Quote:
Originally Posted by onelifecrisis
You mean the part where you say "some choose to do more, some choose to do less"? I didn't realise that needed a reply, but if you like: those choosing to do "less" as you put it are not endangering others by their choices.
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Don't mistake my usage of the word "less" for judgment; it is referring to quantity. In my experience, choosing to do less for their own security can absolutely increase the danger to others by creating exactly the type of environment that facilitates criminal behavior. For example, leaving exterior lights dark, or unkempt hedges against windows, can create areas of darkness that criminals exploit to gain access to a home.
Which brings us back to the responsibility issue. Don't break into my home and threaten my family, and my firearm won't hurt you. It's a simple matter of responsibility. I don't carry my gun on the streets, nor I do store it in a manner inconsistent with well-established standards of safety and responsibility. A properly-stored and locked firearm endangers no one.
I choose reasonable means to protect myself and my family. United States law provides, as an American citizen without a felony record, the right to own firearms. In accordance with that law, and the laws of the State of Maryland, I am the fully-trained, responsible owner of legally-obtained and legally maintained firearms. I lock the doors and windows of my home and my car. I minimize potential attractants that might call unwanted criminal attention to my home.
Believe me, I would much rather exist in an environment without a need to defend my family and my home from others with malicious intent; sadly, that world does not exist within my reach, and until that is different, I will react accordingly.