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Originally Posted by JinnKai
Do you realize how arrogant this sounds? The only reason you've not a victim of violent crime or personal theft (yet) is that "you don't put yourself in situations that require defense" ? Is someone who has no choice but to live in a dangerous area bringing the violence on themselves? Is someone who prepares for the rational eventuality that they'll be the victim of violent crime "living in fear"?
With 3,672,940 VIOLENT crimes committed against US citizens in 2006, there is more to it than simply not putting yourself in situations that "require defense." It's a statistical factor of your socioeconomic status, your neighborhood and luck, not willful decisions on your part. Victims don't choose to be victims. You're not "living in fear", but you're certainly "willfully ignorant."
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Do you know that you sound like an advertisement for the NRA?
I know my comments mean little in an intellectual debate such as this, but common sense should count for something. Your own response to the first question addressed safety issues. Why would you say it's arrogant to keep yourself out of dangerous situations?
I currently live in a lower-income area. Sure, there's crime around. But no one has a reason to come after me. The only possible scenarios would be either rape or a drive-by. Rape? Ha. I walk with confidence. The car key between my fingers, ready to jab out an eye, the knee ready. I've taken self-defense classes and know I can take care of myself. As for the drive-by shooting, how much better is your defense?
Oh and here's a third -- a postal person in restaurant, supermarket, airport or whatever. Most likely he's got an automatic weapon, so unless I decide to become a vigilante, I wouldn't have enough firepower even if I chose to carry a gun. Besides, don't you think that if he saw me pull an AK-47, he'd shoot me down without a thought?
Home invasion, you ask? When I move to my pretty house, maybe. But I'll have an alarm system and keep pretty knives in some drawers and a bat here and there. I'm not going to live in fear all my life, just in case someone wants to try to hurt me. And I surely don't want to raise my kids to live in fear.
I had a gun for a short time many years ago when my life had been threatened, but I found it to be a false sense of security. I had small children in my home at the time so my gun was locked in a case, high in a closet. I would never have had time to react, get the key, go to the closet, open the case and aim the gun if he had invaded my home while I was sleeping. I was more afraid that my kids would find it then I was of being killed.
You have the right to protect yourself and your family. Go for it. But don't call it arrogant when someone says they take all reasonable precautions. Your definition of reasonable is different than mine.