Self-defense is supposed to be a universal right. You don’t see anyone “policing” nature, telling deer that they can’t use their antlers against a coyote’s teeth. While the deer have a definite disadvantage in that contest, they can still try to do what they can to defend themselves.
It’s only amongst the human population that some people think they have the right to deny others the ability to defend themselves against the two-legged predators in our midst. The gun control debate is an old one, even going back to the time when the British ruled the original 13 colonies, before the Revolutionary War.
We aren’t alone in this, as conquerors and oppressive regimes throughout history have worked to disarm populations under their control. When all the weapons are in the hands of the government, it’s hard for the population to rebel… or even to defend themselves against oppressive government overlords.
Related: What To Do When Gun Control Gets Really Bad
But disarming the population doesn’t make them any safer, regardless of the statistics that gun control groups manage to put together. The funny thing about those statistics is that both sides can dig up statistics to back up their point of view, pretty much negating the value of statistics in the argument.
The truth is, you can always back up your point of view with statistics; all it takes is cherry picking the data and statistics you use. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop people from using them.
The theory behind gun control is that taking guns out of circulation and/or making them harder to buy will stop criminals from buying them. That’s a noble sentiment… if it worked. But according to a report from the U. S. Department of Justice, 89.9% of the firearms used in crimes aren’t purchased in retail establishments.
So no matter how much effort is put into passing laws which make it harder to buy and own guns, the only difference those laws can possibly make is to make it harder for law-abiding citizens to buy guns, making them more vulnerable to criminals.
Related: 5 Things You Need to Do When There’ll Be No Rule of Law
Criminals are criminals because they break laws; that’s the simple truth. No number of laws is going to stop them from doing that.
All that any gun control laws can do, in the fight against crime, is to give the DA’s office additional charges to bring against criminals who are already being tried for committing more serious offenses. Fortunately, we have the Second Amendment as the ultimate legal protection against the loss of our right to keep and bear arms.
The gun control crowd is constantly attacking that right, trying to chip away at it at both the state and federal levels; but overall they are not very successful.
It is only at state level and in states where Democrats historically have a majority control of the government, that more and more restrictive gun control laws are enacted. This makes those states worse ones to live in, when it comes to defending home and family.
Worst States For Gun Control Laws
One of the most useful ways of looking at gun control laws, from the viewpoint of being able to defend yourself and your family is to look at how restrictive that state’s gun control laws are.
While some gun control laws may seem trivial or mere inconveniences, they add up to making it more difficult to defend your home, when the time becomes necessary.
A good example of this is magazine restrictions. In reality, you can defend yourself effectively with 10-round magazines; you just need more of them and need to practice magazine change-outs. But adding that restriction to others, reduces your effectiveness in a prolonged shootout.
California – the left’s testing ground for new restrictive laws of all types.
It has a murder rate of 8.5-gun deaths per 100,000 residents. They are actively seeking to invent more gun laws to pass.
Related: What Do You Think About These 5 States’ Gun Control Bills?
Hawaii – one of only five states that limits the same of all guns to those 21 and older, rather than 18 and older; they have a gun death rate of 3.4 per 100,000 residents.
New York – the first state to adopt gun industry liability laws, helping encourage gun manufacturers to move to other states. They have 5.3-gun deaths per 100,000 residents.
Massachusetts – one of only two states that require locked storage of any firearm not under immediate control of the owner.
This is helping them achieve the second lowest rate of gun ownership, yet they still have 3.7-gun deaths per 100,000 residents.
Connecticut – has pushed gun control heavily since the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. They are one of the only states to institute bans on “assault rifles” and “high capacity magazines,” both of which have received strong resistance from the general population. Even with their illegal gun removal program, they still have 6-gun deaths per 100,000 residents.
Illinois – home of some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the nation, but has a real problem with gun deaths, at 14.1-gun deaths per 100,000 residents, mostly due to gang activity.
Maryland – has repealed its Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, eliminating protections for police officers.
Their restrictive gun laws have resulted in 65% of the firearms recovered from crimes having been bought out-of-state. They still have 13.5-gun deaths per 100,000 residents.
New Jersey – requires criminal background checks and permits to even own a firearm, which hasn’t stopped them from having 5 gun-related deaths per 100,000 residents.
Washington – has recently enacted laws requiring more stringent background checks than federal law requires, yet still has 10.9-gun deaths per 100,000 residents.
Colorado – once a conservative stronghold, with lots of gun owners and hunters, Colorado has largely been taken over by former residents of California.
They have pushed for more restrictive gun control laws since the Aurora movie theatre shooting, increasing background check requirements and requiring that domestic abusers relinquish guns if there is a restraining order against them.
Yet they top this list with 15.4-gun deaths per 100,000 residents.
Obviously, any of these states would be difficult places to defend yourself in court, if you managed to navigate through their gun control laws, but were put in a position where you would have to use a gun to defend home and family.
Generally speaking, the more restrictive the laws, the more firmly the courts come down on those who defend themselves.
States Without A Castle Doctrine
One of the most useful legal tools for those who need to defend home and family is what’s known as the “Castle Doctrine,” also referred to as “Stand Your Ground” laws.
⇒ How To Make Your House Invisible To Looters
The basic idea here comes from Exodus 22:2 in the Bible, where it says that if you strike a thief who has broken into your home and he dies, you are not guilty for his blood.
Yet even with it being in the Bible, there are 11 states who officially disagree with God and have passed laws requiring that the residents of a house retreat, abandoning their home, rather than defending themselves or their property. These states are: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island. 
Generally speaking, these “duty to retreat” laws don’t give any leeway for self-defense, even though their basic intent is to restrict the ability to defend the home, rather than defending yourself and your family. That minor difference ends up translating into a lack of right to defend yourself in your home, even if you are under attack.
Concealed Carry Laws
The final area we’re going to look at involves concealed carry laws. Over the last couple of decades there has been a very real trend towards more and more states granting more and more liberty to their law-abiding citizens in their right to both carry concealed firearms and carry openly.
There are two actual legal principles that take part in this: that of concealed carry and that of constitutional carry.
The first laws that are important here are those that restrict or allow concealed carry. Not too many years ago, it was extremely hard to receive a concealed carry permit anywhere in the country, without the ability to demonstrate extremely good cause for needing it.
Store owners who made large cash deposits at night might be able to get them, but the average person who wanted the ability to defend themselves from criminals couldn’t.
This has been changing through the last couple of decades, with more and more states shifting from a “may-issue” policy to a “shall-issue” policy. The difference is that in shall-issue states, a license to carry concealed will be issued, as long as the person applying for it meets the requirements.
Those requirements vary from state to state, but generally include a background check, no criminal history, not having been adjured as mentally incompetent and of a sufficient age to be granted the license.
Related: Concealed Carry & Why Do You Need One
May issue states also have a series of requirements to get a concealed carry permit; but that’s not all. Meeting those requirements only means that the appropriate department of the state’s government will consider issuing that permit. Whether or not they actually issue one is totally dependent on the officials making those decisions.
More often than not, they will decide that there is no reason to issue the permit. May issue states include: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New jersey, New York, Rhode Island.
A couple of decades ago, the only state which had constitutional carry, the right to carry a firearm based upon the Second Amendment to the Constitution was Vermont, the only state to never restrict firearm ownership.
Changed in 2002, with Alaska joining their ranks. Since then, there has been an acceleration in the rate of states which have adopted some form of constitutional carry, especially since 2015. As of this writing, 25 of the states have some form of constitutional carry embodied in law.
What this means is that the 25 states which have not embodied constitutional carry into law are no longer the “norm” and are in fact restricting the ability of their citizens to defend themselves. Other states have legislation in the works, which will reduce the number of states without constitutional carry laws on the books even further.
You may have noticed that the same states keep showing up over and over again in those lists. That’s not surprising, as these are the three main areas in which those who don’t want us to have the ability to defend ourselves try and restrict those rights.
Considering the violence that the nation has seen in the last couple of years, specifically mass shootings and demonstrations that turned into riots, it seems clear that we need that ability to defend ourselves. That’s good reason to avoid living in those states, if you can.
⇒ Automatic Backyard Traps and Alarms for Looters and Intruders
as usual >>> using out of date info – info all together wrong from inferior sources – and of course the usual regional bigoted writer’s bias ….
the author needs to read something more current than 1998 >> home defending shooters have discovered that their supposed gun rights meant squat to a jury – starting in Sanford FL with Zimmerman vs Trayvon and as recently as half dozen GA guys sitting in prison for stopping a thieving black “jogger” …..
I’m going to go get my abortion now, ya know, my freedoms.
Chucks moms wishes the same thing
Well, that may be for you. However, let’s hope that no one wo would risk their life trying save you thinks “It’s my freedom not to risk my life for someone who cares nothing for someone else’s life. Of course, then there is that guilt and self-convict you may encounter years later that will eat ou up inside like my friend who had and abortion and then resorted to drugs and finally shooting herself. Luckily the gun powder was old, and the bullet lodged in the roof of her mouth in the upper airway. She was showing the pictures of her mouth. She later died of lung cancer probably due to the chemicals in the gunpowder that were forced down her trachea during the attempt to kill herself. I hope and pray you don’t make the first mistake or the second one that my friend did. Which was a loss of a good friend of mine.
yeah mike that’s how it works.
The Supreme Court didn’t make abortion illegal. They just gave it to the states because IT’S NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO KILL YOUR BABY. If you’re pissed talk to your state. My tax money in one state shouldn’t go to fund someone getting an abortion across the country. I don’t think any of your taxes paid for my healthcare at 46.
You mean the racists who murdered an innocent black jogger for no reason?
allllllll kinds of fellow black “joggers” getting shot by them black racists every single day in Chicago – most aren’t given a chance to accept a legal civilian arrest – good majority take a few more innocent people along with them ….
the Chicago Shooting Gallery could use some GA white “racists” to bring some law & order and civilization where it doesn’t exist …..
He wasn’t innocent.. you’re the racist… you make up excuses for thieves … we all know he could have stopped and talked to those guys.. but he did the typical dumb thug punk bs that got himself killed. He was the racist and the thief.. 13.5 percent of the population carry out around 90 percent of the violent crime.. that’s not being racist…it’s a fact.. that culture that listens to rap the most tends to be darker in color… that’s a fact, not being racist… it’s caused by culture and morals, not skin color… but darker colored people like the thug culture the most… The CIA did it to that part of our society.. divide and conquer.. they have us all at each other’s throats… the real threat that we all have is Government Employees
To Illilni:
Speaking of illegitimate use of data…! Neither of those anecdotal examples have anything to do with Castle Doctrine, Carry Laws, or home/family defense at all. I would say “nice try” but that’s a pretty pathetic rebuttal, man. Those are nothing more than high-profile, racially-charged and over-sensationalized cases where BLM wanted to show blacks were being profiled, hunted down and murdered out in the street. I won’t even bother getting into my opinion on whether they were or we’re not. But it doesn’t matter because you’re just completely off track. Those cases involved people being killed out in the street after pursuit. This entire article is about defending your home and family. I’ll explain, not to show what I think you do or don’t know, but to show that I do know: Castle doctrine only applies to your home and extensions of your home such as your car. Stand your Ground is only in regards to being attacked and/or defending your life from immediate threat. In regards to the cases you referenced, George Zimmerman tracked Trayvon Martin down the streets of his neighborhood on foot when their scuffle began. Similarly, the McMichaels chased down Mr. Aubery with their truck while he was jogging in the area when their confrontation started. Of course there is more to be said about all of these cases, but the common thread here is that the law does not look favorably on defendants who try to use deadly force self-defense statutes to justify vigilante or posse-style confrontations that go poorly.
I have to ask, are you a liberal/resident of one of the less gun owner-friendly states mentioned and feeling a little bit defensive? Even if the info were used from 1998 data compilations, what does that even matter anymore as the statistics provided have only increased to further exhibit the problems in those states. It’s widely known that all that the states mentioned are becoming ever increasingly Authoritarian. There has not been one shred of evidence provided since that time to say those states have become better in any way at all. Anyone can all simply read/listen/watch any news outlet regardless off political bias to see the trends of migration of Americans away from those states to other stares and/or out of this nation completely, and gather that any info from 1998 has trended further to show that the states mentioned are less friendly to using guns for home and self-defense. This article is, at its core, informative and correct in it’s statements about worst states for home and self defense. I’m not sure whether to tell you you’re in the wrong place or to tell you to wake up, man!?
Illilni: I was writing my well-thought response to you when I saw your second comment about black racists in Chicago… I now realize that I put too much effort into responding to you. Those two comments don’t even go together for someone who is serious about these issues. I can see you’re just having fun stirring the pot. LOL. You got me, dude! I have too many friends who love to do this sort of thing. So I can spot it when I see it. Have fun… but I’m out.
Excellent points. Yes, not letting LEOs do their jobs and leave persons doing no harm ALONE, is a failure to understand the basic requirements of a solid self defense affirmative defense.
One, you cannot threaten or instigate the confrontation, recklessly escalating an incident to deadly force. Duty to retreat means different things in different states…just as castle doctrine does. But courts recognize situations where a reasonable person could reasonably determine they were at imminent risk of serious harm or death, even if retreating or trying to get away, and that there was non other option or help available (i.e you already hid in your home behind the locked door, and already called 9-1-1…if the intruder breaches that locked door, you tried to avoid use of deadly force…and then, it is reasonable to believe that now you must.
Two, you should be shooting someone as a last option, not a first one. You cannot be out buying trouble and hope a grand jury will no bill you instead of indicting you for murder. Concealed carry means no one knows until its time to KNOW…and then use it.
Pam (not letting LEO do their jobs ?) You mean standing around with 400 of them as kids where mowed down. Or just blazing into a car on a open freeway hitting bystanders….. or taking peoples guns…… Let see what job are they getting hindered from ?
My own Sherriff refereed to his “citizens as Taliban” When asked if he supported No Knock Raids. (his quote of well the military army doesn’t let the taliban know when they are coming)…. Perfect example of the disconnect . They
Zimmerman was not a Castle defense, it was not even a stand your ground case. It was a traditional self-defense case, and he won and was acquitted. The Georgia case turned out to be three guys looking to kill, nothing more.
Zimmerman bought his own trouble. He was neighborhood watching, carrying a weapon in violation of the volunteer policy of the group in coordination with local police. He called local police…and the dispatch response was to LEAVE IT FOR THE OFFICERS TO CK OUT. Zimmerman confronted Treyvon Martin, UNNECESSARILY creating a situation where the young man had every right to be out and about walking in the area, without being bothered by Zimmerman. If Zimmerman had minded his own business, and exercised restraint, he never would have had to fight for his life, kill a young man, endure a costly public trial, go broke, lose his marriage and family, his job, or his home…or lose his honor and reputation. Seriously. Some people never consider what comes AFTER you defend yourself…and have no plan for that!
Pam…. While i think Zimmerman was zealous…. the kid was a punk and no love loss that he’s dead. He was casing the neighborhood to steal and do what hood rats do.
I agree with you on printing outdated info. In 2019 Kentucky changed the concealed carry law. Now the only need for a permit is if I would be leaving the state, as in my case, crossing the bridge into Ohio or West Virginia.
Half dozen in Ga? No it was a man and his son, the other one got dragged into it because he was white and present. That makes 3.
Zimmerman was acquitted.
The 2nd Amendment is the ONLY permit I need to carry, and I always do!
God bless the Second Amendment, we the people, and our Constitutional rights as free Americans!
What second amendment it’s pretty much destroyed
There is a lot of that feeling in America Tal and it is right that we feel that way. However, the time is just around the corner when we will all have to make one basic decision. When push comes to shove I suspect most of the chest pounders and the Molon Labe crowd will roll over and do what they’re told. We’ll see.
As they have with everything they done. Same people praised anti gun Trump and now chest thump Biden plan
I got my permit in Ct. in 1997 and it was at that time and still is a shall issue state. If you are going to write articles like this you really need to check your information better.
So, 25 years ago. Connecticut is a *may-issue* state, meaning that local law enforcement has discretion in determining whether or not to issue a permit to carry a handgun to an applicant based on a “suitability clause”. And that’s not just for CONCEALED, it’s for any ownership.
Got my first ccw in Washington State in 1980. Had no problem.
But could you get one today? In 1980 Washington state was not a lefty enclave.
yea it was – you need to be much much older to remember any conservative days – it didn’t go liberal with Goggle and Starbucks …..
It is easy. Wife and I both have ours as well. They are on the rise here in WA state.
I’m in WY and see open carry everywhere. It’s nice to know that if I need help for any reason that help is actually very close by.
I’m not from WY and the state I moved from I was never able to legally by the guns I wanted. Now I can and no waiting and stressing hoping the DOJ doesn’t screw it up for me. In WY it’s cash and carry. 5 minutes to fill out the form. 15 minutes to run the background check. 5 minutes to cash out and chit-chat. Done deal. No restrictions on what I buy. Even magazines with more than 10 rounds. And I can target practice on my own property. If you are not in city limits and have 5 or more acres, target practice is legal. Property is cheap next to where I moved from. 3 bed, 2 bath, 2000 sq ft home on 5 acres is about 80K up to 160K depending on the condition of the home. No income tax. Super low sales tax. I love it here !
In what county are the inexpensive properties.
Retired veteran looking for like-minded patriotic no judgemental folks. Tired of the wokness. Been awake my whole life but not an extremist.
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Use to live in Jackson county in the 80’s. Visited but turned yuppyfied.
Thnx
What part of WY??
We’re in our 5th wheel in northern eastern Wyoming and prices are ridiculous-thanks to CA movin in. What of Wyo are you at?
All commie demonrat states! Lunatics
The (soon to be) Republic of Texas is the best place to be. When the Democrats commit mass election fraud again this November, we are going to seceed. All the lib-tards that have moved here from other socialist sh*th*le states are gonna have to have a serious “Come to Jesus” moment, or get run out of town on a rail like the carpet-bagging scum bags they are. In the mean time, we already have some of the most gun-friendly state legislation anywhere.
Duke, we currently live in Kalifornication because of career and family medical care responsibilities but expect this to change soon, so i have been looking in to moving to Florida, Arizona, or Texas. If Texas succeeds from the Tyranical regime we are currently being subjected to (selected, NOT elected), I’m gonna pack up and head on over, and I’ll be bringing my very conservative wife, guns/ammo, seed bank and potted fruit trees, dogs, and all the tools and gear I can fit in my truck. Then bring the rest of the household goods after I’m settled in. How is the North-Eastern part of Texas for weather, hunting, and fishing?
Good for you. Come on over. We’ll reserve you a pair of snakeskin boots, a 10 gallon hat, a belt buckle, and an illegal alien hunting license..
Oh that’s what Texas wants…. more loones from California
The water is warm. Land prices are climbing quickly. Might want to look on the OK sude of the Red River, too. Paris, Sherman, Dennison, Bonham, Mount Pleasant, Commerce. Our family is from Central Texas…Waco is still not completely gone stupid. Austin is a lost cause.
Northeastern area is GREAT. Piney woods, national forests, plenty of lakes for fishing. I live in Gladewater, just west of Longview, or about 120 miles east of Dallas. Just don’t come if you vote Blue!
Texas is going to secede for real? Good luck with that. No more gov’t monies, programs, or law. Frankly, King Abbott’s not up to the task of Texas Country governance. Oil will only take you so far when it comes to refining and selling it; it may not be the cash cow Texas secessionists expect. What happens to the poor Texans, and illegal migrants? Do they get shipped out or shot on sight? The secession plan is as full of holes as a target.
Personally just shoot em
We take a pretty serious bite out of the US Treasury when we leave honey. Big Tech is here, not just CA. We also plan to keep all the troops and the toys at all the bases here. The Rio Grande Valley feeds alot of people outside of TX…that might change. Houston, Corpus Christi are good ports, and we have our own electrical grid.
But, more likely we will go liberate our nation from the idiots
pam who’s we lol its all federal equipment to include the national guard equipment all of it would go back…
Murder a Million: “it’s federal. It would all go back.”
You mean like it did in Afghanistan?
miss…. prepper
naw they wanted to leave it with the Taliban for a good reason… (because they lost the war like they always do and ran with their tails between their legs )
Texas RETURNS more Federal monies than we keep. Texas could be SELF SUFFICIENT if it weren’t for federal regulations. We have plenty of refineries, so selling our oil would NOT be a problem. Apparently you know nothing about Texas or Texans! Your targets probably don’t have any holes in them, because you missed with your whole statement!
Glad I live in FL. Since 2005 we have protected by The 2021 Florida Statutes
Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law does not require this. The law allows a person to use deadly force anytime they are at risk of bodily harm or they feel their life is threatened. A person does not have a duty to retreat. As long as they are not trespassing onto someone else’s property, they can use deadly force to defend themselves. They can use a weapon in a home, outside, in a parking lot, in a restaurant, movie theater and other areas. They can use guns if they are in areas where concealed weapons are allowed and they have a proper permit.
Yes, but it’s still illegal to kill those damn Yankees. 800 a day coming here, complaining “that’s not how we did it back home!”
Having lived in six states (California, Texas, Kansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey) I would claim that there are good and bad aspects to most places where someone could hang their hat. Perhaps the very nicest state is Iowa (where my life has taken me only for too-brief periods). But I have never set foot in Alaska nor North Dakota.
But the notion that using guns to defend one’s private property is flawed for most of us because:
1) criminals will tend to know about properties which have guns and are likely to target them because they want guns for themselves, and may believe that there are also other items of value to take.
2) the presence of guns makes their use against the owners, even by friends or family, an additional risk when someone gets upset (especially younger, those emotionally distraught, and males).
3) shooting at invaders might result in unintended damage (identification issues or stray bullets).
4) other accidents can also hurt loved ones.
Two stories in the news (midwest) of four to five decades ago (when I was in Indiana) pointed out the problems with guns:
Two teenagers were fiddling around the unoccupied trailerhome of a drug dealer who had rigged a shotgun (salted rounds) to fire when its door was being “jimmied”. The gun discharged and one of the boys died very painfully from the salted shot injury to his heavily bleeding groin.
Two police firearms safety experts (Tennessee or Kentucky I believe) were teaching firearm safety to a class of police trainees. One pointed an unloaded gun at his good buddy, pulled the trigger and shot his friend dead right in front of the class. Even in the hands of an expert, an even unloaded gun can be very dangerous.
Gun = danger. There is simply no way getting around that. Carrying guns openly on our streets might deter crime, if most of us were adequately trained and monitored (as in “well-regulated militia”). Permitting many people to carry concealed weapons seems the exact opposite to that notion to me, having grown up in (near) the murder capitol of the USA (Houston) and seeing/hearing all the stories of good friends killing each other during little drunken spats.
And that would make you a socialist.. I don’t know a single pro-gun advocate that supports giving guns to clueless idiots. If you purchase or own a firearm, the responsibilities for obtaining training, maintenance of proficiency, secure storage, safe and responsible use, knowing and acting within the local law, etc. go along with the right to bear arms. The notion that having guns causes criminals to target you is absolutely ridiculous. That’s like saying having a car causes criminals to target you for carjacking. In fact, exactly the opposite is true.
To paraphrase one of Jeff Foxworthy’s anecdotes, if a would be thief sees a house in a nice little subdivision full of yuppies and BMWs, he may think,”that place is ripe for the pickin.” If you see a redneck house with a 4 dogs, a tractor, a lifted 4×4, and a motor hangin’ from the tree, that’s a house where a GUN LIVES.. You wanna find out what caliber it is, just come on in uninvited..
Saying that a person advocating for safety (gun or otherwise) is a “socialist” is completely absurd. I am in fact among the greatest haters of socialism (which destroyed the Soviet Union). I much prefer the Christian notion of communism, of which the most successful example is our country’s capitalist-supported communism which makes America the greatest country in the history of the world (along with our constitution).
But how on earth can an even slightly intelligent person comprehend your statement that carjackers would not target people with cars? What would a carjacker be doing trying to carjack from someone who has no car?
The laws may be flawed in that they are written to take rights away. Why should the rights of the many be taken away due to the ignorance or stupidity of the few? I grew up when gun racks were almost standard issue in pickups. My high school parking lot had more weapons hanging in the rear window than most marine platoons. We had western day, and the only requirement, if you brought a gun, was that any gun must be disabled for firing.
On Saturdays in the fall, our local community center had gun training and safety courses for children 6-12. Local businesses had raffles for rifles and shotguns. If someone was being “stupid” with a gun, parents were alerted and the proper punishments were meted out.
We were taught, to some degree, why the American revolution was fought. We learned about the Constitution. A mandatory class for seniors was American government. We were prepared for the outside world as it existed, and encouraged to work to change those laws that were unjust.
The reasons given for the Civil War are varied, and “important” for the narrative, but one of the top reasons was States rights. New York should not dictate what Texas can do, any more than Texas can tell Hawaii how to govern themselves. Each State is an individual entity that is part of a collective. Unfortunately, the federal government has been erasing the individual State’s rights along with removing the rights of the people. The government, by law and Constitution, only has the powers that the People have granted it, but since the government has the military, irs, fbi, and a WHOLE LOT of other armed agencies, they have take power and dared the People to stop them.
Will there be a second Civil War? I don’t know. The comment sections on several websites says the people have had enough and the war will be fought. Will I fight? When any war/aggression comes to my door, YES, I will fight. Do I want a Civil War? I do not see how it can be averted, but no, I don’t want a war that will only enrich those that are unwilling to fight for a cause.
All I can and will say is this is God’s plan. It has been foretold in the Bible, and there is nothing that I can do to rush His plan, or to stop it. I pray that all are kept safe in the coming days and that hearts are turned to accept good and resist evil.
Good and well thought out comment.
Also, I don’t know what ridiculous stats you are referring to but if you think Houston is the “murder capitol of the world” you clearly have been completely blind to places like Chicago, Detroit, New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, etc.. These places have more violent crimes in a bad weekend (including shootings) than Houston has in a year.. It is true, that like anywhere, crimes due to sociological problems are increasing in Houston.. The vast majority of deaths by guns anywhere in Texas (and many other states) in recent years are due to inner city gang activity, illegal immigration, and lack of border security. All of these are the direct result of destructive/failed liberal policy, not the availability of guns to the law abiding public..
Also, “A well regulated militia” as described in the 2nd ammendment literally means, a public that owns firearms and is proficient in their use for organised defense of the republic from tyranny whether foreign or domestic.. It’s an idealistic notion to say the least, but it definitely does not include armed citizens being “monitored” by the government. This has all been decided DEFINITIVELY by the Supreme Court on several monumental rulings. I don’t know why you lib-tards keep trying to twist and contort the constitution to serve your socialist coward utopian fantasy ideals..
The issues are appropriate vetting, training and safety. I see too many people owning guns who shouldn’t be allowed to carry. My roommate, drug-and alcohol-addicted and mentally ill, got a permit because her uncle was chief of police. She was a nurse and was stealing drugs from the hospital. When I caught her, she put a pistol under my chin and threatened to blow my head off. I will never forget the feel of the barrel on my skin. If I honestly believed people would get trained, maintain their weapons, keep them in safe locations, and use them lawfully, I’d be all for supporting fewer gun laws. My experience, as well as having done some research on my own, says otherwise. If people have done nothing wrong, why fight being checked out before a sale? Don’t try the “Big Brother is watching” BS; you can be vetted over and over, for multiple gun purchases, and if you pass the security checks, no one puts a limit on how many or what you can buy (though why anyone needs war weapons like AR-15s is beyond me—I have a friend who owns 15 of them!). And all those states identified in the article, with deaths per 100,000? Here are a few more stats to chew on: Firearm Mortality by State
17 of the 20 states with the fewest gun deaths are blue, and 18 of the 20 states with the most are red.
US Gun deaths in 2020: 45,222
US gun deaths in 2019: 40,167
As of 4 days ago, there were 25,068 gun deaths in the US. There were 369 mass shootings Gun Violence Archive – there are very interesting statistics and charts here, worth a look)
So dismiss me if you want, but in my opinion there are too many f***ing guns owned by too many unqualified, untrained or poorly trained, irresponsible people.
One more comment: I think the expectation is that conservatives believe they own more guns and will own the libs if a civil war occurs. They may be unpleasantly surprised.
P.S. Most of the gun owners in this country fall far short of a “well regulated militia.” That argument is laughable.
Dusty well regulated means training for the milita. Imagine the 2a as it’s written is two parts one is training for the milita and one for the individual user. None shall be infringed.
Dustier58: you just proved in one post that it’s not the guns but the people. And if this country would lock up sick people and violent people (in other words DEAL WITH THE MENTAL ILLNESS EPIDEMIC AND CRIME PROBLEM rather than just mainstreaming them and letting violent criminals out or never prosecuting them at all), gun violence would drop way low with zero gun laws.
Dustier58: “ P.S. Most of the gun owners in this country fall far short of a “well regulated militia.” That argument is laughable.”
My own PS … you need to look at the militias who fought to free us from Great Britain. They were gun owning farmers, shop keepers, etc – same kind of people you’re bashing here. A militia is just a group of citizens who are called to defend the nation. They aren’t the army nor are they even National Guard. Problem is, you don’t know what a militia is.
During the post-WWII era (when Texas was a “Dixie-crat” state) as we baby boomers were growing up, Wild West Houston was our nation’s murder capital. And very few of the gun deaths were Gang related (almost none since mafia-types were met at Hobby Airport by armed sheriffs and told to go right back to Chicago or New York). Husbands shot their wives sometimes; children occasionally shot each other. But mostly, buddies in a bar got into an argument and a gun is an easy way to finish up a dispute. And end a friendship. Every night on the news (channel 2, 6 or 10) the stories were reported. Fists can hurt but bullets very often kill.
As is often the case with this website, I find this discussion both interesting and enlightening. Although a long-time believer in the 2nd amendment right to carry a firearm, I am nonetheless a relative newbie to being a responsible gun owner.
I think a fact that is perhaps being ignored by many is the number of lives that have actually been saved by law abiding, gun carrying citizens who intervened in active criminal shootings. I was going to post a website that supports this argument but found that there are dozens of them available on the internet. It will come as no surprise that these statistics are almost completely ignored by the media.
As another observation, an automobile is also a very effective “weapon.” Let’s be real, driving an automobile is in fact a “danger” especially when you consider the number of annual deaths not to mention serious injuries that occur. I don’t think anyone is suggesting that we give up our drivers’ licenses.
Lastly, it may be that there are individuals out there who are not trained to properly use a firearm as you suggest but my personal foray into the world of gun ownership has shown to me that they are an extremely small minority.
Best wishes to all.
Timo, I appreciate the content of your post and your goodwill. I also am piqued by the fact that you are a new gun owner. I do not, as her own any.
I live alone but surrounded by great people and security.
Regardless, if I had to leave my home, and flee for some reason, I’d like to have a gun with me. A small hand gun in my buggy out bag/in the car
Police are very often not “well trained in firearms”
Make sure you don’t come in my house uninvited. I grew up in a house full of unlocked guns, took my shotgun to school like all the other boys in my gun rack in my pickup, then went into the service and all I did was guns. 35 years later I still practice and ya, I don’t have to worry about strays or richochets even if do miss. Any non military bullet fired from my house will fall on property I own. That sign at my gate that says ”entry may be fatal” is for real.
🙈🙉🙊
Knife = danger
Car = danger
Slingshot = danger
Roadbump = danger
Walking under trees = danger
I could go on and on…
Bad Guys are going to get guns NO MATTER WHAT. Accidents happen.
I live in Indiana and if it were not for a good guy with a gun there would have been so many more dead people in that mall 2 weeks ago.
Makes not a hill of beans to me, since I live in Virginia and have a concealed carry permit. I legally carry concealed most of the time. Pray I never have to draw and fire on someone…but if I have to draw I will fire.
As far as forcing entry, well…
Virginia is a great state with a great and proud history of great significance to the country.. The conservative vast majority there needs to take back the government from the liberals in Richmond & Alexandria that have stolen/hijacked the office of the governor and the legislative house. The crap they tried to pull a couple of years ago can never happen again. Keep up your guard and keep the faith, brother..
Don’t disagree with anything you said except that if you have to draw, you will fire. That’s just ridiculous and also quite concerning. Hopefully that was an exaggeration on your part.
Maine does have a castle doctrine. Stand your ground was taken away unfortunately because to many libtards coming this way. It is a constitutional carry state but I obtained my ccw anyway and easily. Again with amount of wokeness going on here I wanted to make sure I was covered in case they try to take away carry laws. But again to clarify, we do have the right to shoot someone who has entered our home without permission. It is recommended you ask them to leave but it all depends on the situation on whether or not there would even be time for that.
Patriots.
The more that we use the term, “weapon,” the more we sound as though we represent the ‘b’iden administration. Please stop doing it.
In just the last week, I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve heard that bumbling, idiot use the (fake) term, “Assault-Weapon.”
There is no-such-thing as an “Assault-Weapon!” It doesn’t exist! The word, “Assault” is a verb that means: “a violent physical or verbal attack” (Miriam-Webster).
The ONLY “weapon” that has ‘ever existed’ lies between the approximate half-foot between our ears, and there is nothing more dangerous.
EVERYTHING ELSE is nothing but an ancillary ‘tool’ to be used as it was designed. And yet, the paper stapler on your desk can be used to access the “approximate half-foot between” an assailant’s ears.
The “controllers” and all of their puppets in DC and throughout the deep blue sea want nothing more than to strip your first and second amendment rights, and then to destroy the entire playbook.
Firearms, knives, parts of our bodies, a glass, an ashtray, a hot cup-of-coffee and everything else within arms-reach is a “TOOL.”
Please stop using ‘their’ language against us!
STOP COMPLYING WITH THEIR RHETORIC!
Stock-up on tools and be sure to train.
Who cares why shouldn’t we have assault weapons why do limit ourselves
Tomayto, tomahto.
Definition of assault weapon: any of various automatic or semiautomatic firearms especially : assault rifle.
https://www.merriam-webster.com › …
Assault weapon Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster
Go argue with the dictionary folks, who define “assault weapon” is a thing.
Great and why shouldn’t we have machine guns
Kentucky here – Governor Seat Stolen by Democrat who is, thank the Good Lord, offset and reasonably controlled by a Conservative Congress and Attorney General.
The 1983 Legal Definition (which is PreEnglish Language Raping by Liberal Socialist Control Freaks hoping to condition us to ‘see things their way’)
“ASSAULT”
an attempt or apparent attempt to inflict bodily injury upon another by using unlawful force, accompanied by the apparent ability to injure that person if not prevented.
“DANGEROUS WEAPON [OR INSTRUMENTALITY]”
almost any device that has the potential to cause serious bodily injury or endanger life.
Since Assault automatically means unlawful force and anything can arguably be defined as a Dangerous Weapon, then a cup of beans shoved down a person’s throat that results in death by choking could be pursued in court as an “Assault with a Dangerous Weapon”. Quick, confiscate all food items. Oh, wait, Gates et. al. is working on that now!
Since force is not always ‘unlawful’ and a dangerous weapon can and probably will be defined based upon situational circumstances, then different people, when placed in the same ‘type’ of threatening situation can and probably will engender diametrically opposite interpretations and reactions based upon any number of variables. . . to the point where even personal temperament and/or physical conditioning and age become factors.
Some hold death preferable to defense. To others, defense gets top billing.
Personally, I fall under the belief that a person who forces entry into my home is not a friendly who has dropped by for tea and crumpets. I know the legal definition of illegal entry and I firmly believe that such a person enters with the intent to do me and my family bodily harm. I react accordingly.
If another wants to try the welcome-wagon approach… Hey, that’s their prerogative and I wish them all the best without surrendering my rights to choose otherwise. To each his own. If they want to gamble on being a mini-blurb in a news report, (providing, of course, that they fit MSM’s narrow agenda for reporting or can get through the censored-opposition reporting net)… well, okay. That’s their choice. Maybe one of their like-minded compatriots will record the fact that they died for their beliefs on their tombstone. Personally, I will choose to fight for me and mine – every time!.
It is this deliberate zeroing in on our rights and abilities to legally defend ourselves by both verbal and physical means, that those Utopia seeking control-freaks pursue. This has caused a modern-day epidemic of busybodies who consistently cry that their right to their choice must be honored, while, in the same breath, they insist that they can dishonor the rights of those who oppose them.
Making the new definition for Liberal Socialist Utopia a synonym for barbarism because a criminal will always break the law and hold a gun. Assuring that the law-abiding are more readily exterminated or must become a criminal to defend themselves.
Utter hypocrisy and complete madness. TAKE BACK CONTROL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND REMOVE THESE CHILD-GROOMING INFILTRATORS!!!
I refuse to allow others to use my good manners against me while they demonstrate that they have none. Want to take away my rights, don’t blame me for being rude.
Well you know as this site loves cops why not just comply and be a good citizen
I prefer open carry over concealed
Then you’ll be the first one shot when the bad guy comes into a store. It will then fall to the concealed carry guy to try to safe your show off ass.
laughs in prove it…… find that data that shows it. sorry fuddly NRA guy
Well, all of this is very interesting and controversial. Thank you for such a good article.
A house committee approved the 2021 Semi Automatic Weapons ban. They are sending it to the full house where it may pass. Unlike the 1994 ban which was on production and importation this one also bans the ownership of many semi auto rifles, including the modern sporting class. If passed they will eventually begin confiscation and then many will have to decide if they are taking a stand. Passage could lead to a second civil war and would be a huge mistake.
i am sure the law abiding citizens here will love to line up and turn them into the “awesome police”
I don’t see how a round up of semi-automatic guns can happen; there are too many of them. If they were harder to get, and safely locked up till needed, there would be no need for this. Arming yourself to the teeth with weapons of war basically says you’re hoping there will be a war so you can use them, imo. And right now, this country is a powder keg, with dozens of issues causing an us vs them mentality. The availabilty of automatic guns to troubled young people is horrifying. Back in the 1980’s, mental health services were curtailed as a waste if money. I was working as a mental health worker in psych hospitals at the time, and both mental patients and caregivers couldn’t imagine what would happen. No need to imagine now. You reap what you sow.
Make it a felony and people will turn them in. Can’t go to a public range and your paper weight sits.
When I was younger and more of a target for those who were interested in assaulting me, a gun saved me. Just letting the bad guy know I had it made the bad guy leave. I didn’t even have to pull the trigger. I called the Seattle police but they never showed up.
We have a great many very giving people who will do what they can to help, who are with various police departments. I know the heart of these good officers. I have seen them doing good. Unfortunately, we have pockets of those who have a different focus. Where I live now, the police motto has as it’s first point, “Take care of us.” The second one is “Take care of the community”.
In supposedly red state Idaho is Coeur d’Alene. When the whole masking fiasco began, a church choir was singing in the park. The church members were harassed by the police and the pastor arrested. More recently, a drag show was in the park with people on the stage exposing themselves to children. The pastor and others who were on the distant sidelines were the ones arrested, not the weirdo on stage.
It is a good thing to get to know what the people are like in your particular community. Some are very good, some are not so much.
Life’s gotten a bit busier recently so I haven’t followed the articles / feedback like I used to. I got acquainted because I bought lost lost ways for my husband from Clyde. I got just as much from the feedback (if not more) as I did from the articles. Now… yikes!!!! 18 people agreeing w/the top/latest comment? And over (I thnink it was) 80 disagreeing with the comment I think there’s trolls / bad people / not like minded people that monitor this here what I used to help me prep and understand prepping – our country has acellerated so quickly out of control… you know what I mean…
I’m saying over 100 people thumbed up or thumbed down on a comment (i would have thumbed down) … those 18 are not like minded… but the have access to to the comments we are sharing… comments 10 or maybe 5 years ago would not get 18 thumbs up
California is now a shall-issue state. I just got my CCW.
And when taking into account that many in the LGBTQIA Community are receiving death threats (myself included) from cowards living outside California, I’d rather take my chances here where I have any hope of survival.
LGBTQIA+++ Wow! LGB certainly has grown up or out. Once all 47 varieties get included, they will run out of letters and be forced to use numbers, or they could just reduce it to ALL. Because, lets face it, in today’s changing social climate (Pun intended, because the climate is always changing) everyone, in any nitch, lives under increasing death threats and stress from all sides.
Case in point – I’m not in any of those categories, am elderly, and in my lifetime have received over a baker’s dozen of death threats in several different states. Including many online who claim to live in California and fit in that expanding alphabet soup category you listed because I hold we all have the ‘same basic rights’.
Meaning, the category doesn’t matter, no matter who you are, or where you live, there are crazies and LGB+ is not special. Just part of the whole.
Nobody understands just how bad New Jersey is for self-defense and the nightmarish legal system, let alone gun ownership.
With one of the highest densities of black bears in the nation, New Jersey makes it illegal to carry bear spray anywhere in the state, including state forests and parks. It’s a $100 “disorderly persons” offense if carrying a large canister and encountering a policeman having a bad day (a wasted day in court plus $250 in “municipal court fees”). If the cop doesn’t show up to court oh well they reschedule and you have to fly back to NJ or else get issued a bench warrant for contempt-of-court (and the cop might not show up again). Stay out of the state if you value time and money.
And as far as handguns, it is a blatant “no issue” state. A couple years ago the legislature was forced to pass a law stating ex-cops must have their handgun permit applications approved; before this they outright deny all handgun permits, including to ex-cops.
In a SHTF scenario police and unincarcerated “criminals” (aka gun owners) will survive in the short term (3-6 months until everyone runs out of ammo). And cops will only defend their families. As far as everyone else the survival rate is nearly impossible.
The worst states are all the states of Australia. We can own guns (hand guns with many restrictions), but defending ourselves may well land us in trouble.
AS I understand it , well regulated at the time the constitutions adoption did not mean well trained. It meant properly equipped.