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Does owning a hand gun for protection make you more safe or less safe?

Does owning a hand gun for protection make you more safe or less safe?

  • Total voters
    81
Federalist said:
And what means would you prefer these suicidal people use to kill themselves?
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If the owners hadn't made the gun available many would still be alive, having had time to reconsider. Shooting yourself on impulse is a final act.
 
Manc Skipper said:
If the owners hadn't made the gun available many would still be alive, having had time to reconsider. Shooting yourself on impulse is a final act.
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there is no proof of that.
 
Manc Skipper said:
If the owners hadn't made the gun available many would still be alive, having had time to reconsider.
Shooting yourself on impulse is a final act.
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No more than jumping off a bridge/building, or in front of a train. They're all permanent solutions to a temporary problem.

Up to now everyone who has ever been born has eventually died. Committing suicide is just speeding up the inevitable.
 
ChezC3 said:
Rubbish.
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According to the articles that I've read she was shot and killed with her own gun by her 2-year old son.

Did they get the story wrong?

Maybe she was safe until that little boy killed her.

The lesson here is stay away from 2-year olds with access to guns.
 
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Lutherf said:
It isn't about being more or less "safe". It's about being more or less prepared to address a potential threat.
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The question is which potential threat? Suicide, Accidental injury or death or the much less likely mugging or assault?
 
Manc Skipper said:
If the owners hadn't made the gun available many would still be alive, having had time to reconsider.
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How can you know this?

Shooting yourself on impulse is a final act.
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So is hanging one's self. Or sitting in your garage with the car running. Or taking a bottle of pills. You would prefer the 80% of people who kill themselves with guns use one of these other means?
 
shrubnose said:
According to the articles that I've read she was shot and killed with her own gun by her 2-year old son.

Did they get the story wrong?

Maybe she was safe until that little boy killed her.

The lesson here is stay away from 2-year olds with access to guns.
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The lesson here is to own guns responsibly. Obviously this wasn't the case.
 
There are many items inherently more danerous than a modern firearm commonly found around homes:

Buckets of water, swimming pools, bathtubs.

Ladders

Chainsaws, dull knieves.

Medicatations, narcotics, alcohol.

Bleach, cleaning products.

Cars, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, bicycles.

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A gun property holstered or secured is far safer than all the above.
 
Manc Skipper said:
If the owners hadn't made the gun available many would still be alive, having had time to reconsider. Shooting yourself on impulse is a final act.
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TurtleDude said:
there is no proof of that.
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Thrilla said:
we should poll the folks that have successfully committed suicide to get the facts
<snicker>
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shrubnose said:
No more than jumping off a bridge/building, or in front of a train. They're all permanent solutions to a temporary problem.
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Federalist said:
How can you know this?

So is hanging one's self. Or sitting in your garage with the car running. Or taking a bottle of pills. You would prefer the 80% of people who kill themselves with guns use one of these other means?
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We could poll those that have come close to suicide by other means, and ask them if they had a gun in their house, do they think they would be alive or not?

I personally know someone who wouldn't be alive now had he had a gun (he has since recovered and regrets ever trying to commit suicide). You could also refer to this thread: http://www.debatepolitics.com/tavern/212077-dp-helped-me-save-someones-life.html - I don't know whether the subject of this thread would have or not, of course it's difficult to deal with hypotheticals.

Regardless of whether you think this is a reason for gun control or not, it's a valid point Manc Skipper brings up and is silly to just plainly dismiss and snicker at.
 
Flamethrower said:
There are many items inherently more danerous than a modern firearm commonly found around homes:

Buckets of water, swimming pools, bathtubs.

Ladders

Chainsaws, dull knieves.

Medicatations, narcotics, alcohol.

Bleach, cleaning products.

Cars, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, bicycles.

--------

A gun property holstered or secured is far safer than all the above.
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Until someone shoots you with it.
 
shrubnose said:
From what I've read she tried to be safe, but her 2-year old outsmarted her.
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You can't "try" to be safe if your 2 years old can gain access. There are designed holsters and bags for such situation.
 
11Bravo said:
You can't "try" to be safe if your 2 years old can gain access.
There are designed holsters and bags for such situation.
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According to some articles that I've read she had her gun in one of those, but it didn't stop her 2-year old from shooting and killing her.
 
It's hard to say. I dont like having a gun. I am clumsy.
 
shrubnose said:
According to some articles that I've read she had her gun in one of those, but it didn't stop her 2-year old from shooting and killing her.
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According to the local APR news source that spoke about the bag (was watching CNN)- the mother did not have any of the safety models designed with parental locks. That part is strangely not being reported....
 
pbrauer said:
More Safe
Less Safe
I don't know
Other

(This thread is not about the 2nd Amendment or banning guns, its about personal choices.)
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If you are trained in how to use it, more safe. If you aren't, less safe.
 
ThePlayDrive said:
If you are trained in how to use it, more safe. If you aren't, less safe.
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The woman whose two-year-old son accidently killed her was a gun enthusiast and I am pretty sure she was trained on how to use it.
 
Ryan5 said:
No not at all.

I just don't think a bunch of Joe Bob's with HS educations running around with handguns and a 5th grade sense of justice is a good thing.
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The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution doesn't agree with you.
 
If a 2 year old got hold of a gun an adult acted irresponsibly. 2 year olds don't outsmart adults. If you are outsmarted by a 2 year old you need to consider the possibility you are not an adult. Age does not determine if someone is an adult.

I have known more people injured and killed by firearms than people who have used them for protection. From my experiences handguns have caused more harm than they have averted.

The other side of the coin is would the people injured or killed by irresponsible and reckless use of a gun not have still been injured or killed if the gun was removed from their lives. I would say that irresponsible and reckless behavior would eventually lead to the same outcome with or without a gun.
 
PIPEWRENCH said:
I have known more people injured and killed by firearms than people who have used them for protection. From my experiences handguns have caused more harm than they have averted.
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Your "experiences" is not the norm. :wink:
 
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