Being a Canadian, I have a different perspective on the matter of carrying a pistol than many American citizens do. I do have several American-citizen relatives who routinely carry weapons on their person, or in their car. They justify (appropriately) the need for this because they live in areas where crime is common and where it is dangerous to live. I sympathise with their position. So far, in Canada, the areas which are dangerous enough to warrant carrying a deadly weapon are few, but these areas are growing to include all major cities, unfortunately. Drugs are the main reason for this, but so is unrestrained immigration from certain third-world countries, where violent crime is a normal aspect of life. We Canadians will, sooner or later, need to change our anti-gun attitudes, no doubt. In the meanwhile, I do not wish to ever have to carry a gun, never mind use it in self-defense. Our police agencies react to the idea of common citizens carrying guns with understandable horror. Even in Canada, police are in great danger from criminals with guns (rifles included). Police agency attitudes are understandable, but one-sided. In Canada, one cannot ever shoot anyone without a very serious legal problem resulting. Even a home invasion is not grounds to shoot a criminal if one is not a police officer. Canadian attitudes are such that a police response is adequate in all circumstances, but even the cops cannot undo an act of crime which gets victim killed by a criminal... The police attitude is patently biased..and unrealistic. But so is the idea that every citizen should have the right to carry a sidearm in the modern day...too much such jingoistic talk does not help. I wish I could suggest something in between the extremes...but there appears to be no such option open to suggest. Every argument fails for one reason or another. Crime, drugs, poverty pay no attention to right and wrong. Violent crime happens everywhere. Canada is no exception, so maybe the American attitude is the default correct answer if citizens need to defend themselves..but who protects americans from themselves?..Can anyone answer that?
