Originally Posted by
ringpriest
Hate to break this to you, but a decent number of people in rural American do need guns. Hiking in grizzly country without being "loaded for bear" is neither safe nor responsible. Guns are also decent protection against mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and in recent years, wolves. I'm glad to see wolves making a comeback, but do not want to argue with a pack over who gets to eat the elk I just shot. And yes, guns are used for hunting - not just for sport but for the table. I won't say I've ever known anyone who would have literally starved without hunting, but a deer and an elk in the freezer can definitely free up some cash for Christmas. They're also extremely useful for dealing with varmits.