Comments on: What Does the Decline in Household Gun Ownership in the US Mean?

By: Cait Scott

Cait Scott — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 08:28:30 +0000

I think that household gun ownership has decreased because of the fear of repercussions in using a gun. The media has inundated individuals with what guns will result in for individuals and children. They have scared people out of buying guns and think that guns lead to violence. If you educate people in gun ownership then the gun no longer is a fear and becomes a tool of empowerment. If more people had guns there would be less gun violence because the criminals would realize that if they use guns against others there is a good chance a gun will be used against them.

By: Kim H

Kim H — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 02:40:08 +0000

My first thought while reading this article was that the difference in the statistical trends is probably due to the fact that there are more houses now, and that leads to the percentage going down.

My family never had guns when I was growing up, but any time it became the topic of conversation, my dad would state that he didnt think it was safe for a gun to be in the house where there are a bunch of kids, but that he is a firm believer that everyone should know how to operate a gun. This seemed to confuse a lot of people. What he meant was that we should all know how to defend ourselves if we needed to, but that he felt secure enough in his home to not need an extra object as protection.

What bothers me the most today is that there aren’t many regulations as to who can and cannot purchase a gun. There is a slight background check with basically just asks you why you bought the gun, but there is no psych evaluation or anything to make sure that you aren’t purchasing a weapon for the sole purpose of harming another human being.

By: Brandon Weger

Brandon Weger — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:41:13 +0000

I’ve never really been around guns myself, actual guns I mean, of course I had a few play guns, but nothing more… My grandmother has a gun, and used to advertise it in her window with a sign that read “We don’t call 911″ with the picture of a gun underneath it. So I’m not really sure how I feel, I think that it is incredible how many more guns we have than other countries, and I’m sure it makes people feel safe, but I don’t know how many of these guns are an actual necessity for survival or business (i.e. hunting). I think that as long as people are using them correctly and only in means of self-defense when needed… those that own guns should be allowed to keep them.

By: Gina

Gina — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:09:32 +0000

I was all for gun control but my opinions on the matter have changed. I believe in the constitutional rights and the second amendment stands. It is even brought to my attention that there should not be gun free zones.

By: Kristi Kniest

Kristi Kniest — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:53:41 +0000

Owning and having a gun in one’s house for protection may influence the ways in which they view the world, but it also shows that they are aware of the world around them. People know the dangers that are out there and what can happen when they are least expecting it. As time goes on, more and more dangers are being exposed. Unfortunately, home is not a place that we can escape from the danger and bad things in the world. Having an alarm system in the home is not simply enough anymore. The alarm buys them time and allows them to become aware that something is wrong. Being able to own a gun lets people feel more protected in their homes. It does change the way they view the world; they begin to trust the world less.

By: Madison Taylor

Madison Taylor — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 20:19:53 +0000

I don’t know one person who doesn’t keep a bat, gun or some kind of weapon near them in the hose at night. I think that a lot of people these days grow up hunting, shooting guns, or even some kind of air soft or pellet gun. If you look at the news people have home invasions all the time. I do not think that owning a gun changes your view of the world. Owning a gun is the same as a bat or knife, it just means you are aware of the world we live in and that there are dangerous people in it. I think people that grow up around guns are a lot more likely to have one in the house because if you know how to use it why not keep one just in case. If it came down to it and you needed to protect your family you would probably wish you had a gun. People who have guns are most likely just aware, not paranoid about the world.

By: Ashley Mehrens

Ashley Mehrens — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:33:01 +0000

I think that gun ownership today is a personal choice. If somebody wants a gun, then it’s their right according to the constitution. Guns can be used in a violent way, but so can almost anything else. It is the persons will that makes guns dangerous. The actual object can promote security or danger depending on the person’s outlook on life. People’s negative towards attitude towards firearms is what creates this controversy. Obviously there was good reason to have guns in the past for security and protection but now guns are used in different ways. Recreational hunting provides a good outlet for some people. If we would change our outlook on guns, then the controversy would not be so negative. Household guns definitely have their advantages and disadvantages, but overall I think that having a gun in a household is a personal choice.

By: Meghann Ellis

Meghann Ellis — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:59:17 +0000

In my opinion people back in the day used to have guns for the protection of the unknown dangerous people that could potentially try to take advantage over them. But nowadays guns are thought of in a negative light in which if you have a gun you are a bad person or criminal with the intent to kill. Always the decrease of guns in households could have to do with technology in which there are alarm systems for break ins of house and other types of security besides physically shooting an individual. The decrease in the ownership of guns in households could also be because of the strict laws that we have in the United States about murder and self defense in which many use guns for self defense but could be put in jail because of certain circumstances. I feel like it is a good idea to obtain a gun in the household to protect yourself and others around from dangers when it is unexpected.

By: Lauren Neiger

Lauren Neiger — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:57:20 +0000

I personally believe that owning a gun is your right, regardless of the fact that I am against guns. I feel as though gun decline is in part, a resonse not only to urbanization, but also of a different school of thought. 50 years ago people lived in more rural areas where a gun was needed for hunting or protection from animals and even other men. However now a days people tend to live more in developed cities with law enforcement systems in place. i feel that this could potentially result in the decrease of firearms in the US. Also, in recent years, there has been a stigma that surrounds gun ownership. I believe that less people are owning guns and because they were not raised around them.

By: Kevin Olive

Kevin Olive — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:39:48 +0000

Maybe since there is a negative connotation associated with guns that is the reason why gun owner ship in households is declining. Or people have guns but they are not keeping them in the house but in their car or on their person. Owning a gun does not have to change one’s outlook towards the world. It really depends on why the gun was purchased in the first place. If the gun was bought for hunting purposes then there should be almost no change on how that person views the world. However if the gun was purchased because the person was burglarized or a nearby place was burglarized then the persons view on the world might be different then it was previously. The person’s new view on the world now might be I bought a gun to protect myself from the bad people in the world. Personally i believe that it is better to have a gun and not need it then need it and not have it.