irst, a disclaimer. I do not claim to have ANY expertise in this subject. The following consists of my idiosyncratic and non-partisan views. If you want information on what gun to buy, ask someone more knowledgable than me.
Personal
The first rule of personal security is to run away from trouble. I know, this doesn't sound very brave, but it is sound advice. If you live in a dangerous neighborhood, don't stay up at night thinking about how many guns you need to protect yourself - move. There are many safe places to live. Move to one of them as soon as you can.
The second rule of personal security is to discourage attack. That means - don't look vulnerable. Light up your place at night. Put rose bushes next to your windows. Get a dog. Most definitely, get a dog. Cops will tell you, people who have dogs are much less likely to be robbed than people without dogs. Even a little white dog can serve as an early warning system. Don't get a pit bull. They were bred to fight other dogs, not serve as security. True security dogs, usually German shepherds and Belgian Malinois, have to receive extensive training and are expensive. Just buying a "mean dog" isn't helpful. If you have the money, by all means, get a good security dog. Otherwise, talk to people who have dogs and try get a puppy from someone who has a good watchdog.
The third rule of personal security is not to buy a weapon you do not know how to use. The number of tragedies associated with improperly secured or used guns is a national scandal. Do not buy a gun until you have been properly trained in its use. Find a shooting range with a respectable training system and get educated and practice before you buy a gun. There are lots of things about the NRA I don't like, but they do take gun training and safety seriously. You can find training sites from their website and other places as well. Store your gun safely. If anyone is killed with your weapon, it's your fault, whether you pulled the trigger or not.
The fourth rule of personal security is to know to defend yourself without a weapon. I misspent some of my youth watching Bruce Lee films on Saturday afternoons. The kind of fighting you see in marital arts films, or really any film, is mostly totally BS. Real fights end fast. If you hit someone hard in the face you can break their nose and possibly knock them to the floor where killing them by stomping on them (with boots) is pretty easy. This is another use of the term "first mover advantage". People are much easier to kill than most realize. As usual, Hollywood has given people a totally false view of reality. If you hit some over the head with a bottle, the bottle will not break, the person's head will and they might die. Same thing with a chair, a baseball bat etc. Avoid personal combat, if you can. Again, run away, if this is an option. Otherwise, strike first and hard. Fight dirty. Never let anyone grab you. If you want training, consider Krav Maga. Another note of realism. Size and strength matter. Most women have much less upper body strength than men. Movies that show 90 pound supermodels throwing 250 pound men through doors are ridiculous. Women, especially, should avoid dangerous situations, if possible.
Community
Number 1: Live somewhere safe. This bears repeating. Here's a map from 2014:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/crime-rates-by-county/
Get to know your neighbors. Be prepared to join a neighborhood watch, if necessary. Pay attention to who your local law enforcement officers are. Vote for law enforcement officials you trust.
National
I've read that the US military is having problems recruiting enough qualified soldiers. Part of this is due to some incredibly stupid woke advertising, but this is a long standing problem. The Pentagon can't figure out what to do, but I can. PAY SOLDIERS MORE MONEY! The entry level salary for a Private is $22,000 a year. That's slightly above minimum wage. So, we are asking people to undergo substantial hardships, including possibly getting maimed or killed, for about $9.60 an hour? This is insane. Salesman for defense contractors spend more than this on their haircuts and shiny shoes. Double the salary for soldiers and I guarantee you we will get more and better candidates. Another thing. Many military families are treated like dogsh*t. Housing is crummy, schools are mediocre, at best, and they have to move all the time. For God's sake treat the families decently. While their loved one is away saving our country, the least we can do is provide good quality homes and schools for the families. If kids growing up in a military environment have a good experience, they are more likely to consider enlisting when they are old enough. I would like to see this problem fixed, first, before one more 10 billion dollar weapons system is put out to bid.
International
War is coming. See China and Russian War threads.
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