This country is far too interested in guns as a means of self-defense. Honestly, I feel more comfortable with my Benchmade 42 (Butterfly Knife) then I do with a handgun.
If your going to be serious about self-defense, take an Aikido class, and grab some OC Spray, or a collapsible baton. From personal experience, a Gun can be a Huge liability. Merely drawing it means you have to fear for your life, or those who are around you. In most situations, a well rounded education in defensive martial arts, and less than lethal options, actually bring a lot more options to the table. Also means less time in front of a judge, with people scrutinizing all the actions you took.
As I've said in other threads, a gun is not a magic wand. You need to have skills and the ability to make tactical judgements.
At close quarters other weapons are just as effective, such as knives.
However, there are some problems with a self-defense plan that excludes firearms.
Just for background, I used to be a martial arts instructor. I still teach short-course hand-to-hand, as well as knives, guns and impact weapons.
It is good to be well-rounded, and a martial arts background helps. However there are situations where only a firearm will give you a reasonable chance of coming out in one piece. If the **** starts more than 5-10' distance and the other guy has a gun, you're in trouble if you don't have a gun of your own. Multiple attackers are another problem... most street criminals work in pairs, some work in gangs of 3 or 4 or more. Home invasions is another scenario where guns are the only thing likely to give you a decent chance.
About knives... knives have their uses, but many drawbacks. Don't fool yourself - a knife is EVERY BIT as much a
lethal weapon in the eyes of the law as a 9mm Glock. As far as the law is concerned there is no such thing as "less lethal" use of a knife. In many districts knives are viewed as the weapons of thugs, and their use may taint a self-defense claim in the eyes of the jury.
Knife vs Knife is a good way to get killed. An old Kali master once said "the winner of a knife fight is the guy who dies the
next day." You typically won't emerge from a knife vs knife fight with a whole skin, at best.
In any case, the way knives are mostly used in reality is either as a threat to gain compliance, or as a weapon of stealthy murder or assassination. Knife vs knife fights are rare; they mean somebody screwed up because most of the time a criminal actually uses a knife it is meant to be an ambush or assassination.
Aikido is useful but it generally won't save your bacon against multiple attackers armed with knives, clubs or guns... or even unarmed multiple attackers. I don't care how easy O-sensei made it look in randori, multiple attackers can kick the crap out of you unless you're both good and lucky.
The most effective tool for personal self-defense is the handgun, period. Granted, along with it you need training, skills, judgement, self-restraint and a cool head, but when you need a gun you typically
need one bad.