Are you too paranoid or am I not paranoid enough?

[MPDC]

Just an observation about people's attitudes. As a Policeman in a large City with a high crime rate, I was privvy to the happenings and goings on in a "better" section where I patrolled. I took crime reports, responded to emergencies, etc. The normal , day to day routeen of a "beat cop".

I was amazed at how many people who lived there were totally unaware of the volume and severity of the incidents that I either took reports of OR was made aware of on a daily basis. People who I informed DIDN'T BELIEVE ME! Even my own family doubted that so much could be happening in such a "nice area".

My point? Not one of the victims believed it could happen to them or to their loved ones. BUT , often it did!

Statistics are funny things. They only mean something after you or a loved one becomes one! I have ever since tried to minimize that possibility through RESPONSIBLE carry and home defense scenarios.

Take REASONABLE precautions. Have good locks, a plan if nightime entry is made to your residence and make sure your loved ones know your plan of defense and where to go/what to do. You may regret NOT having done this for the rest of your life IF you or your loved one(s) become a statistic.

It doesn't require you be paranoid or live in fear. Just that you take the same degree of care with your safety from criminals that you do from fire, car accidents etc. The threat of home invasion or street assault is very real, even if you , personally , have never had it happen. Most people have never been involved in a vehicle accident with mortality either.

Just food for thought, be a sheep or a shepherd, your choice.

[tARfoo]

Originally Posted by XD(M)ike

I gotta say, this thread has changed my mind! The seatbelt metaphor really helped me change my mind and so did the fact that I DID buy the gun for self defense, so I might as well use it! I'm singing up for my CCW. Thanks guys.

Heh, glad to help.

- The "seat belt" guy

[R/T Rick]

Where does everyone live specifically? I'm from a not-so-nice parts of inner-city Chicago and been in worse parts more often then not. I've been shot at on two occasions and witnessed few drivebys, associated with members of the dueces, latin kings, disciples, and various small neighborhood gangs (I know them since they are mostly kids I grew up with, I never got sucked in and some wouldn't allow it to happen). I've been mugged, beat, and robbed. So I believe it is reasonable to have multiple weapons around the house although some people do take it to extremes sometimes without thinking of unintended consiquenes. Personally, I don't carry, I pretty much have my handgun as a hobby (shot targets in boy scouts and love it, now I'm old enough to own a gun and I'm doing it again) and it stays hidden in my room unloaded but with the mag loaded just in case someone tries to rob my house again. When my house was robbed, it was like most home robberies, it happened when I was not at home, so I don't want them stealing my gun. I feel no different when I'm armed or unarmed in terms of safety. But going back, I understand completely why people in the cities arm up, those out in the country, not so much and the country folk seem to really go overboard with it. It seems that the people who have to worry about bad things happening to them the least are the ones that seem to fear their own shadows. Honestly, I'm more afraid of them then criminals, criminals aren't as jumpy, lol.

[field]

out in central washington in a city of about 50k but im on north end and live in a nice secluded apartment complex where people need to be making X amount of income in order to have a place there.

then i dont go walking around a bunch of random places i drive to the range, costco and a few misc stores, the gym and thats it.

[tcox4freedom]

I'm not paranoid; I'm just trying to be prepared. However, once a person has been a vitim, their outlook does change.

[Jettubby]

Originally Posted by XD(M)ike

I've been on the forums here for a couple weeks, mostly just reading threads. Something I've noticed is a lot of people seem VERY paranoid, i.e. keeping 4 accessible handguns by them while they sleep, keeping their firearm on the coffee table while they sit on the couch, or people who have so much ammo they could fight their own war.

My question is: Are these people (possibly you) too paranoid? I've only been on this Earth for 26 years, but I've never had a "serious" situation where my life was in danger, and I doubt most people have. OR, am I not paranoid enough? Am I one of the few that hasn't been attacked or assaulted? What's your take?

Son, one thing you'll learn as you get older is that the better prepared you are, the better chance you'll have of coming out of a situation successful. Perfect example: Airline pilots train continuously several times a year their entire year. They practice and repeat over and over for contingencies that chances are they will never encounter in their entire career. Why do they do this? Because they are paranoid? No because they want to be prepared for the worst. Just ask my friend Sully if he felt like his life of continuous training was paranoia when he and Jeff landed on the Hudson.

The last FBI statistic which was probably 10 years ago said that 1 in every 4 people in the US will be a victim of a violent crime. Violent crime means rape, murder, assault, etc. Some people choose to train and try to be prepared should they be the one in four. Most people do not. Most are in denial that "it won't happen to me". That's fine and that's your choice but like the above airline pilot I don't want to be there one day and suddently find myself in a life threatening situation and the last thing I think is, "Damn I should have brought a gun. I should have been prepared".

Like insurance, knowledge, training, etc; we don't do it because we're paranoid. We do it to try and prepare. You don't have a right. You have the obligation as a man to protect your family. If to you that only means harsh language and a bolt lock on your door then good luck & whatever blows your dress up. But I can tell you that if you knew how many really evil people there are walking the street; you wouldn't let your wife or kids leave the house.

Take it from a semi-old fart like me and be prepared in life for as much as you can. Let 'em call you paranoid. You'll be alive to say, "Yep, you're right".

[Benrow77]

I live just north of Seattle in a blue collar area that is fairly placid on the surface, but it is mere blocks from a major thoroughfare that works like an artery pumping garbage back and forth, and it can easily enter the veins of my neighborhood. There also happens to be a mental patient halfway house one block over and a private yuppie elementary school about five blocks over. I only learned about the halfway house when I heard some lunatic outside bellowing nonsensical gibberish and when I went outside to see what was up I ended up chatting with one of my neighbors who have lived in the area for a lot longer. The point is, you think living in a school zone where things stay pretty quiet means you are safe, where your biggest concerns are hordes of yuppie parents speeding up and down your street in their status-mobiles, kids messing with mailboxes as they walk home from school or skaters shooting off a roman candle at your car. The reality is: anything can happen. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all that cliche stuff.

[CrippleDog]

But going back, I understand completely why people in the cities arm up, those out in the country, not so much and the country folk seem to really go overboard with it. It seems that the people who have to worry about bad things happening to them the least are the ones that seem to fear their own shadows. Honestly, I'm more afraid of them then criminals, criminals aren't as jumpy, lol.[/quote]
Us country folks may be a bit more removed from your inner city occurances, that is true. But a home/house located out in a secluded area with no close neighbors certainly has a certain amount of appeal to those who like to take things that do not be long to them. If I'm in a location with 500,000 folks, I don't see 500,000 bad guys, it is hard to know them all. If I live in a location with 100 folks and see one that I don't know, it tend to pay attention to that one.
I am not afraid of my shadow and I'm not jumpy. I pay attention and remain prepared as always. Maybe because this one may be the same one who has been to my house 4 times already. We have not hoarded tons of ammo just because we live in the country, but we have sufficient amounts of various calibers to be able to defend in various situations until local LEO arrives. Really, us rednecks are not that crazy or "jumpy" with guns. We just happen to have grown up with them all along through hunting as a family tradition etc, and even have the opportunity to "open carry" around the farm if we want to. What scares you the most, a 1968 impala with dark tinted windows blaring "thug music" as it rides slowly by, or me in my truck with the windows down and the radio playing a nice tune by Hank Jr.

[MPDC]

Originally Posted by CrippleDog

But going back, I understand completely why people in the cities arm up, those out in the country, not so much and the country folk seem to really go overboard with it. It seems that the people who have to worry about bad things happening to them the least are the ones that seem to fear their own shadows. Honestly, I'm more afraid of them then criminals, criminals aren't as jumpy, lol.

Us country folks may be a bit more removed from your inner city occurances, that is true. But a home/house located out in a secluded area with no close neighbors certainly has a certain amount of appeal to those who like to take things that do not be long to them. If I'm in a location with 500,000 folks, I don't see 500,000 bad guys, it is hard to know them all. If I live in a location with 100 folks and see one that I don't know, it tend to pay attention to that one.
I am not afraid of my shadow and I'm not jumpy. I pay attention and remain prepared as always. Maybe because this one may be the same one who has been to my house 4 times already. We have not hoarded tons of ammo just because we live in the country, but we have sufficient amounts of various calibers to be able to defend in various situations until local LEO arrives. Really, us rednecks are not that crazy or "jumpy" with guns. We just happen to have grown up with them all along through hunting as a family tradition etc, and even have the opportunity to "open carry" around the farm if we want to. What scares you the most, a 1968 impala with dark tinted windows blaring "thug music" as it rides slowly by, or me in my truck with the windows down and the radio playing a nice tune by Hank Jr.[/quote]

Great post!

[Slade797]

I live in a small town in Eastern Kentucky, and there are plenty of violent encounters. Most of them never make the news, because we have a tendency to settle things betwixt ourselves. I've known people who have taken a shot or six at an intruder, to "run 'em off," and never bothered to call the cops. Generally speaking, the procedure here is to warn 'em, then shoot. Everyone doesn't necessarily adhere to this, mind you.