Let me also comment on the litiguos liability of shooting someone. I am well aware of the potential liability. If you are involved in a justified shooting, you'll spend about $70,000 defending yourself and getting cleared. Not mention the social repurcussions of those who label you a killer. But my fear of using pepper spray is twofold.

First, pepper spray probably won't stop someone on crack. Do you want to take that chance as they're charging you? Are they on drugs...aren't they? Too many decisions in an already stressful situation. Rack the slide on your 12 gauge and you probably won't have to find out. It's amazing how quickly that sobers them up.

Second, if you use pepper sray, then your life must not have been in danger, at least in the educated opinion of 12 people who were too stupid to get out of jury duty. So, if the spray doesn't work and you were lucky enough to get a second chance at doing the job right with your 44, how will you explain that "all of a sudden" your life was in danger.

Guns are a last resort and I will always run if I can. But if I have to fight, unfortunately, it will be to the death. And I pray it never comes to that, because although better off alive, my life would never be the same.