I found that I was uncomfortable with the huge leap from defenseless to armed with firearm, mostly because I think there are serious problems with our legal system (mainly the subjectivity, whims, and personal character of prosecutors). Pulling a gun in self defense is still a legal crap shoot that can make life unpleasant no matter how right you may be. Our system still seems to favor bad guys over good guys.
I believe that the next responsible step is to develop the ability to effectively disable one, two, or more people without using a firearm. Granted, not everyone has the physical ability to fight to this degree, but most people do have far more potential than they might imagine. And knowing how easy it is to take someone out without a gun goes a long way in removing fear from the equation. Keeping one’s composure and thinking straight is a huge factor.
I’m a strong supporter of conceal carry, but I also believe it is far preferable to resolve a situation without tripping the ‘firearm involved’ legal tripwire. One should not feel defenseless without a gun.
