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Originally posted by bobw
I've lived in really bad neighborhoods too (in Chicago)... and still never felt I needed the "security" of a gun. I felt, and still do, that I am wise enough to not get in a situation where I might need a gun, which is why I really don't buy the "just in case" theory...
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Good for you. However, people who carry handguns do not make an effort to get into trouble, and are taught to avoid bad neighborhoods, suspicious groups of people, etc. However, if you and Joe-Handgun-Carrier both are attacked seemingly randomly, Joe-Handgun-Carrier will have a much better chance of escaping unharmed. The most important aspect of shall-issue carry laws is that it acts as a crime deterrant, not that civilians packing guns can roam the streets in yellow tights and be superheroes.
Quote:
Originally posted by bobw
I guess I can buy the need for someone to have a gun in his/her home more than the need to carry one...because if you are in your home, any potential trouble is really coming to you, and you have no way to avoid it. Out in public, you have very much, almost complete, control over avoiding trouble.
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If someone is determined to rob/rape/assault/kill you, there is little that you can do to stop them. You can only cross the street so many times. If you are clairvoyant and know beyond a doubt that you have absolutely no need for a gun for personal protection, then by all means do not get one. However, not all of us posess such gifts and so may feel the need to have a relatively fail-safe method of self-defense. Please don't suggest that those who carry are less competant or ignorant, as the opposite is true.