Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Ms. D: As a bit of a summary of what a lot of folks have said:
1. Those of us who post on this forum think of the word "responsible" as built in to the ownership and use of our guns.
2. Obviously, we believe from experience that the police mostly perform as janitors after the fact, rather than as preventers of crime. We feel a responsibility to ourselves and our families to protect them as necessary, just as we provide otherwise for us and for them.
3. Guns can be self-defense tools, just another form of insurance. To play with words a bit, the "payoff" can come as the avoidance of a claim...
4. As to answering a door with gun in hand or handy, the person knocking might be legitimately seeking help. If so, no problem. I would hate to turn someone away due to my own fears, and later learn of a death because of my refusal to help.
Some of us remember the Kitty Genovese case from many years ago in New York City. Numerous people watched from their windows during her murder, and made no effort to call police nor to intervene. The killer used a knife; she struggled and screamed for help; this all took some fifteen minutes. So, words like duty and self respect are part of our lives.
The person knocking might be trying to bluff his way in for criminal purposes. Again, no problem--as compared to the potential problem if no self defense other than a loud scream is available...
Best regards, Art
1. Those of us who post on this forum think of the word "responsible" as built in to the ownership and use of our guns.
2. Obviously, we believe from experience that the police mostly perform as janitors after the fact, rather than as preventers of crime. We feel a responsibility to ourselves and our families to protect them as necessary, just as we provide otherwise for us and for them.
3. Guns can be self-defense tools, just another form of insurance. To play with words a bit, the "payoff" can come as the avoidance of a claim...
4. As to answering a door with gun in hand or handy, the person knocking might be legitimately seeking help. If so, no problem. I would hate to turn someone away due to my own fears, and later learn of a death because of my refusal to help.
Some of us remember the Kitty Genovese case from many years ago in New York City. Numerous people watched from their windows during her murder, and made no effort to call police nor to intervene. The killer used a knife; she struggled and screamed for help; this all took some fifteen minutes. So, words like duty and self respect are part of our lives.
The person knocking might be trying to bluff his way in for criminal purposes. Again, no problem--as compared to the potential problem if no self defense other than a loud scream is available...
Best regards, Art