Family move and guns

[Appleblossompetal]

Hello,

English Mum here with an American DH. We are considering a move to the US because in my DH’s line of work he would earn seriously more in the US compared to here, house prices would be cheaper and generally we would have a better lifestyle. We might just go for a few years and save rather than a permanent move.

However, some of the places where he could potentially work are in a state with very lax gun laws, as in open carry including of concealed guns is legal.

Would that be a deal breaker for you? I just feel like I don’t have a frame of reference for living in a country with guns but I don’t like the idea of my DC doing active shooter drills at preschool or seeing people carrying handguns around.

YABU- It’s not a dealbreaker, get over it.
YANBU- This would be a deal breaker for me.

Surely paranoid would be over an irrational fear? And yet you are admitting criminals with guns break the law 🤨. The mental gymnastics is quite mind boggling.

I wouldn't even be able to consider living in America due to the amount of mass shootings/police brutality and other things that happen there. I get this happens everywhere but it's astonishing the amount that happen in America

It’s the argument that we don’t need stricter laws, we need the current laws to be enforced and that stricter laws won’t deter people who will disregard them.

Back up to the previous conversation, the majority of gun violence is committed by criminals who shouldn’t legally have a gun to begin with, stolen weapons, or illegally purchased weapons.

In other words stricter gun laws only affect those who are already following the law.

A not so graceful analogy… let’s take your knife laws. You have very strict laws about who can buy, carry, and use knives. If someone said that you need more strict laws because of knife violence say no blades longer than a certain length , do you think the people who the laws are aimed for will say ok, I guess I can’t walk around with that machete now or do you think the gardener who uses a machete for a legitimate purpose is going to be the one most affected?

I’m British with an American DH living in Virginia where anyone can open carry and you can concealed carry with a permit.

Apart from rural farm friend who have shotguns for their farm needs I’ve never seen anyone with a gun in public.

I know one Mum friend who got a concealed carry permit because she was working alone in quite isolated rural areas as an estate agent and was worried about her safety.

I don’t like my DD having to do the shooter drills at school but if we are here then it’s better that she knows what to do.

I do miss the UK but I don’t think our life would be much different there certainly not better state schools - we are very lucky to be in an excellent school system.

Most people near me do!

Sorry that was to @Honeychickpea re shopping at Costco

I would never choose to live in America with my family and I certainly would never want my child to go to school there. Bad things can happen anywhere of course but their obsession with guns over there is concerning to me.

I have never seen anyone open carry, except one time. Turned out he was a police officer, off duty.

Guns have been around in the US for my entire life, but we didn't have the problems we do today. I am far more worried about the mental health problems left unchecked that are always behind these mass shootings.

I am even more worried about the drug crisis here.

What made me laugh was within a day of someone claiming they were not dangerous someone has mauled to death by one. Statistically unlikely but the world has a habit of serving up that sort of gut punch to the ignorant.

Of course the poor guy dying was no laughing matter. I remember a story in the Rage a couple of years back where a poor Russian woman was effectively eaten alive by a brown bear while she was on the phone screaming to her mother for help. Not the sort of end anyone would want - pretty horrific story - I'd do a fair bit to avoid that particular fate.

Anyway Op - I wouldn't let it put you off walking in the US ! The midwest parks are just amazing - I don't really know about NH.

I'm English.and live in the UK but have spent a.lot of time in the US.for work especially in Texas (also worked/travelled in Missouri, NY, Washington state, Oregan, California, Mississippi and Nevada.) It's fine - sure there are dodgy areas.but there are in the UK too, I have not seen anyone openly carrying a gun, on the rare occasion you see one they are holstered but only noticed this twice in all my time there.

OP you asked about quality of schools, you can look up your city/neighborhood and see school ratings here. I think the funding is largely based on property taxes so the lower income tax won’t mean bad quality of schools necessarily.
Where I am, the neighborhood is pretty middle class, not super wealthy but with high property taxes which contributes to high quality schools.

https://www.greatschools.org

I've been to Portsmouth NH many times - not a long drive from Portland ME where I live. Very nice little town.

The story was widely reported. I picked the Daily Beast because there was no paywall or nag to turn off your adblocker to get the story.

Mountain Lions are a big problem in the West as well.

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/man-bravely-attacks-mountain-lion-to-save-his-dog-graphic/

I've heard that the mountain lions carry machine guns in the US. Totally true, I read it on the internet.

I’d be more concerned about brown recluses and black widows when it comes to wildlife.

Or cows.

https://petkeen.com/how-many-people-killed-by-cows/

I'm sorry; you've been badly misled. The machine guns were too heavy and hard to aim, so they've switched to these.

@SabrinaThwaite I would worry more about the ticks. Lyme disease is no joke.

Oh yes, but Lyme disease is common in the UK too - we know people that have had it and so are extra careful when wading through long grass. Weils is also something to be aware of.

No really nasty bitey spiders here though.