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comment by ghostoffuffle
ghostoffuffle  ·  3197 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Ask Hubski: Guns. Do You Have One? Do You Want One?

Really sorry to hear that happened, ammo. Never brushed up against any experience so violating as that, but had experiences similar enough to understand some of the sense of non-security/general offense.

Would echo what rd95 said re. buying a gun as a reactionary measure. Do you expect it to happen again? And if so, do you expect enough of a grace period to learn how to safely handle and own a firearm, if there is any such thing? Have you exhausted all other precautionary options? Security system, stronger locks, automatic lights?

My objection to guns is largely philosophical, so it seems wanky to expound here in light of your significant other's and your trauma. I will say that with three kids, I'm fairly certain that the risk of accidental death would outweigh the chances of 1) a home intrusion and 2) a successful fending off of the same.

Besides that, can only add that I hope it doesn't happen again, and I hope never to experience anything like it either. I'd like to think that if it did, it wouldn't shake my value system, but who knows. Sorry again.

EDIT Also, and I guess this should've come earlier- what does your girlfriend think? It happened to her, after all- shouldn't she ultimately have agency over how she controls her sense of security in the future?





am_Unition  ·  3196 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Thanks, fuffle.

I don't know if it will happen again. My door could have been kicked in overnight, I don't know yet. I'm already very well versed in gun handling and pretty knowledgeable about the legislation. We don't own the place we're renting right now, so investing in a traditional security system is foolish and probably not an option regardless. There are other methods of security, which will be researched in full. The gun is primarily for the next week or two while I get everything sorted, and also for the unforeseeable future.

I don't live in a nice neighborhood. I let my girlfriend choose the apartment, because I picked last time. It was a great deal for the facilities and square footage, but the location drove the price of rent down. She said she wouldn't mind "living in the ghetto", we joked (it's not quite that bad). Now, I doubt she'll ever say that again.

Her mother, who beat the police to the scene and lives a ways across town, embraced the idea of acquiring a gun. She values her mother's and my opinion on matters above all others, and hasn't objected to my proposal, but isn't exactly excited about it. She's very soft-spoken and hates loud noises. And violence. Like I've said elsewhere, she will be properly educated.