i live down the road from a town that awhile back had a higher murder rate per capita than Wash. DC, i dont have a loaded gun in the house(well sorta, i have a 22 loaded with subsonics with the sole intention of being used on 4 legged pests not 2 legged ones). i have only kept a loaded rifle on standby once, it was 3 years ago when Darlas ex came to town. she begged me to throw a loaded magazine in the SKS and keep it by the bed, it was the only way to get her to sleep. as soon as he went back to Iowa, the SKS got unloaded and thrown back in the safe.
i am completely against cold blooded murder but i draw a definate line between murder and defence of ones family. while i may not keep a handgun for defence(i have 2, one is Darlas for plinking, one is set up as a hunting revolver(44 mag) for me) i do keep a rifle close at hand(Ruger 44 carbine, with 240 gr, 44 mag Starfire loads close by. not much good for hunting but they will take care of smaller 4 and the 2 legged varmits right quick and proper). never had to point a gun at someone and i sincerly hope i never do, but if comes down to Darlas, her girls or my saftey and well being over someone who has broken into our house with the intent to do harm, that person or persons will not be pleased on the out come of the incounter
the saying "guns dont kill ppl, ppl kill ppl" is 100% true, guns have no mind, no intelligence. a drunk driver turns a vehicle into a far more dangerous weapon than any gun. its through intent or negligence that causes an inanimate object to become dangerous, the object itsself can not be evil.
BTW i invite anyone who hates guns to come up and spend an afternoon blasting away at pop cans, milk jugs ect and see why some of us think it is fun. ill clear my schedule to do it with in reason. ive got everything from no recoil 22 rimfires to rifles that will rearrange your shoulders and quite a bit in between. ive got 110 year old mausers and current production bolt guns, what i dont have i can prolly borrow for the afternoon.