Is it time to talk about guns?

So what have we learned in 68 pages of posts?

In my opinion we have learned that the pro gun folks lack any cohesive, logical, or rational arguments for most, if not all, of their claims regarding guns and gun laws.
We have found that these people live in fear of their fellow citizens and their own government and so they idolize guns and the gun culture thinking guns will protect them better than laws, law enforcement, and correction of social problems. They use guns as a crutch to comfort them, just as a two year old clutches a stuffed animal to their chest, these people clutch various types of weapons as a psychological comfort to shield them from their fears. They see guns as a form of power they can use to fight the chaos they perceive to surround them and their families. And the bigger the gun, the better the protection.

Now, they will not admit to living in fear as they will call it "being prepared". But what do they prepare for?
If we look at the odds of dying over the lifetime of an individual we find that the odds of dying in a gun assault are 1 in 122 and we must remember that this figure takes into account those killed in mass shootings and domestic strife. Further it has been found that the ownership of a gun increases the chance of being shot by 4.46%.

And the chances of dying by all assaults? 1 in 54,623.
How does the chance of being killed by an assault relate to other odds of dying? COVID 19, 1 in 12. Yet many refuse to get vaccinated or wear a mask. Falling, 1 in 102. Yet I don't see many running around with canes, abandoning high heals, wearing padded clothing, or helmets in case they fall.
All other preventable causes of death, 1 in 21. Not to mention cancer, respiratory disease, heart disease, suicide, and motor vehicle accidents all of which are much more likely to result in death. Yet for some reason they seem to mostly prepare for violence by owning a gun.

So to recap.
Many pro 2nd gun owners live in constant irrational fear of being assaulted and believe that guns will protect them even though statistics contradict that belief and in fact point out that there are many more much dangerous threats to their health and well being.

More to come....
Comments?

 

No, not in PA.
Transfers of handguns to a non immediate family member requires a visit to a registered firearm dealer or sheriff for a background check. No permit is needed. Permits are only needed for concealed carry, weapons may be openly carried without a permit. (You can walk down the street with a Glock in your hand at age 18) Concealed carry permits can be applied for by anyone over 21.

Records of sales or transfers are only retained for 24 hours unless the background check is failed and then the record is kept for 10 years then transferred to the FBI.

Guns do not need to be registered, no serial numbers are retained.

 

Not everyone agrees about what?

Seems to me it's partly a backlash agaisnt the rising white supremacy, attempts overthrow the government, misogyny, and conservative hate movements.
Note that a growing number of "people of color" and women are now becoming fearful for their safety.

 

Yes.

 

Let's just say I own more than one. Inherited, and self defense as I was in a situation at one time when my neighbor was murdered and another time my wife was threatened.
Self defense because I had a valid reason, I feared something might happen, and I had a reason to fear that. I wasn't buying a gun out of an irrational fear of unknown Mexicans, gang members, rapists, drug addicts, etc.
I have never said that guns don't serve a useful purpose, only that most people have no useful purpose for them, or they have guns that have no business being owned by civilians.

I haven't fired a gun in years and really have no use for them at present. They're stored away and I sold a few a while back.

 

Maybe, the threat may be real or imagined, the degree of the threat may be argued.

 

I wasn't talking about specific situations before. I know there are some situations where the need to have a gun may be legitimate.
Each situation is different from every other situation or they would all be the same situation.

I'm talking about the vast majority, as proven by statistics, that have an irrational fear of bodily harm and use that as a justification for owning guns.

My reason was that my neighbor was murdered and the murderer was at large for over a year in one situation and in the other an ex-con, with a history of mental unbalance, and with bullet holes riddled throughout his house had threatened my wife (he later hung himself). Those are different then someone who fears imaginary villains around every corner.

And as I said, I no longer am in those situations, so don't feel the need to have a gun at the present time.

 

Not necessarily. Some people are obviously basing their reactions on irrational thought processes.

 

I already provided them and the source.

Here, I'll relist it:
National Safety Council Injury Facts
From their data detail page:

Statistics speak to populations, not individual situations.

 

Yes, I am the judge of my own situation, and I hope I do a fair job in that regard. Other's may also judge my situations if they choose to do so.
However, in this thread I'm talking about statistics and how statics show that many people erroneously overestimate their likely hood of entering into particular situations. I haven't address anyone's, other than my own, situations.

And that's exactly my point.
Thank you the others for helping me in that regard.
Many people have no idea how statics work, what they mean, and how they relate to individuals. So they read of a home invasion, or a robbery, or rape; what ever, and never stopping to look at the odds of this happening to them, they panic and run out and buy more guns because these sensational headlines scare them to death.
That doesn't mean home invasion, robberies, and rape never happen..but it is highly unlikely to happen to them or anyone they know.

We certainly don't need to be buying 19 million more guns in 2021. We already have something like 500 million guns in civilian hands already! Why the f do people need all those guns?
Two words...panic buying and the arms manufactures love it.