From Another Planet Altogether

Lindsay Beyerstein, in a This Modern World post titled, 'Guns, burglary, and self-defense':

"I’ve never understood why anyone would keep a gun in their home to protect themselves from burglars. If you had a violent stalker ex, or someone who was was bent on invading your home in order to hurt you, I could see the rationale for being armed. But buying a gun to protect against burglars is no protection at all."

Yes, I used to interview each intruder to determine whether they are there to hurt my family or me or just to burgle. But now I have put up a sign on all doors and windows, "ATTENTION: Burglars. This house owner has and uses handguns. For your own safety, please go to Lindsay Beyerstein's house where there are no guns. Thank you."

"Turning on the lights to find the gun is enough scare off the average burglar."

I used to give each burglar a Burglar IQ test to find out if he was average and therefore easily scared off.

"The burglar isn’t there to fight you hand-to-hand for your iPod. Confrontations with the homeowner go against the whole burglary business model."

I used to require of each burglar a copy of his Burglar Business Plan to determine what goes against his business model.

"Keeping a gun at home to protect against robbers seems like an especially silly idea in a big city where the police can arrive at the scene in less time than it takes to open your gun safe, load your gun, and confront the burglar."

In what city do the police arrive in less than 5 seconds after they're called? Wow!

"If you’re already getting burglarized, do you really want to add to your problems by confronting a desperate criminal with your own loaded weapon?"

I just consider it 'delegating' my problem to the 'desperate' intruder.

(H.T. Tim Blair.)