[bmelton]

> but at least with the machete they are going to have to physically work quite a bit to kill each person they want to kill.

Without meaning to be glib, this is exactly the reason I would not recommend a machete to my grandmother for personal defense, but I would recommend her a Ruger LCR, or a Smith & Wesson M&P.

The fact that she is physically disadvantaged against almost anyone would do her harm is a use case that the firearm solves quite nicely.

[j9461701]

Hence the old saying "God Created Men and Sam Colt Made Them Equal!".

My approaching-70 year old father will be retiring to the middle of nowhere, along with his wife. What's he going to do if someone breaks in - fight them? He's an old man with COPD. Call the police? They're an hour away. But with a good dog to alert him to intruders, and a good gun he can reach for? He can protect himself against anyone, no matter how much of a physical advantage they might have.

[maxerickson]

I'm happy to be glib about it.

Undermining your grandmother's ability to defend herself is worth it if the policy that does so statistically reduces violence (or even statistically reduces the consequences of violence).

[Karunamon]

This exchange is a case study in why people who cherish their gun rights don't care one iota for the opinions of people who don't.

[maxerickson]

So what's your point?

I'm certainly not expecting any of my comments here to persuade someone who cherishes their gun rights.

But I don't believe that such people come anywhere near representing a majority, so I still see value in staking out a clear position.

[Karunamon]

Perhaps an attempt to ask you to zoom out and see some perspective. You just told someone that you're totally okay expecting someone's family to be unable to defend themselves from an attacker.

But, if you were just blasting an opinion out there rather than attempting to have a discussion - why are you here again? - fine. Can't argue with an opinion, even if it comes off as completely insensitive and tone-deaf.

[maxerickson]

It goes both ways.

People project their gun attitudes onto their grandma's that have never been attacked anyway and demand that we live in a less safe society because of it.

My mom was pretty unnerved when her house got broken into (she was there, asleep, didn't wake up, wasn't attacked). She wouldn't be any better off with a gun because she isn't prepared to use it. Effective restrictions on guns would be a 100% win for her.

So do I lack perspective? Or have I maybe come to different, reasonable conclusions and am sick of people making absurd emotional arguments about how guns make people safer?

[Karunamon]

Effective restrictions on guns would be a 100% win for her

"Effective restrictions on guns" don't exist in the same way that "effective restrictions on drugs" don't exist.

So no, your conclusion is not "reasonable". It is completely unrealistic and runs contrary to the most basic laws, not to mention the culture of the country.

I'm much more interested in realistic solutions that don't involve trampling on basic rights and removing the ability of people to defend themselves from an assailant. If you expect such discussion to be not emotionally loaded, your conclusion is unrealistic twice over.