Imagine that on a dark night a strange noise awakens you. Going down the stairs you find a band of thugs looting your valuables. “What would you do?” “I would reach for my trusty pistol, and make them regret their career choice” reply around 2 million homeowners, because that’s the estimated number of defensive gun users in the U.S. Relying on a firearm during a robbery is a very attractive thought in most people’s heads, thanks to some false myths such as “firearms are used more than 80 times more often to protect the lives of honest citizens than to take lives”. But is a gun really a good choice in protecting your family’s lives and belongings?
When toying with the idea of buying a gun, most homeowners consider it as a defensive measure. A common argument is that they don’t wish to actually kill the criminal, only scare them away. However, using a firearm to protect yourself holds more drawbacks than benefits. Let’s start with the legal issues. The Second Amendment is very specific on what justifies the use of lethal force. Shooting at a fleeing thief for instance will most certainly earn you a spot in jail, putting you together with the very same type of people who were breaking into your home.
Without knowing the exact lengths of the law, don’t even think about purchasing a gun. Also, effectively using a firearm demands practice. You can’t just grab it and expect to hit the mark instantly, and in a crisis situation your aim is even worse. A badly placed shot will cause extra harm in your expensive electronics, but it’s also possible that your “warning shot” ends up hurting a family member. And again, if you kill a defenseless person, even if they are in middle of robbing you, you’ll be the one sent behind bars. But it can be even worse: the criminals entering your home are probably armed themselves, and seeing a gun in your hand either prompts them to fire first, or to take one of your beloved ones hostage. And we didn’t even touch on the subject of kids irresponsibly playing with the gun they found in their parent’s drawer…
We believe that’s enough counterargument against weapon-based home protection. Buying a gun might be cheaper than a full home security system, but alarms and sensors remain functional even when you leave the house. This is topped by the fact that currently no guns are able to dispatch the police, unlike the highly trained monitoring staff who keep tabs on your home security system. Modern smart home technology even allows you to access the live HD camera feed from your smartphone and hand-in crystal clear evidence of the perpetrators. The motion detectors, cameras and other alarm equipment hanging around your home are often already enough to shield off any burglars on the lookout to risk their shot in your home.
There are also less expensive home security solutions, and you can always adopt a fierce guard dog, who also becomes a loving pet for the family. Alternatively, set up some deadly traps in the front yard, those are great deterrents as well…
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