse life. Kind of like how I'm okay with ants outside, just not inside my house.
And some compromise and understanding on both sides with resolve it.
It was opposite for me. I only have a gun in my house for protection. My husband was appalled when I told him about it, but he’s come around….gradually and only after I continuously mentioned for safety.
Good for you Tabitha. God made man. Samual Colt made men (and women) equal. If you are an average woman you dont stand a chance against a male home invader and if he's armed your husband wont do much better either. Guns in the hands of a properly trained person is a great equalizer.
My husband and I have a decent amount of guns. Our current issue which isn’t huge is that he is deployed and he wants me to have the 38 with me at all times. My issue with that is having to remember every night to take it into the house from the truck. And what of the truck gets broken in to? Needless to say, I have not been carrying it with me at all times. It’s living in the safe. But if you have some place secure, I do believe keeping a fire arm for protection is a good choice. So long as you can assure your three year old wont figure out how to get to it.
If we worry about the 3 yr olds … they can often be teens with an attitude one day, then what? You can be sure they will figure out how to get them if they want them. For me… its easy… I live alone…. kids and wives couldn't stand me and left.. .so I only have myself to worry about…. but it wasn't always that way and five kids went through their teens… now they have to worry about it with theirs.
My wife is against me owning a shotgun. I keep it in her bedroom closet with ammo in my closet. Originally bought it for trap and skeet. Her dad taught her how to use a gun. I taught my daughters and sons. I grew up in the military and am just used to weapons. Then i got my AF training. I look at it like an insurance policy against evil doers in my home. A last resort. But i agree that everyone should not have one if you are not responsible and do not have training.
We have a decent amount of weapons at our home. With a baby on the way, we've already been thinking about the gun safe that needs to be our next purchase, although we'll continue to have a handgun close by for quick access/protection.
I've owned (many) guns for over fifty years, raised three children and two wives, and NEVER locked up or kept weapons unloaded in my home; never even owned a gun safe. It's up to YOU as a responsible parent to TEACH proper weapon handling and use, much like teaching your family the values needed to be successful and responsible adults, something Americans fail at miserably.
We have multiple weapons in our home, and I have my CHL. I was raised around weapons as well, and went hunting with my father many, many times. That being said, it's all a personal choice between a wife and husband. I can understand from your point of view as well as your husbands. I look at it this way, if an intruder were to force their way in to my house would I be able to protect myself and my child? That was and still is the biggest thing for me. The area I am in now there have been multiple home invasions, many where home owners were unarmed and were badly, and one even fatally wounded by the perps. If they had protection in the form of a handgun I am sure the outcome would have been different.
I do not want to shoot someone. I want the ability to protect myself, and my child if the situation came up.
You don't end the story well at all.
Owner of Many, Many, Many guns and other weapons. Also Concealed Carry Permitted.
You should tell what your decision is, GUN or NOT. Or at least say "Yes we have a gun".
It is better that anyone thinking or attempting to break into your home to steal anything or do harm to you and or your family to at least be under the impression there is a gun in the house.
I have signs on my property letting anyone who may possibly think of entering without my permission that there are guns and I will use them.
Prior to my retirement while stationed at Camp LeJuene my home was entered in broad day light by a man who was paranoid schitispranic. Luckily for him I was on the couch when he opened the door and stepped inside. I was also training police working dogs which lead to his demise. I drew my .40 Ruger, cuffed him and awaited for the Onslow County Sherif Dept to come do their thing.
Had I had my current signs on display he probably would have passed right on by.
Until your home/ space is invaded by an un welcomed guest you will never know how you would respond.
If every criminal in America knew that he may be shot and killed during one of his excursions the crime rate would go down. Compile that to actually putting to death the ones who deserve it, that would open their eyes.
Which is why, you'll note, that I ended this post by basically saying "Im not telling you whether or not I have a gun" :-)
You probably don't
The sugn is a bad idea. You can't be home 100 percent of the time to protect your weapons ans a sign tells the criminals where to steal from. Your house is a target.
I am not proud of this. About forty years ago I committed a number of burglaries with a partner. We made very certain that we wold not run into anyone during our burglaries. It is the last thing a burglar wants to see — a person at home or coming home.
During our burglaries we stole about forty firearms with most of them being .38 revolvers stolen from nightstands. Firearms were especially desirable to steal since they could be sold in underground commerce at or above retail to persons not legally able to buy firearms.
When my partner died of an OD I got a message that my way of life might lead me also to a bad end, and I went through some very bad times kicking the heroin, but I succeeded and had a career from which I managed to retire.
if he was a paranoid schizophrenic, signs would probably have made no difference. I have a German Shepherd that has been with me since being weened from parents. I am also a Retired Marine Vietnam Vet who's entire four year hitch was in small arms as an Armor. I do have to say.. .I hit whatever I aim at and it makes no difference what the weapon.. I have a choice of a few but truth be known… I feel perfectly safe with my German Shepherd.
Hot topic! You hear so many horror stories about little kids getting into guns and they make me really nervous. We have a safe and I am for storing ammo away from the gun. With doors and windows locked, if someone tries to break in, you should have enough notice to retrieve your weapon and load it. There was a news story about a woman home alone with her baby. And intruder broke down her door and she shot him. With my husband gone ALL THE TIME I would like a gun in the house so I feel like I can protect myself. The only problem is that I don't know how to load or shoot a gun! I would probably shoot myself if I tried. I've been bugging my husband to buy me one and teach me how to shoot but he hasn't yet.
If the spouse is gone all the time and makes no time to teach you how to use the firearm, then you need to immediately haul your butt down to the nearest range that is reputable (a little research may be required) and get some introductory training and fire off a few hundred rounds to familiarize yourself. It's up to YOU.
Look up your local NRA recognized training location and educate yourself. Then spend the time at the range to have the handling become second nature. Whatever you choice you should be able to lock and load it with your eyes closed. Understand that a gun is only a help if you know how to handle it and you would shoot. As a wife and a mom I was trained by my dad as an teen and young adult and I have no question if the situation arose I would protect my family " without " hesitation. If you are using it to scare someone and you would not fire you might be giving them a weapon.
You don't need your husband's permission. Get some time at the local range with a certified firearm instructor. Then determine which handgun feels the best and makes you comfortable to hold and use. Continue practicing after taking a gun safety course, determine the best way to safely store your handgun and ammo at home, keeping in mind that a gun you can't get to or use, is useless and a waste of money. Remember, little kids don't get their hands on guns that are safely locked or secured in the house. Your story about the woman alone with her baby has the right idea. It's your life and it is up to you, as an adult, to figure out how to defend yourself and family. Don't make the sometimes fatal mistake and leave it up to someone else.
Go to a range that has a large sample of rental guns for you to try. Tell them that you want to purchase a pistol (not a revolver) and that you have no experience. They will be glad to talk you through the basics of safety, loading, unloading and firing the weapon. Try several different calibers and models but do not choose anything less than a .380. My wife prefers a .380 Bersa Thunder because of its low recoil, ergonomics and the many safety features (besides a normal safety that also works as a decocker, there is a key that will lock the weapon making it impossible to use). It is a little hefty for a .380 since it is steel rather than polymer but for use at home that is not an issue.
You should go get training immediately. If your husband won’t do it go to the Police or a Gun Dealer and ask them to direct you to someone competent. Learn Gun Safety and always handle a gun like it is always loaded. Always aim it away from yourself, never look down the barrel and don’t aim it at ANYONE unless you are afraid you may be harmed and ready to shoot them in defense of your life. Get a gun you can handle not a large one just to scare someone, one you can handle safely. When I bought my pistol I went to a Reputable Gun Dealer and told him that I am disabled and need a gun to protect myself. I want something that I can handle and will stop a person from harming me. He never batted a eye, he said just said this .380 can pick up a refrigerator and set it back 6 feet. I said will it stop a man in his tracks and he said “No Problem!” I was 9 years old when I got my first gun for Christmas. It was a .410 single shot that broke down to reload and had to have the hammer cocked back to shoot it so it was safe for me as long as I got it closed properly and never cocked it except when hunting. Never cock it until I was ready to shoot whatever was in season & never take more than the limit, I learned to hunt safely in a line with everyone in a row across so no one was in front of anyone else and never shoot in a direction greater than 45 degrees to the left or right unless I was at the end of the line, walk with my gun with it pointed in the air using both hands to carry it or with the barrel pointing 45 degrees down, how to climb a fence by handing it to a hunting partner who was already across the fence or waiting for you to get across. Hand him yours and climb the fence and then have him give you his and yours and then he climb the fence and then give his back to him. Always make sure there is nothing plugging the barrel before you hunt. Always identify what you are going to shoot, don’t just shoot wildly into a pile of brush or weeds. Be sure you know what you are going to kill. I was never allowed to get my gun until it was time to go hunting. It was leaned up in the corner of my parents bedroom door for as long as I can remember and if I would have moved it my Dad would have kicked my ass and the gun would have been trash. I wanted to hunt so bad I would never touch it until my Dad gave the OK! I never took more game than I was allowed by law and it had to be in season to be shot. I had a Owners Permit (FOID CARD) Firearms Owners Identification Card and a Hunting License and obeyed the Law at all times. My Mother worked for an Attorney so I got to know the law very well. I never got in any trouble with my guns and never got my ass kicked for messing up. I learned the rules and followed them and still do. There is no reason that everyone else can do just like me except that they choose not to. It is harder to learn the law and obey it than to ignore the law and break it. You have the choices to make. If you choose not to obey the law you should be locked up because I know that at the age of 9 I learned those laws on my own and obeyed them. All you have to do is make the correct choice and it is common sense. People who break the law choose to do it. They have to go through an effort to break the law because if you don’t do anything wrong you are obeying the law. This is why I couldn’t understand why people went to jail. They either want to or like it because you don’t have to go, you choose to go.
Why is it saying that my comment must be approved before it will appear publicly? Is this a new thing?
ArmyWife — we have our comment system set-up to keep out spam and people who post a lot of swear words. But sometimes it goes crazy, and keeps out people who are normal and say perfectly sensible and non-swear-word things. Which is why we will not be letting the machines take over the world any time soon. You should be able to see your comment above, and sorry about the crazy system. :-)
All comments must be approved to continue keeping the site safe and secure. I never get offended when a site says "pending approval" and I never got my comments rejected. It's a real good operating device.
Biggest question: Where do you live? In my neighborhood, the police will respond anywhere and anytime in under five minutes. The last home invasion was ten years ago. I can contain any situation for five minutes without a gun. BUT, I have seen places where the police take half an hour or longer to respond and home-invasions are not uncommon.
Where I live the cost benefit analysis is clear. Don't have a gun, or if you do keep it disassembled with the Ammo somewhere else. BUT, if the crime rate is high where you live, then consider it.
However, the bottom line is that keeping a gun ready for action is for most people a pride or ego thing. Explain to your husband that you find him masculine without a weapon. A decent compromise is he can have a gun but it has to be stored separate from the ammo. Explain that if it is needed in a hurry you'll fetch the ammo while he makes the weapon ready to fire. Or alternatively, get him a bow. A kid is unlikely to hurt him/herself with a bow with a heavy draw (hard to pull).
Really? So having a weapon to defend yourself is an ego thing? If you have any hope of being taken seriously try to take it easy with the transference of your own inadequacy issues… the post had nothing to do with any attempt at emasculation or whatever you're trying to imply.
Also, I can name a few situations that NO unarmed person can control in five minutes, which I highly doubt is a realistic reaction time for your local law enforcement. Maybe it's the military, maybe it's growing up in the country… but I'll never understand the bizarre emotional underpinnings people have with firearms.
You can also explain to the police how you thought that pride and masculine thing was going to stop those gangbangers (or whomever) from busting through your door and doing whatever they pleased in the short time they may have. You are right in a sense though, no one has to own a firearm. I just hope I never have to use mine. Oh, and I'm not worried about trying to make up for lack of private parts either, I do quite well with what I have I'm told, thank you very much.
Moron! And what will you tell the person breaking into your house – "Uh, excuse me while I get my ammo so I can load the gun and then shoot you?" You'll be dead by then!
Say some bad guy or guys break your door down or smash a window to gain entry into your home. Now here you are believing you can talk to your intruders, whom may already have a gun down your throat or a shotgun up your a>> and you tell me you can talk them into waiting 5 minutes while you call your local police for help. Better you contact the Disney Channel and tell them you have a real good fairytale for them to make a family movie about. Oh, I almost forgot ! Even if you have a gun, disassembled and ammo stored in another location, is absolutely useless unless you have the rare abiltiy to make people, especially the bad guy on drugs, lay down their weapons and surrender to you, all voluntarily using your advance mental telepathy powers.
If you cant get the ammo fast enough.. you'd just be using the gun as a club… might as well us a Bat (they are cheaper too)
… "BATTERS UP!!!!!"
You made no logical argument against a gun other than "I don't like it…" In fact, I'm not really sure the point of this post at all, if you're not going to state what your specific issues are or how/why it was resolved then what is the takeaway?
All my weapons except my CC sidearm are in a locked safe, and the ammo is locked in a separate cabinet. The aforementioned sidearm is in a locked single-pistol safe when not in use that's bolted to the floor. As with household chemicals and the car keys… guns and unsupervised children don't mix, so take serious precautions. But, living with an irrational fear of an inanimate object that causes you to compromise your ability to defend yourself is just as illogical.
I'm not trying to argue against the gun at all, really. I'm just stating that I'm uneasy with it, despite all logical evidence pointing to the fact that I shouldn't be.
Then if your dislike of the gun is admittedly not logical you have no valid argument and he should be able to have the gun.
You are correct. My only question is….if your firearms are secured in a firearms safe then why do you store your ammo in a separate cabinet. I'm just curious. Each of my stored weapons have at a minimum 3 loaded mags….just in case. I just prefer not having to worry about unlocking a second secured container to procure my little lead pellets if needed.
Jumper: Finally! A responsible gun owner! If Mrs. Lanza had taken sane precautions with her weapons there would never have been this tragedy.
w.
He who has the gun has the power.
HAVING A GUN IS NOT POWER IT'S SECURITY. HAVING A KNIFE OR A BAT IT'S SECURITY BECAUSE ITS A MEANS OF SELF DEFENCE. I REFER A GUN BECAUSE OF DISTANCE.
I don’t like guns and will not allow them in the house. My husband doesn’t care either way. The vast, vast majority of people go their entire lives without having their house broken into. Getting a gun “just in case” is an illogical response to an irrational fear.
Hopefully you never have a home invasion (because they are a lot more common than you may realize) and the only thing that would most likely save you and your family is your own gun. You have every right to not own a firearm in your home, however it seriously is a poor choice not to. Some people learn the hard way I guess. Best of luck to you.
In 2009 there were 429.4 violent crimes commited in the United States for every 100,000 people according to FBI statistics. That includes all violent crimes, not just home invasions that ended in violence. So your chances of anyone breaking into your home are really very small and home invasions are not common at all. Add to that the fact that few home invasions actually end in violence because most criminals choose to enter the home when the family is away and the high rate of accidental gun deaths (especially amongst children) and you see that NOT having a gun in your home is not a "seriously poor choice" and could in fact be seen as the better choice. You are highly highly unlikely to "learn the hard way." Getting into a motor vehicle, however, now that IS dangerous lol
(This is Richan btw, my phone automatically logs me in as Richan when I enter my email ^.^ )
By that token why wear a seat belt you have a good chance of never being in an accident. Why wear a life jacket when boating you know how to swim and operate your boat. Why have smoke alarms in your house you will probably never have a fire. We had a saying when I was in "it is better to have it (whatever it is) and not need it than to need it and not have it. But this IS your choice I choose to do all of the above and then some "Just in case" not because of fear or some phobia but because I would rather have it and never use it then need it that one time and not have it.
Your chances of being in a car accident are much much higher than the chances of someone breaking into your house. And its a lot harder to accidently kill someone with a seatbelt lol. same thing with life jackets and smoke alarms, drowning and fire deaths are common, whereas home invasions are not. In the end it is an individual choice, but I'm allowed to think it's a bad one. I won't let guns in my home and I won't let my children to go to someone's house without me if there is a gun in the home because the facts are that accidental gun deaths are much more common than home invasions and I'd rather not put them in a unnecessarily dangerous situation "just in case." So it seems like we have basically the same motivation but just came to different conclusions :)
So what you're saying is that your kids will not know a thing about firearms safety since you never want to expose them to firearms and teach them the proper handling and care of one. I think thats a poor choice and it makes your kids more curious once they get a chance to get their hands on one, which is the reason most accidental discharges occur because they do not understand how a gun functions and what to look for. A firearm causes curiosity, and you cannot guarantee that your kids will abide by your rules of not messing with one. Also for your other comment about the FBI statistics, they couldn't be more inaccurate. The FBI receives their stats from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR). So your 429 violent crime reports per 100,000 people is only what is reported by individuals who report crimes via being questioned by a random phone call or the 17,000 law enforcement agencies who actually keep "proper" track of violent crimes that are sent to trial and convicted. So a lot more crime happens than we all realize and we cannot go by stats that are not updated accurately and properly. I know 3 cities off the top of my head today that have had more than 100 home invasion robberies this year alone. Thats over 300 home invasions before the years end in only 3 cities. Imagine the total of an entire nation. I agree with what LeeRetArmy and ??? said, it's better to be prepared just in case.
Mongolberry, I suggest you do a much better job of arming yourself with statistics vs. anecdotal evidence spread by media outlets or irrational fear. You fear things you should not and do not fear things you should. I think you are exaggerating the number of accidental deaths by firearms. According to the statistics collected by the CDC (go totheir website and look at table 10, statistics for 2009, to most recent year they have compiled data) and you will see that firearms account for only about 0.5% of all unintentional fatalities. A web search shows that the number of households with firearms runs somewhere between 36% (if you believe the liberal gun control websites) up to over 50% (if you believe the ultra conservative NRA numbers). My guess is somewhere in the middle. Of the 554 unintentional firearm fatalities that occurred in 2009, only 48 children under 15 died. Table 11 of the CDC report show that the rate per 100,000 is too small to report for the younger ages. Your child is far more likely to die by drowning or poisoning than by firearms. I’m sure that the number of households with a pool is no greeater than the households with firearms, so I would be more inclined to not let my kids go visit someone’s house without me if they had a pool vs. a firearm.
and the reason Mongolberry/Richard cites the liberal statistics is because he falls into the anti-gun/anti-second amendment category. Chances are you PROBABLY won't be the victim of a violent crime or home invasion… this year. But, 454.4 per 100,000 annually starts adding up so that somewhere in your lifetime you are just below 50% on the likelihood chart of being a victim. I think I would rather be on the other end of that scale myself. Walraven, I applaud you for your research from actual news and statistical sources rather than "I feel this way" statistics.
I'm in a "SAFE" historical district neighborhood in Alabama and have had my garage broken into. While in the Army stationed at Fort Hood, I came home with the family after being out for the day to find the fornt door open and chased some worthless jack wagon out the back door. I've had my vehicles broken into more than once in multiple locations. 10 Years ago, living between a retired police officer and an active duty officer, a guy tried to enter my house while I was not home but my wife was, then borke into the car of the retired officer. As a kid we had our house broken into twice, different locations. In NONE of those situations did the police EVER show up in 5 minutes! All this is to show Mongolberry that his stats are BS. And yes, today if someone feels the need to come into my house uninvited, I feel the need to ensure they never leave on their own! Side note: A fireman once told me if in real danger, call 911 and tell them you need the fire department. Response times for fire and ambulance are less than half that of any police department. The sirens and flashing lights will usually send the bad guys running.
vetmil007 you are indeed correct. This comes from someone (me) who stopped a person from entering our front foor by simply raising my revolver. I did not report this to any police, after all nothing was taken, no one was assualted, the house was not broken into I knew that nothing would come of any report about nothing happening. The person claimed to be at my door beacuse my son had broken his window. As I opened the front door he opened the screen door and started into our home while yelling about my son. It was at that point that I raised the revolver and told him if he had a problem with me or my family to call 911 and come back with an officer. The trouble with his story is that we did not have a son and it was over 2 hours since dusk. By the way when I raised the revolver he shouted 'GUN" and started to back out. Needless to say he did not return with or without an officer, to this day I am sure that I aborted a home invasion and am also sure that it was not entered into any database..
They probably went down the street and robbed one of your neighbors. Should have shot the guy and saved the rest of the neighborhood the grief. Oh, his shouting "GUN" was to warn his partners sneaking around the back of your house.
Kind of like wearing a seat belt "just in case"????? It's funny how the wearing of a seat belt is required by law "just in case" you have an auto accident but owning a firearm for self defense "just in case" that wacked out gangbanging doper picks your house to explore next is not. It's for the same thing….self preservation really.
Do you have a fire extinguisher in you house? The vast, vast majority of people go their entire lives without having a fire in their homes. Keeping a fire extinguisher in your home "just in case" is an illogical response to an irrational fear.
Tell that to those who were ruled under the likes of Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Pot and the like; those are millions and millions of people that wish they'd have weapons to defend themselves with. It's just not for the local robber. It was also added as a safeguard against tyrannical forms of governance as well. No one likes to talk about that issue just the same, but it's a very well historical fact and one of the principles the Founders knew well which is why the Constitution under the 2nd Amendment restricts the Federal Government from infringing on the right to own firearms.
I see a divorce in your future.
I'm a guy who had a weapon in the home as my daughter grew up and no issues arose.
My wife never expressed any concern.
If she had expressed concern then I feel that anxiety over this kind of issue gave her 51% of the corporate vote.
No weapon.
Amy I also wrestled with this issue with my husband, and over time, as I learned to use a variety of them, now I'm fine with it. An absolute must for me is having a child proof, fire proof gun safe. And it must be stored out of reach of the kids.
My only question is, why, if you were to have a gun in your home, would you keep the ammo stored in a different place? I mean, I know you have a 3 year old, and I understand that (I have a 5yo and 2yo) but if you needed it to defend yourself, you wouldn't have it because it'd be stored somewhere else in the house, and chances are, you wouldn't be able to get to it. Just a thought.
Anyway, I like Jay R.'s idea…put a sign up as a warning. :-)
The sign is a bad idea. It tells the criminals where they can go to steal weapons. You can not be home 100 percent of the time, Let the idiots who don't believe in protecting themselves put up signs stating they don' t have weapons.
Never put a sign up that you have firearms on your house. It just makes you a target when you are not home. They case the house and when you are at work, shopping etc the criminals take the guns first.
My sign is Warning Akita… can make to the fence in 3.4 seconds… can you? I actually think Duke is faster than that, he kicked the crap out of a dog pissing on our rhubarb that is on the fence line earlier this year…. went right through the screen door lol… But there is no reason not to have at least one loaded weapon in you house. Obviously one were you sleep, with a lock box if you have children. Just make sure that is unlocked when you go to sleep.. My father shot a man that broke into our home, which we found out he was actually after one of my sisters. He some what survived double ought to the stomach and chest.. He just got of prison a couple of years ago, serving a total of 17 years. We were the lucky family.. While I was in the service, had a guy break in to my place. Me and the ex were in the middle of "something" he came into the room to seeing nothing but me in a condom with a 45 pointed at him with me barking commands lol. Im sure he is still scarred today lol.. He just got out jail the day before and was stealing cell phones.. Point being you only have so much time to react. Harden criminals can break in at almost at will, prison is more or less a trade school for these guys anymore… Semper Paratus
A gun is a tool, just like many other objects, except it can easly be deadly. My father was in law enforcement and we were taught how to safely use weapons. I was a navy gunner for over 20 years, now retired and you better believe there is at least one loaded gun nearby. An unloaded gun is only a hunk of iron, not worth much except to throw. I am certified by state law for concealed carry, and I do. In this day and age, the police cannot be everywhere, but self protection can be. There are lots of places to get training, if needed, but self protection is a must…
Bet that killed the mood….
I am not going to sit here and name call or any of those things. I'm just going to say that you should think of it this way. If your husband is deployed (or even if he is not deployed, this counts for him also.)and you are home alone and some one starts smashing in your door or window, which is faster, calling 911 and waiting for them to respond or removing yourself to a safe room with your firearm and then calling 911 and hoping the LEOs get there before you are forced to defend your children and yourself. It's not something we like to think about but it is something that must be thought about.
The 2nd Amendment preserves the right to own a firearm for self defense, it does not require ownership. That is up to the individual but the weighing of consequences should be done logically, not emotionally.
So if a few (likely armed men) were breaking into your home, would you would rather just call first (hoping the 911 line isn't busy) or grab your gun first? Idk if you're the same Richard who commented earlier who doesn't seem to like guns, thats why I ask.
As adults… we should know what we want and I'm all for preserving the constitutional rights that we have always lived with. People that get them from anywhere to shoot up a bunch of innocent children are simply cowards… and that's not name calling… that's just fact. Totally agree with everything you said here…
I think you need to read the 2nd Amendment again.
Debate? What debate? Get back in the kitchen. Guns are a necessary tool for home defense. End of debate.
Liberal troll
He may be a troll, but Liberals are the ones that overall want to restrict and remove guns from the average citizen so in that part of your comment you are very wrong.
Pretending to be a conservative gun owner and making a sexist comment to paint conservatives as sexist
And some of us Liberals are armed veterans.
Aalthough I'm a female , your right no debate get a gun or get back in the kitchen
Absolutely, there's nothing like a reasoned conversation (on any topic) with your spouse. It's easy , "Guns don't kill people, people kill people." Seriously though, the reasoned discussion should be held at least annually, and children need to be a participant in, about weapon uses, safety, and the conditions under which weapons should be used. I further emphasized this philosophy with a total ban on "toy" weapons. No squirt guns, no cap pistols, etc. They were expoised to weapons from the start, so there was no – "He/she was playing with and went off"
For those you spouses who have a gun in the house, I applaud you for your courage to learn how to use it. although at this point in my life I am happily divorced, my mother lived with me for 5 years, my 22 year old daughter has come back to the roost, and my sister lives next door to me. So far, my sister already has her concealed weapons permit, my mother is waiting for hers. and Im still working on my daughter. I have also taken many female coworkers to the gun range. It is a very big part of my life. If your biggest issue is keeping safe, then by all means keep it in a safe, if you are worried about carrying with you,,you should google "phrase "gun packin mama" line of purses. There are many other brands out there also, you WILL BE SURPRISED at the types of bags available for woman to carry concealed. I am buying one each for my mother and sister for christmas (with their approval of style of course)
AFTER 33 YEARS OF MARRIAGE MY WIFE GOT HER PERMIT. ONLY AFTER A FRIEND WAS ROBBED AQND BEAT UP. NOW SHE HAS A PERMIT TOO AND WANTS THAT GUY TO COME BACK FOR A SECOND TRY. GOD HELP HIM IF HE DOES. SHE WON'T KILL HIM BUT HIS TOOL WILL NEVER WORK AGAIN. SHE WAS TAUGHT HOW TO SHOOT BY ME AND SELF DEFENCE FROM 18 YEAR EXPERIENCE IN THE MILITARY AND THREE TOURS IN VIETNAM.
Let your daughter know it might be scary, but ask her what will be more scarier an attacker and no defense or at least the right to protect herself? I wish her well and its a good thing.
I love my concealed permit and weapon! It's a good thing for anyone (with training) to have.
Jim,
I have to agree with u if ur not going to use it for self defense then it is no good to u at all.. I strongly believe in the right to carry a fire arm as long as ur stable and they should screen ppl for that right if they ar a danger to them selves that is one thing but to be harmful to someone else that is another thing and I do believe thery should be screened on the aspect of carrying a frie arm.. But I was taught at a young age like 8 to 10 yrs old how to use a frie arm and I have no fear of them it is the person behind the fire arm that is the danger!!!! And with that I think enough said!!!!!
I have read most of the comments posted and want to let you know that women especially once they learn how to hold and shoot a hand gun most end up liking it. They also are better shots than most men for some reason. My wife and I both own hand guns and she is really good with hers. Jimmy carter made my wife a Republican and Obama made her a gun owner. Both of us now have our concealed carry licenses and carry almost all of the time. She feels much safer have that ability. It may not be for everyone but I am seeing many more women taking classes and learning how to shoot and getting carry licenses now than ever before. The world is not getting safer and we must be able to protect our selves and our families.
Wow! Bushatz, you must either be related to Bob Costas or be in his pocket! Your article is utter nonsense. But I'm certain Hillary will appreciate your point of view, even though no service member or veteran will agree with your philosophy. Thankfully, my wife is as pro-gun as I am — and we raised three (count 'em) children with guns around (but not available to the kids).
My wife had a gun long before I married her and so did I – no problem for us. My late mother-in-law carried a .45 during WW2 as a county home agent.
I have several guns in my house. I probably have more than my ex. I also have a ccw permit. I'm never unarmed. I grew up around hunting. When I came back my husband didn't like the idea of guns in the house, he was worried that there would be an accident, but I managed to show him how important they were when we had a breakin while he was at work. I held the perp till the law showed up. Come to find out he had priors including rape. So I could & would have become a victim had I not been armed. Remember the lawless will not care if there are gun laws or not. The public needs to remember gun laws only protect the lawless. An unarmed victim is the best victim.
I'm afraid with an attitude like yours, you would be finding a new husband
And that is why she is NOT married to you.
I would be afraid of you because you are a coward. Guns do not kill people. PEOPLE kill people.
IF we accepted your argument than we would also have to say that baseball bats kill people, knives kill people, pillows kill people, cars kill people, ropes kill people, water kills people…. you following this? Your argument makes NO sense because it has no basis. Guns cannot load and fire themselves, they cannot point themselves or pull their own trigger.
And if you want to bring up something about shooting distance, then I assume you want to also ban crossbows, compound bows and the arrows for those as well… not to mention slingshots used for hunting, wippers, throwing axes, bolo's and so on..
I would much rather my lady be trained in a weapons use and if SHE choses, fully carrying CCW. That is part of the problem with all tis.. You have probably never used or touched one yet you think you know what it right for the rest of us.
to me, it's not a matter of yes or no…….. I've got it boiled down to "How many are reasonable……"
…In 1962 my stepfather was away on TAD… Someone broke into our house on baseat 2AM… My mother picked up the 12 guage and worked the action hard… The offender knocked down the screen door on the way out.
…
You've got it!
Does compromise mean forcing him to do what you want? Does compromise mean "OUR" world meaning your world? Does compromise mean forcing a spouse to be scared of the same things you are or "else"? Also, that last part: "just not inside my house". Can he say that? About ANYTHING? No frilly silly decorations in MY house? I know all of what I just wrote would make most women angry but isn't that the point? Women can say and do things a man can't. A woman can give ultimatums but a man can't. Is that right, fair, or equal? Yes, I have been married twenty years and i know how married life works but that don't mean I have to like that part.
shotguns are great fun for women against robbers… Hand guns are lost stolen and used more often for murder then any other weapon.
There are so many issues to look at. I live in a 2-story house – just where would the gun be? If I'm in the wrong place I wouldn't be able to get to the gun. BUT there are other things to think about,.
After Hurricane Katrina (in his first press conference) our Governor (Haley Barbour) referred to looting and said we should take whatever extreme measures were necessary. We heard that as "lock and load". Our sherif was asked about shooting looters and he reportedly said we should do him a favor and drag bodies to the curb for easier pickup. In addition, men "strolled" their neighborhoods with shotguns on their shoulders. Needless to say, we had almost no looting.
Farmers usually have a shotgun in plain sight in their house and their children learn early not to touch. It's not different than teaching your child not to touch a hot stove.
In final analysis you have to consider your circumstances and options and do what is best for you and your family.
More people die of accidental death by physicians, car wrecks and cardiovascular dz. each year than gun shot wounds. Are we going to stop going to the doctor, driving and eating burgers? Might be safer but highly doubtful. Weapons have been around forever and if treated with proper respect and training are no more dangerous that having kitchen knives in the house. Think about that the next time your walking to a dinner table with a steak knife; one trip could be your last. So are you to never carry a knife again? No…just pay attention to what your doing and be careful. This is pretty common sense stuff. A little over 100+ years ago nobody in their right mind would be caught in the woods w/o a weapon, seeing people in the street with a sidearm was the norm. Why on earth are we scared of them now? Frankly, I hate the concealed weapons law…criminals hide guns and cops carry them on their belt. I would rather see it and know it's holstered than trying to determine if that bulge in a pocket is a gun or a deformed body part. Much to do about nothing.
…I think you're being a big baby about it. In your article you listed every good reason as to have a weapon in the home. Your husband is trained and knowledgeable on the subject, he knows what to do to protect you and your children from accidents, it's good for all the sporting reasons you listed, he's military, and you grew up in a home where guns were bought and sold. And your reasoning for not wanting one in the house was 'because I don't wanna.' You married a man who's job description is to kill people, and you've got your panties in a twist over a handgun. *shakeshead* Whatever bro
My husband bought a revolver to keep in the house for protection. He then took me to the range with him to make sure I was properly trained on it. I have no problems with having a gun in the house, but we also don’t plan on having kids any time soon.
If you go out to a movie and find when you come home that your home has been burglarized and your revolver has been stolen will you feel at all responsible? In between forty and fifty burglaries my partner and I committed about forty years ago we never ran into anyone, and we stole about forty guns which were extremely desirable to steal since we could sell them ourselves and not have to fence them at a fraction of value.
W./
Definitely not an issue in our house. We are both gun lovin’ southerners and I’m always looking for new firearms to add to our arsenal. It makes me feel safer in the house knowing how many weapons we have, where they are, and how many different calibers I have to choose from. I feel protection is especially important for military spouses seeing how often our partners are on the road or around the globe. Safety and proper training are paramount, but guns aren’t scary. Poorly educated/trained people with guns are scary. That’s just how my home is though.
Can't imagine NOT having a gun in the house – they've just always been there, even when the kids were small. Take the emotion out of the decision and it becomes a logical choice to have one and use it correctly just like any other tool. I've never left dangerous handtools laying around for the kids to play with and we never left guns out either. It's the same with anything else that's hazardous; a gun doesn't have to be treated any differetly. Now that the kids are grown and dh is not here at night I have a 357 right next to my bed and I'm not afraid to use it.
Guns are the most desirable thing for a burglar to steal next to cash. Guns may be sold for retail value (or more) to persons unable to legally buy them.
How will you feel when you come home to find your .357 stolen.
w.
I am sorry but this is a stupid subject. I don't want knifes in my house. I don’t want a dog in my house because it can attack. I don’t want a ball bat in my house. No cleaning chemicals, no gas in the garage-no lighters. FACT IS: MORE KIDS DROWN IN A FIVE GALLON BUCKET THAN ARE SHOT AT HOME WITH DADS GUN.
It's never been an issue in our home because my husband and I both grew up in Maine where hunting is the norm. My dad gave me my first single shot rifle when I was 9 years old, and after I took the state's "hunter safety course," I was deer and partridge hunting by the time I was 10.
I think just flat out refusing is a bit extreme. Perhaps you should try going to a shooting range with your husband first and trying them out before you condemn them completely from your home.
To a man a husband's job is to protect his wife and family. I could see your arugment if your husband had no experience with guns but this is not the case. I would guess that your husband is smart enought to also teach your children how the use a gun and how it distroys things and teach them the proper way so they are not curious to check them out theirselves and get hurt or get someone else hurt.Education is the best way for anyone to lean about guns. You as well with experience should be ok with having a gun in the house. In todays society people have such a since of entitlement your more likely to be a victim with out the gun then not being a victim with it. My wife wants to learn how to use a gun. She is scared but wants to learn because she understands the way things are today. As for me being a former police officer welcome her choice and will teach her propertly. Oh also we have never discussed this before and she just asked me to teach her one day. So you don't have to think I pushed her. Support your husband willingly and learn propertly and you won't have trouble at all.
Military or not, it should be common practice to possess a firearm. It’s not an ego thing or a question of pride. It’s a question of whether or not you want to live through a break-in or a robbery. Most of the time, even showing the gun to an intruder will be enough to drive them away sometimes, but in the event that you need to shoot, know how to.
And to whomever said to buy a bow instead- I bet you didn’t know that compound bows are in fact more dangerous than guns. The strings and parts can snap and the tension on them is enough to kill. Gun-related accidents are due to poor safety. Get educated. Get to a shooting range and learn how to safely handle a firearm. You’ll be sorry when you come up defenseless against an intruder. I’m a petite woman and I’m sure that I would be doomed if God-forbid someone broke in. I chose a .380 Ruger LCP as my concealed gun. It’s an awesome first gun to learn on and it’s perfect size, yet still deadly.
Regarding children, raise them to respect weapons. Don’t ever let them get too comfortable around them but get them used to seeing them and knowing what they are for. Unload it, clear it, and let them touch it and know what they look like, under your strict supervision of course. This way curiosity won’t take over and they hurt themselves.
An alarm system, baseball bat and if you think you have the sand, get spear
The problem is that those who are against guns are not familiar with them and scared of them. They do not realize that a gun cannot hurt anyone unless it is used by a human being. It cannot move itself, it cannot fire itself, it cannot load itself.
I have military training. I know guns. I also know that there are lots of people out there who have no business having guns.
Burglars love guns since they may be sold for just about full value in underground commerce to persons whom we might not want to see armed.
I know about thsi.
w.
The problem is that those who are against guns are not familiar with them and scared of them. They do not realize that a gun cannot hurt anyone unless it is used by a human being. It cannot move itself, it cannot fire itself, it cannot load itself.
Proper training that starts as a child at home is what is needed. So many time people who were so against them are now comfortable with them because they simply took some courses, went to a range and fired them and learned how they work and how safe they truly are in the hands of a responsible person.
For those that want to ban guns, what's next? Bows, Crossbows, and throwing weapons?
Guns if used correctly are the few things that will keep you and your home stay safe. We have guns right beside our bed. Shot gun and an AR as well as a few others. It is for protection. You take someone who is used to carrying 24/7 and take that gun away…it's scarier than giving in and getting guns to make him feel more comfortable. I'd rather have a gun if I ever need it than be in a situation I can't get out of without it.
Learn how to use it; being scared of a gun is like refusing to allow knives in the house for worry that something bad will happen. It's an inanimate object until used by a human. The rifles or hand guns aren't the issue by any means. Having spent 43 months in Iraq as an Infantryman and coming home watching crime next door and no one having anything to protect themselves in the society we live in today bothers me. Overall, if you don't want a gun then don't get one, but please don't try and restrict your husband from having the chance to protect his family because you're worried something may happen when something far worse may be lurking around the corner with you having your arms open and nothing to truly there to defend yourself with. Weapons aren't for the when, but what if; just as we in the military use them for an occasion if necessary, besides owning one for hunting that is also what they are there for. We need not get caught up in this anti gun culture because with out them history shows a much darker picture for those with no means of protection.
I was in the military and I feel a gun (weapon) is part of life. I collect them and love target practice. i am a woman and my husband has no issues with it. He actually believes that this day and age we need one in the house (3). We have trained our son and grand kids on the safety and they are not toys. We are the only ones that know were they are in the house and yes they are loaded and ready for protection. I have a concealed carry and find that on the trails and going to work at 5 am, carrying is a piece of mind. I do have pepper spray and a stun gun. My husband thinks my safety and the grand kids is up most important and he knows if I am this safety gun packing wife, if someone else of danger knew this they's stay the way hell away from my loved ones. You don't have to love them or like guns, just be smart and find something to protect yourself at home or away. Some things are considered weapons just like a gun, so check your local laws. Stay safe and find comfort in being safe.
GET A NEW HUSBAND THAT DOES NOT WANT TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY.
Get a life, lady. You have lived way too softly. Your false sense of security is shared by very few women who have faced the terror of a break-in. My wife has her CCL and her own Sig 9mm. Don't jack with Judy. Signed Jack
A gun is such a dangerous and deadly weapon that even a three-year-old could kill someone with it at a distance. Anybody could shoot anybody anywhere (mall, school, church, hospital, etc.) on a whim. Talk about losing freedom because you can't go anywhere without being shot at. Personally, I feel more insecure with so many guns out there. I have mace for the face, a stun gun, and a loud whistle. If that's not good enough for some, learn self defense or karate. If someone breaks in, what is a person supposed to do? Tell them to hold on while you go unlock your gun and load it? Al least with mace, I can keep it on the table next to me without worrying that my kid will kill himself with it.
Thanks for writing the article. I can see it generated some response.
If you have a chance, could you please specify the reasons you don't want your husband to have a shotgun in the house? I may've missed them in your article: I read it twice, but came up blank both times.
In our house, my wife is my bestest shooting buddy, so there's no controversy — except over who gets to purchase the next firearm! :-)
Whenever possible I keep a firearm within easy reach.
I've only had to draw it twice in my lifetime, but in those instances there was no time to make a 911 call, much less wait around for police to arrive.
"When SECONDS count, a cop is only MINUTES away."
I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.
It is important to have this discussion, as well as determining whether you would have the willpower to actually use it.
My wife would not, in defense of her own life. But in defense of our daughter, well, the intruder would be begging to be shot, I imagine.
Myself, I would have NO hesitation were my family threatened. I would not like it, but I have a line in the sand, that if crossed, would result in me taking action. That's the kind of discussion you have with yourself.
A previous poster said, most people never experience violence that would warrant the use of a gun. To that, I say, I've never had my house burn down either, but there's fire extinguishers within easy reach all over my house. We have many different types of insurance; hardly used any of them. My duty as a father and a husband means mitigating to the extent possible anything that could harm us. A gun is just another logical tool in that endeavor.
My wife let me buy a Thompson sub-machine gun, and she picked up a 30-30 and another .22 while I was working down in Texas. If your wife can't shoot, you need to take her to the range.
I love my wife, but I told her when we married, if the guns leave I will go with them. It is not about loving guns more than her, it is about the fact that I have a moral obligation to protect her and myself and I cannot do so unarmed. She didn't like it but she decided it was not a make-or-break issue, 20 years later she has grown to accept them as a part of our life. Recently she told me our 10 year old grandson (hers by blood, mine by adoption) was complimented on how safe he is with firearms at his hunter-safety training and she remarked how glad she was that I had began training him to be safe and responsible at a very young age.
When you married, did you have stipulations? You acknowledged that Servicemembers are uniquely qualified to bear the responsibilities of the 2nd Amendment. You probably know that Servicemembers essentially give up their Constitutional rights to defend everyone else's… But you don't seem to think that your husband's opinion should be weighed equally to yours it seems. You are treating him as a second class citizen, and that is wrong. Let the man be a man, be a responsible gun owner, and have some of the freedom he sacrifices for.
What a dippy girl.. I say "girl" because she's obviously not fully developed yet.
I wonder how she would feel if she had a home invasion and all she had to defend herself from rape or being murdered,, was either a butter knife or a bat?
And as far as anyone having kids in the house,, try PARENTING and letting them know that guns are not toys… and the most severe punishment will ensue if they decide to violate that rule…
You remember,, actually being a PARENT,, with RULES ! ! ?
I don't know. I have a feeling that teaching a young child about gun safety is like teaching him how to balance the check book. I don't think their minds are mature enough to handle the responsibility. Plus, kids are so curious, and they love to show things to their friends when they think parents aren't looking.
If my wife wouldn't allow a weapon (gun) in our house then she would have never become my wife. I believe in the Constitution and the 2nd Admendment and I know first hand the evil that is out there and I will protect myself and my family with my life.
I know a lot of people will disagree, but i believe this country is becoming a lot of scared individual who want someone else to keep them safe instead of being one of the protectors. I am the one who wants the gun in the house. My husband, who likes to hunt, and myself took our sons to lessons taught on the military post where we were stationed. And we stressed to the boys on watching their friends, and not letting their friends who didn't know anything about guns near them. It didn't matter that they were locked up. It gave our sons the feeling of responsibility for their friends, which gave them pride in themselves. I feel that at 5ft 2 and small, when my husband isn't home which is a lot, I need all the help I can get to keep my sons and myself safe. If you learn about a weapon and feel confident with it, you won't be afraid of it. And I love my boys enough to do anything to keep them safe. Begging someone not to hurt your kids isn't the way i want things to go.
Go to the nearest shooting range and fire a weapon. We did that and now my wife ;my stepdaughter, her fiance and I all have CCW permits and we have multiple weapons in our home. Knowledge is power.
After reading these posts, I conclude one of the problems is with city dwellers and the lack of people living on ‘land’.
Second and third generation city dwellers have become dependent on others for the substance of life. The grocery store for food, and the false premise that someone else will protect them in the event of home or car invasion, or other emergency, natural or manmade.
Kids are not growing up on the farm or in the country anymore. A majority of the population has lost basic survival skills.
Thanks to Hollywood, the sight or mention of a gun scares them. Of course this propaganda is designed to scare the ignorant (un-learned) voter into voting for gun restrictions.
This discussion would never take place when I was young. A man would not take a women to be his wife if she told him he could not be the man of the house.
That is another wonderful change brought on by the high-density urban population centers, as women continue to takes on the man’s role, and males become dependent on someone else to feed and care for them.
I'm a spouse, and I definitely like having a gun in the house. I grew up with guns and was taught how to use them at a very young age. I like the fact that even though I'm a small person, I can defend my home and babies if I need to even with my husband at work or deployed.
I understand the pros & cons of weapons in the house. My husband was appalled when I invited my mom to attend a concealed weapons class. Yes, I have my permit and firearm to carry concealed; my husband does not. After explaining the reason for wanting to carry, and hearing a neighbor state how many weapons he has in his home due to the increased crime rate in our neighborhood, my husband is for it now. He plans to apply for his CWP shortly, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't have the right to the second amendment that he fights for. It is a topic worth discussing in any household, but the need to know how to safely handle, load and fire any firearm is imperative. We each have multiple forms of weapons available for protection next to where we sleep at night, and our neighbors also feel more comfortable knowing that they're not "alone" in the home protection situation.
I am very fortunate to live in a small town is in the mountains of west Texas and hunting is a very popular sport here, so with that said most everybody here owns guns. I have several guns and keep them in various places in the house. Education is the keyword in regard to children. You educate them to respect weapons first and foremost, and they will. It is good for you to relay your feelings in regard to guns in the house and I hope that you can come to a mutual solution.
The most important thing about having guns in the home is how rational people can become in a hostile situation between the family members. Children have been known to commit suicide as a result of access to a weapon. Married couples have been blown away due to a dispute on family matters, and, of course, there are other related examples. A small gun can be locked in a metal box, including the related items. Large weapons can be stored in a storage locker away from the home. It would be advisable to have insurance on items stored elsewhere. Weapons are dangerous no matter whose home they are in. Military members that require a weapon during stateside can always find a secure place to store their weapon…and out of the reach of children.
The most important thing about having guns in the home is gun safety.
If you married someone who uses a weapon in his job then you should have known from the get go and should not have married him if you opposed guns. I have guns in my house and that's my choice, and I wouldn't hesitate for a nano second to use it to defend myself or my family. It really irritates me that people marry a person knowing fully well who they are and then try to change them and complain to anyone who will listen about what they don't like about that person. And, if someone breaks into your home a gun is faster than 911…………..
To each his/her own. I have my weapon in the house and my husband has his. We enjoy our firearms. End of story.
I wanted to keep my weapons and that is that!
I did teach my wife how to shoot and now she owns four of them. she was afraid, no longer and she received her conceal carry license
I will say to the commenter that put much stock in the five minute police response as being some magic cure-all. After I got out of the service. I joined a police department. I had occasion to be investigating a hit and run while working a patrol district alone. The driver had abandoned his car after hitting three parked cars in a parking lot behind a restaurant. While waiting for an impound, the driver returned. I called for backup as I intended to take him in to custody. He was a handful and the fight was on. I ended up fighting with him for five minutes until backup arrived as he tried to take my holstered pistol from me and use it on me. I found out later the driver was high on PCP. Fighting with someone for five minutes is a lifetime. Having said that. A firearm is not a cure-all either. If you do not have the mindset to do whatever it takes to save your loved ones or self. Up to and including using deadly force. Do not look to a firearm as security. I have seen them turned on the victim when the will to use the firearm to stop a crime was not present. I have had the homeowners say "I don't want to shoot someone, just scare them". If this is your position, then a firearm is not the best option. If you do choose a firearm. Just invest in quality training and a safe or vault to secure them in. They are not a sentient intelligence. They are a tool. More children are injured by falls in the home than injuries inflicted by firearms.
I grew up on a farm in southeastern Ohio. There were seven children, three .22 rifles, a .32 colt auto pistol and a 20 guage shotgun. We were taught how to handle a weapon,and respect it. There were no accidents or incendents and no breakins ever. Gee I wonder why?
Yes, everyone should be able to protect and defend self and family no matter how unlikely something is going to happen or not. That is besides the point. Your father lived a fulfilling life that at least he felt he was able to protect his family, if needed. The sole reason people from suppressed countries want to come to America is to live free. Nothing worse than the feeling of helpless and defenseless and living in fear.
You can't just have one gun in the house. Every house should have a "tool box" depending on the job. You should have variety of rifles with different calibers, a variety of handguns for shorter ranges, and a variety of shotguns, and few hunting rifles in case you need to hunt for food. Besides, firearms are great investment much better than putting your money in 401K or college funds. This is American tradition and way of life. We don't need the French or Candian to tell us what we need. The 2nd Amendment is not about what we need; it's about what we can as free people. It is a buffer to prevent tyrannical government. Take responsibility and be a proud gun owner like your father.
Marine vet, ex-cop. I have carried guns for so many years that there is no romance, just a tool. One that has to be respected at all times, not unlike a chain saw. I have a cc permit, just so I could transport mine to the range legally in a pickup. I don't feel the need where I am to ever carry on the street. I keep mine in a ready position, in different locked locations in the house. There are no children here and only I have access. My dad was a Marine DI and rifle instructor in WWII, so I grew up trained in safety and awareness. I will say that as a cop, when you roll up on a gun call, the last thing you want to see is a bunch of "citizens" running around waving their pieces. Precious time is lost sorting out who is actually who and there is too much room for error.
I enterduced both of my boys to guns at a very early age (3-4) so there wouldn't be an unwanted curiosity. I broke them down and left them on the table later after time I would leave an unloaded gun on the coffee table. I later took the boys out to the farm after each time I shot a pistol, rifle, then a shotgun we would go look at and touch the front and back of the target, both the boys said "daddy that would hurt me, daddy I won't ever touch your guns" . Now my oldest boy is in college and my youngest is in high school they are both very responsible around guns both still remember this. If you do this I suggest you and your spouse work togather on gun safety in your home.
I'm curious; you give several reasons why it should/could be ok, but you never give a reason wht you don't want it?
This is a question I ask early on in any serious relationship. My guns are already in the house, and they aren't going anywhere 'cept with me. =)
We live in Washington State and we own weapons. My Sweet Baboo carries concealed with wasp spray by her side while at home. I keep a shotgun fairly close and open carry a 9mm pistol, well holstered at all times. The children are gone and we live in troubled times. We will not be victims.
Anyone with this mindset is a VICTIM. They'll be forced to rely on someone else for their safety. They're called helpless VICTIMS.
What is an article like this doing in a military forum? Sounds like 'Military.com' is playing politics. Back off, 'military.com!' Idiots.
I can understand a mom not wanting guns in the house and not wanting her children joining a profession requiring shooting guns and getting shot at. You want to raise a person, not a character. You want to protect your baby and raise him to be defenseless, relying on a 9-1-1 call and police response to save your grandchildren. Either take up shooting or get a divorce. You married into the military for the wrong reasons.
For starters, I think it’s funny how many people seem to have over-looked where the author states she grew up around firearms, so she’s already familiar with them. True, if SHE wanted one she might want to go to a shooting range and try firing a few different weapons, but again, she’s familiar with them already at least. As for myself, between NG and RA, I spent 21 years, 10 months in the Military, so I’m VERY familiar and comfortable with firearms myself. Before that though, I was born in ’66, and grew up around them. They were in my house before I was born, and while I can’t remember my dad ever telling me “don’t play with these, they’ll hurt you”, I know I NEVER considered playing with his guns. I’ve a brother that’s 4 years older, and while we played “cops & robbers”, “cowboys & indians” or “soldier” plenty of times growing up, we also knew that we had our toy guns, and dad had HIS guns. We NEVER confused the two, and never “borrowed” one of his pistols to play with. EVER.
If there’s a firearm in the home, the kids NEED to be taught to leave them alone until they’re old enough to safely use them. I think that’s why so many kids hurt themselves and others, because their parent’s don’t teach them firearms safety. They probably think “I’ll talk to them when they’re older”, thinking 5 is “too young” to learn about them. WRONG! That’s why you have kids (usually boys) 3-6 years old hurting themselves or someone else with daddy’s pistol. =\ I’m single, with no kids, so I admit I don’t know anything about raising the little buggers. However, I HAVE heard that “They Say” (whoever “They” are) children learn things easier the younger they are. So the sooner you start teaching them firearms safety, the Better they’ll be.
As familiar and comfortable as I am with firearms, I don’t own one. I don’t have anything against them, but I’m not a hunter and don’t see the need to go out and buy one. Being a “Home Invasion” victim is a neglible risk where I live, and I’m not worried about taking my chances. I’m not anti-gun, but I also can’t see why someone would need a 20-30 round magazine to go deer hunting with either. =P If you can’t kill a deer with 5 rounds or less, Please stay the Hell out of the woods. As for those that only want a gun to “scare” people with? Yeah, don’t bother. Just buy a big guard dog instead. =D
What a wonderful age we live in when wives can argue that their husbands SHOULDN'T bear a firearm. Why, a mere 150 years ago, it would've been unheard of for an American man NOT to have a firearm with which to hunt and defend his family. It is truly a sign that we have achieved peace when the woman of the house feels safe without a firearm in the house.
Yeah, didn't mean that to sound quite as sexist as it does on third read, so I'll apologize for that in advance, but I stand by my "we've achieved peace when" point.
I have always maintained that there is nothing wrong with a person having an "opinion" on a subject. it is when the reasoning finally gets down to "just because" or "because I don't want to" or "I don't know why, I just don't": that is when I have a problem with that person. Their fear or argument is groundless, irrational, and un-founded. In this case, the woman admitted "I just don't want a gun in the house" and in doing so, capitulated that her argument was not about the gun, but about HER. SHE and her feelings, however baseless, were more important to her than her husband, her safety, her family's safety, and should have been fully examined it light of logic, understanding, and education. An opinion that will not stand up to logic, understanding and education is simpy a phobia augmented by personal desire to be first and in command.
If you don’t want guns in your house then what is your genius plan for defending your home from intruders? “Please no, no not the children!” The world, especially America is turning into a cold and violent place to live. You can still leave your windows and doors open sure, if you want to get robbed or worse. I have three guns and an alarm system in my house and I’m a single Marine. The only reason I have them is on the off chance that someone is stupid enough to break into my house then i get to send them to hell where they belong. Expedited justice.
My husband and I both agree on having guns. They are fun to take to the range and shoot but it's also the peace of mind at home. We have shotguns for home defense and handguns for personal defense and fun. We are not worried about our 4 yr old getting ahold of the weapons or our ability to get to them if needed. We have implemented a combination of safes, locks, and proceedures that prevent him from having access to any weapon unsupervised, but allow us to get to them quickly in an emergency. You shouldn't fear having guns around, you should respect them and handle them properly. Anything can be dangerous if not handled properly.
I love my 'gun packing mama' purse, it's nice and sturdy and professional looking. I use it all the time whether I'm packing or not.
According to NBC news, 37 children were killed last year by flat-screen TVs falling over on them; have you properly secured yours? The point is, when you have little kids they can do themselves harm in many normally unforeseen ways. So, as a responsible parent, you can make it a point to learn how to properly “child-proof” your home, or not.
Here in America you have the right to have a firearm for self-defense in your home; you can exercise your right, or not.
Either logically; intelligently or emotionally you make your choices – the consequences are your responsibility!
Personally, this seems like the usual “liberal” left-wing anti-gun rhetoric to me.
I have owned several weapons for well over 40 years and have kept them in our home under lock and key that only my wife and myself have access to according to what is of paramount importance to us … our constitutionally-protected individual right proscribed in the 2nd Amendment. I would encourage everyone to become more acquainted with their constitutionally-protected rights and especially their right to have and own weapons. Now, having belabored that vitally important point, the use of common sense in firearm safety should avail itself to those of us who have choosen to own firearms for whatever lawful purpose at their disposal in the maintenance of personal liberty and freedom. I pity the fools who would think otherwise and risk losing their own life out of contempt for my own life and safeguarding my property. Need I say more?
Amy, I see your comments throughout where people are trying to get you to make a logical decision. But I don’t see your husband commenting here… Did you take that ability away from him too? If I were him, I would take my child and go find a new wife. This coming from a single father of my 4 year old daughter, who carried concealed at all times and has multiple weapons in the house.
Are you kidding? You would leave someone because they wouldn't let you have a gun?? YOU, sir, are what's wrong with marriage sanctity. No wonder you're a single father. What an example of respect, compromise, and perseverance you're setting for your daughter–shame on you! Unhinged people like you SHOULDN'T be allowed guns!
My husband was in a "Flying Squadron" where he had to carry a gun to protect his squadron and the Pilots if need be> We taught our 2 children that his gun was not to be touched, we didn't have to lock it up, but, he did place it on top the china cabinet every day. Sometimes he left it in the car. U have to teach your children to respect guns. It begins at home. Military Brats or not, Teach your children that Guns are to be used in the Proper Place, at the right time. We are very Lucky to have kids that to this day, respect the use of guns, and, have taught their children the same respect.
Many people don't want guns in their house, and many of those people are dead today.
A shotgun is a perfect home defence weapon, about once a month, take your lawn chair, a glass of ice tea and your shotgun and sit in your front yard for about a couple of hours and you should have no problems with anyone breaking into your house. I would suggest the lady of the house be the one to do this.
I think you all get my point.
A gun is a tool! Children should be taught at the earliest ages how to swim, I believe that applies to guns also. Most home accidents involving children and guns comes from their quest for knowledge. Teach them early the use of the tool so that they learn the hazards and how to be safe. Guns are your only protection from terrirany and harm .
I had guns before I joined the military and I had guns long before I married my wife. If ever she asked, or demanded, that I choose "either the guns or her", I would not hesitate to help her pack her bags. There are only a few things in life that are non-negotiable to me and you can find them in our Bill of Rights.
Well, it's good to know you value a piece of metal over a human.
right? So much for the sanctity of marriage.
This article belonged in USA Today, not Military.com.
After Sandy Hook slaughter, there should be more gun control. /should also be a gun amnesty for people to turn in weapons. We dont live in the 18th century when the constitution was made. Gun laws then were made for necessity .Now there should only be guns for Law enforcement and the Services plus bonafide Gun clubs or collectors. No member of the public should have automatics and handguns available to them….look at all the killings….
I don't think that the real issue should whether guns should be in the house. The more important issue is about teaching your children about guns. The reasoning is simple, even if your family does not keep a firearm in the home; 40% to 60% of household do have a firearm (depending on where you live ). So, if your kid has ever gone to more than one friends house; he has been in a household with a gun. You have no idea and no control over whether the firearms in that house are stored safely or not. The answer at least in my mind is to gun proof my kid. My children have been around guns there entire lives and have been taken to the range any weekend that the have asked to. The result is that there is no mystery in firearms for them and they are much safer than the average uninformed curious child.
Nancy Lanza took Adam to the range, and he learned how to shoot her Bushmaster, her Sig, and her Glock.
W.
You store the rifle or shotgun in the closet, you remove the bolt and lock it in a drawer, you store the ammunition in the garage. someone kicks out your window at 0300 and enters your home, what will you do. Ask the criminal to sit at the table while you make coffee asking him or her to wait while your husband locates all the parts and ammo , rebuilds the weapon and then takes care of the criminal? Makes me dizzy just thinking of the stupidity. I have had weapons in my families homes ever since I can remember. Our children are taught to respect firearms as loaded at all times. They are not toys to play with.
David: Only very stupid burglars go into homes where anyone is home. About forty years ago I supported my little heroin habit with a number of burglaries. My partner and I never ran into anyone in our burglaries. We made certain no one was home and that there was no large dog. We got in and we got out in a very short time. In our burglaries we always checked the nightstands in the master bedroom where we often found a hand gun, usually a .38 snub-nosed revolver.
Guns were almost as desirable to steal as cash. Guns could be sold in underground commerce while jewelry and other valuables had to be fenced at a tiny fraction of value.
My partner ODed and this made me kick the habit.
W.
All I can say is this—-If there was one person in the school in CT. this past horrific day that had a personal carry weapon and new how to use it-there just might have been life for a few or many of those that ended that day ———- JUST ONE! No one knows when they might be called upon to do the deed . God forbid that it should be you protecting your self and your child in your own home or wherever you might be at the wrong time. But as it were it was there and no one can change that lousey outcome. Don't blame the gun it did not jump up all by itself and kill those people.
Be serious! A person who is packing a piece will usually have to remove it to go to the toilet, and he/she may find that a kid who wants the weapon may steal it from him/her. This is just not a real world solution.
w.
I question the mindset that "needs" a gun to feel safe but it is your right. I question the mindset that "needs" plastic surgery to feel pretty too but again, its your right.
Prevention is the best medicine. I live in a neighborhood that is statistically safe. I have a dog that sleeps at our door when she's not patrolling the halls. Our house is fairly secure and that makes me feel safe… Until the zombie apocalypse is upon us! Then its game on!
Guns in my home were for hunting, still are, there is for security a tactical shotgun and pistols that get cleaned and checked regulalry but no one in my house was taught to just play with any weapon, they are fun but serious and all my kids were trained to respect things that can harm you or others, including cars. Being afraid to use the tools to protect youself is like having a dull knife to use in the kitchen, you will do more harm than good if you do not have good tools.
The left loves to use your fears against you and will invent any lie to put you off guard, it's their way of preparing you to be sucker punched and then they steal from you….there is nothing good about communism, absolutely nothing..
We have several weapons in our house and my wife is fine with it knows how to use them. In this day we need to know how to protect our families and at the same time maintain a safe environment when guns are kept in our homes. Until help arrives, a 9 mm is much faster than 911.
I'm amazed at the 'no gun in my house' responses. It is true that people without training or confidence in abiding by the safety rules should not own one. However, the only person that WILL have a gun in your house will be the criminal who will be awfully glad to find out you DON'T have any guns to protect yourself.
People confuse being "prepared" with "paranoid". We live in a high end neighborhood and always have burglaries, and occasionally robberies. Most people don't even know their neighbor down the street was robbed at gunpoint, or that burglars entered their home while people were there. Another house had their front door kicked in at 2am. A rare situation? Yes, but I don't want to allow a criminal to have that advantage while I can do nothing about it. Knowing my wife and children could be raped, kidnapped, or killed motivates me to train and practice to a reasonable degree (not taking my life over). You should subscribe to http://www.raidsonline.com or similar crime mapping programs in your area, it will give you a better picture of the 'reported' crime around you. Or get a police scanner app for free. There are a lot more things happening that you never hear about, every day. And those are only the reported crimes. Many crimes go unreported due to embarassment, lack of awareness or thinking it will never happen again, it was just a fluke type of attitude.
You don't have to turn into a gun nut, but for your family's sake, you should set aside your emotional response to this issue and take a stand or your family by getting involved in firearms training. Not for combat training like your husband, just gun safety, familiarity, basic marksmanship and knowing the difference between that and a real, grave danger situation will do your family justice and put your soldier's mind at ease.
If you have any other questions or comments, I will be glad to respond. I am not in law enforcement or the military, but a firm believer and supporter in both. My family depends on me for instant protective action when things go 'bump' in the night or the house alarm screams, but I can't always be there, so it is my responsibility to help them get the training they hopefully never need to use, but practice periodically so there are no surprises.
Respectfully,
Military Supporter
I'm amazed at the 'no gun in my house' responses. It is true that people without training or confidence in abiding by the safety rules should not own one. However, the only person that WILL have a gun in your house will be the criminal who will be awfully glad to find out you DON'T have any guns to protect yourself.
People confuse being "prepared" with "paranoid". We live in a high end neighborhood and always have burglaries, and occasionally robberies. Most people don't even know their neighbor down the street was robbed at gunpoint, or that burglars entered their home while people were there. Another house had their front door kicked in at 2am. A rare situation? Yes, but I don't want to allow a criminal to have that advantage while I can do nothing about it. Knowing my wife and children could be raped, kidnapped, or killed motivates me to train and practice to a reasonable degree (not taking my life over). You should subscribe to http://www.raidsonline.com or similar crime mapping programs in your area, it will give you a better picture of the 'reported' crime around you. Or get a police scanner app for free. There are a lot more things happening that you never hear about, every day. And those are only the reported crimes. Many crimes go unreported due to embarassment, lack of awareness or thinking it will never happen again, it was just a fluke type of attitude.
You don't have to turn into a gun nut, but for your family's sake, you should set aside your emotional response to this issue and take a stand or your family by getting involved in firearms training. Not for combat training like your husband, just gun safety, familiarity, basic marksmanship and knowing the difference between that and a real, grave danger situation will do your family justice and put your soldier's mind at ease.
If you have any other questions or comments, I will be glad to respond. I am not in law enforcement or the military, but a firm believer and supporter in both. My family depends on me for instant protective action when things go 'bump' in the night or the house alarm screams, but I can't always be there, so it is my responsibility to help them get the training they hopefully never need to use, but practice periodically so there are no surprises.
Respectfully,
Military Supporter
Anyone is entitled to not want to have a firearm in the home.
What they are not entitled to is to have any say over what I have in my home…..
ie firearms, knives, cars, bats, cats, dogs, the type of movies I watch and so on and so on and so on.
My freedom is not your business
MS: A burglar wants to meet no one in the course of his burglary! In the course of the forty to fifty burglaries my partner and I committed about forty years ago we never ran into anyone. We broke in, stole what we could in five to ten minutes, and got out. We made it our business to always check the nightstand in the master bedroom where we often found a revolver which was highly desirable since it could be sold for retail value in underground commerce to people who could never legally buy a weapon while jewelry and other valuables had to be fenced at a fraction of value.
W.
In general, yes, a burglar doesn't want to. The ones in our area, and a few miles south, are coming into people's homes while they are in the house. They aren't trying to confront the homeowner to rob them, but they are stealing with the homeowner knowingly in the home.
You could sell people's TVs for much more than a gun, and they are a one man job, now.
Either way, there are no scripts for people willing to invade another person's home. Some are on drugs, some are not, some are violent, and some are not. I can get another gun, but I won't take the chance of being unprepared if one of these criminals happens to be armed.
Military Supporter
If Mrs. Lanza had not had her guns in the home this incident would never have happened. She had the ideal mix of weapons for her son's rampage: a Bushmaster AS-15 analog, a sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Glock which I have read was a 10mm.
W.
Ponder this. It's 2am and you and your wife are in bed and you children are also asleep in the next room. You hear the kitchen door forcibly opened and unfamiliar voices. Option 1: wife dial 911, you grab your M1911/KSG 12 gauge etc, get between the intruders and your family, and warn them that you are armed and willing to shoot. More than likely they will run and then you wait 5 minutes for the police to arrive. Option 2: Same scenario, but you just dial 911 and wait for the police. In that five minutes the intruders come in and kill you and your family dead!!! As for me and my house we will be armed.
I agree, Armed Vet, and Thank You for your service. Our last burglar alarm was active for 30 minutes before police arrived. Violence, in the case of a home invasion, will not happen on that timescale, like you said, in a few minutes it will likely be over.
I don't mind other people not wanting to be armed, I just couldn't live with the regret and hopelessness if anything happened to my family.
The absolutely last thing any burglar wants to happen is to run into someone during his burglary. Fifty years ago my partner and I supported our heroin habits with burglaries. We made certain that we never burglarized a building where someone might be home, and we got in and got out within five to at absolutely most ten minutes. The guns found in nightstands we regarded as extremely desirable; they could be sold for more than market price to persons legally barred from buying guns.
W.
I swore that I would never have a gun in my house. I wasn't anti-gun for others, just for myself. My dad, uncle, grandpa, and teacher all committed suicide with guns. The sight of them sent me into a state of anxiety.
Until I married a correctional officer. He already had them, and knowing his line of work a part of me was comforted knowing we had one in the house, especially after we had kids to protect. I worked hard to overcome my anxiety, and I took a home defense class where I learned to use the guns.
However…my husband just asked if he could get an AR and I immediately turned into an emotional mess. I am just not OK with having one in our house. My dad has one, but I don't WANT to own one. I don't like them and I actually look down on anyone who's so fearful they think they need something that extreme (sorry, no offense, it's just how I feel. I even feel that way about my dad, but still love him. I just think that kind of extremity is based in fear, which s hard to respect). I don't want to tell him no to something he really wants, but I don't want to go against my own strong feelings on this. I have already compromised immensely in this department, and I'm a little frustrated that he would even put me in the position of being a bad guy about this issue.
This morning we read about a SEAL, Cmdr Price, who committed suicide using a pistol he had in his quarters in Afghanistan. We know that having had intense combat experiences is associated with depressions which may occur months or even years later.
When these, usually brief, periods of intense depression occur and there is a handgun readily available suicide is a very likely event. On 21dec75 my girlfriend broke up with me because she just could no longer take me screaming during nightmares about a tunnel near CuChi, and I worried that I might lose my job or be demoted because of problems related to my claustrophobia. If I'd had a a handgun Christmas Eve that year I would surely have snuffed it.
Having a handgun at home may (or may not) be useful for home and self defense, but it surely makes spur-of-the-moment suicide far easier.
w.
When they start to publish online the gun permit holders guess who gets targeted, thats right, the non permit holders. Guess where the largest amount of gun crime is located. Chicago and Washington DC. Guess why, they have laws against handguns. Where guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns.
The last thing any burglar wants to do is meet someone in the house or business he is burglarizing.
About forty-some-odd years ago my partner and I burglarized homes to support our drug habits. We made certain to never burglarize a home where anyone was home. we also made it our business to get in and out in a few minutes (usually ten). cash was, of course, most desirable to steal, but guns were almost as desirable since they could be sold in underground commerce for retail price or perhaps even more to persons legally not able to buy them.
W.
SO what you are saying is you dont love your family enough to have the means to protect them?
I think the question that needs to be answered by you is," Why don't you want to have a firearm in the house? You make a statement saying that you don't want a gun in the house and that is it. People would look at it as you want to show your dominance, you don't like guns, your afraid because of your children, that you just simply don't want one, or what ever anyone else could write here.
But I once read it is better to have a gun and not need it then to need a gun and not have one.
Already went through this as a military member the discussion was short and sweet. YES there will be a Firearm in the house if you don't like it or feel uncomfortable there is the DOOR leave.
No matter how much I love my spouse if they do not trust me with a tool of the trade then we have nothing to build on. Trust is what spouse yell all the time about it is a two way street in all matters what is fair for one is fair for the other.
P.S. After my former spouse left we finalized the divorce 30 days later, my only regret was they did not show the non trust card earlier like before the marraige.
When I was growing up it seems that just about everyone had a fire arm of one kind or another. I new more about weapons safety and how to handle them before I was 10 than most young adults today. It is all about knowing and under standing and the people that handle them. Most of the shootings and robberys is by people that should not have them to begain with and do not have them legally. Weapons at home has to be a family dission. My home has three familys living in it and we have numerous hand guns rifles, knifes, swords and bow and arrows to the point our house is red flagged by the local police (40 years ago they would not think twice about it). The age range from 6 to 60+ however if you don't know how to use it don't touch and that applies to everything from dishes to weapons.
I just happened to stumble across this post and could very much relate, except there is no military in my family or house. My dad was in the army before I was born, and I recently found out he was a sharp shooter, but there were no guns in our house, and he said he has never shot one since he's been out of the service (50 years now). I was never exposed to firearms of any kind except what I saw in movies and tv, unless you count water pistols. My husband, however, has recently gotten into guns and over the past 2 years has acquired a shot gun and I think 2 or 3 rifles. He grew up shooting with his dad and brothers. He also bought a handgun last year, and after getting his concealed weapons permit a few months ago, bought a smaller handgun. I I've been told guns are tools just like a hammer, screwdriver or chainsaw, and I kind of understand that. My problem is, guns are designed for one purpose, which is to harm something, be it an animal or person. I don't even know the difference between a rifle and shotgun, pistol or handgun or revolver. I don't like to go out anymore, knowing my husband has a gun in his pocket. I trust him, not the gun. I find myself looking around everywhere I go, wondering just who does and does not have a gun with them, and it scares the crap out of me. He took me to the rifle range one time to teach me how to shoot, and I shot the bigger handgun (I did better than him! HA), but I had more fun picking up the empty shells from the ground. I have a friend who I found out is an NRA instructor, and she said she'd take me to her gun club and help me get over my fear, but we haven't been able to get together yet. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.