potential enemies. Preemptive strikes. I am surprised Florida doesnt have a law like that on the books. "You are allowed to preemptively shot someone if you believe you are in immediate danger."

It's your choice. Well, at least it is in most localities in the US...which is as it should be.

Part of our precious, precious freedom. However, you are encouraged and all but commanded to be suspicious of everyone. Assume bad intent by everyone else. If you choose not to arm yourself to the teeth and are not prepared to draw and shoot at a moment's notice, you will be upbraided for failing to follow the tenets of our national religion. If you're lucky, it will stop at upbraiding. However, be assured that one of your duties as a citizen is to remain suspicious and hostile toward everyone else. Or the terrorists win. And you don't want that, do you? Huh?

Just line up the front sight in the rear sight and gently squeeze the trigger. You'll never get to be a good shot if you're doing all that thinking. Shooting is sorta like meditation, see...you have to have an empty mind to shoot well. Look at Bill down there. He's never had a thought in his life, but he's a great shot.

Do I need the smilie?

It’s where "liberalized-gun-laws-for-self-defense" takes you.

Unfortunately, the release from fear that holding a gun gives is so powerful, that walking to the edge of the abyss seems to be necessary.

No gun. No desire to have a gun, in my home, in my car, or on my person.

The idea of having a machine whose intended purpose is to kill/maim just doesn't sit well with me. Unless I am the victim of repeated break-ins or witness a mafia murder, I don't forsee my position changing.

responsible gun ownership.

I come from a family of hunters who are almost unhinged when it comes to gun safety.

I have no problem with people packing heat responsibly.

Not all gun owners lead to dead bodies.

As for "packing heat", I think that CWPs should issued only after the most thorough background checks, issued only when a real need is demonstrated, and should require periodic renewals and reinvestigations.

I live in a rural area where it take a minimum of 20 minutes for the police to show up, would that meet your demostrated need requirement?

I agree that owners should pass background checks and demonstrate proficiency with firearms before even being allowed to own one.

I also believe that gun owners are 100% responsible and liable for anything that happens with that gun too.
That means that if your idiot kid takes it and shoots someone the kid and the parent both go to jail.

As a gun owner it is your responsibility to have positive control of that firearm at all times, if it get stolen you did not have control of it nor did you properly secure it.

Can't you strap on a traditional holster?

Is the threat that real that you need to have a gun on you at all times? Doesn't it get in the way?

A gun is not and has never been a requirement for citizenship, & guns do not and never have been objects which reduce violence in any given situation.

each of us, to be "on our own" with respects to personal safety.

The push to put a gun in every hand is just an extension of the "you're on your own" philosophy of the repubs.