Look at veterans from the various wars over the years, they've seen enough killing and bloodshed to affect them for the rest of their lives

I have to disagree. Many many veterans I know have no qualms about what they have done or seen. I dare sat that most of the veterans that have a problem with what they have seen and done have been veterans that were fighting in the viet-cong. This was only an issue because they were fighting a terribly ruthless people in which not only able bodied men were doing the fighting, but also women and children. I have heard man horror stories of a 4 year old vietnamese child walking up to an american camp with a bomb strapped to its chest. What do you do? Shoot an infant? If it means protecting yourself, you have to. These are unfortunate situations that no man should ever have to deal with.

On another note, I personally carry a gun. I have never been threatened except once when I wasn't sure whether I was being threated or not. The situation was late one night when I was in downtown New Orleans. On my way home I saw a guy that was bleeding from the arm. I pulled over, let him in, and drove him to the hospital. Now, this guy was easily twice my size. (not hat, as I'm a skinny little guy) Needless to say, at two o'clock in the morning, If I were unarmed, I would never have let a stranger in my car. As it were, as soon as he got in, I pulled out my pistol and layed it on the seat to my left. This way, he knows I'm armed and is much less likely to try something he shouldn't. Odds are, he wouldn't have anyway, since as a rule, I have more faith in people than that. But the fact remains that there is still a chance that something COULD happen, and it's a risk that 99% of people are NOT willing to take. Ever wonder why you see so few hitchhikers any more? I doubt it's because people have better access to cars. It's just not worth the risk anymore.