Curious to hear points of view on Home Invasions from Anti-Gun population.

Originally posted by Byrd

My plan is "get out of their way, and let trained professionals handle it."

My plan is to protect my family, not rely on who you describe as trained professionals to do it.

While they are finishing up their donuts and coffee ten minutes away I will be making sure I stop the bad guy dead in his tracks. It's not that difficult to learn how to shoot a gun.

reply to post by Byrd


Byyyyyrd, my sista', I thought the same thing all my life about the neighborhoods I grew up in. But I was slapped in the face with the cold, hard reality that it can happen to anyone, at any time, under any circumstances.
For God's sake, my babies were outside playing when this happened....I was utterly horrified!

No one thinks something tragic like this would ever really happen to them, but these things do happen and they all happen to those who are usually completely unsuspecting. And it only takes one tragedy to change your life forever.

I totally respect your personal stance on guns in your home, and my best friend of almost 20 years (ouch, am I really getting that old.. ..??) feels the exact same way, yet we completely understand & respect each others p.o.v.
But I just wanted to share my own personal experience of something that most people, myself included, think would never actually happen to them.

reply to post by Byrd


Just so you know. You said, "Your chances of being burglarized each year of your life are about 7 in 1000"

That is per year or for an average 80 years becomes 560 in 1000. To put it into perspective, you have a better than even chance of being burglarized at some stage in your life.

Now if we then look at these stats, obviously, it is unlikely that Aunt May living on a farm in Idaho will be burglarized and thus for every Aunt May, your chances scream up.

It would be interesting to see the stats for the cities of New York and Chicago.

The Govt is really good at making stats seem good!

P

the american gov are preparing for things that people wont like.they faked terrorism to introduce new laws then they have created fema camps and the next stage is getting rid of your guns.
i fear the real horror will begin when americans are disarmed.
YOU ALL NEED TO WAKE UP FAST
America has been taken over by a bunch of james bond baddies and they are your real enemies.
ASK YOURSELVES
do you have a future in their agenda?
here is my answer,for most people probably not.
american people are not going to have much say in gun control the corrupt politicians have already made up their minds and all they need to do now is work out how to disarm everyone.
maybe this is the real reason for fema camps.if you dont surrender your weapons you and your families will be sent to a fema camp untill you hand them over.
WE WILL KNOW SOON
im not a gun lover but they are a form of protection especially when your own gov are acting like the nazis.
BY GIVING UP YOUR WEAPONS ARE YOU PUTTING YOUR HEADS IN A NOOSE?

HERE IS SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

IF YOU BELIEVE THE JAMES BOND BADDIES MURDERED 20 ODD SCHOOL KIDS TO GET YOUR GUNS FROM YOU IS THAT NOT ENOUGH TO SHOW YOU HOW DARK THEY ARE?
LOOK AT WACO. THAT EVENT SHOWS HOW FAR YOUR GOV WILL GO.

Originally posted by Byrd

Originally posted by zayonara
Home invasions are a real threat.

Let's define "home invasion" first... it's entry of an occupied building with intent to burglarize. We'll rule out relationship invasions (parent charging in to kill/kidnap, lover breaking into a house to kill ex-lover and new inamorato.)

Your chances of being burglarized each year of your life are about 7 in 1000: www2.fbi.gov... Much of this is fairly petty theft like we have in the neighborhood -- someone breaks into your tool shed and swipes your lawn mower or steals bikes or breaks out the windows of cars parked on the street and rifles through them for what they can get. The number of "got into the house" burglaries is smaller, and the "got into the house with someone there" is even smaller than that.

In my head, I cannot even imagine the terror of a middle of the night break-in. My family is here. This is our castle. What would I do? It might be a reasonable invader that may simply tie us up and take our replaceable things, or it might be a mad man out for blood or rape. How do I plan for that?

Alarms on the doors and windows (we have them that chime when a door is opened) and/or dog that barks. Doesn't have to be a big dog, just a dog. People who commit burglaries aren't fond of having an alert household waiting for them and will usually just split.

Is it simply a matter of principal that guns, no matter what, should not be in the home? How do you rationalize not being able to defend?

I do NOT want guns in the house, and the one time we had one (I got possession of my father-in-law's gun after his death and was going to hand it over to the police) it made me very uncomfortable.

However, you are very wrong about my not being able to defend. My windows are defended by rosebushes (which are entirely too much trouble to climb through -- but if I need to escape, tossing a blanket over the prickly things gives me a quick out.) I have nice strong doors which lock automatically. We have a system of lights that makes it look like the house is occupied, even when we're gone. The back fence is fairly high. We have lights that come on automatically when there's movement and we have monitoring cameras. If someone gets into my yard, we've got the evidence against and I will hand it over to the cops AND investigate a civil lawsuit.

It will take them a lot of time and a lot of noise to get in my house -- and meanwhile I have multiple escape routes (side doors, back doors, windows.) I am not stupid enough to think I can take on 3-4 men, even if someone armed me with a gun.

My neighborhood also protects me -- we all have small-ish yards and neighbors do call the police if there's an unusual noise. And the neighbor's dogs bark at lots of things.

My plan is "get out of their way, and let trained professionals handle it."

Sounds like you are very well prepared.

To be a victim......

reply to post by RobertF


I'm 50 years old now. When I was 24 years old, living in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1987, someone broke into my house, beat me to a pulp in front of my 5 year old son. Never thought something like this would happen to me. Don't remember any of it, my then 5 year old son does, my boyfriend came home after working noc shift, I was in a coma for 10 days.

Wish I had had a dog to wake me up for the event, and a gun to shoot the bastard with.

Originally posted by pheonix358
reply to post by Byrd

 

Just so you know. You said, "Your chances of being burglarized each year of your life are about 7 in 1000"

That is per year or for an average 80 years becomes 560 in 1000. To put it into perspective, you have a better than even chance of being burglarized at some stage in your life.

Now if we then look at these stats, obviously, it is unlikely that Aunt May living on a farm in Idaho will be burglarized and thus for every Aunt May, your chances scream up.

It would be interesting to see the stats for the cities of New York and Chicago.

The Govt is really good at making stats seem good!

P

Those very same stats are warped due to areas where crime is high ie where your chances of being burgled are 50:50 weekly !!. Stats like these are meaningless unless they are broken down with context. In other words how many burglaries occur in areas with low unemployment versus those with high.

Here in the UK crime is falling but people will state crime is rising. When you break down the figures, crime is falling quite strongly in most areas. It is rising in a few troubled areas. Thus you can make the stats say whatever political message you choose.

This thread is very sad and I feel very sorry for US folks. You live in such fear of being burgled either that or you are just paranoid.

I live here in the UK, get drunk in dodgy areas! (well used to when younger) and I have never had any fear of guns, being attacked or being threatened. I have seen fights and chairs being smashed over heads in pubs BUT it almost always idiots at the heart of the trouble. Morons who argue for the sake of it when pished with people who get aggressive (always) when pished....recipe for disaster. I have known houses in good areas being burgled but those houses might just as well have a neon light outside flashing "gone on holiday for 2 weeks". My house has auto random time switching lights in unused rooms. Radios that do the same. Whenever I get in a taxi with a suitcase I have a pretend conversation (loud enough for driver to hear) with my kids about their elder brother keeping the house tidy whilst we are away.

Never been burgled!!!!!!

I have been involved in a home invasion. I used my gun to defend my life & the lives of my family. It took all of about 45 seconds from start to finish. I was on the phone with 911, when the door was kicked open. 911 heard the whole thing happen. First sheriff arrived about ten minutes later and stopped at the mouth of my driveway, about 150 yards away.

If I would have been un-armed and unable to defend myself agianst the man coming thru the door with a loaded shotgun, or waited till 911 arrived. I would probally have been dead for at least 8 minutes before the sheriff came. And the criminals probally would have gotten away.

I can't even imagine in these days and times with all that goes on, why some one would chose not to own a firearm for home/personal protection. Mine saved my life. I am gratefull I have the right to own it.

reply to post by yorkshirelad


Did you glance at the link in my original post at all? Are we paranoid? I am certain that there is a higher percentage of people that own umbrellas in the UK than the US. Why? Are you paranoid about rain?



Sorry, not trying to be a smartass. Just look at it from our perspective.

In the UK if a burglar injuries themselves while trying to rob your property then you are responsible. You can put barbed wire on your fences but if someone injures themselves trying to break in they can sue you.

You can use minimum force if you believe your life is in danger. It is unheard of for a burglar to carry a gun and very unlikely that they will carry any weapon themselves.

Different culture, even for house invasions.

Originally posted by stupid girl
reply to post by Byrd

 

Byyyyyrd, my sista', I thought the same thing all my life about the neighborhoods I grew up in. But I was slapped in the face with the cold, hard reality that it can happen to anyone, at any time, under any circumstances.

Please do not assume that I've sailed through life unscathed. I've been burglarized several times. The neighborhood arsonist set our shed on fire, which caused our house to burn down (we were nearly bankrupted by this.) I've experienced several attempted muggings. I've also worked with cops and did some "citizen ride-alongs," so I know about the other side of that coin as well.

*None* of the above cases would have been helped by a gun. The burglars waited till we weren't home before hitting our house (once) and our tool shed (four times.) The others (three times) waited till the middle of the night to burglarize our car (along with half a dozen others.) The arsonist had access to the tool shed simply because it was in an easily accessed location.

Improved security (cameras with posted warnings, better fence with a motorized back gate (hard to get into from the alley), parking cars off the street, neighborhood watch group) cured it. Since we retooled our home security, there have been no incidents (as opposed to around one every year in the previous twelve years.)

You are far more likely to be involved in a road rage incident than in a home invasion. It's even more likely that you'll be involved in an automobile accident that will harm you or your family.

No amount of firepower would have made an iota of difference and in the case of the attempted mugging, either. There was no way I could have gotten to a gun (screaming and running into a group of people, however, put a fast end to the attempt.)

Been there. Got the tee shirt.

Originally posted by RobertF
Sounds like you are very well prepared.

To be a victim......

Nope. I *was* before I took those measures, however. Although our neighborhood has gotten poorer, and crime stats have gone up a bit, we haven't been victimized.

Originally posted by Byrd

No amount of firepower would have made an iota of difference and in the case of the attempted mugging, either. There was no way I could have gotten to a gun (screaming and running into a group of people, however, put a fast end to the attempt.)

Been there. Got the tee shirt.

Screaming and running into a group of innocent people where one of them may have gotten hurt. Awesome!

Originally posted by tgidkp
an opinion:

I am a conscientious objector in the truest sense, meaning that i would never kill, not even in my own defense. in 35 years of life I have never so much as thrown a punch. perhaps it's cliche, but words and ideas are the true power....and require no physical defense. (truths are self-evident)

I do often see the patriotic slogan of "dying for one's country", but so often it seems to mean that the person would KILL for their country, death is a job hazard.

so, if people are willing to die for their idealisms, then presenting this willingness to your would-be killer is the most powerful action you can take. martyrdom is an extremely powerful idea which most forms of tyranny will avoid at all cost. the collective voice of the people would exclaim "they will not kill us all"....and the wielder of death-fear becomes at once impotent.

in the case that no altruistic purpose can be served, I still say that it is better to not forfeit one's integrity in the senseless fighting for survival. humanity (biology) has played that book, and IMO it is time to continue onward to the next frontier.


life is not "not dead". take your integrity back.

You would not defend your family or loved ones to the death? You would let your wife or children be raped, beaten or killed rather than lift a hand against someone? Ideas are great, but that serves no one but the criminals. You are saying "Do what you will, I would rather die than defend myself". Do you honestly think some meth head is going to quit beating you for that $20 in your pocket, just because you spout philosophy at him?

reply to post by Byrd


Good gawd Byrd....you were MUGGED??!?
Thankfully you weren't horribly injured by your assailant, at least I certainly hope you weren't!?

And you said the God's honest truth about a gun being involved in a personal attack, such as a mugging. Most incidences of personal attack, the victims never even see it coming, and by the time they could even think about reaching for a gun on their person, they have been incapacitated, or in some cases, the attack is already over and done with.
I'll be the first to admit, if I carried a concealed weapon, the likelihood of it being turned and used against me or my loved ones weighs far too heavy on my mind to justify carrying one. In the heat of a struggle, no matter how prepared someone thinks they are, absolutely anything can happen.

The individuals that I personally know who have their CCLs, routinely participate in training exercises and target practice. IMHO, if someone wants to walk around with a gun on their hip, they damn sure well better know how to use it and keep it from being used against themselves. And going to the shooting range and firing head-on at a sheet of paper 3 or 4 times a year ain't gonna cut it.
Many that own guns, but don't have their CCL, don't realize that shooting at a moving human being is not even in the same galaxy as trying to hit the same spot on a stationary sheet of paper over and over. Like you, I would rather leave it to those who are properly trained for such possible encounters. And if I happen to find myself in a situation in which no one in my proximity can do so, then I suppose I would get my ass whipped because, much to my husband's chagrin, I do not feel comfortable carrying a gun because I am a colossal retard and entirely too clumsy. Not. Gonna. Do it.

I didn't even see your previous, earlier post until after my own first post, since I saw the title of the thread and responded to it before reading any of the other comments. Something I have generally learned not to do, lest I make an ass out of myself. But, I'm a work in progress, you see........

Anyway, I'd like to make it clear that my original post was made prior to reading yours and was in no way related to, influenced by, nor meant as a response to your original post, and quite honestly, I was horrified after I subsequently read yours and considered the possibility that anyone may have thought otherwise. I have always had the utmost respect for you Miz Byrrrrrd, and one of those reasons being your indomitable spirit and tenacity at defending your stance on a matter.

I have very close relationships in my life with people on both sides of the gun issue, and I concede to the rational points made by both. My personal point of contention just happens to be what I consider a "Band-Aid" approach to whittling away at the right to bear arms, which does virtually nothing to deter the criminals using them and only serves to encumber the American citizen who lawfully exercises their right to bear arms.

reply to post by DAVID64


you are correct. I would not make such a defense. I have thought about it long and hard and i assure you that i mean what I say.

I am no less "willing to die" for my ideologies than anyone else.

but i am NOT "willing to kill".

I'm not anti-gun. I'm anti stupid gun owners who don't have a gun safe

if you have a gun in the house, it's more likely going to be used by the owner against someone they know or against them than an invasion

most gun owners just want to fantasize about blowing someone away, it boils down to misplaced anger

boss is neutering you, wife emasculates you, don't worry, you have a bushmaster to take out the jihadist robber coming for your TV

sad really

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
I'm not anti-gun. I'm anti stupid gun owners who don't have a gun safe

if you have a gun in the house, it's more likely going to be used by the owner against someone they know or against them than an invasion

most gun owners just want to fantasize about blowing someone away, it boils down to misplaced anger

boss is neutering you, wife emasculates you, don't worry, you have a bushmaster to take out the jihadist robber coming for your TV

sad really

This is just silly over the top, way over, generalizations. In fact it so far over it is in high orbit. 80 Million gun owners are not fantasizing about blowing someone away. This comment says more about your state of mind than anyone elses.

P

reply to post by syrinx high priest


neither am I anti-gun.

but i can't help equating the current debate with that fameous phrase from "South Park".....

"der took er jerbs. derk er derbs!" (translation: "they took our jobs")

loaded crossbow with spitfire broadheads, which open upon impact, will make for a bad day for ANYONE breaking into my house

www.basspro.com...