Originally Posted By: Tom_L
That's why owning weapons doesn't make anybody safer per se. Guns sure as hell didn't make the Wild West a safe place no more that some African village where everybody and their grandma is toting an AK.

I don't agree with that in the slightest. Possessing arms gives you a means with which to defend both yourself and others. That's why the police carry them. Granted, carrying arms comes with no guarantees though a defensive sidearm, with the proper mindset and training certainly does increase your chances in an 'unpleasant situation.' Without them, all you can do is hide and hope you don't become another victim.

Originally Posted By: Tom_L
How many people do actually have the skills to protect themselves against bad guys?

How many people have the skill to drive an automobile? (I think that answer is obvious). Does that means no one should drive? You are, in this activity or in any other, as skilled as you choose to be.