imported post
I didn't read every post, so my apologies if someone made this point already, but here is what I respond with when someone wants to have the "Why do you own/carry a gun?"
I ask if they own/rent a home? If they have some form of fire insurance? Smoke detectors? Maybe a fire extinguisher or two?
Everyone always says yes.
Then I ask if they think having all that is a little paranoid, after all chance of a house fire is not that high.
Everyone always says it's not paranoia, just good planning.
Then I point this out (you can verify my numbers at NFPA and DOJ [2008 numbers]):
You are 1700 (no that's not a typo) times more likely to be a victim of violent crime in the US than you are to die in a house fire.
You are 12 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime requiring a call to the cops than you are to be a victim of any fire event requiring a call to the fire department.
Based on that, I'd say having a gun is "just good planning."