General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why did I do such a 180 on guns? [View all]GreenStormCloud
(12,072 posts)It is certainly true that violent criminals who also have guns are extremely high risk of gun accidents and of using the gun in anger. But ordinary, legal gun owners don't do that. Ordinary people don't fly into violent temper rages. Criminology is a very well studied field and it is well known that murder is almost never a person's first violent offense.
Suicide is a separate issue. Guns don't radiate a "kill yourself" mind control field. People become suicidal for various reasons and a gun is an efficent way of doing it. Without a gun they will simply choose an alternate means. Suicide was invented with the invention of guns.
A person who has lived a law-abiding life is very safe with a gun. Criminals aren't safe, either to be one or to live with one.