Haven't read the whole thread, but thought I'd chime in since I feel like I have a unique perspective, having come from a non-gun owning family and marrying my husband who is a devoted gun owner and carries concealed whenever he is able to. (Tip for thinner/smaller people, my husband has found that an ankle holster is by far the best way for him to carry.) Some people are just very self-reliant and it's very important to them to stack the odds in their own favor as much as possible to be able protect their family (my husband didn't start carrying until after our daughter was born.) On my own, I probably wouldn't have a gun but I respect my husband's desires to. Guns are also fun to target shoot with.
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.
We live in a safe area, however, even around here (rural Midwest) there is crime and some people are deeply self-reliant and prefer to have the option to defend themselves and their families should the need ever arise. In a lot of cases, the police won't be able to get to you in time to protect you should a situation come up.
2. Do you regularly practice with your firearm?
Yes, we live in the country so can shoot on our own property. My husband also has military training from being in the national guard and grew up hunting. I don't have as much experience but have used and am comfortable with the revolver we have in our bedside safe.
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?
We are extremely respectful of our guns so would make sure to keep out of the way/check carefully to make sure none of us are in the way before using them.
4. How to you plan to deal with the first responders after an incident? Will the police arrest you? Do you have a lawyer ready to call on your phone? 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?
From what my husband has shared from the concealed carry classes he has attended, if you shoot someone just plan on being arrested initially, but if you were justified in doing it, that will come out and you'll be ok in the end. So besides the obvious one of possibly hurting or killing another human being, that is why you need to take using a firearm very seriously and only as a last resort.