Are you for or against the right to bear arms? And if you have a gun have you ever had to use it?

<sarcasm> Yes I am a bear and I have arms</sarcasm>
Yes it is legal to defend yourself. every year many people successfully use a weapon to prevent harm to themself or their friends or family.
Yet also every year many people have their weapon stolen effectively arming the bad guys. Bad guys that are less reluctant to use them.
I believe the distance is 12 feet. That is 12' between you and an attacker to draw and fire before they can harm you. In the conceal carry course demonstration 12 feet goes away very fast.
Having a gun and kowing when and when not to use it is only part of the issue. it is that natural reluctance on the part of the good guys that gives the bad guys the edge. Here again that bad guy might think twice not knowing how bad you really are underneith.

A person called 911 said two guys were robbing his neighbor. The robbers were walking away with a TV so he shot them in the back and killed them. A child threatened his brother with a gun over chores. He had done it many times before but this time he 'accidentally' killed his brother. He pulled the trigger on purpose but thought the gun was empty. A kid took a short cut to his house walking on his neighbor's lawn so his neighbor shot him multiple times. These stories are common. People accidentally killing themselves is also common.

I do not believe in the right to bear arms. I believe in gun control. If a gun is stolen it should be reported. When a gun is not being used by its owned it should be locked up. Before someone uses a gun they should pass a safety course. Something should be done to reduce the number of gun related incidents.

This answer was edited by mikejhca 184 days ago.

Reason: typo

I've fired almost every kind of gun, from a pistol to a machine gun, between my uncles who were avid hunters, and my tour in the army.

While I hate any violence and feel guns are dangerous to own, lest we lose our tempers for a moment and regret something the rest of our lives, I still feel that if any of us saw someone doing great harm to ourselves and our family, we'd instinctively use a gun, if that were the only way to stop it.

We hope we won't be attacked, and probably most of us live in decent neighborhoods where that would be unlikely, but people in gang neighborhoods might want to keep guns. Still, what I said before about using a gun in a fit of anger and then regretting it, would apply even then.

Those who use guns for sport are in the minority of people I've ever known, but still they are a significant section of the population. Those people generally are the most respectful of all when it comes to gun safety.

America has a horrible reputation with outsiders because of violence in the news. But that's more a question of psychiatry than guns themselves. Every innocent person who gets shot means that maybe 10 or 20 family and friends are going to wish there were no such things as guns. On the other hand, there's the opposite reaction of wishing they had guns to kill the criminals.

Most crime takes place between people who know each other. This brings me back to the same point once again. People have arguments and can do rash things they'll wish they hadn't. Therefore, a home without guns generally is safer, for most people, in my opinion.

You are absolutely right BRVTVS, and I appreciate your time in responding. I suppose I should have posted each of these questions separately. But I figured since this question isn't very popular (unless you are either for the right to bear arms, or against it due to something hitting close to home) I might as well get the best answers from those who have the most experience.

I am for the right to bear arms, I own several firearms and I make sure that my fiancé and I both know how to use them. We keep them in a gun safe and the ammo in a separate safe. I have never had to use my guns for protection, I have a carry permit but I don't normally bring it with me as a lot of places have their own rules about carrying firearms. I have never had to protect myself but if the case were to arise that I might I could and I could carry my weapon for protection, so that is why I am for the right to bear arms.

A hodge-podge of definitions would be necessary to answer your questions.

The right to keep and bear arms is plainly stated in the Constitution and the Supreme Court has recently ruled in 2 landmark cases that it means civilian, private firearms (not exclusive only to militia members). However, the types of firearms, ammunitions, and usages may be regulated by all local jurisdictions.

"Most" U.S. citizens possess firearms for self defense, as stated by them. A great many Americans hunt. A small minority of people take part in recreational (organized) target shooting. Those types of gun usages are generally, and generically, legal, with huge exceptions.

The in-depth hodge-podge is specifically in the "self defense" category. First, it depends on which state you live in. Second, it also depends on whether you live in one of the major metropolitan areas, many of which try to rigidly control firearms, especially pistols. Third, the specific "legal" jurisdiction you occupy, or the jurisdiction in which you may happen to use a firearm, is very important because one district attorney (county prosecutor, prosecuting attorney) may charge and indict every person who is involved in a gun incident of any kind, while another nearby jurisdiction may consider anything short of premeditated murder as a justified use of force. In Delaware County of New York State, a person can carry a handgun; don't try that in New York City!

Besides geography, another major hodge-podge is the list of "prohibited persons" who may not possess a firearm. Felons, fugitives, some types of druggies, mentally ill persons, minors under age 18 (except Vermont at 16), persons convicted of domestic violence, non-citizens, and persons who are currently under indictment for a crime punishable by more than a year in prison cannot be involved with long guns or handguns by Federal law.

As you can quickly see, it would take pages to describe whether "someone" or a "person" may use a firearm in self defense or whether he or she can "legally" shoot an intruder to his or her home. A 17-year-old "juvie" in Flatbush, Brooklyn, NYC, who's on probation/parole for using and selling marijuana had better NOT shoot an axe murderer breaking into her home.

I served in the Marine Corps, have several firearms in my home, and have "pre-inherited" a fine collection of wonderful rifles and pistols to my lovely daughter.

I believe you should be able to bear arms, but only in your house and with proper training. People are too impulsive and often do not think about consequences, so they need proper training (not, just how to aim and fire). A gun can be a great comfort and safety factor for a family, but must be stored safely and protected too.

Drunk people and guns is the worst scenario. I've been in a crowded party before with two drunk guys trying to shoot each other. They were angry about a girl (big surprise there lol) and were literally swaying and staggering with each shot. Anyone could have been caught in the cross fire, or they could have killed each other ... guns on the street is asking for trouble!

Thank you for answering my questions. I have to agree on your last paragraph 'self defensive is a reflexive act of self preservation that cannot be legislated away'. Even if you didn't have a gun you'd still do what you had to do to defend yourself in a precarious situation.