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I was pretty antigun for a number of years after almost being shot. A couple of things made me revisit my stance. First I decided that the best way to deal with a fear (being around guns made me nervous) was to learn about it and engage it. So I took a class. Then I discovered that target shooting is quite fun and relaxing.
Second, I got involved in disaster preparedness work. Through my interactions with a number of agencies, I've had the opportunity to talk with lots of experts in the field. I get the same story from all of them: when the ***** hits the fan, you are on your own for probably a week. Don't bother calling the cops because we won't be able to make it. Given that reality and witnessing Katrina, I upped my disaster supply stash of food, water, etc, and added a Sig and plenty of ammo to the mix.
My guns are locked in a safe with a trigger lock on them. I do not believe in "home invasion" defence, and with a 10 year old around, I think the risk is FAR higher than any "safety" I get. Ymmv. But in the event of an earthquake or civil unrest, I'll have plenty of time to get to the safe and deal with things.
So, to summarize, I find target shooting almost zen-like (think archery with a bigger bang), and feel that even though odds are low, I want some coverage for myself and my family if (when) the big one hits, etc.
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