[Byte1]

"The NCVS identifies far fewer instances of defensive gun use. According to the most recent firearms violence report, published in April, 2 percent of victims of nonfatal violent crime — that includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault — and 1 percent of property crime victims use guns in self-defense. According to the survey, firearms were used defensively in 166,900 nonfatal violent crimes between 2014 and 2018, which works out to an average of 33,380 per year. Over the same period, defensive gun use was reported in 183,300 property crimes, or an average of 36,660 per year.

Taken together, that’s 70,040 instances of defensive gun use per year.The NCVS identifies far fewer instances of defensive gun use. According to the most recent firearms violence report, published in April, 2 percent of victims of nonfatal violent crime — that includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault — and 1 percent of property crime victims use guns in self-defense. According to the survey, firearms were used defensively in 166,900 nonfatal violent crimes between 2014 and 2018, which works out to an average of 33,380 per year. Over the same period, defensive gun use was reported in 183,300 property crimes, or an average of 36,660 per year.

Taken together, that’s 70,040 instances of defensive gun use per year."

I can gather references for defensive use of firearms all over the Internet. Those that are so anti-gun will never find any of them to be valid in their OPINION, so it's useless to argue with them. The fact IS that firearms are used for defense more than once per year, and if one life is saved then that person owning a gun was a good thing. You don't have to own a firearm. No one is forcing you to own one. If you don't like guns, that's your problem. I just hope that you won't hold it against someone that happens to be carrying and decided to act defensively FOR you and saves your life when the time comes that you need saving. I was once told by a police officer that on average EVERYONE is involved in a violent crime at least twice in a lifetime. I am sure that there is "one" person on here that will attempt to prove that statement to be erroneous. Some of us take life seriously and do not condone criminal behavior. The reason crimes are reported and murders occur is because the second that someone needs a COP, he/she is only minutes away. But, he/she will be there to take witness statements after the fact. I hope that if my unarmed family members are victims, that there is someone there carrying a firearm and has the guts to render assistance.
Whether there are a thousand or more instances of defensive use of a firearm in America per year, more or less the good guy with a gun is better than only bad guys having guns, in my opinion. This has nothing to do with the person's experience and proficiency with the firearm. Most folks that own guns will learn how they operate.
Argue all you wish, but guns, like knives, bats, hammers, axes, sticks, etc. can be used offensively to harm folks. So, you might as well make it easier for a good guy to own and carry than a bad guy.