[Atlas Sneezed]

In fact, in 1998, for every time that a civilian used a handgun to kill in self-defense, 51 people lost their lives in handgun homicides alone.

Of course, for every time someone killed in self defense, there were 100 people who defended their lives with a handgun without needing to kill.

[Libertarian_4_eva]

Of course, for every time someone killed in self defense, there were 100 people who defended their lives with a handgun without needing to kill.

The problem is you cannot get hard real numbers on that. The only way to keep them at bay is to get more people to join the NRA and other groups.

[maxwellp]

When we lived in Queens, NY I defended myself with a handgun. One night when my husband was working at night, some guy rang our apartment bell. Because I wanted to watch a particular show on TV that night and did not want to talk to neighbors, I just didn't answer. The bell rang again and I realized my neighbors were not home - so I tiptoed to the door and opened the tiny part of the peephole and saw some black dude and heard him trying to pick the lock. I quietly ran to the bedroom and got my husband's handgun, which I didn't know how to use, ran back to the door, opened the larger part of the peephole and shoved the gun through. The guy screamed and ran to the staircase and jumped the eight steps down and kept going. I'm a thinking person - I was in my own home and all I wanted to do was watch a TV program. When some individual decides he wants to enter my home and rob me or do me harm, I become very enraged. Very enraged. Later I learned to shoot a handgun. I missed the TV show I wanted to watch and I'm still enraged, years later.

[jonathonandjennifer]

In fact, in 1998, for every time that a civilian used a handgun to kill in self-defense, 51 people lost their lives in handgun homicides alone.

Can you find any meaning in this sentence? Do they mean that I'm 51 times as likely to commit homicide as defend myself if I carry a handgun? Statistics can be taken WAY too far. Classic "guns kill people" illogic.

[Coopertown Bob]

Don't foget, that if those other 51 people would have been armed, they probably would be here still to tell all just how "ineffective" their handguns really were!