Nice post. The most well thought out response--both for and against having a firearm--that I've read in a long time. I think it takes guts to declare in certain circles that you choose not to keep a firearm because you're liable to have all kinds of abuse heaped on you for such a stand. I choose not to have a firearm, whether for recreation or self-defense purposes.

Regarding the self-defense angle, it's a decision based on my circumstances, my perception of the odds of ever needing a firearm, my wife's wishes, and like Kuovonne, some thought into the other possible negative repurcussions of having a firearm in the house. I'm not saying no one should have a gun, but for me, right now, no thank you. But I'm also open to the possibility that that may change sometime in the future.

As you point out, not only do we need to take the risks into account, but also the tremendous costs involved in responsibly keeping a firearm for self-defense, particularly for concealed carry--in psychological commitment, equipment, time, and training. If Kuovonne doesn't feel comfortable with firearms and thinks that the possible negative outcomes of having one are unacceptable to her, fine. She's an adult who has thought through this and I applaud her for making the decision. There are other ways to address and mitigate the risks, as others have already pointed out.

And if someone wants to say, "Well, if she gets raped, it's her fault for not having a gun!" then I'd say, "Grow up". For one thing, you're blaming the victim. It's like blaming the people in the World Trade Center for not having antiaircraft missles or parachutes in their offices. And secondly, does that comment reflect the kind of society we want to live in? As much as some of us decry the "decline of civillization" and see chaos and attackers around every corner, most of us in the West live in relative affluence, peace, and freedom. Even so, sh*t happens occasionally, even to the most prepared of us--including the well armed--and when we're down, I would hope that the people around us would have a spirit of helping and understanding, rather than, "Tsk, tsk, you only have yourself to blame".

To me, the spirit of ETS is not just personal responsibility for myself, but also the willingness and compassion to jump in and help others in need. I think the recent Everest incident and leaving a climber behind is one example of this clash of ideals. Or Ors' recent post in Around the Campfire about the young lady with the flat tire. OK, she was incredibly clueless, but more importantly, thank goodness for people like Ors who made the effort to help.