How do you deal with the fear of having your gear stolen?

[480sparky]

From WHO databases in 2003, males only: UK: 0.7 homicide deaths/100000 , Italy 1.7, USA 9.6.
We are indeed different.

What percentage of that 9.6 number is law-abiding citizens forced into a situation where they have no other choice but to kill their assailant in order to survive the incident?

Isn't homicide where someone has been muredered, I.E. killed illegally? If what you say is where people have been killed as a result of the use of deadly force legally, then they won't be included in the figures. I'm still of the view that if wqe arm ourselves, surely the bad guys will just arm themselves more and will usually have the element of surprise on their side.

So in short, the numbers posted are meaningless.

And the bag guys ARE armed, and most likely prefer to use the element of surprise. The thug portrayed in the movies and cartoons as jumping out of a dark alley and pulling a knife on a wealthy couple wearing expensive clothes demanding, "Gimme you wallet & jewelry!" just don't happen.

 

[unpopular]

This is why violent crime is higher in states with gun control.

furthermore


this is not even true. The majority of states do not require a permit to own a handgun. Notably Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana all have very high violent crime rates despite relatively liberal gun laws.

Even California currently does not require a permit to own a handgun - which I'd imagine are overwhelmingly used in gun crimes.

NRA-ILA ::
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/US_Violent_Crime_2004.svg

 

[enzodm]

Isn't homicide where someone has been muredered, I.E. killed illegally? If what you say is where people have been killed as a result of the use of deadly force legally, then they won't be included in the figures. I'm still of the view that if wqe arm ourselves, surely the bad guys will just arm themselves more and will usually have the element of surprise on their side.

actually, these are WHO mortality statistics, so they do not include evaluation on legal issue. They are just deaths.

Anyway, while there is some difficulty in giving causal relationship, correlation indeed exists between gun ownership and homicide (and suicide too, but likely in a substitutive way):
Firearm suicides and homicides in the United Sta... [Soc Sci Med. 1998] - PubMed - NCBI
Australia's 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in f... [Inj Prev. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI
(and others)

We are far OT, but anyway, isn't it what a forum is made for?

 

[Vtec44]

this is not even true. The majority of states do not require a permit to own a handgun. Notably Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana all have very high violent crime rates despite relatively liberal gun laws.

Even California currently does not require a permit to own a handgun - which are overwhelmingly used in violent crimes.

Same can be said about Washington DC, Chicago, New York, and other areas with strict regulations.

California requires you to go through hand gun safety test before you can purchase a gun, background check, and the waiting period is 10 days (1 handgun per 30 days) before you can actually own a gun. I guess all that regulations failed as well.

 

[thereyougo!]

MAybe it's me, but I find it a rather sad reflection on human nature that when posed with the question, how do I secure my gear one of the answers is a picture of a gun with bullets. Maybe I'm weird, but I would have thought tht the most sensible suggestions have been made without the use of firearms. Just goes to show that a right to own a gun isn't necessarily coupled with the intelligence and sense of thought.

 

[unpopular]

Same can be said about Washington DC, Chicago, New York, and other areas with strict regulations.

That's kind of my point. There is no evidence that conservative gun laws create violent crime.

As for CA - making people take a handgun safety class is hardly "gun control". I am not sure how I feel about the limits or waiting periods. I'm against the limits, but not for any reason that pertains to this subject.

 

[unpopular]

a right to own a gun isn't necessarily coupled with the intelligence and sense of thought.

the well regulated part of the second amendment is often neglected.

 

[Vtec44]

That's kind of my point. There is no evidence that conservative gun laws create violent crime.

There's also no evidence that gun laws reduce violent crime either. They exist mostly just to further the career of politicians.

 

[thereyougo!]

a right to own a gun isn't necessarily coupled with the intelligence and sense of thought.

the well regulated part of the second amendment is often neglected.

That may well be true, but the feeling of having a legal right doesn't always come with a well regulated mind. some may feel that as well as having the right to bear arms automatically gives them the right to use​ them. They are different things, but not everyone can see the difference.

 

[unpopular]

That's kind of my point. There is no evidence that conservative gun laws create violent crime.

There's also no evidence that gun laws reduce violent crime either. They exist mostly just to further the career of politicians.

Absolutely. I never said that gun control was a good idea, only that it does not appear to correlate to higher violent crime rates.

 

[Vtec44]

Just goes to show that a right to own a gun isn't necessarily coupled with the intelligence and sense of thought.

Uninformed voters are much more dangerous. I wish we can ban dumb voters so only smart ones can vote.

 

[Vtec44]

some may feel that as well as having the right to bear arms automatically gives them the right to use​ them. They are different things, but not everyone can see the difference.

That's when they find out the hard way in court. I've stated in my previous post, insurance is to replace my gear and gun is protect my life when it comes down to it.

 

[Vtec44]

That's kind of my point. There is no evidence that conservative gun laws create violent crime.

There's also no evidence that gun laws reduce violent crime either. They exist mostly just to further the career of politicians.

Absolutely. I never said that gun control was a good idea, only that it does not appear to correlate to higher violent crime rates.

Yep, and most people are brain-washed to believe that gun control reduces crime.

 

[unpopular]

a right to own a gun isn't necessarily coupled with the intelligence and sense of thought.

the well regulated part of the second amendment is often neglected.

That may well be true, but the feeling of having a legal right doesn't always come with a well regulated mind. some may feel that as well as having the right to bear arms automatically gives them the right to use​ them. They are different things, but not everyone can see the difference.

I don't know about that. I think any reasonable person knows that they only have the right to use a gun in certain circumstances. The problem is that people often don't understand when that time is and may feel justified to use a gun when they have no right to do so.

Like that guy in Texas a few years back who shot robbers of the neighbor's house as they were fleeing. I am pretty sure that he was found guilty - but that doesn't make it to the news.

 

[unpopular]

There's also no evidence that gun laws reduce violent crime either. They exist mostly just to further the career of politicians.

Absolutely. I never said that gun control was a good idea, only that it does not appear to correlate to higher violent crime rates.

Yep, and most people are brain-washed to believe that gun control reduces crime.

Prohibition doesn't decrease drug-related property or violent crime either. Laws don't exist to protect us, they exist to satisfy our need to feel safe.

I am not sure if it is brain washing as much as wishful thinking.