(edit - this was directed at LTJ’s statement that he just can’t wrap his head around the gun culture)
^I agree that there’s a big cultural difference.
Just anectdotal evidence - a coworker of mine has a 9m in her purse. It is loaded–magazine inserted, round in the chamber. It goes with her everywhere she goes. She also keeps a gun in her desk work. Fully loaded, ready to fire at any time. She also keeps 14 guns stashed in various hidden locations in her house, so that she’s never more than a few steps away from a gun. Those signs that say “thou shalt not bring a firearm into this establishment”…that is merely an impolite suggestion to her. She takes her gun in anyway. It’s like American Express–she doesn’t leave home without it.
In fact, as I write this, I think there are five loaded pistols in various purses/desks/holsters in this seven-man office.
So yes–there are people who feel that strongly about it. And if you take it away from them, you can seriously expect civil disobedience.
But still, there are a lot of people that feel similarly about the gun that they carry on their person. With 99% of them, you wouldn’t even know it’s there, because they hide it and don’t talk about it. But they feel naked and afraid without it.
I get the gun in the purse and maybe 1 or 2 in strategic locations in the house (assuming there are no children around), but 14 guns placed strategically around the house is nutso unless you’re a drug dealer, a mafia informant, or a burned government assassin. If someone breaks into your house to kill you while you’re sitting on the crapper, that’s god telling you your time is up.
Huh, most places I’ve worked explicitly prohibit firearms on company property. I know that is true in much of Texas as well, but Midland is another story.
What makes you think one of your coworkers will have a breakdown? Are you ignoring cries for help? Do you not care enough about your coworkers to reach out to someone who might be able to help them? Are you really that much of a heartless prick?
I can defend myself with my bear hands, but that comes from extensive training and surgery. It seems prohibitively expensive to grant everyone the right to bear arms, even if the technology is available.