General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I'm 55 years old and have never owned a gun in my life. [View all]lapislzi
(5,762 posts)Former gun owner here. It was a happy day when I handed that thing into the police.
I wish I remembered the name of the earnest young police recruit on the firing range when I took my lessons, back in the good old Republic of South Africa in 1990 or so. I have never forgotten his admonition.
South Africa was, and continues to be, a dangerous place. Home invasions are very common there. We slept in a locked "rape cage" consisting of iron bars outside the house and the bedroom door. One of the items most coveted by thieves was firearms.
As I took my practice, the young recruit, in his accented English, lectured me that knowing how to shoot was far from sufficient. At all times, you must know the location of your weapon, and have a clear path to it if it's not on your person. You must defend your firearm from an intruder, or it will be taken from you and used in the commission of a crime--probably against you. Don't shoot unless you're prepared to kill.
After a short while during which I lived in twitchy fear of having to use the thing, the responsibility was just too much. I got rid of it. My car got stolen. Our lawn furniture was stolen. Insurance paid and nobody died. And I didn't have my conscience stained by the knowledge that I'd killed someone, or that my gun was out there...somewhere...threatening someone else.