No, I don't (generally) feel safer with a gun.

I've talked about whether you should get a gun for self defense, especially as it pertains to LGBTQIA+ and minorities, but you know what? I want to talk about it again, from a different perspective: Feeling safe, and how firearms won't actually help most of you feel safer in America.

We'll keep this short.

A few weeks ago I was visiting some friends in the hospital with Jess. When chatting with one, the topic of my new gun came up, and she said something to the effect of "I bet you feel safer with that now", and not in a sarcastic light: She seemed to genuinely believe that we should feel safer having a gun in the house (of course, I didn't correct her that it's not the first, but that's not entirely relevant here).

A lot of folks in America believe that guns are the ultimate self-defense tool, and I'm here to once again tell you this:

Guns don't make you safer.

In fact, statistically, guns make you less safe. Folks who store them improperly, fail to regularly train in using them, or don't have a way to temporarily secure them from themselves during a mental health crisis are at risk.

Additionally, someone who uses their firearm in a self-defense situation may find themselves in serious legal trouble.

This is due to one key thing that everybody should understand: There is a proper escalation of responses to violence, and firearms should be the absolute last ditch response to threats against yourself and those you love.

Talking folks down, running away, or less-lethal options are almost always preferrable over firearms for a number of reasons. The risk to others (the most effective bullets for self-defense don't stop when they hit the target) is one most folks fail to consider, but the legal consequences are huge: You will be asked why you didn't try to de-escalate or run away. You will have to justify why you thought ending the other person's life was the best option.. and, if you're a targeted minority in an area where you're also likely to be targeted, you may find yourself already on a losing battle before you even step into a court room.

So, no, I don't feel safer with a firearm.

Now, if we encounter a TEOTWAKI/SHTF/societal collapse situation? Sure, I'll be glad I have it as an option, but the likelihood of that happening is incredibly slim.

If someone breaks into my house, or physically confronts me on the streets, I'm reaching for my pepper spray first.. because lawyers and ammo are expensive.

Pepper spray (and Sudecon wipes) is (are) cheap.