I'm from the UK where debates about guns don't exist.

[Mimosa]

171. Any place can become dangerous

In my 'nice' neighborhood women have been followed home from the grocery store and robbed. That's a not uncommon tactic. There have been incidents where the women were 'just' robbed. Police don't patrol anywhere near as often as they used to when I was younger.

I cannot afford an 'alarm system'. That's about 100 dollars a month, right?

Lindy, nobody is saying everybody needs to be armed. You have a choice not to be.

In real life, people who own weapons for self defense have learned how to use them. There is NO CHANCE an intruder into my home could grab a gun from me. I am trained, get in range time at least twice annually, so my instinct would be to be certain I aim at an intruder and to unhesitatingly aim center mass.

Honeycombe, I'm sure we've both read the reports that when bad guys rob women who live alone they sometimes (these days) throw in 'bonus crimes' even if the women happen to be older. Personally, I do what I can to raise my odds that I won't be a victim. I don't open my doors without knowing who's there. I have security doors too.

But at night I sleep better knowing I've a gun within my reach.