I appreciate this comment as well. It is all about defending and protecting one territory or more. Thank you.

I owned my first gun when I was 12.Over the years I was taught how to use that gun. At 17 I had my first-hand gun. I liked going out and target shooting and just having fun with some friends. Never once did I ever think that the day would come when I would have to use it.

But, the day did come. More like in the middle of the night. Many years ago when my now X wife was pregnant with our first child. A crack head with a knife broke into our house. Long story short, if it hadn't been for that gun and being taught how to use it, me or my wife wouldn't be here. And neither one of my sons.

Like others have said, it's not guns that are bad. It's the bad people that get their hands on them. It's like I've heard said many times, "If you take guns away from good people, only the bad people will have them". And it's my belief that a lot of good people will die.

That break-in happened 20 years ago. And to this day I still keep my pistol on my nightstand. I also have a carry license. If I wasn't mentioning it here, no one would ever know it.

Nobody sees's my gun. I don't go around showing it to people. I don't brag about it. But it's there. I hope I never need it again. But this world we live in now seems to be getting more crazier by the day. People are changing. Look at how many road ragers you see and hear about now. And that's just one of many. Some people now are crazy enough to run up to your car with a ball bat or worse and try to drag you out. Over the smallest perceived slight.

For me, it's a case of I would rather have it and not need it. Than need it and not have it.

lu, the voice of peace

I think without guns people would still be violent but the number of killings would greatly decrease.

there would be fewer people killed and their killers would have to actually be somewhat witty, creative, or physically skilled ...

it starts with connecting as human beings lu, owning up to our weaknesses and flaws and wanting to see others with their basic needs

and to have gratitude for our blessings without feeling more 'entitlement' to live and be healthy than others

Guns are simply tools. If you take this tool away another would be substituted and used in it's place. I can honestly say, if they made guns illegal in the states, I believe only criminals would have access to them. To me that is not a safer environment at all.

There have been several crimes/killings where a legally owned firearm in the right hand prevented a whole lot more damage or killings. I believe it's the shooter and not the tool that should come into question. ( I am for tougher screening to be permitted to buy one/possess one but that is not what this topic pertained to)

No, sadly.

Probably far more terrible, depending on what you mean by "guns."
If you are only speaking of pistols and rifles, they would simply be supplanted by heavier ordnance.
Missiles, landmines, bombs, nukes, biological warfare, chemical weapons, eugenics, credit cards and bankers.

If you are using "guns" as a shortcut for "violent conflict" or something then there'd just be more pervasive and ongoing manipulation and insecurity.
Instead of dealing with ongoing and potentially dangerous problems immediately with a final resolution, it would require increasing amounts of emotional manipulation, bullying, social ostracization, centralized control of resources, social planning and enforcement.

IOW polarizing, either to overcompensating violence, or increasing mental and emotional abuse in order to achieve a desired outcome.

Unless you are implying fundamentally changing human beings into something that has no need or desire for any guns, or violent conflict, where it's not seen as a necessary reaction to certain problems.
Then you're changing the human animal into something else entirely, and killing off the human race.


That would lead to overpopulation.
Destruction of forests, ecosystems, fresh water, in order to mass produce food and provide living space for a constantly growing population that feels absolutely no need to change, learn, grow, explore, just maintain the status quo of peace and love and whatever pleasure that brings.

It would be what it was when the technology did not exist, we would still be fighting over resources and killing the freaks of our society just for being different or odd.

Of course, if you can't do the math, this may not have occurred 2U.