Do you feel safe in your own country?

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 11:43:55 -0400

As an active duty service member or as a veteran, do you feel safe in your town, city, state or in our country? If you don't feel safe, what can our government do to make you feel safe again?

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jul 19 at 2015 11:45 AM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 11:45:14 -0400

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member Yes because I have guns and once my house is finished a big dog.

Response by SSG Izzy Abbass made Jul 19 at 2015 11:46 AM

SSG Izzy Abbass — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 11:46:58 -0400

Yes, despite the hysterics and paranoia that seems to inundate media and social networks. Plus, I've been to places that really are not that safe.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2015 11:47 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 11:47:44 -0400

Given my choice to volunteer, I have to say that it's not my part to seek to feel safe. Rather I have set about making myself the more visible target in order that my family, friends, and neighbors might feel safer.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Jul 19 at 2015 1:09 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 13:09:33 -0400

I'm safe, I feel safe. I feel my family is safe. I have a small arsenal if needed, My wife and granddaughter know how to fire. Besides living in small village Americana...Yeah we're comfortably safe...

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 19 at 2015 1:35 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 13:35:49 -0400

Yes. My area is very safe, and I carry when I go into areas that are not so safe - which is not often.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jul 19 at 2015 2:42 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 14:42:50 -0400

Sure do! I know our sensationalist media likes to make the world seem like the seventh circle of the inferno, but the truth is that violent crime is down all over the world, far fewer people die violent deaths, there is far less war and we are all far safer. Things were much worse in our ancestors time.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Jul 19 at 2015 2:48 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 14:48:54 -0400

I feel the least safe on base or on school campuses where I must chose between complying with the local or federal laws and excercising my constitutional right and responsibility to be armed in defense of myself and my fellow citizens. hence why we need to Arm the Armed Forces. https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/arm-the-armed-forces

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 19 at 2015 3:23 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 15:23:26 -0400

I've never not felt safe in the US.

There have been times where I have felt frustrated, or angry, but never not safe.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 19 at 2015 7:02 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 19:02:55 -0400

In addition to my other post. Here are the top causes of Death in the US per the CDC.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm

As I have said in other posts, I am pro Fear. I am Pro Paranoia. They are survival traits. But they have to be rationally based. In America... we are starting to take some of these too far to one side.

FastStats

FastStats is an official application from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and puts access to topic-specific statistics at your fingertips.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 6:47 AM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 06:47:12 -0400

Yes, I feel safe but recognize the need to be more vigilant. It is not governments job to make me safe it is mine.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jul 20 at 2015 1:41 PM

Cpl Jeff N. — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:41:35 -0400

Statistically, the risk is pretty low that you would be killed by a terrorist. If you could interview the creatures that roam across the Serengeti Plain, most would feel safe because the chances of the lion killing them is slim but the lion is going to kill some number regardless. You just play the odds.

Because we are a nation of 300 million + and only small numbers are being killed by terrorists we feel pretty safe. That dynamic changed somewhat on September 11th when 3,000+ Americans died in a single morning. Statistically pretty small, right? .00001% but 3000 people in the largest city in our country turned our heads around, for a while anyway. We whistle past the graveyard because that is how many of us are wired. Show no fear, worry about other things.

What number dying in a single day would it take to make you reassess your position?

It is true crime is lower overall in the U.S. but crime is up in our major cities pretty alarmingly. It is also true that many die for a variety of reasons but dying from a disease is not the same as at the hands of another "human being".

Do I feel safe? Over all, yes much like the gazelle might feel safe because he can outrun the wildebeest or zebra. I have protection and situational awareness that some might not. Does that mean I am safer? Today yes, you should be prepared to have the status quo change. As we should all know the status quo will fail at some point.