How to stop a massacre: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epZod2qyyN4
72-Yr Old Man Shoots, Kills Attacker of Woman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd3mzpsdG-Y

I wish everyone was issued a gun by the government or something. The idea of 'everyone has a gun so if you shoot someone, everyone will shoot you' would probably be the safest. Only thing guns laws will do is take guns away from honest people, but criminals will still get them and use them; then what? You don't have anything to defend yourself.

Then you go from "angry husband who beat his wife during an argument" to "angry husband who shot his wife during an argument". There's a lot of honest people who wouldn't be able to keep a cool head at all times, and having a gun at hand's reach is just recipe for disaster.

Guns are not as good self defense as you think. First, if someone plans to rob you or kill you, they will not walk down the sidewalk yelling and waving their weapon around, they will wait until they are at point blank range from you to pull their gun or knife. Trying to get creative with a gun aimed at your face is a very easy way to go from mugged to dead. Oh, and let's not forget that people willing to threaten or kill others are either mentally unstable (extremely dangerous and devoid of self-preservation instincts) or people who operate in a criminal ring, because people who rob and murder for a living are rarely alone.

Everyone knows a story they heard about someone who once saved the day with a gun. I know several armed people that are dead because they either resisted robbery and got shot/stabbed on the spot, or a criminal ring got back at them. I do know a few success stories, but curiously enough most of them were policemen or military, so they had actual, extensive training on how to use a gun properly.

This is not the kind of thing where you can look at the small picture. Kind of like how speed bumps can prevent a few crashes, a couple of them fatal ones, but then indirectly cause dozens of deaths because of ambulances having to slow down. It's not a matter of "this fatal crash could be averted by a speed bump", it's rather about whether speed bumps in the long run prevent enough deaths to make up for the ones they cause or not.

In the end, the real problem here is criminals having guns. Saying that instead of preventing criminals from getting guns we're going to give everyone guns and see what happens, is laziness and incompetence taken to the extreme.

There are a wide range of armaments. The second amendment mentions that the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. This does not specifically mention what arms are included and excluded.

Since we are to primarily follow the constitution, armaments with propelled explosives such as RPGs, Bazookas, and, SAMs should be in included. If we keep RPGs out of the hands of honest individuals, then criminals can and will get their hands on RPGs leaving average citizens defenseless.

Do you know how to operate a firearm?
Yes. I own pistols up to fully automatic rifles.

Would you be able to use it during a stressful situation?
Yes.

Do you always carry a weapon with you?
Not always. I'd say I carry my glock 70% of the time.

Have you ever shot someone?
I don't think so but I've used it in other ways

Would you ever shoot someone?
Yes

If one civilian shot and killed another civilian and the second one was unarmed but was proven to be hostile, would you consider that to be justified?
Yes. Depending where you're at, you know most people carry. Idiots like to run their mouths not fully prepared to do what it takes to win and then they lose. It's their fault.

If a man shot an unarmed woman under any circumstances, would that be justified? how?
This question surprises me coming from you. Who cares if she's a woman or if it's a man?

Wouldn't you fear incarceration if you shot an assailant?
No. People like me don't fear incarceration. I am a white heterosexual male. The law and the country is on my side.

Do you know how to operate a firearm?
yes
Would you be able to use it during a stressful situation?
i believe so

Do you always carry a weapon with you?
no, don't have a permit yet

Have you ever shot someone?
no

Would you ever shoot someone?
again, i believe so

If one civilian shot and killed another civilian and the second one was unarmed but was proven to be hostile, would you consider that to be justified?
there is no blanket answer, it could go either way depending on the circumstances

If a man shot an unarmed woman under any circumstances, would that be justified? how?
same as above

Wouldn't you fear incarceration if you shot an assailant?
i've actually thought about this. i have no fear of it if i'm in my home, but if i were out, i think i would

Do you know how to operate a firearm?
Yes, I've been shooting since I was a small child.

Would you be able to use it during a stressful situation?
I feel I would, but having never been put in that spot I can't say for sure.

Do you always carry a weapon with you?
No not always, I spend a fair amount of time in areas where I am unable to by law.

Have you ever shot someone?
No.

Would you ever shoot someone?
Yes, depending on the situation.

If one civilian shot and killed another civilian and the second one was unarmed but was proven to be hostile, would you consider that to be justified?
Yes, if the second individual was the one who started the altercation, or was the one who escalated it. Someone can do a lot of damage to another person with just their fists if they know how or are strong enough.

If a man shot an unarmed woman under any circumstances, would that be justified? how?
Depends on the situation, if the woman was the one who started it/escalated it. I know my fair share of women who could easily outfight most men if they were so inclined.

Wouldn't you fear incarceration if you shot an assailant?
I would be worried about it until it was cleared officially, there are a fair amount of situations where people legally defended themselves but were prosecuted by someone with a grudge or an agenda to push.

When is it truly justified to shoot people?
When your life or someone else is in danger, when you are presented with a situation where you will be severely harmed physically, or your property is in immediate danger (IE when someone is about to burn your house down, not if they are going to take your stapler).

At what point does "you are authorized to use your firearm" occur?
When there is no other way to stop a dangerous situation from progressing. Using a firearm could consist of having it out to stop someone from escalating the situation and waiting till the cops arrive, or it could consist of using it to inflict non lethal or lethal injuries on an aggressor. Immediately after any of this it is necessary to inform the police of what happened and allow them to treat any wounded individuals.

Do you know how to operate a firearm?
Hunting rifle, shotgun and revolver.

Would you be able to use it during a stressful situation?
Can't say for sure

Do you always carry a weapon with you?
Depending on where my day takes me, a pocketknife is nice.

Have you ever shot someone?
No.
Would you ever shoot someone?
If the situation required it.

If one civilian shot and killed another civilian and the second one was unarmed but was proven to be hostile, would you consider that to be justified?
Absolutely.

If a man shot an unarmed woman under any circumstances, would that be justified? how?
Example: the woman is strangling his son, and he shoots her in the arm. Verdict: justified.

Wouldn't you fear incarceration if you shot an assailant?
A choice between death and possibly (not certainly) prison? I'll take the chance of a prison sentence. And besides, manslaughter carries a lighter sentence.