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Does carrying a gun increase your sense of empowerment? [W:112]

Does carrying a gun increase your sense of empowerment?


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I'm not particularly pro or anti gun and have no dog or hidden agendas in this fight. I have no desire to slander gun owners or paint them in any negative light; and I introduce this thread with this disclaimer because like many hot button topics any one perceived position is likely to be encountered by a polar extreme, an easy example being the Middle East and Abortion forums.

I'm just curious.
 
I'm not particularly pro or anti gun and have no dog or hidden agendas in this fight. I have no desire to slander gun owners or paint them in any negative light; and I introduce this thread with this disclaimer because like many hot button topics any one perceived position is likely to be encountered by a polar extreme, an easy example being the Middle East and Abortion forums.

I'm just curious.

I feel empowered that I have a loaded and ready gun in my home. When/if I can carry one on the street, I'll feel empowered as well.
 
Well, I blew the hell out of that. I forgot to find the "include poll answers" button and now can't appear to add them in the edit. Maybe it'll start a discussion if nothing else.
 
Well, I blew the hell out of that. I forgot to find the "include poll answers" button and now can't appear to add them in the edit.

Post a duplciate, remembering to include poll answers and PM a mod to remove this one.
 
Does carrying a gun increase your sense of empowerment?

I'm not particularly pro or anti gun and have no dog or hidden agendas in this fight. I have no desire to slander gun owners or paint them in any negative light; and I introduce this thread with this disclaimer because like many hot button topics any one perceived position is likely to be encountered by a polar extreme, an easy example being the Middle East and Abortion forums.

I'm just curious.​




 
I suppose so. I view it more as being prepared, or akin to having insurance. You hope that you never need to use it; yet having a gun (or insurance) and not needing it is far better than needing a gun (or insurance) and not having it. Unlike an insurance policy a gun requires some training and practice to make effective use of it.
 
I suppose so. I view it more as being prepared, or akin to having insurance. You hope that you never need to use it; yet having a gun (or insurance) and not needing it is far better than needing a gun (or insurance) and not having it. Unlike an insurance policy a gun requires some training and practice to make effective use of it.
 
It increases my awareness. It increases my sense of responsibility. I don't feel empowered.
 
Yes, absolutely. I unfortunately live in a country where gun ownership is highly, highly restrictive. When I lived in the states in DC metro, however, I had a nice pistol. I lived in not a bad neighborhood, but not a particularly great one either. Having a gun made me feel safer about my home, and my ability to protect my family. When I carried it with me I felt like I was prepared for just about any situation that I encountered. I remember one time particularly when I was driving across the country that I stopped at a ****ty motel in what seemed like a bad neighborhood. I felt unbelievably in control of the situation because my right hand was always in my pocket resting on my gun.

I slept well that night.
 
It increases my awareness. It increases my sense of responsibility. I don't feel empowered.

This has been my experience as well.

It's been like learning martial arts in that way.
 
If you cant defend yourself then you are only free so long as other people decide not to **** with you. At least in terms of present tense in the situation.
 
Becoming a victim of a crime or not becoming a victim has a lot to do on how you carry yourself. If the bad guy thinks you look like a pantywaist you may become his target.

Packing a sidearm gives one a psychological edge and it shows.


If you choose not to pack, what ever you do, don't have any Obama stickers, peace sign stickers on your car and don't wear any Obama pins on your clothing, all your doing is advertising that your a pantywaist and you rely on a cell phone and 911 as your only defense.
 
Man Bill Burr is better at arguing politics than I ever could be

 
Empowered....

In the sense that I feel that I am properly equipped to meet most threats I may encounter on at least equal terms, yes.

I also find enjoyment in exercising the proper rights of a free citizen, enumerated in the Constitution, yes.


However, this should be in no way construed to imply that it makes me feel "empowered" to go LOOKING for trouble... no, far from it. I will avoid trouble at all times if I reasonably can, because I have no wish to kill anyone nor to put my life on the line unless truly necessary.
 
I caught hunters on my land once who claimed they didn't see any no trespassing signs. I escorted them back along their tracks in the snow where they entered my land with a bright orange sign in their face. I had my shotgun and when we got to the sign I pointed it at them and told them to lean their rifles on the tree and start walking up the trail to the road. I then made them sit cross legged for nearly two hours until the cops got there. If I had no gun they would have told me to go f*** myself when we hit the sign and laughed as they walked away.Yes guns empower.
 
If you cant defend yourself then you are only free so long as other people decide not to **** with you. At least in terms of present tense in the situation.

Funny thing about that though, and not saying how much it does or doesn't apply to guns. A friend of mine told me about when he was taking martial arts for a number of years. Essentially the more he trained and the more sparring experience he got, the more confident he became in most situations (I can attest to this from personal experience in karate). He walked away from such close involvement in martial arts however as he realized that he was getting into disproportionately more fights than he ever would beforehand. Of course what was happening was instead of walking away from or avoiding situations that carried increased danger, his greater confidence was allowing him to run headlong into those situations.

Getting back on track, I'm wondering if the heightened sense of empowerment (or as Goshin might put it, "adequacy to handle potential threats") that comes with a gun inaccurately increases the sense of weakness you'd have if you were suddenly left without it?
 
It increases my awareness. It increases my sense of responsibility. I don't feel empowered.

Those are my thoughts exactly. If I were to use my sidearm to intimidate unarmed people then it might make me feel empowered. But since the only reason I would ever draw it is if an adversary has drawn down on me or someone else, then there is no reason for it to make me feel powerful. It is just an equalizer. And I know if I have to draw it I am having a really bad day.
 
It increases my awareness. It increases my sense of responsibility. I don't feel empowered.

I'd agree...definitely it's the responsibility thing. I don't know that I'm actually more aware of others when I'm carrying but I'm definitely more aware of what I'm doing.
 
I'd agree...definitely it's the responsibility thing. I don't know that I'm actually more aware of others when I'm carrying but I'm definitely more aware of what I'm doing.

Exactly. That is the same awareness I am talking about.
 
Overall, I'd have to say no. I empowered myself years ago with military training and some good ole life experience. A firearm is just a tool to me.
 
No but it gives me a sense of safety..........If I am approached by someone carrying a weapon it puts me on equal ground with him/her.
 
Makes me feel like a bigger man, if you know what I mean.
 
Yes, it empowers you - and particulary women - to be able to go in public where otherwise the risks are too great.
 
No but it gives me a sense of safety..........If I am approached by someone carrying a weapon it puts me on equal ground with him/her.


So YOU are ANOTHER person who believes a person may only use a firearm if the other person first has displayed one - meaning you're already dead and there is no reason for you to have had a firearm in the first place.

People should TRY to grasp the reality of this video. My wife is faster and, having a laser sight, does not need to come to eye level and being a 38sp does not need both hands. You wait until the other person shows a gun to go for yours and your's dead. She proved that over and over in tests with cops in training sessions.

 
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