that is one of the silliest opinions ever. if the police were not around, not on patrol, not available quickly, what do you think the crime rate would be? the homicide rate? the rape and assault rate? sure, everybody agrees that the best way to deter crime is CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT, not severity of punishment. but just having a police force, having a legal system that prosecutes criminals, PROTECTS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF AMERICANS EACH DAY, unlike some dumbass with a loaded gun holding jiggers inside his house like a paranoid fruitcake. gun nut wimps are so ridiculous. imagine thinking the only reason these goons believe they have never been mugged or their house "invaded" is because they have a gun!! in countries with very little private gun ownership, and almost no guns in public, their violent crime rate and homicide rate and especially gun death rate are many many times less than ours.