Self Defense with a Handgun - an American Phenomenon?

[Cakewalk]

I was in Borders yesterday and I picked up the 2008 Gun Digest book on Ruger firearms. As I was perusing the pages, I stopped to read more closely on the GP100 and the SP101. The author wrote something that got me thinking. He said that most everywhere around the world, a self defense tool is typically a knife, and that using a handgun, specifically a small, easily concealable handgun like a snubby, is a particularly American trait. He even went so far to say that using a handgun for self defense was a peculiar phenomenon. He made it sound like the rest of the world would look at the American fixation on handguns for self defense as rather absurd.

Just wanted to open this up for what people think about that statement, because I found it rather odd to make such a statement in an American gun review book.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[NKMG19]

Regardless of this being true or not America usually sets the trend and others follow. I've been to many different countries and I could see slowly the world coming around to our ways.

I would not have it any other way. Give me a firearm for self defense any day over a knife.

[jerm1109]

Nobody wants to be stuck holding a knife in a gunfight! I don't understand the "peculiar phenomenon" statement, but hearing this just reminds me how glad I am to live here in the great United States of America!

[stanislaskasava]

Being able to defend yourself from as far away as possible is key. If you can cut someone with a knife, they're close enough to cut you.

[msgt/ret]

I think it has more to do with our freedom to own and use handguns compared to the rest of the world rather than being a peculiar American phenomenon.

[artemis28]

If my globe trotting boss's statements are any indication, a good chunk of the world thinks it is at least odd if not just wrong. Glad I'm an American!

[Natureboypkr]

I don't think it's absurd that we carry guns, because it's apart of the American culture. In my opinion I still think you should be able to handle yourself with a firearm or without.

[sniper58]

The rest of the world already has a skewed view of the USA. We aren't supposed to be sophisticated enough to think or act for ourselves. The natural offshoot of that is that we have a "fascination" with guns, handguns in particular.

Just because the kings, queens, monarchs or dictators of these other countries get their panties in a wad, doesn't mean they aren't very, very jealous and scared to death that their "subjects" might get ideas. Personally, I really don't give a hoot what other countries think about us.

[Natureboypkr]

The rest of the world already has a skewed view of the USA. We aren't supposed to be sophisticated enough to think or act for ourselves. The natural offshoot of that is that we have a "fascination" with guns, handguns in particular.

Just because the kings, queens, monarchs or dictators of these other countries get their panties in a wad, doesn't mean they aren't very, very jealous and scared to death that their "subjects" might get ideas. Personally, I really don't give a hoot what other countries think about us.

at the kings, queens, etc. comment. That one will be one of my classics

[farronwolf]

We are very different from most other industrialized countries. Good, bad or indifferent. We have higher crime rates, higher incarceration rates, higher consumption rates, and ok, higher rates of gun ownership and carry guns instead of knives.

What does that say about us, I can's really say, maybe other than we are a country that is a bit more self centered than the rest of the world. Whether that is a good thing or not, the next couple of centuries will determine that.

[P7fanatic]

He even went so far to say that using a handgun for self defense was a peculiar phenomenon.

IMO, That statement is just as ignorant as defending oneself with a knife if you are able to defend yourself with a handgun or as some people put it, "to bring a knife to a gunfight".
Just the fact that you are having to 'defend yourself' puts you at a disadvantage to the 'attacker'.
Why intentionally decrease your odds for survival?
If everyone in 'our' society or any society was civil, honest and caring for others, then I would see no problem with using a knife to defend oneself and ones family. Reality though is that there are plenty of bad people in the world that care only for themselves and have no qualms about killing another for material goods such as a nintendo or a pair of sneakers or a car or anothers life savings.
Bottom line, I contend that anyone that expects to be able to use a 'knife' as their 'primary' defensive weapon these days is a 'fool'.

Myself, I'll keep carrying my 'evil handgun' whenever possible. Just my 2 cents.

[HotGuns]

Self centered?

Bull hockey.

We GIVE more money away to countries in need that the gross national product of several nations.

We send missionary to countrys all over the world on medical missions. My church just sent 20 people last Friday. I know of other churchs around here that do the same thing...every year.

When a typhoon hits that kills over 200,000 thousand people, without hesitation we send food,aid and medical supplies.

Self Centered?
Tell that to the families of servicemen all over this country that left loved ones in the dirt of countries that either couldnt or wouldnt help themselves.


We may be alot of things...but "self centered" aint one of them.

[Stetson]

I agree with artemis 28 I glad to be an American!I don't worry about what the rest of the world thinks as I tend to be an American who believes in
speaking softly and carring a big stick.

[farronwolf]

Hotguns

I am not saying that we aren't charitable, and that we aren't patriotic, but as you well know there are people in this country and on this forum even that will always put themselves above anyone else, whether it is for legal, financial or other reasons.

You know the parable about the woman that gave the penny, as opposed to the person that gave the farm or whatever.

I don't know of any other explanation for why we have such high rates of consumption, crime, incarceration, drug addiction, or any of the other things we lead the industrialized world in, other than to call it being self centered.

If we all didn't think handgun ownership, and carry would put us in a better possition than the other guy, we wouldn't be doing it. We would all be like the other side, and say, well if you just talk to them, or whatever, that can't happen to me. Well we know better and choose to get the upper hand, nothing wrong with that.

[chuck brick]

He said that most everywhere around the world, a self defense tool is typically a knife, and that using a handgun, specifically a small, easily concealable handgun like a snubby, is a particularly American trait. He even went so far to say that using a handgun for self defense was a peculiar phenomenon. He made it sound like the rest of the world would look at the American fixation on handguns for self defense as rather absurd.

In most of the rest of the world, the handgun is considered to be a weapon of offense, not defense. The rest of the world has endured various degrees of dis-armament throughout history, thus only the aggressor (criminal) element is likely to own such arms. Naturally, the law-abiding sheeple of the world will defend themselves (best they can) with sticks and stones - since that's all they have. Americans have a different history.

Stay safe,

Chuck Brick.