By Jay Chambers
There are those who are entirely against the use of guns because they could cause violence in the wrong hands. On the other hand, there are people in favor of using guns as a means to protect themselves from criminals.
But there are also self-identified non-violent people who have guns. Why do they own guns if they are against violence in the first place? Here are four possible reasons:
Protection – The Main Concern
When you ask people why they own guns, one of the most common reasons given is for protection–and rightfully so. Although they may never be attacked, they could better defend themselves with one and that makes them feel generally safer.
The world we live in is not as peaceful as we would like; crime always seems to be on the rise, and nobody feels safe. While violence should not always be fought with violence, owning a gun could be the only way to keep you and your family safe.
In the event that you are attacked or a thief enters your house, a gun might come in handy even if the owner abhors violence. Firing it could prevent tragedy. Not only could you prevent the criminal from doing something terrible to you, but you could also prevent him/her from doing it to other people in the future.
Gun Bans Increase Murder Rates
This might come seem counter-intuitive as it is “gun violence” we’re talking about, but it’s actually true. If guns were banned, murder rates would rise. The thought that a potential victim might have a gun can make criminals reconsider committing a crime. After all, they care about their own lives, too, and are less likely to take risks as readily if they suspect that you can protect yourself.
Having said that, if guns were banned, some people would be happier than ever. They could more easily commit violence with much less risk. That would actually encourage them to commit crimes, as they would be at reduced risk of being shot.
People Are More Likely to Die of Other Causes
People are too often afraid that guns increase violence. That with more guns in more hands, everyone would just start shooting to solve their conflicts. They think guns increase the death rate.
However, this is not true. People are more likely to die from falls than by being shot. In 2007, there were 613 fatal firearms accidents, which was just one-half of 1% of all fatal accidents. You are far more likely to die of more likely to die of medical malpractice, disease or by poisoning, drowning, falling or driving than being shot. Shootings are not at all a common cause of death by a (pardon me) long shot.
Guns Stop Burglars
If you were a thief, would you continue grabbing money and jewelry if someone in the house pointed a gun at you? Everyone fears for their lives, and bad guys don’t want guns pointed at them any more than you do. Some years ago, the CDC estimated that Americans used guns for almost 500,000 times to scare away thieves attempting to break into their homes.
Note that people don’t necessarily have to fire the guns to use them successfully. Pointing them is frequently enough to scare away most criminals, although you have to be ready to use it to defend yourself and your family.
It’s Not the Gun That Is Dangerous
One of the things you’ve probably heard is that it’s not the gun that’s dangerous, but the individual holding it. Guns don’t fire themselves. The person holding the gun is the critical factor. If that person is nonviolent, then he/she won’t use it unless a dangerous situation leaves them no other choice.
Gun Control Laws Don’t Increase Safety
There are people who are trying really hard to convince us that gun control laws will necessarily increase the safety of our society. But that’s not actually true. Gun control laws restrict the number of privately held firearms by law-abiding citizens. Gun ownership discourages criminals while restricting or banning them would dramatically increase the frequency of crime.
Final Thoughts
Civilian-owned firearms are a net positive in our society. They’re used far more often to prevent crimes than to commit them.
Owning firearms doesn’t mean that people will use them wrongfully. Guns may just make them feel safer, and even prevent something bad from happening to them. Non-violent people are the least likely to use the guns in a bad way, because guns are only dangerous when they’re in the wrong hands. Being non-violent does not mandate being un-prepared to defend yourself agains the violence others commit.
Jay Chambers is a Texas business owner, archer, shooter and survivalist. He believes in free speech, resiliency and self-sufficiency in an increasingly unpredictable world.
This article originally appeared at drgo.us and is reprinted here with permission.
I think we need to stop trying to justify our rights in the context of public safety. We will lose that game in the long run. Our individual rights are not subject to manufactured consensus.
I came to post the same thought that PG2 just posted above.
No matter how many fires arsonists start with tampons — and no matter how many people die in those fires — no one would ever call for banning tampons. Saying “tampon control” makes it obvious how utterly stupid such an idea would be. “Gun control” and demanding that we ban firearms because of criminal misuse is equally stupid.
That’s not a fuse
Yep! Just as silly to label deaths caused by dinner forks or a knitting needles “fork” or “knitting needle” violence. These two non-standard “weapons”, like firearms, are “things” without volition. People, who have volition, CAN be violent…”things” CANNOT be. There are no such things as “dangerous weapons” (when properly functioning), only “dangerous people”…
Yep! Just as silly to label deaths caused by dinner forks or a knitting needles “fork” or “knitting needle” violence. These two non-standard “weapons”, like firearms, are “things” without volition. People, who have volition, CAN be violent…”things” CANNOT be. There are no such things as “dangerous weapons” (when properly functioning), only “dangerous people”…
Yep! Just as silly to label deaths caused by dinner forks or a knitting needles “fork” or “knitting needle” violence. These two non-standard “weapons”, like firearms, are “things” without volition. People, who have volition, CAN be violent…”things” CANNOT be. There are no such things as “dangerous weapons” (when properly functioning), only “dangerous people”…
Other rights aren’t subject to public opinion like the 2nd is. The press holds their 1A right sacred, imagine them defending it on many levels. They get broad tolerance compared to the UK or just about any other so called free land.
Not true. NY has a a bill, A099, that will give the state the power to detain, force medicate, and force vaccinate a person or group of people. Just 1 example.
% of ccw-holders jailed compared to: demon-rats, judges, lawyers, police, politicians?
Your numbers are all fxkd up.
m.,
I believe Texas and Michigan law enforcement maintain extremely detailed records of concealed carry licensee criminal activity. The percentage of concealed carry licensees that commit any crimes at all is a tiny fraction of the general population and they even commit crimes at a considerably lower rate than sworn law enforcement officers.
That last point is important because the “blue line” means many law enforcement officers never face prosecution for crimes that everyone else would face. Therefore, the percentage of concealed carry licensees who commit crimes (compared to law enforcement officers) is even lower than the published numbers indicate.
In other words there probably isn’t a more law-abiding demographic that comprises something like 15% of the entire U.S. population over 21 years-old. And yet Democrats do not trust us in the face of those facts.
So are you arguing the carrying should require a licence, haw about gun ownership?
To your point about concealed carriers
According to CPRC, the percentage of Michigan concealed permit holders convicted of aggravated assault in 2015-2016 was .003%. The percentage of Michigan permit holders convicted of aggravated assaults in 2014-2015 was .002%
Shifting to Minnesota, the percentage of concealed permit holders convicted of assault in 2016 was .000%, the percentage convicted in 2015 was .000%, and the percentage in 2014 was .000%.
CPRC shows the percentage of Oregon “permit holders who were convicted of any type of felony, violent or nonviolent” in 2016 was .0074%. CPRC stresses that “these cases are unlikely to involve firearms.”
“Most Americans who Own Firearms Aren’t Violent” ,,,,, what do you consider violent, what do you consider most??? take your 2a infringement to somebody named Franco, I’d say most Americans who Own gunns are Pass.Agresiv. DONT TREAD ON ME, cause yah just mite git bit
Yeah We Are Violent. best not step on us
“best not step on us”
Probably get rabies from an enraged Possum bite… 😉
More likely shit on your shoes.
Nice piece. Not only does gun control increase violent crime by emboldening criminals, but gun control itself is violence against peaceful people – every law is a death threat, a comply-or-die ultimatum issued by politicians and carried out by cops. At the end of the day, after they’ve issued their demands and passed their bans, gun control activists want to kill us.
Gun control is masking the purpose, it’s control period. They gave up their guns in Venezuela , see haw that’s working out.
VZ had low gun ownership, less than 10 percent if you consider one gun per resident. They haven’t reported many being surrendered but the problem is now they can’t tool up against Maduro. The key is to have one and not need it instead of vice versa.
The gun ban a few years ago locked the populace out of arming up. It’s a bit too late for that move here.
Even Austrailia was thin on gun ownership compare to the US and only about a third of the guns were turned in. Thanks to the ban they don’t have accurate numbers on how many guns are in private hands. The downside of outlawing guns is you really lose track of them for sure.
don’t confuse dhimmi-rats with facts, they want confiscation & extermination
Rendition, enhanced interrogation, and survivors herded into the showers for delousing.
And ANTIFA will be over-enthusiastic interrogators and executioners.
And the number one reason to own guns…..the very mention of guns will make a liberal’s head explode!
Guns, Guns, Guns,Guns, Guns, ,,,O K , I just took out 5
Liberals, if this guys right,,,👇or maybe it was that way ☝️…! M A G A…!
You know I’m right. Guns, Guns, Guns, Guns, Guns right back to you NORDNEG!
It’s fun to shoot guns. I also like hunting with guns. And lastly my name isn’t Chuck Norris so I have to be armed to protect myself.
Chuck just looks at people and that’s it for them.
Jesus could walk on water.
Chuck Norris swims on land.
While cooking minute rice in 30 seconds…
Chuck Norris doesn’t need to cook rice. It just softens under his glare.
HA! I haven’t heard that one.
Chuck Norris eats minute rice? Man, now I’m disillusioned.
Only when he’s hungry and has 30 seconds or less to get to another continent to roundhouse kick someone in the face for justice, freedom and America.
Persons opposed to firearm possession by citizens should not own firearms and should have large “GUN FREE HOME” signs posted on their front and back doors. Otherwise, they are hypocrites.
LOL!!! I wonder if Chuck Schumer and the other Demoncrat rabid gun-grabbers have such a sign on their doors?
A big list of facts that’s preaching to the choir or whistling past the graveyard on a fool’s errand.
If we end up losing, which over the long term I suspect we might, I hope people eventually look back at this kind of article and recognize why we lost.
“After a shooting spree they always try to take the guns away from those who didn’t do it…”
William S. Burroughs
It’s called Collective Punishment. Stalin would have whole regions force migrated.
I think it’s about rejecting responsibility for ones actions. In this day and age of entitlement, something has to be blamed for poor behavior. “If it weren’t for that gun I wouldn’t have murdered them”. ‘If it weren’t for that gun I wouldn’t have committed suicide”. Hence no responsibility for ones actions.
None of the above for me. Heck, I don’t even think I need a reason or an explanation. But since no one asked: I own guns because some of them are fun and interesting and they make me happy. Its adult socializing and play for adults but less expensive and less dangerous than dirt bikes, boating, hockey, motorcycles, tequila…My friends and kids think they are fun too and we have a fun time playing (very safely of course) at the range. I do not expect to ever need them for self or any other defense. I also make and fly model airplanes, collect automatic watches and walk in the woods cause its fun and it also makes me happy.
No, violence is not on the rise. We are safer than we’ve ever been. The only way you can say otherwise is by cherry-picking timespans and places.
Colonial America had a murder rate 20-50x higher than modern America.
These facts take the wind out of any argument that the 2A is scary. No, someone may be scared of the 2A, but there is no rational reason for it. The founders lived in much more violent times and they weren’t afraid of freedom. Neither should we be.
Gun companies that use fear to sell more product are hurting, not helping the cause. Fear is the number one enemy of freedom.
Jeff, can you provide me with the source/sources of those numbers? I’d like to
have them available for my liberal friends. Thanks.
If you’re trying to convince sheep about the dangers of gun ownership you’re already 99% sure of getting an affirmative nod. And that’s all the anti-gun lobby is trying to appeal to. They know anyone that has an IQ of over 70 knows what they’re saying it’s just bullshit. They just don’t care about those that disagree with their views. All they need is control in Washington DC and they know that they’ll ultimately control the whole country. And CONTROL is what they’re after folks. They don’t care about the facts and figures that the author presented in this article. All those facts and figures only get in the way of them having total control of the population. Remember this, gun control has little or nothing to do with guns, but everything to do with control. You can’t have Socialism and the citizens running around with guns. Think about it.
I don’t fear a government with a gun , I fear a government that fears my gun !
Ask yourself this , what would make government fear my gun ??
The answer is so simple ,, if you lie to & steal from & cheat We The People , long enough & severe enough , We The ARMED People may join together on justified grounds & put an end to their CORRUPTION , at gun point if necessary !
There can be only ONE reason for a government to disarm it’s law abiding citizens ! And that’s government fear of the possible consequences brought on by their own lying & stealing !
If I want your money & the power to MAKE you do what ever I say , I can do so far more safely & with impunity , if I have guns & you have no guns !
Wake up PEOPLE , Our government is corrupt & it’s their own corruption that compels them to fear OUR guns !
You just can’t stop corruption / crime / criminals , without superior force !
Why do cops have guns ? Duuuuu !
Do the math , why has government created 9+ law enforcement agencies to monitor the people for the existence of crime ? But the government hasn’t created one single law enforcement agency to monitor government for the existence of crime !
For obvious reasons , we don’t assign our children the duty of guarding the cookie jar !
Children like cookies far to much for that !
Our government has $hit tons of OUR cookies , are we to beleave that public SERVANTS don’t like cookies ?
So why oh why do , We The People allow our public SERVANTS access & control over so much , without some measure of monitoring their activities !
I ask you , how many times in the last year , have you heard one public SERVANT or another , make the comment , to other public SERVANTS , that ” we shouldn’t discuss this in a ( PUBLIC forum ) ” ?? Or , it isn’t appreciate to discuss this here ??
Well kiss my grits , is my opinion that aside from national defense , NOTHING should be hidden from the PUBLICS eyes & ears !
Other than national defense ” for obvious reasons ” none of any of the PEOPLE’S business should be private & privilege to Public SERVANTS and those they deem Worthy of the knowledge !
If it can’t be public , it’s because our public SERVANTS are doing something wrong , or at best , something they shouldn’t !!
Ok , now , someone jump in and say ” oh , what a RANT you went on ” !!!
If we were talking about how to swallow water , then perhaps this would be true , but we are talking about swallowing lies , deception , corruption & crime here !
The People’s business is complicated & therefore the conversation about it should be equally so !
1.The number of Gun Dealers Retailers went from 63,000 to reduction of 50,000 too. It is time to cut about near of 13,000 cut off plan too. Reason is to many smaller Gun Dealers F.F.L.s holders is regulars is (01)too.&Pawn Shops Gun Stores is way to many too! Is (02) too. The States have to many eggs in one State too. I’m talking about 💙N.F.A. Is F.F.L.s is (09) too. Some States have to many too. The B.A💙T.F.E.A. Agency is only one issued F.F.L.Licenses Applications for the first time as a new Gun Dealers is (01) F.FL.S or (02) too. The Federal Law will limited number of Class-3 is (09) too. Or class-1 with extension is N.F.A tax stamp to be only ordered by Dealer is regular class-1 F.F.L. If he or she has lawenforce training of swart Police training to sell. Class-3 FIrearms on Retailer Gun Store too. I agree! The answer is proper training from police Dept training as a swart Officer training too. I agree! Yes? Remember those Guns are. Fullauto, FIrearms fired 650 rounds to 1200 Rounds per minute of bullet fire too. I do agree! Sir?orMam? The Federal Law only allows to class-3 FIrearms Dealers is only is maximum cap limit per each of 50 states too. If those States don’t want those N.F.A. Gun Dealers Retailers if they want them or not have them those class-3 is (09) to; in there states at all! This is there chose too!Agree!
The max number limit of class-3 is (09) is 2 per each of the 50 States too.agree. The U.S.S.Teeasury of A.T.F. Will make this ruling to Federal Law to be enforced I’m meadly too. Agree!!!!! P.s the number of crowed F.F.L. Gun Dealers will be cut down by 0.77 percent cut off too.Reason is there is 390,000,000 longguns is 2/3s is 0.66 percent too.The hand Guns is 0.33. Percent is1/3 too.agree!
1. The Number Of Smaller Retailer Store Fronts Dropped:, by (0.06%) in the U.S.A. too. In 2019! The Number Of F.F.L.s Holders in in the All States Today is About 49,000 F.F.L.s (01)(02) Regular Dealers Store Retailers Outlet’s Store Fronts & Commercial Properties too! Agree! The N.F.A. is (09) With Tax Stamp & (01) With Extras Tax Stamp is N.F.A. too! is 0.0001%) too Is Less Then 100 too! True!!! in 50 States! too! Agree! By The B.A.T.F.E.A. Depts. Licensing Agency By the U.S.A Treasury is in charge too! They are one do issued the Applications out for the First Time For a New Gun Dealers is Starting new Business For The First Time too! True! I agree! They Issued To Gun Dealers Retailers Store Fronts Business Retailer, Import & Export Business, & Mfg. Companies, Corp. Inc. Companies too!
1. The number of F.F.L.s Gun dealers went from 63,000 to deduction of to 50,000 F.F.L.s Retailers too! The A.T.F. Revoked F.F.L Licenses is about 13,000 in 50 States too! The States with most Gun Dealers Retailers is smaller Gun Stores is (01) & (02) too! Reason is there is to eggs in one nest location too! in State Of Texas State is has 5000 Plus Gun Dealers Retailers Store fronts too! ).70% needs to be cut way down too! Warning Not all Gun Dealers Retailers Abide by the Federal Law First! True! And State Laws Too! The y are rage Gun Dealers do have an F.F.L.s License too! Is (01) & State License too! Dallas City & Forth Worth City too! And other States is Florida , California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, States too! And North Carolina too! Has to many Gun Dealers is smaller Stores too! About 0.70% needs to cut way down too! Do you Agree? Yes ? Or Disagree? No? Why? The A.T.F Should do there Jobs too! I agree! Yes!!! They Should get to work too! I agree!!! Note: there is more Bad Gun Dealers is (01)(02) & N.F.A. Is (09) is Class-3 dealer may be rage too! Do you Agree! Yes ? Or Disagree? No? Why?? There’s Gun Dealers Should Get There F.F.L.s Licenses Revoked too! By the A.T.F if they are not Following the Federal Laws & State Laws too. Or not doing Back round Checks when they Sell A Gun a Straw Illegal Gun Sale to Felon Criminals Or illegal Criminals of other nations too! They Used there Green Card to Buy Firearms Very easily too! in all 50 States too! It true!! This should be Stopped by the A.T.F. Or The F.B.I. too! Or by the Highway Patrol & State Police of 25 States too! The 25 States By the State Police too. Or The Country Sheriffs Dept. Or the City Police Depts. By the Chief of Police too! Or Township Police Depts. Or town Police Dep’t too! By the Chief of Police too! Can do back round check too! Agree!!!
BFYTW is all anyone needs to tell a hoplophobe any more.
I am done trying to debate them. All I say now is “I’ll kill you if you try it. Not the cop you send in your stead, YOU, the person who sent them. Are you willing to be your life on your beliefs? I AM.”