[jyl]

I own some guns, but don't see the need to carry.

It depends on your circumstances. I don't frequent unsafe places, live in a safe (very) neighborhood, heck I'm usually in bed by 9 - getting old I guess. I would ideally like to have a bedside gun, but with two little kids I think the probability of an accidental shooting is higher than a home invasion, again this depends on where you live. If I assessed the risk differently, I would carry and/or have a bedside gun and/or have a good watch dog - though in CA I'd have to carry something other than a gun, a Taser maybe.

When I lived in a crime-ridden part of West Hollywood, I had a bedside gun. When I lived in another part of LA, in a secluded yellow house during the Nightstalker period, I also had a bedside gun, w/ laser sight and safety slugs. And a shotgun under the bed. This was pre-kids.

I just don't see any deep righteous implication to whether you keep a gun for self-defense, or not - just what is practical and prudent under the circumstances. I do think it should be your legal option to do so. At the same time I think the government should be able to make sure that only mature, trained, responsible individuals with no criminal or violent background have that option.