A number of years ago, someone managed to get an interview with a young kid in Wash. D.C. who was in jail for shooting someone.
He was asked something like..."Whatever happened to 2 guys just fighting when they had a big disagreement?"

"Man," he said, (paraphrased) "that's way too much trouble! And besides, YOU might get hurt. If you got a piece, you don't even have to get close to him... *bang*, it's over."

"But what if he and his friends come after you?"

"You just gotta be smarter than them and get them first!"
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Of course it makes little sense, but in many inner cities and in certain cultures...especially when drug sales are an issue,that's a common attitude. "THEY have guns.. I need one to 'protect' myself!"

And so it goes.....