Statistically, guns outnumber people in the U.S. However, according to the Marin County Civil Grand Jury, Marin’s 256,000 residents possessed an estimated 100,000 firearms in 2023. Although diverging from the national ownership trend, Marin gun culture remains present, and those who own firearms tend to do so for a diverse range of reasons.
According to the Pew Research Center’s 2023 survey, 72 percent of U.S. gun owners say protection is a major reason they own a firearm. Firearms, as a form of protection, can help fulfill self-defense needs. An anonymous sophomore at Archie Williams, using the pseudonym Alex, justifies firearm ownership as a form of self-defense.
“My family owns [a gun] for defense at my home. I recognize we live in a very non-dangerous area, but I think it’s important to know you’re safe from intruders. Having [the gun] offers me and my family a sense of safety,” Alex said…