I was reading the contingency planning thread, and I realized that some of the posters feel the need to keep firearms in their house for protection. I'm really not trolling, I'd like to understand your point of view better, because this seems foreign to me.
1. Why don't you move to a less dangerous area? It can't be much fun, being constantly on edge that someone is going to invade your house or assault you on the street.
There aren't any less dangerous areas. Living on yellow alert is a fact of life in America. Here, they train school children in the fine art of how to die. Duck and cover, because the Soviets are coming with bombs. Hide under your desk, because a gunman's loose in the building. We have so many people with a galloping case of untreated PTSD or another mental illness that you never know who's going to snap or when.
2. Do you regularly practice with your firearm? (I used to shoot cans with a .22 when I was a kid, but that's about the limit of my experience. When I eventually FIRE, I'd like to try some practical shooting if I can find a good range. But I don't have time for another hobby right now.)
Of course. If the tool fits you properly you only need a minimal amount of training to get the level of accuracy you need. It's pretty stupid to own a tool and not be able to use it. However I would most likely use a different tool. Something quieter and more versatile.
3. If you have children or a spouse, how have you trained them to stay out of the way if there's an incident? i.e. so they don't get shot?
Yes, although there are some weapons I'm training my kid to actually use. She knows the limits of her capability and how to GTFO.
4. How to you plan to deal with the first responders after an incident?
They most likely won't come unless I make enough noise for someone else to notice.
If I capture a home invader alive I would probably call for a pickup, but realistically the thug will be back on the streets in a day or two, so... it's probably best for everyone if they simply happen to wander off to an alley or an abandoned mesa somewhere with a wire coat hanger wrapped around their necks. I don't know that I'd necessarily pick that as my first choice, but I'm sure it would be a tempting option. In the worst case scenario, if I were to goof up and leave forensic evidence, I can still honestly say they were alive the last time I saw them. It might come down to whether or not the invader is someone I know. If the invader is a member of my daughter's extended family of origin, there could be complications to the coat hanger approach.
Seriously, who's going to come to somebody's house looking for a missing home invader? "Excuse me please, have you seen this thug? He said he was headed your way." "No, sorry, haven't seen a thing." "His van was found abandoned out here in the street." "Huh. Must be one of those alien abductions. Lucky for me." "Well, thanks for your time, have a nice day."
Will the police arrest you?
Unless I do something really egregious such as vivisection, probably not.
If I were to shoot a home invader, hypothetically of course, I'd be likely to get a high five from the police especially if my shot placement is good. One more scumbag off the street is less work for them. But the cleanup. Yuck.
The police won't arrest or file charges if they know they won't be able to get a grand jury to agree a crime has been committed. Grand juries are made up of ordinary people who have to live in this city, and they seldom see a problem with a home invader ceasing to exist. It's considered a kind of occupational hazard or a predictable consequence of bad decision making.
Do you have a lawyer ready to call on your phone?
No need. I do everything pro se.
Or does your jurisdiction take the view that you're allowed to shoot in your home, so you don't expect to have issues with the authorities?
It's not a question of legality, it's a question of practicality.