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In days following the election of President Barack Obama many Americans reacted to the change in leadership by running to their local gun shop where they set new records for firearms and ammunition sales in the United States. Now the new president's voting record on the issue of gun control might be cause for alarm, but so far he's dealing with issues like nation healthcare, the environment, and foreign policy. In this article I won't take a stand on whether or not you should own a gun, which is up to you as an individual, but rather what role firearms play in self defense.

More often than not people think that because the have a gun they're safe, but that couldn't be further from the truth, because unless you train regularly with your weapon it can actually be a liability. Also remember targets don't shoot back, so you had better be ready for a gun fight not just target practice. Many times criminals will run away if they encounter an armed victim, but you have to be ready for those who won't go so quietly. Firearms ownership might be a right in the United States, but it is also a privilege, and if you carry one you need to be ready.

Perhaps you're one of the many responsible gun owners out there, and you know what to do if some bad guys invade your free space. Many of you argue that you need your guns to protect yourself until police arrive, and you'd be right, but what do until you can get to your gun? Your gun might only be only a few feet away in a secure location, but until it is your hand it isn't part of yourself defense solution. You can't solely rely on your gun to keep you safe, but you can make it part of your overall self defense training.

If you haven't prepared yourself for hand to hand combat you're not really prepared for close combat, so if you want to be ready to protect yourself you need to ready for an up close down and dirty street fight where there are no rules and the winner is the person who doesn't die. You might carry a gun that can take down a stampeding buffalo, but if someone gets in your face or catches you by surprise you might not get the chance to use it. Now if you take the time to learn a few simply self defense techniques you can fight off an attacker and give yourself some room to escape or pull your weapon and do what you need to do.

In the film Enter the Dragon martial arts legend Bruce Lee said, "any damn fool can pull a trigger," and you're much smarter than that, so be ready for a real fight. If you just rely on a weapon you have already lost the fight, but if you know multiple ways to defend yourself you will be ready for whatever happens. If a criminal tries to disarm you'll be ready, and if your weapons are locked in a safe you will be able to fight off an attacker until you can get to them while your family runs to safety. Firearms play an important role in self defense, but they aren't your only tool.