Why I Keep a Firearm in the Home

Because I don’t want this to ever happen to me.  Note that police arrived 5 minutes after being called, but that wasn’t quick enough.  Authorities are warning residents to keep their doors locked.  That is good advise, and I would add to that to keep a loaded shotgun handy.

I much prefer reading about sorry sods who made the mistake of bringing a knife to a gunfight, rather than reading about the brutal stabbing death of a family and kid.  I feel for the surviving daughter.

10 thoughts on “Why I Keep a Firearm in the Home”

  1. Same type of thing happened at Eastern. A girl was murdered in her dorm… and as far as they know, the only reason she was picked was because her door was unlocked. Needless to say, my door is locked always when i’m home, and i’m sure to lock the sliding door and all the windows at night (even though i’m on the third floor)

  2. Yeah… firearms typically aren’t an option for college students due to state laws that have decided they are children rather than adults. But one should never underestimate the utility of a baseball bat, which you can keep in any college dorm. Baseball bat vs. knife is no contest. Baseball bat wins. Even against a gun if you’re close enough and quick enough.

  3. Firearms are a big no no in my apartment also. I don’t own a bat… but maybe a large knife from the kitchen will work? I dunno if i could actually stab someone. Shooting a killer may be easier.

  4. But a firearm in an apartment is merely the violation of a lease, not state law. Apples and oranges when it comes to determining the value of one’s life or those of their loved ones.

  5. I don’t know where you live Bitter but not in my apartment in Montgomery County. I was very explicit in questioning my apartment complex before I signed the lease on that point. Because if I found such a clause, it would have been crossed out by me immediately. It is a contract and I would either be signing it modified or looking elsewhere.

    Legally, an apartment complex is on shaky ground with such clauses because they cannot force you to sign away your rights. No difference than an HOA trying to dictate a no-guns policy. It is private property but it also isn’t. The contents of your dwelling beyond pets and obviously illegal activity is not enforceable by a complex because the apartment is your home and they have only limited right to enter it.

    I personally have NEVER seen a lease that barred the possession of firearms in an apartment. A good reason might be from a liability standpoint. If a complex denies you the right to own arms in the privacy of your own home, it can be argued that they are now responsible for your safety should something happen to you in the absence of your ability to keep arms there where it might otherwise be legal (i.e. Maryland has state preemption so localities can’t pass such draconian laws to begin with despite Montgomery Co.’s repeated attempts to lobbying for such). Most complexes do not want that type of liability on their heads should something happen. It is easier to defer that to a law enforcement/personal property damage issue where it rightly belongs.

    Just my thoughts on the subject.

    Matt

  6. Oh I’m not crazy enough to live somewhere that would consider it a violation to have a firearm. I was merely responding to Cassie’s comment when she implied she wouldn’t have a firearm because it’s a “no no” in her apartment.

    My complex does say no carrying (that would mean nothing open for me, but I hate open carry for myself anyway) and no discharge of them. However, the impression they left me with was that if I’m sending someone to roast and toast with the devil, they likely deserve it. In other words, if I’m defending myself, no issue. These are all things I checked out long before I even put myself on the list to get a unit.

    Of course, the most important fact is that even if it’s a matter of lease, unless there are really unique laws on the books, it’s just a lease violation. It just means moving. I think most people would probably want to consider moving if they were just attacked in their dwelling which they aren’t really tied to financially in the same way one would be tied to a house.

  7. Bitter,

    Agreed. If an apartment complex wants to kick me because I killed someone in self-defense, what does that say a) about the area the complex is in and b) their own values with regard to their tenants. You want me out of here because I sent a message that scum preying here are going to die? Fine, I’ll be out of here in a couple days. I’ll leave them to deal with other pissed off residents.

    Matt

  8. My apartment send out a little notice reminding us they we can’t have weapons in the apartments. I do live in a dangerous-ish area. We just had a murder on campus, and the new owners of the apartments are trying to clean up the area’s reputation. These apartments are cheap, which is all i can afford in a college town. Really the weapon thing doesn’t bother me because i don’t own anything. But i thought it was interesting to see Matt’s opinion that if they ban guns they are responsible. Maybe i should bring that up to them….

  9. No Cassie, you get a gun and learn how and when to use it. Keep your mouth shut about having it. Don’t even tell your mother. You can always get another apartment. Another life is damn hard to come by.

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