I'm gonna say it and I don't care what gun nuts think...

[rustydog]

25. I'll say it again. I worked in a town for nearly 30 years

Yakima had, and still has, a serious gang-violence problem.

Almost every day since the early 1980's (when gangs began growing in Yakima due to the black tar heroin explosion) we saw victims of gang violence.
It could be assault victims. shooting victims on weekends were a regular occurrence. If you stood outside the hospital after dark, you'd begin to hear the random gunfire throughout the town.

I broke up dozens of fights in the ER between gang members. My partner and I had a group try to ambush us one night. We won that one.

I've had people threaten to kill me. I've had them say they will find out where I live and kill my family.

I NEVER FELT THE NEED TO CARRY A FIREARM WALKING AROUND TOWN!

I ran into three people who actually saw me on the street when I wasn't working.

#1; The Bar bouncer took my hint and tossed the asshole into the street.
#2 the psychotic confronted me on the street but was unsure if he knew me or not..I told him he was mistaken and walked away with my wife and 3 kids in tow.
#3 the once-psychotic male who spent 3 months in a psych facility after attacking me with an edged weapon came up to me after getting out and sincerely apologized and thanked me for helping him when he needed it.

Any one of these incidents may have driven one to believe they NEEDED to carry for their protection.
I chose to believe the world is not that bad yet. AND, the old-west mentality is sooooo stupid.