An urgent message

[Jens]

Less likely to be armed in Canada?  Isn't there like 3 guns per household average there?  Maybe it has changed.  I understand where all of you are coming from as well, these are all things I have discussed with myself when it came to living in this neighborhood.  Thing is, most of the violence doesn't take place in houses.  Break ins are usually crack heads, and that is generally into a vacant house or building site.  They don't like people too much, or barking dogs.  If I were to tote a firearm around though, even just for "protection" from those who would mean me harm, I would feel just as bad about pulling the gun on somebody who I thought was threatening me as I would for shooting them.  Also would probably get shot myself.  Nobody; even gang bangers, and drug dealers; want that kind of person around.  God willing, if you are ever in that position Don (God forbid), your situation goes as hoped.  When I was a kid, I wanted to get a paintball gun and have wars with my friends.  My mom's boyfriend, explained to me how cold hearted or afraid you have to be to shoot someone.  Lectured me a bit, actually.  He was in Vietnam, had shot people there.  Even the cases of self defense, he never forgot.  Like a curse.  

Ah, how I long for the days when people will beat their rifles into plow shears, and make their tanks into flowerbeds!  

Thanks for the stories there guys.  Don, I was always the smallest kid in school, always got picked on because I cried easily.  Later, when I grew the summer before junior year, not only did I not take any more crap from those same kids, but I would always stand up for the smaller ones that had become their targets.  Was in one fight in middle school, kid wouldn't stop giving me crap.  I elbowed him, he punched me a few times, never even felt it.  Kid has been super cool to me ever since.  Unfortunately, that is not the way it seems to work most of the time in the streets, or in wars (from my withdrawn POV).  Then, a few years ago, my "best friend" at the time cut out my heart.  I wanted nothing more than to open up his head like a tin can.  Instead, I opened up his International Scout (his heart) like a head, with the help of a crowbar.  I feel ashamed that I did it, but also ashamed that I didn't take it out of gear and let it roll down the hill off the cliff.  Still left feeling the emptiness that only forgiveness and reconciliation can fill.  He ,unlike the first guy, is not my friend anymore.

I could never lack regret if something happened to my family, but I could never lack regret for taking somebody else out of this world, either.  Just a hard line to draw, God willing, I will never have to.

[MountainDon]

Guns in Canada.

The USA is estimated to have 90 guns per 100 population. Canada 33 guns per 100 population.

Guns in Canada are not distributed as evenly as in the USA. That is, a gun owner in Canada is likely to own more guns than the average gun owner in the USA.

Furthermore Canadian homes with guns tend to be more rural, whereas in the USA the gun ownership is more spread around with city folk owning a greater number of guns than there counterparts in Canada.

Therefore, if you are a burglar in Canada you are most likely operating in an urban area than has a low density of gun ownership.


FWIW, gun ownership is more restricted in Canada. Handguns are especially more difficult to obtain/own. Guns are registered by law, although I understand the government has had great difficulty in getting people to come forth and voluntarily register their guns. (Probably because they are afraid of what the next step may be. That is pure supposition on my part. I have no facts; just projecting my personal thoughts/ opinions/biases.)

[MountainDon]

Ah, how I long for the days when people will beat their rifles into plow shears, and make their tanks into flowerbeds! 

Jens, I know you mean well by that. And yes it would be superb to live in a world where the only reason we wanted a gun was to hunt for meat. (And if that offends anyone, so be it.)

However, the problem I have is that I don't want to disarm unless the bad guys do so as well. The bad guys have not given me any reasons to believe they would even if they said they would.      I would feel bad if I gave up my right to own legal arms and then some S.O.B. with an illegally owned firearm came along and carried out whatever nefarious deed he had in mind.