Unpopular Opinion
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I was with you up until the "I would still get one for safely" part. We must clearly live in different kinds of areas, I've never felt the need to own one for any reason.
The vast amount of Americans aren't in that boat....
Every crazy person around me is carrying, all it takes these days is not driving exactly like how someone wants or unintentionally minor inconveniencing them for them to pull out a gun.
It's not even staying out of "bad areas" anymore. It can (and does) happen everywhere. It just usually doesn't make the news unless someone is shot in a nice area. A crazy person pulling a gun out might get media attention if it's on video if not, cops don't even care.
And it’s worse than that. At least in most parts of the US, carrying a weapon “for safety” is likely to have negative results. You are less safe.
There are always accidents, innocent people in the way, curious kids, mental health crises.
And a gunfight is usually the worst possible situation. Given the choice of swallowing your pride and backing down or getting in a gunfight, swallowing your pride is safer. You don’t need a hun for that and a hun will tempt you to the choice that’s worse for you.
So you’re counting on having a loaded weapon around unsecured that’s never used by the wrong person or purpose. You’re counting on firing first and somehow being justified. Or that someone else shoots first and misses, then gives you time to get your weapon and shoot back…. And that your aim is better than there’s.
Its possible that you will successfully defend yourself but the odds are very long
100% this.
OP is right though, there are parts of the world where self defense is not as clear cut. The question you need to follow up with is "is this self defense against nature or people?".
For example, there are places in the far north where polar bears are a problem, I doubt anyone other than Greenpeace would not have a problem with you shooting an animal attacking you. Its tragic, but by that point its not really avoidable.
The issue most of us have is the "defense against people" where lines get drawn, the problem is how inconsistent that line is. Im in the camp where survival is fine, and sport is conditionally ok, but outside that there are no ethical reasons to persue gun ownership, but others will say collections, historic preservation, or self defense are valid reasons. Culture has a lot to do with it, some places handle it well, like Switzerland, but the elephant in the room is America and their, I would argue very unhealthy, relationship with guns.
You're right. Most of the issues with guns aren't with someone who keeps one to protect themselves from a wild animal, it's those who keep them to... those who have semi automatics and live in suburbia and fetishish the idea of someone?? breaking into their home so they can use their big, fancy, killing weapon??
Like... They have a perceived threat that's never going to happen and yet they keep this murder tool under the guise of protection when it's really just something they think is cool, but is also something that is more likely going to be fatal to themselves and their family than to an intruder.
Then you're privileged.
Well that’s nice and all, I am glad