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[Hoshnasi]

Take my town for example... Here is the crime blotter for 2014

Entry level homes in Cerritos are around 500k. It's middle class suburbs all-around.

Here are past blotters.

Not sure why we are splitting hairs, unknown violent crimes happen daily. Be prepared are don't. It is your choice.

But coming onto a message board to imply that people that are prepared might be doing so because they are living in fear or have some kind of fantasy blood-lust is disrespectful.

[44fred]

Not really splitting hairs. Someone mentioned the hoods who live in the ghettos coming into the more affluent areas for B&E. All I'm saying is yes it happens but is rare. They usually steal from their own neighborhoods.

[CK_32]

I think it's more of a big belly small di** syndrome.


Compensation for other short comings. That and just another thing they can raise hell and throw a fit about.

[Whatisthis?]

Seems this thread has gotten off track and people have somehow come to interpret it as a anti-carry thread and keep making the same points that have been unchallenged the entire time. Maybe they didn't bother to read/understand the thread.

It also appears that some of you are just the most un lucky SOB's in the world and a magnet for violent crime.

Thanks to those who participated, it was interesting reading the varying opinions and reasons behind them.

[Hoshnasi]

All I'm saying is yes it happens but is rare. They usually steal from their own neighborhoods.

I know you did not pose the question, but I'm curious why rarity is even brought up.

Earthquakes are rare, fires are rare. We still prepare for them because the damage of NOT preparing is too much to bear.

Why should preparing for crime any different? I think there is way to much social mores wrapped up in this topic for many to speak practically on it. They have too much emotion tied up in the idea of carrying a gun from the media and god knows what else.

[Artema]

I know you did not pose the question, but I'm curious why rarity is even brought up.

Earthquakes are rare, fires are rare. We still prepare for them because the damage of NOT preparing is too much to bear.

Why should preparing for crime any different? I think there is way to much social mores wrapped up in this topic for many to speak practically on it. They have too much emotion tied up in the idea of carrying a gun from the media and god knows what else.

People have this notion that killing people is bad, and so the thought of good people doing it to bad people doesn't sink in. They just can't grasp the subject because it IS rare, and most of the people who normally WOULD be anti-gun are the people who have been robbed/raped, etc.

[Sojournertruth]

far too many here allow the gun to start wearing them....

feel naked without it...

can't remember what life was like unarmed....

and allow it to infect and affect their life, relations with others and the general enjoyment of living

[IVC]

far too many here allow the gun to start wearing them....

Not specific to guns.

I've seen many a man go through phases where they pick a cause that they identify with and stick to it for a year or three. Guitars, cars, motorcycles, surfing, partying, women, drinking all come to mind.

It's just human nature. What we should really be discussing is whether any harm is being done and if so, how to prevent or minimize it.

[MrSam]

What's nonsensical are the people walking around with long guns JUST to "enjoy" their second amendment rights. I understand carrying a CC weapon to defend yourself. But walking around with an AR strapped over your back is going to scare a few people. I've heard of people doing this for the sole purpose of telling off police. There's a fine line between defending yourself via your right to bear arms, and walking around, looking like an idiot, just to prove a point.

[spddrcr]

I've seen several threads that have made me wounder this question. One thread a guy is considering quitting his job because he can't carry at work. Another someone says they always answer the door armed at all times. Others who refuse to go shopping (or out in public) without carrying a gun. I have seen some were people keep a gun on 24/7 as some kind of security blanket. I have even seen threads asking about carrying while in the shower (like WTF is that?).

There was another thread were It was asserted that answering your door with a shotgun was normal in other states and it must be a CA thing if one were to find that abnormal.

I can see if someone lives in a legitimately bad neighborhood but the way many portray themselves here (up talk their social status) most surely don't live in the ghetto.

Sometimes when I read about people and their fanatical need to carry it comes across as kind of crazy/obsessive. Couple that with all the "what if?" ninja stories and those who have a palpable fantasy of being some kind of super hero bad guy hunter/prepper and it sometimes makes us as a group come across as kind of gun-kooky nutcases.

It's as if there is a door kicking-car jacking-robbing-murderer-rapist-thug (thug is used far too often by the way and I have come to except it to mean either someone who could kick your azz or someone who looks different and people apply bias to their fear/stereotype).

Many of us live in some of the safest neighborhoods on the planet and crime has been on the decline for years now. It seems as if much of this over the top "gun nut" activities/beliefs is fear based rather than rooted in a second amendment/sports shooting/hunting base.

You'd think we were living in a war zone by the way some people talk.

living through a home invasion myself my friends and family don't question why i answer the door with a gun tucked in a holster or why i always have one very close by me at home. after you experience something like a home invasion or being jumped by gang members your perspective on being armed changes quite a bit.

[Artema]

What's nonsensical are the people walking around with long guns JUST to "enjoy" their second amendment rights. I understand carrying a CC weapon to defend yourself. But walking around with an AR strapped over your back is going to scare a few people. I've heard of people doing this for the sole purpose of telling off police. There's a fine line between defending yourself via your right to bear arms, and walking around, looking like an idiot, just to prove a point.

Yeah, it started out differently. People just getting in trouble for doing something legal, so then people mindfully would carry in groups to raise awareness. Nowdays you have "operatorz" walking around in the low ready ****ing position. THAT is a sign of aggression, whereas having it on your back is not so much. If people could behave and stop trying to look cool individually the movement wouldn't be derailed even by pro-2A people.

[morfeeis]

i often wonder if i would be a happier person not having seen how ****ty people can be. But i'd rather be the gun guy then the guy whose family was raped and murdered right in front of him.

[MrSam]

Yeah, it started out differently. People just getting in trouble for doing something legal, so then people mindfully would carry in groups to raise awareness. Nowdays you have "operatorz" walking around in the low ready ****ing position. THAT is a sign of aggression, whereas having it on your back is not so much. If people could behave and stop trying to look cool individually the movement wouldn't be derailed even by pro-2A people.

Agreed. As stated before, there is a difference between defending ones self (carrying a firearm to do so, especially one that is concealed) and attempting to raise awareness in a manner that, as a byproduct, raises fear.
I few years ago a friend of mine was driving down a street to pick up some food for his kids. In the middle of the day, during rush hour, a guy was standing outside the restaurant with an 870 on his side. When asked to "conceal the gun" by police officers, he went off on them. Yes, he has a right to protect himself, yes he has a right to bear arms (a right that should NEVER be infringed), but common sense is all that is needed to both enjoy that right, and respect those around you.

Raising awareness is perfectly fine, but raising fear is not. That said, I wholeheartedly believe in our right to bear and carry arms.

[Hoshnasi]

Agreed. As stated before, there is a difference between defending ones self (carrying a firearm to do so, especially one that is concealed) and attempting to raise awareness in a manner that, as a byproduct, raises fear...

Raising awareness is perfectly fine, but raising fear is not. That said, I wholeheartedly believe in our right to bear and carry arms.

Fear gets replaced by reality very quickly when the exercising of rights is continued often.

Remember when people had gun racks in cars? Very few people batted an eye at it.

[rman]

I got tired of being unarmed, and had my eyes turned into firearms.

But now I worry about the times when my eyes are closed, for example when I blink, I am not locked and loaded for that moment.