Before I begin this little discussion, let me say one thing. If you own a gun, and you hunt with it, then this discussion does not apply to you. If you own a gun and you shoot targets or skeet with it, then this discussion does not apply to you. If you own a gun for that weird sport where you ski cross country and then shoot targets, you're a weirdo, but this discussion does not apply to you. This post is also not about recommending laws or legislation, although I support gun control. This post is an appeal to you to consider gun ownership in the same way you evaluate other behaviors - in terms of risk/reward.
This discussion is for those of you who own a gun specifically with the idea of defending yourself against other humans, or for you batshit crazy people who think owning a gun is all that stands between freedom and tyranny in the United States. Yes, I said batshit crazy. That is the only plausible root cause for thinking that you and your little gun will prevent the US law enforcement and military organizations from creating a tyrannical society. Any rational person would point you at Syria and Libya..and their military and law enforcement is no where near as good as ours. How much do you think gun ownership is helping the rebels fight armor, heavy machine guns and air support?
If you really want to be capable of stopping tyranny enforced by our own law enforcement and military, you'll need helicopters, heavy weaponry, surface to air missiles, and a whole heap of satellite, surveillance equipment..oh yeah, and training, etc. Better go get started on all that.
As I try not to engage in conversation with crazy people, the focus of this discussion is on the rational people, who believe they own a gun because criminals have guns, and therefore they should have guns, in spite of the fact that we have very well funded and trained law enforcement, who have guns, and who our tax dollars go to to catch criminals with guns. As the United States has the highest per capita rate of incarceration in the first world, I believe our law enforcement must be pretty good - maybe too good at their jobs.
First let me give you a very rational, fact based reason you should not own a gun for this reason, or for reasons like "guns are cool". You are over three times as likely to kill yourself with it versus killing someone else.
Having a gun in your home does not make you safer. You are also (in addition to suicide) at higher risk for homicide and accidental death due to gun ownership, and so is everyone who lives with you.
Statistics on successful self defense with weapons is lacking, but we do know that in 30 years, NOT ONE MASS SHOOTING has been prevented by an armed citizen, despite the fact that we are one of the most heavily armed citizenry's in the world.
1% of gun owners report defending themselves with their weapons. However, on further review, it was found that in reality half of those cases involved the the gun owner acting aggressively, and unnecessarily.
Women - here's a tip. Don't date a gun owner. You are six times more likely to be shot by your partner then you are a complete stranger.
So here's the thing. I started to think about why we are so heated up about this, and why people are so attached to gun ownership in the face of the facts. Its such a heated argument, that it reminds me of arguing with someone who has some sort of addiction. When you argue with someone who is addicted or obsessed, rationality goes right out the window, because they have built up an internal dialog that reinforces their rationale for the addiction.
I quit smoking a few years ago, and I can tell you that what did it was not taxation, law, or pictures of blackened lungs. It was getting rid of the lies I told myself about smoking. Lies like "I get lots of work done talking to everyone on smoke breaks", or "I really enjoy smoking". Once I was honest with myself, and realized that I was addicted, and that smoking is simply feeding an addiction, it became much easier to quit.
Smoking is a reasonable analogy for my next argument, but it is flawed a little bit. See, when you smoke, you do a stupid thing that kills you a little bit every day over a long time. There is the chance that you can stop, and even that your body will repair the damage you have done to it somewhat.
When a gun owner pulls the trigger, she does something that is likely to be irrevocable. It is the stupid thing that cannot be taken back. Ever. He will deny himself, or someone else, their existence.
I don't know about you, but there are like .. hundreds.. of times I have woken up in the morning, shaken my head, and thought..wow..that was really stupid...but it sure seemed like the right idea at the time. There were consequences to all these stupid acts, sometimes bruises, sometimes headaches, sometimes socially awkward ramifications, sometimes hurt feelings. As I recall, all eventually healed.
Owning a gun is a temptation to do something stupid, that will have permanent consequences and that is very unlikely, statistically, to be one you will live through, or want to live with.
So in the face of all this sound evidence against gun ownership for self defense, or because they're cool..here's my two cents on why you really want to own one.
Our mythology.
America idealizes the idea that one man with a gun can make a difference. That its all about cleaning up this town, this neighborhood, this city...to "make it safe", to protect or avenge those he loves. Its beyond movies or violent video games. It is the mythology of our culture..the undertone of who we are..the lone gunman who rights all wrongs. Its a cool myth, and it has made for lots of cool movies and lots of cool video games. The armed man is not impotent. He can change things, and most of all, he does not have to fear "the other".
But it isn't true.
One man with a gun is far more likely to be found with his head blown off, a half drunk bottle or half empty pill bottle next to him.
One man with a gun is far more likely to commit a crime and be incarcerated.
One man with a gun is more likely to come home and find that one of his children has been shot or has shot someone.
One man with a gun is more likely to kill a loved one in a moment of rage.
I could go on, but I think you understand. Yes, people kill people. But people with guns do it more often. It's the stupid idea that can never, ever be fixed, and it happens because pulling a trigger does not take enough time to make you think about what you are about to do. Its a split second that you will never have the opportunity to take back.
Guns are like smoking, people..they are bad for us. Help America kick the habit. You'll be joining the majority by the way. Gun ownership is already on the decline.
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