should you own a gun?

[doubleouch]

should you have a gun in your house for self defense? this is a question we probably all ask ourselves from time to time. I believe the statistics show that owners of guns are up to 5 times more likely to die of gunshot wounds than non gun owners. some people take that stat at face value and decide that gun ownership is a bad choice. I think that you have to look a little closer to get at some truth. ask yourself the following questions:
Have you or any of your family ever been treated for mental illness, especially depression?
Do you or anyone in your family drink heavily?
Is there any physical abuse going on?
Do you routinely loose your temper?
Do you have very curious children who like to get into everything?
If you answered yes to any of these you might think twice.

Have you had a gun saftey class?
Has everyone in your house had a gun saftey class?
Do you have trigger locks?
Are your guns locked in a safe?
If you answered no to any of these you should rethink your gun security.
Do you keep them loaded?
Do you keep the ammo in the same place as the gun?
Do you live in a high crime area?
Are you really willing to shoot someone if you need to?


Any more pertinent questions?

[Siegfried]

Yes, you should own a gun in your house for self defense. Just as long as you are careful when handling the gun and keep it away from those who are too young or too inexperienced to handle it there should be no problems. Learning how to use it effectivally is also very valuble as well. A gun is a neccessary asset for defending your familly, friends and yourself in the modern world. Every lawbiding citizen should own a gun so that they can combat those criminals who also own a gun. You can't always rely on martial arts to defend yourself in a deadly situation.

[pcarney]

Its a matter of personal choice (and rightfully so). I'm not a big fan of guns and would only get one if I thought my life was in danger some how. I certainly don't think its a necessity, as millions of people get by without ever owning a gun.

[Szczepankiewicz]

I agree, gun ownership is a choice. The simple ownership of which is no guarantee of safety.

You should ask yourself the questions listed on this thread and many more.

What is the point of having a gun for self-defense if it is unloaded, locked in a safe, or slapped with a trigger lock?

What is the point of having a gun if you are untrained, unskilled, or unwilling to use it to defend your life, your family, or your property?

Many believe that the simple presence of a gun will provide you with security. I believe this to be a dangerous mindset.

In my opinion you must own, train, and have the mindset to use a weapon if and when necessary for it to be of any benefit.

All children (and everyone else for that matter) must be trained properly that the gun is a tool, a deadly tool, that should not be feared but treated with the utmost caution and respect.

Having a weapon (any weapon) can dramatically improve your chances of survival IF, and only IF you know how to use that weapon.

Statistics prove..... only what the statisticians want to prove. Whether it be the NRA or Handgun Control INC, they only provide you with information that supports their cause.

As for the millions and millions of people who get by without ever owning a gun....

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
-- George Orwell

[Siegfried]

Why would you not be unwilling to use a gun to defend your life, family, or friends? Though, you are very correct about the need to have the right mindset to use a deadly weapon as a tool in the correct situation, ( though this comes naturaly to most people when threatened). Also, you shouldn't rely on others to do violence on your behalf, part of being a man.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Why would I not be unwilling?


To use a gun on someone has a huge psychological impact. It's easy to point a gun for some people, or to threaten and wave it around as IF you're going to use it. It is another thing altogether to acutally shoot at someone.

I have never done it and I hope I never will. But it's not as easy as point and click. Some people just aren't psychologically prepared for the adrenalin, fear, and other extreme emotional reponses associated with taking a human life.

Peyton Quinn has written on this subject. I'd highly recommend his material.

"In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments;
there are consequences. "
--Robert Green Ingersoll

It makes me feel intelligent to merge quotes from famous people into my disucssions.... Szczepankiewicz

[Siegfried]

I have never used a gun to kill another person and I as well hope I never will. But for me a gun is tool for defense, just like my arm, my legs, etc. For me it would be as simple as point and click, it would be the same as look and kick, see an opening and punch, search for an opening and take a swipe with my sword, etc. This way of thinking is something that I aquired from the practice of true martial arts, not sport. See an enemy, defeat the enemy. I wish more people practiced true militaristic arts,(Niten Ichi ryu), so that they would have stronger minds and they would understand were I was coming from. This country would be much stronger because of it. Not that it isn't strong already. The bottom line is that gun ownership is a choice, a responsibility and one worth taking, if a situation were to arise when you need a gun. Sometimes you just don't know when the enemy will attack, or when you you are going to have to defend yourself , be safe than sorry, ever aware,( zanshin).

[Demi Barbito]

Firearms are "thee" martial art. They are the only way the will of the good is imposed over the will of the evil. There are situations that cannot be solved empty handed or with a stick or knife. No matter how hard your thigh kick, there are people that you just will not be able to take empty handed. If, in the middle of the night your home is invaded by one or multiple assailants are you going to "fight with them"? Are you going to use your knife vs 3 assailants in the hallway at closeing distance? Are the basic set of tactics that you would employ done primarily by going hands on? In the dark? Against multiple attackers? Where is your wife, your children?
*
In the US we are so blessed to have the "right" to keep and bear arms.
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At The CSPT we do the following firearms training:
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Handgun Safety/Defensive Handgun
Tactical Handgun
Close Quarter Handgun Battle
Handgun Retention and Disarm
SIMUNITION - For Military and Law Enforcement
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We are currently developing a Home Defense Shotgun Course.
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I am usually on the firing range 1 - 2 times a week with clients. I fire about 1000 rounds of handgun a month myself in various training applications. I fire about 500 rounds a month of shotgun. For me firearms are a full time job as I am always armed. ( State of Ca concealed weapons permit).
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We do a tremendous amount of classroom training as well. Safety, room clearing excersises, dissasembly, retention/takaway, malfunctions, scenario based training with SIMUNITION (using shotgun, semi auto and revolver).
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The training is geared on "not taking unrealistic risks". You are using the weapon to impose your will. You must train to do it effectively and safely. You need an imtimate familiarity with the weapons. All the mystery should be gone! You need to know "how to do" what "you must do" in any circumstances. Close range, medium range, long range, from behind cover/concealment, mutiple attackers, low/no light, hallways, corners etc.
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You never want to attempt anything dangerous on your own in the middle of the night against some psycho on your home! Get you and your family to a safe room and close the door with your weapon ready and call the police. Let them kick your door in when they arrive!
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However, if you hear breaking glass in the middle of the night and then you hear your child scream you should already have your weapon in your hand (with a weapon mounted light or a hand flashlight) and be moving into the darkness alone (in hunter/killer mode) with your wife calling the police. There are worst case scenarios where you may have to violate some rules.
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There is a lot to learn and even more to train! Firearms require more training than any other element of the martial arts. Being a responsible gun owner and encourageing responsible gun ownership has been one of the most rewarding aspect of the martial arts for me. *
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Demi Barbito
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"Death To The Status Quo"
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www.DemiBarbito.com

[Siegfried]

I completely agree with you. Also,this country is very blessed to have the right to keep and bear arms, a right we must defend. For there are those liberals out there who want to destroy this country, and most of all take away the guns of law biding citizens. I never seriously thought of using a gun as a martial art, thank you for pointing that out.

[Fighter]

Thats the problem in the US. Too many people own guns. If you were to put tougher laws down on guns your crime rate would drop heaps.

Guns are stupid but if you must have one, Deffinatley kepp it hidden from kids and the like.

[Demi Barbito]

We have extremely tough gun laws. In California if you use a gun in any crime you go to prison.

Done!

The laws don't stop them from doing it though.

People will do what they want to do with a gun, a knife, a screwdriver etc.

Our country is based on using whatever force needed to maintain our freedom.

[Fighter]

Hey Im aware that you send them to jail but they get out in a very short time.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Hey Fighter,

You're a pretty bright kid and fun to 'spar' with on the forum. But your inexperience speaks volumes sometimes....

Have you lived in the US? Have you owned a gun? Are you intimately familiar with the 20,000 plus gun laws that are on the books (both Federal and State) within this country?

"Thats the problem in the US. Too many people own guns. If you were to put tougher laws down on guns your crime rate would drop heaps."


A gun is simply a tool. Just like a hammer, an automobile, a knife, a baseball bat, or your JKD Fists of Iron.

Now I'm not going to insult your intelligence quoting loads of skewed statistics. However, I am going to challenge you to think just this one time.

Men have been committing violent acts against each other since the beginning of recorded history. Using their bare hands, rocks, sticks, bronze, iron, steel, projectiles, explosives, poisons, high voltage, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

What makes you think that in the last 100 years we as a culture have become so civilized as to remove several million years of genetic programming just because you would wish it to be so?

Take away all the guns and no one will ever be killed again, right?! Or maybe we can implicitly trust the government to take care of us and only properly authorized members of said government should have any weapons of any sort.

If you truly believe that the world would be better off without guns, please take the first step and stop all this nonsensical 'self-defense training' that you talk about all the time and just coexist peacefully with your fellow man.....

Mine eyes look to you in setting the example little brother.

Sz

[doubleouch]

Good replies everybody. My choice is not to own a gun. My wife doesn't feel safe with one around. Besides, I know I am not apt to always keep it locked and safe etc. The chances that I would ever need one to protect myself or family are very very slim. I stand a much better chance of getting killed in a car accident than by an armed intruder. In which case I would be better off saving my money and buying a safer car instead of a gun.

[Fighter]

Hey SZ, I love talking to ya. Im only going by what Ive read, seen on TV, or heard. But Ive never been to america or anything but isn't LA the gangsta capital of the world.

And do 14 year old kids get a hold of guns, do people get killed for their shoes? Im just curious because ive heard alt of stuff about things like that.

Someone correct me if im wrong.