I don't smell a troll, I smell someone with the same rational questions I faced many years ago. To ignore or belittle someone as a 'troll' because they are legitimately confused by all the propaganda against guns is highly counterproductive.
The problem is in the data (if it can be called that).
There are those who will ignore certain data in order to make other data seem more relevant (and even those who will fail to make rational conclusions or even lie). If you are not exposed to this additional data your conclusions will naturally be the same as those produced from the incomplete/inaccurate data.... thereby, you feel you have made a rational and well educated conclusion of your own...
Habeed, please go back and look at all of the responses to your interrogatory and data. Some (dare I say most) of the responses point out legitimate problems with the data and philosophy behind this line of thought you propose. If you refuse to face the real facts, whether you like it or not, you are a classic 'anti'.... even if you think guns are "cool"...
Seriously, go look at
all of the data available, all of the resources (from both sides), read the logic behind it all.... try to see the problem from all angles.... then come back and let us know what you find...
I grew up around guns, and none of them were ever used to harm another person, but I still felt for a while that guns were a problem (not inherently evil).... I heard what all of the anti gun establishments were saying and it made sense... the problem was the things they were not saying, which I was luckily exposed to by others... as you are here and now....
After filtering through the excess of 'data', hyperbole, and facts, I made a rational and educated decision to arm myself, and to keep arms in my house for many purposes.... I sure am glad I did...
I know that the repetition of anecdote does not create data... but this anecdote firmly destroys this 'data' you presented....
Habeed said:
I've also read about a study where all of the shootings happening in private homes were tallied up, and the number of homicides/suicides versus self defense shootings were compared. As I recall, the evidence was every time firearms were used, it was a suicide or a homicide.
My anecdote- I defended my home, which included 2 young children, a woman and myself, against a known murderer and repeat violent felon while in the course of a felony... I used a firearm and there was no homocide or suicide involved.... just one really scared murderer in the commission of a felony..
I can't buy that you read a report that says such.... it is just plain too absurd to even pretend... where was this study done?... who even wrote the article?... I think either your memory fails you or your 'article' was written with the intent to deceive those not intelligent enough to just see right through this clear farce...
what was that about anecdotes? It applies equally to misinformation!
You REALLY gotta weed out the clearly flawed 'data' like that if you even hope to have a chance to come to a rational decision about this issue..... (if not, you are a troll from this point on)
In the end, I hope that you come to realize the same things that many of us here have, but if you don't I won't hold it against you.... please do us the same favor...