If I would live in some of the more rural parts as a farmer, I would probably get my self a weapon too. Just in case. But is it really wise to have an armed population in dense urban areas? Particularly with high powered weapons which eventually penetrate doors, cars and most walls? I think this is something authorities consider as well in their considerations.
I grew up on a farm and moved to a "city" in my county. And looking it up, my "city" is about two thirds the population of Vegesack, Juelich, or Leer if I looked it up correctly. It's also the largest city in my county. They still don't have high speed internet where I grew up, they were stuck with satellite when I moved out and now they have some phone service internet with a little block you turn on (essentially satellite but the latency isn't causing 2000 ping in most connections).
I'm not big on hunting but I think the basics of how to be better at it should be known and practiced some. It's a regular thing here though. We have limits on what you can hunt, how much of it you can legally hunt, and seasons for which type of weapon you can use. Starting with bow and then they allow rifles later on in the season.
I understand your concern in a city environment though. But living in my city now, I'm finding myself wanting a gun more than ever. I lock my doors, I hear people outside after midnight in the suburbs, it's weird. I go to hobby shops and if I leave after midnight I'm thinking that I might have to defend myself.
Calling the cops in some areas here has the arrival time being above 15-20 minutes and sometimes more. In the city I live in, it still takes about 5-10 on a normal response. Where I grew up, there were no police in those neck of the woods, 15 minutes was lucky. I don't want to be unarmed in a home while someone comes in there for 15 minutes.
Again Germany is compared to Canada or the US really small and we are very densely populated on top of it. It's not Mexico City but many places are urbanized, farmland or something in between. There are hunters here but it's heavily restricted. Same with fishing. If you want to do it you need a license for it. You have to know which fish to go for, what their mating seasons are and so on. We don't just have those regulations to harass people but because before we implemented them some species have been facing their extinction.
I know North Americans like to take the piss out of us Europeans due to our habit to regulate everything - which we really do. But when you have 500 Million people living in such urban environments it's somewhat of a necessity.
No, I get that. I'm not trying to take the piss out of Europeans at all. I'm just explaining how I see it. If Europe doesn't need guns, that's great. I don't think the same really applies here however. Not culturally, not geographically. Maybe one day it will though. But not yet.
