My apologies if I am niave...but do americans...?

Question

keep guns in the house? that are actually ready to use?

http://news.uk.msn.com/world/article.aspx?cp-documentid=147616830

What is the reason for this? Is it legal...

And for people who live elsewhere could you ever imagine having a gun in the house where there was young children and they could use it?

Answer 1

it is legal, and depending on how you interpret it, arguably enshrined in the constitution. and many people do. of course many (including me) don't, and how common it is depends very much on which part of the u.s. you're talking about. i live in the northeastern us and it's relatively uncommon for people to have guns here. in the south it is more culturally enshrined.



i'm interested to hear other people's opinions on the reasons for it. some people use them for hunting, and some people honestly think it's going to protect them one day against an intruder. i would not want a gun in my house, period, and it has always seemed to me that a loaded gun is far more of a threat than a protection, and an unloaded/locked one would be useless in the unlikely event it were actually needed during a break-in or something.





**chickenfarmer's answer presents one of the few reasons that make sense to me for (safely) keeping a gun.

Answer 2

I don't have a gun, nor do i want a gun in my house, But hypothetically speaking, if i did, it would be under lock and key, hiddens somewhere why my children couldn't find it and UNLOADED.



These parents of the two children in that article were extremely irresponsible. Not only did they keep a loaded gun in the house, but they didn't even lock it up and instead put it somewhere where young children can easily find it. These parents should be locked up. Sorry, give me thumbs down, but that is so horrible, i can't understand why these parents weren't responsible.



I don't know if its just Amercia, I'm from Canada, and i'm sure there are families that do own a gun, whether they are loaded, i do not know. But i do pray that if they own a gun, they are responsible and intelligent enough to keep it unloaded and locked up and hidden some where where its not easy for a child to find.



I feel horrible for the 3 year old and the little boy. :(

Answer 3

Some Americans do keep guns in the house. You must have a gun permit to do so legally. Some people use them for hunting, and some for protection. Personally we do not have a gun, but my mom did when I was a child. It was locked away in her closet. She actually had to use it one time when she was a young woman and living alone and some guys were trying to break into her apartment. A lot of people take the right precautions to having guns in the house with children, like locking them up, keeping them unloaded, etc.

Answer 4

I can not speak for all Americans but we do keep guns in the house because my husband and sons are hunters. However, none are loaded and the ammo is kept in a locked safe separate from the guns. We also have a handgun that my husband keeps in a locked safe near our bed (he's paranoid of break-ins). Having a gun in the house is not dangerous as long as the proper precautions are taken and the children are made aware that the guns are not toys. Mind you, w/such young children, it is best to handle it as we do ( guns in one place, ammo safely locked away in another, I would really love it if we could manage a locked gun cabinet as well, that is our next goal ) due to the fact, even w/all the gun safety education the child may have, they are just toddlers and will not appreciate the full extent of what a gun may do. Leaving a loaded weapon in the house is insane to begin with, but just leaving it under your bed where any child could get it is, imo, negligence and child endangerment where the mother should not be permitted to maintain custody of her remaining child.

Answer 5

Quite a lot do keep guns in the house, even though they have young children. I personally would never ever consider having a gun in my home around my child. But, guns are legal. Americans have had the right to "bear arms" for hundreds of years now. Again, I personally guns have no good use and are better left for only law enforcement officers. Guns kill people and kill animals, that's what they are made for. I don't support either but of course I'm probably odd and will get lots of thumbs down for my opinion.

Answer 6

I am not american either and I wonder the same stuff. Yes, it is legal in some states and for some specific purposes (like hunting) but come on, if you have a gun in a house where there are also children you needs to have them locked up out of the reach of the little ones, is common sense. As a parent, I would shoot myself if one of my children got wounded (and even dead) by a gun that was not properly locked in my house, how could I live with that everyday?

Answer 7

Some americans do , sure. But the people I know who own guns that are kept in the house keep them unloaded and the guns and ammo are locked away seperately. I personally would not own a gun that I kept in the house , too much to worry about because I have two small children and my 2 yr old is always into things.. locked or not I wouldn't feel safe with it in the house.

Answer 8

Some do most don't. all states have gun safe laws that require it to be locked if you have kids in the house. Many people hunt so they keep guns for that and others for protection incase of a home invasion. I think Washington DC is the only place that does not allow citizens to carry guns. It is completly legal.

Personally i have never even toched a gun

Answer 9

We live in the US and we have guns in our home. They are guns my husband uses for hunting, several were past down to him from his dad and grandfather, both now deceased. None of them are handguns. We keep them locked in a gun safe, unloaded. Ammunition is kept in a separate safe. Both safes have different keys kept in different places in our home and only my husband knows where each key is. We live in a rural area in Michigan where many people, men, women and children, hunt. It is common and very normal in our area. I do not like guns all that much, but I have taken a gun safety class as has each of our 4 children even though none of them hunt. We live in a rural area which views gun ownership differently than those who live in big cities. Americans are a pretty eclectic group of people. Some own guns, some do not. Some use their guns for hunting, some for protection, some for both. Some are gun collectors while others have never touched a gun in their lives. So, you can't say that Americans keep loaded guns in their homes, but there are some who do.

Answer 10

some do yes, and it is legal so long as they have a license for it... the smart ones keep those guns locked up and any "ready to go/loaded" guns are usually for protection.....



some people keep hunting guns around too but those are also locked up if the owner is smart and those are not usually loaded until going hunting.



I live here in the US and I can't imagine ever having a gun in my house.. ever..locked up or otherwise.

Answer 11

Some do, yes. Ready to use? I would hope not but I suppose anythings possible.



We do not have a gun in our home. A baseball bat under the bed, yes; no gun. I have considered a taser/ stun gun but not sure I could even have that w/ children in the house.



ETA: chickenfarmer.... I agree w/ you also and see why. My parents had them for the same reason when I was growing up (and still do), they were always locked up and out of sight; there was no way we could get to them if we wanted to. You just brought back memories of a coyote and my pet rabbit. Good memories... I was glad my dad had a gun in house. : )

Answer 12

i can't speak for americans, but regardless if it's legal etc there are people everywhere that keep guns in their house. we live in canada, and although we don't have guns right now, one day we will. my husband is in the military, and he is more comfortable around guns than i am (however after a weekend of skeet shooting i am pretty excited to get my own shotgun) we will likely have a rifle because we want horses, and where we live the only effective way of stoping cougar, and coyote attacks are by using guns. my husband and i talk about how to handle weapons around children. i actually think that shooting is a really fun activity, and it wouldn't bother me if my kids were interested in it. but obviously there are safety issues, but if addressed properly i see no harm.





ETA: i also wanted to mention that countries like switzerland, that have mandatory military service after school, allow all members to keep their weapon after their two years or whatever it is. almost the entire adult male popluation is armed and trained 'just in case'. but that means every one of these households has a gun with more fire power than your average hunting rifle.... i wonder what their gun viloence stats are like, or how many children are accidentally wounded or killed by guns.

Answer 13

I am American, and I do not keep a gun in my home, but yes, it is legal. I am American and I could never imagine having a gun in the house where there were young children and they could use it.

Answer 14

One of the great things about being American is the right to bear arms which is a constitutional right protected under the 2nd amendment. Now this is a right that you can choose to either do or not do, I personally do not own a gun, but I do not fault those who do with one exception, those who own guns but are not responsible with it. This family was irresponsible and payed the ultimate price, it is sad, but a fact of life that gun owners who are not responsible live with.



My dad had guns in the house but to tell you the truth this was a fact of life I did not know about until I was an adult. There is no reason for a child of any age to know if there is a gun in the house if there is one. After they told me about the gun I asked them what makes them think my brother and I would not have found it? They told me it was in the lock box under their night-stand that they told us held documents and other boring stuff and had a lock code so even if we found the box we could not get into it or even want to.

Answer 15

Unfortunately, it is legal and part of the consitution in the United States to own a gun....we have a bunch of NRA types who carry on about "their right to have arms and protect their property." Usually republicans or southern types.



I live in the north, no one I know owns a gun, no one I ever knew had a gun in their home....except one guy that was a cop.



I had some friends with hunting rifles...but hunters are usually a different breed. They have their hunting rifles, they are responsible and their kids know better than to touch it. I'd still NEVER have a gun in a home with kids.



Legally you are supposed to store your gun unloaded, locked apart from the ammo...which defeats the protecting yourself..."Excuse me...Mr. Rapist...could you please stand right there? I need to unlock my gun, load it and shoot you. Defend what's mine and all...(hill hill hill)



People like to go on about their blessed ammendment right to have guns (of course they don't want any responsibility for school shootings and such), but the constitution clearly states "a well regulated militia" which would mean regulations...but say that here and you people screaming about "Out of my cold dead hands" We have a a group here called the NRA...National Rifle Association..led by a washed up, has been actor (I think he's dead now)



About ten years ago a first grader brought a gun to school and killed another 1st grade little girl....the NRA came 2 weeks later and held a rally despite being asked by the mayor and the girl's family to show some respect and go elsewhere.



So, yes, some people do...and you can usually tell the type....but most people do not have guns in their home.



I always ask before my children are allowed to play at someone's home. "Do you have a gun in your home?" I've never been told yes except once (cop).



By the way, 3 weeks ago 2 boys found a gun in a creek that borders school property...thank God they did the right thing and went for someone's mom...she called the police....



It was a law enforcement officials gun...NICE they can't even secure them. Dangerous horrible things and I'm ashamed we allow them in the same stores we buy diapers in my country.

Answer 16

My husband has a few large rifles that are family heirlooms. They were used in the Civil war. He keeps them on display in a locked glass case. He does not own any ammunition for them. Before we had children, my husband kept a beautiful ivory handled hand gun in the nightstand in case of intruders. Once I became pregnant with my first child, he got rid of it and the bullets. We now have a security alarm and I feel quite safe with that. We do not live in a high crime area.

Answer 17

I do not have guns in my home, but yes, some people do have them for protection (or hunting). I probably would if I lived in a city where break-ins and murders happen frequently, but because I don't live in a place like that, I don't have one nor do I need or want one. You won't catch me condemning people who do have them though, sometimes they're needed to keep their family protected. Also, it is legal, and I strongly believe that if you are going to keep a gun in your house, you educate your children on what they're about, how dangerous they can be, and how to properly use it so as not to be hurt. Or better yet, just don't touch it. A gun cabinet with a nice solid lock or two wouldn't hurt if you have guns in the house with children.

Answer 18

i am a single mom and i have gun in the house in a safe that locks, but they are not loaded, i had to take a gun classes and get a papers to have a gun, why i got a gun is because 3 year in the middle of the night a man broke in my house with me and m 2 boys we were scared to death so i took the classes and brought a gun than man that broke in all most killed all of us and i say edd no more i think if i would have had a gun could have scared him off and would never had to shot it.

Answer 19

I read this on Y!News. Its tragic, and the parents should most definately be punished. How stupid and irresponsible. Of all places - under a bed?!



My daughter regularly hides things under the couch or bed, we always make sure there is nothing to harm her.



The fact they had it is bad enough, (however, I believe with a licence, its legal, unsure though) but to keep it loaded, on the floor, in reach of 2 small children.



I am so sad the little boy lost his life, and I am so sad the little girl will carry the burden of her parents stupidity for the rest of her life.



************

From Y!News...

''According to the officer, it is illegal to leave a gun somewhere in the home where a child can get hold of it.''

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090528/twl-two-year-old-boy-shot-dead-by-sister-3fd0ae9.html

Answer 20

I would never keep a gun in the house and I am American. Different states have different laws. In some states, you can walk in and buy a gun, but I am pretty sure in MA you can't do that. It's crazy, you see on the news things like "I gave my 12 year old son a rifle for his birthday and he shot everyone in the family". It's insanity.



So to answer your question, it's legal. Some places I don't think you even need a license (but definitely not 100% sure on that) and some you will need to take a class and get a permit.

Answer 21

tin this story in particular, they need to prosecute the parents for stupidity.



I do have guns in the house, everyone i know has guns in the house, kids or not. my guns are locked up and NEVER loaded in the house.it is possible to have guns in the home and be safe about it, we just have too many idiots like the ones mentioned in the above story, and they are the ones you always hear about because its just not news when someone has a gun just laying around the house, so we dont hear about it.



you dont have to have a license to own a gun here, you just have to register the gun through the atf dept. as long as you have never been convicted of a violent crime, or had mental health treatment you can own a gun here. if you want to carry a gun you have to have a concealed weapons permit but the qualifications are just about as simple, only difference is you have to pay a fee for it and take a class. when i took the class, the instructor took our money, asked if we really wanted to watch the little movie, we said no, he gave us our papers and sent us on our way. so its just a money racket, but its really easy to get the permit here.





were all hunters here, its not like we have a safe full of assault rifles and handguns either.I have owned handguns but not since i got pregnant with my daughter 10 years ago.

Answer 22

Yes...In my home we have guns and yes atleast one of them is ready to use at all times. We live in the country and it is very common. Yes we have children but they are in places the children can not reach or even know they are there. We also have many more guns outside in the garage in a safe. Its a very common thing in the south!

Answer 23

No guns in this house. And there won't be as long as I have children here. I'm not comfortable with the thought that one of my daughters could get ahold of it and accidently hurt herself or someone else with it.

Answer 24

Personally, I am really scared of guns but I believe that most gun owners are responsible and keep their guns locked in various ways.

Answer 25

If you live in a country where weapons are illegal, then it would be next to impossible for you to understand the culture of owning a firearm as a private citizen. No offense meant to you, please understand this. But even in countries like Britain, for instance, where owning firearms is banned, there is still escalating violence and now criminals have turned to using knives to attack.



It is not illegal to own firearms or to store them in your own home. Thank God for that. Unfortunately there are probably lots of *irresponsible* gun owners who store them improperly around children and don't take necessary precautions. There are lots of things you can do - we have a gun safe where they are locked up completely from the kids and also trigger locks that go on the guns themselves. For protection we do have one close by but it is also in a small safe that is inaccessible to the children.



Lots of people own guns for protection, and also for sport. It depends on the area you live in. In my area, which is very rural, I would be a large percentage of the neighborhood owns them for one reason or another, and there have been no shootings or deaths. But in the city, there is a large black-market ring of illegal guns and shootings quite regularly. If you get my gist - it's the criminals using guns to kill people, not the responsible gun owners, who care enough about their constitutional rights to squander them away by doing something stupid.

Answer 26

It depends on the person. I keep guns in my home but I'm an avid shooter. It is also for protection and yes, it is legal. My rifles and shotguns are in a locked safe, as well as one of my handguns. Some states mandate that your guns need a locking device on the trigger.



I keep a handgun next to my bed with the clip out and slide pulled back. Many of us who keep handguns in the house do so for home defense. I'm a single female who lives alone and thus refuse to be another statistic of rape or murder in my own home. Some people live in rough neighborhoods and again, keep a weapon in their home for protection. While my father was in Iraq, mom and I both had a handgun in our room with one round in the chamber.



When I have children the location will change and they will never be able to access it. As the parent, it is your job to explain the rules of guns to your children. Some people just aren't bright enough to explain safety to them for some reason. My parents put the fear of God into me that made me far too afraid to even touch their gun safe as a kid. At the time I "knew" that if I had been caught, my parents would have killed me lol.



Yes, I'm a card carrying member of the NRA, but I'm not the crazy rally type. I love the fact that I have the right to bear arms. The person who went on about Republicans and NRA people can bite me. He must be from a Lib state like Vermont. I know plenty of northerners that have guns and plenty of southerners. I have a nice mix on that and understand both mentalities. Mom is a northerner and my father was a southerner. We learned to shoot guns at about 7 years old but we NEVER had access to them without an adult around. My dad grew up in California but was a Marine.



It's not the safety concious person you have to worry about killing you, it's the criminal who bought a gun underground. To tell you the truth, if someone really wants to kill you, they'll figure out a way, gun, knife, rope, etc. I'd rather be shot than stabbed to death if it came down to those two choices. Everyone screams gun safety but what about knives? Kitchen knives can kill you just as easily and are FAR more accessible.



Also, you have the benefit of living on an island. It makes it just a tad harder to get weapons into your country. We have two countries touching ours. One of which can bring in massive amounts of drugs and illegal firearms far more easily than the other. Even if we banned guns, we'd still have plenty of them coming in.

Answer 27

i don"t own a gun but many americans do just in case a robbery happens or some suburbian mob happens so if you live in a suburb i'd be scared.......Just kidding ...But its only legal if you have papers by the government stating that you are allowed to have possession of the gun otherwise you get charged with illegal possession of a firearm....

Answer 28

Yes, it is not only legal in the USA to own guns, but it is a protected right for the citizenry to own and operate guns under the 2nd Amendment. We have bleeding hearts who would love to take away this right (they also want to control other aspects of our lives as well!!!), but thankfully, we have the NRA and others who fight to keep these rights! Hitler, Stalin, and other dictators took away guns and took away rights, freedom, and life! We need to be able to protect ourselves from the government, not just burglars!

This is a very important right that our founding fathers knew was needed in a free country. Every household in early America (colonial days) owned firearms for defense and to feed their families.

We have 8 children, all grown but the 17 year old, and we have always kept guns in the house. We have a 24 guage shotgun, a 22 rifle, a 38 pistol, and also an air pistol. We keep the ammunition up safe, and though we keep the 38 loaded (an unloaded gun will NOT protect you!), we keep it in a safe, but easily accessible place.

Growing up in the 60's and 70's, we had guns in the house, and it was common to go to school and see shotguns and rifles hanging on gun racks on the back of pickup trucks (inside cab). Many of the guys I attended school with kept guns in their trucks. They kept their trucks locked just so no one would steal their guns! But it was so common to go driving down the road and see guns racks with guns in them! By the way, I live in Ohio, not the south! Free people who believe in freedom live in all states!

My husband (age 45) was given a gun for his 12th birthday (the 22 we have) and he took good care of it. He shot rabbits and other small game for food (his family liked game), and he often just shot pop cans for the heck of it and to hone his aiming skills. I have often done target shooting of cans and enjoy it a lot! You have to know how to aim and shoot if you are going to use a gun!

Our kids were taught from an early age what they could and could not get into. Our kids knew better than to get into the guns. They got what was called a good "butt whoopin" if they disobeyed~something most kids today have never experienced. All it took was one "whoopin" and the kids NEVER did what they were told not to do again! (If they stole money~whipping. If they touched guns~whipping (no ammo near guns so no worries); if they stole from anyone~whipping.) Whippings were for the serious offenses only! And we made them count so that the kids would think twice before they acted out on something! We have good kids who rarely, if ever, broke the rules because they knew there were consequences to those rules. So, guns in the house was not a problem. Both of our sons, and two of our daughters own guns. Both are good shots. All keep guns in their homes (with kids) and follow the same rules we had. We have 11 grandkids and several are in their teens and shoot guns, but NONE have ever gotten into guns when not allowed! They were taught early on dangers and consequences.

Guns deter crime, it is a proven fact. In Ohio we passed a law that allows for conceal carry (you can carry a concealed gun, if licensed), and this makes potential criminals think twice before they decide to rob because they don't know who has a gun and who doesn't. Many trajedies could have been stopped had someone else besides the lunatic had a gun! (Columbine, the guy on the subway in 80's, Flight 93, to name a few).

Knives kill. Scissors kill. Chain saws kill. Hammers kill. Rocks kill. Should these also be banned? Kids can kill with knives, rocks, scissors, rope, nylons, and a littany of other materials, so should these also be locked up and licensed and regulated? Remember, if you lose one right more are to follow. You cannot give up.

Responsible people train their kids and do not leave guns and ammo where small children have access. Accidents happen. I read all the time about kids knifing each other, falls with scissors blind, maim, kill, and kids getting hung accidently with blind cords, belts, and other items as they act out things they've heard of or a small child by accident gets tangled in a cord and dies. Tragic, but we don't outlaw these items. Why then should guns be outlawed because there are a few tragic accidents? With kids, anything can happen.

Guns=Freedom! Guns=Safety!

Answer 29

i stayed with a friend in tennessee last year and she kept 2

a shotgun in the kitchen for intruders in the yard and

a handgun in her dresser in case of household intruders

i made her put them up high while i was there as i had an 18 month old baby with me and yes she did sometimes use them

Answer 30

Its our second ammendment rights. However if you do have a gun, it is important to have it in a safe place locked up away from kids.

Answer 31

Yes, we keep guns. It is legal and we aren't lax about how we store them or the education we provide our children with about their safety and use. We live in the country and I keep chickens. I keep a shotgun/rifle for wild animals that might either be diseased or attempting to kill my livestock.