Another week, another mass shooting

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Do I need lethal force to put myself between a gunman and someone I love? No, but I would much rather have it on my side. I have training with firearms, I train others in proper and safe firearm use (and have for 8 years now), and I believe I would be able to do something about a gunman if they tried to do something to me or the people around me.

It's nice that you believe that, but unless you've been de-sensitised and trained to ignore your flight or fight response then you'll likely lock up like most people.

"Few men are born brave. Many become so through training and force of discipline."
That was true for the Romans it's even more true today because, I think, your brain basically sees a gun as magic - you point it at someone and they die. That's why people lock up or hide, it's because your flight or fight response analyses the situation and determines you're screwed.

By the way "flight or fight" isn't a "brave vs coward" thing, it's a decision making process that your brain uses - it ways the options, fight or flight, and tries to choose between them based on which is most likely to lead to your survival.

How would you try to protect those around you? or is your instinct to "flight" instead? It's how people are wired. I believe I would fight in a situation like that. When something drastic happens I'm one of the first to run towards it to help. I was always taught that because of who I am and what I look like I have a duty to protect those smaller than me or those who can't/won't defend themselves.

See above - the majority of people will react the same in a given situation because the Flight/Fight" response is a logical decision making process, not a matter of bravery.

Brave people usually have an unrealistic estimation of their survival chances - they're basically borderline insane.

In a situation where there was a man with a gun, and I had a gun and a clear field of fire I'd put two bullets in him/her centre of mass and hope they go down. I decided that years ago and I keep telling myself that so that hopefully if I'm ever in such a situation I won't have to think about it, I'll just do it.

Likewise, if someone was threatening someone I love with a gun I'd place myself between them in the expectation I would die.

In other situations I have not thought of I confess I am less sure, it's likely I might lock up if there was someone with a gun pointed at me.

If you don't see the point to that then I don't think we'll meet at a middle ground for this. I view guns as a tool. Yes, a tool that is meant to kill but it doesn't need to be used as such.

A tool used to kill someone or something is a weapon - guns have no purpose other than to kill, they are therefore weapons. Calling them tools is like calling shell-shock "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"