Oregon Media Insiders

a very good friend of mine suggested the bars on the windows strategy. I declined his generous offer to assist.

This isn't a dangerous neighborhood, and even if it was, I don't think I would put bars on my windows. Neither Lynn nor I like what that represents.

It is because we don't have bars on the windows that we use our brains and have the ability to carry firearms.

If a modern American isn't going to live in a fortress, that person has to be prepared to respond to bad people doing bad things, without assuming that everyone out there is bad...cuz they aren't.

Far easier to meet people on their own level and be friendly, but be prepared for the worst. Its actually not unlike the fire extinguisher theory: because I have 1 extinguisher for every floor + one in the kitchen and one in the shop (where I often temper aluminum bar stock for bicycle parts) does that make me expect the house to catch fire? No.

What that would tell a non-paranoid person is that I want to respond quickly to a fire, were one to occur, and I don't want to run from the basement to the 3rd floor to find an extinguisher were something to catch fire in my shop.

Likewise, if someone wants to come into the house, a firearm on one's person, when used defensively, is going to stand a far better chance of dissuading that person from doing bad things than a puppy dog (Henry is great for cleaning up left-overs, but not so viscious), a phone-a-friend (The police take 15 mins or so), or a can of concentrated chili seasoning (which, btw, is GREAT to repel bears, but not so great to repel humans.)

Now, that isn't to say that EVERYONE should have a firearm. Some people just plain aren't up to the task of being on the ball enough to carry and not overreact.

In fact, judging from your tone, rifleman69, you might just be one of those people.

Lastly, who says we don't already have an alarm system, or a perimeter fence? An alarm system isn't unusual at all.

Although you would laugh at it, our "perimeter fence" appears rather imposing from the street level. In reality, our house is elevated 5' from the street behind a 4' concrete retaining wall, and there is a 4' fence on top of that to keep our doggie from running out into the street. From the street, it looks like a 9' tall fence if you look through the hedge at the front of the house to the fence behind and above.

Amusing really, but the only reason we got it was to keep our late puppers, Kayla under wraps. She was a sweetheart but looked scary, and would freak folks out, thus the fence.

-------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER: my opinions are my own, not those of OMI or any employer.