For most people guns are a tool. What sort of a tool depends on the person. There are certainly people who should not have a gun because it is a tool they would use in association with a criminal act. There are others that use it as a tool for them to defend themselves, notably the police, but also guards, security and jails. It used to include the general public. In my case I used to live in a rural area with our nearest neighbour was miles away. During this period I used to be away from home, sometimes for days at a time. To have my wife feel safe and comfortable I bought her a double barrel shot gun and taught her how to safely use it. As my children grew up they also were taught how to shoot and I added a 410 DB shotgun to the armoury. I never worried how safe they were or we were.
This all came to an end with Howards gun Laws. Not that the guns were handed in at that stage and I'm sure they would have been used if necessary.
When I was no longer in the bush I handed in my guns. Hard to use a gun as protection when the gun had to be kept in a locked cabinet with the ammunition in a separate locked cabinet. I was not happy. One I handed in was a family heirloom. A 12g shot gun that came out from England in the 1800s by my grandfather and was carried on a Cobb and Co coach for many years.
So now only the crooks hold guns. The country is partly now undefended if we are attacked. Of course that is an aim of the United Notions (Nations?)
