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A fiercely argued debate that has sparked as much controversy as it has answers is the issue of gun ownership and its connection with home security. There are compelling reasons and arguments put forward for both sides of the debate. Statistics are notoriously unreliable in this current context; each survey, report and series of statistics either claim that gun ownership is the biggest threat to actual security. Others state that it is the most important asset available to a family to better ensure their personal protection. This article is not intended to act as a moralizing sermon to sway you in either direction, but to give a factual and objective statement of fact.

Having a firearm in your home can either be a blessing or a curse depending on the level of responsibility and care you choose to exercise, how comfortable you are with firing the weapon and the level of experience (if indeed any at all) that you may possess. It is crucial to remember that mere possession of a gun will not in itself provide you with protection. The firearm is nothing more than a tool that is entirely dependent on your behavior, your judgment and your choices. You may be disarmed and that weapon subsequently used against you; the odds of this happening will primarily depend on the level of experience as well as the circumstances of the case.

Remember that if you buy a gun, you must ensure that you receive adequate training for the gun. Most people who buy a gun undertake no training whatsoever. Given the very real danger of the gun being forcibly taken from you, if you have no training then a gun in such a case will be more harm than good as it will simply allow the intruder to get the potential upper hand.

Also bear in mind all the various legal aspects that attach themselves to gun ownership. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and you personally have to ensure that you are fully aware of all the laws involved. Some states prohibit gun ownership entirely while others require the gun to be registered albeit in a stringent and heavily regulated manner. It is also important to remember that actual possession is far different from being entitled to actually discharge the firearm. This will also be heavily regulated and again, consultation of both state and local legislation is required.

If you have children in the house then this will also have a major impact on your ability and priority in possessing a gun. Times and attitudes have changed. Decades ago, teaching children to be familiar with a gun and able to fire it properly was a key skill, especially in the context of farming and hunting, bandied under the general umbrella of "survival skills." With changes in society, such skills are made redundant, nothing more than a throwback to a long forgotten era of history. This also is another issue that will be seen differently by those on the opposing sides of the debate. Some people will argue that it shows that our society is now more civilized while some will say that we have lost something important.