Why don't you ever hear about gunslinging heroes?

[mrstickball]

Rath said:
If nobody else (including the police) has guns criminals don't need them either.

Lets take a situation of a robbery though as thats one of the more common gun crimes. Everybody is obviously safest when nobody has a gun, but as you said criminals have access to guns illegally so lets look at the situation when the criminal has a gun. Is everybody safest when;

a) Everybody else is unarmed

b) Other people are armed

Situation a) is likely to end up with the criminal getting away with the robbery at least for the time being. Situation b) is likely to end up with someone being shot.

You are correct. So if b is the case, what are the chances the robber even wants to risk his life for the crime? That is the core of the issue. Usually, robberies are comitted because the robber wants to....You know...Obtain money or goods and use them. If he's dead or maimed, he really can't use it, can he?