I've been asked this question many times whenever I am ready to take on a trip to Asia.
My usual response is, "Of course it's safe. They don't have guns there."
In all my years of travelling all over Asia, I have never been robbed. Being robbed at gunpoint is unheard of because owning a gun itself is illegal, let alone using a gun to rob someone.
If you are caught with a gun, you can expect a very stiff sentence, likely a few years in prison.
In Singapore, I've gone out and have a late-night dinner at a street restaurant at 3 am and feel totally safe. I can walk anywhere in the city at night and feel safe.
In Vietnam, I've walked alone at night many times and I feel safe. I've seen young foreign women backpackers walking alone carrying a big backpack and they feel safe. Just because the people are poor here does not mean that they are ready to rob you or shoot you.
I've often been overcharged when I buy things but that's normal everywhere when you are from out-of-town.
This is why I don't understand how a 22-year old man can just walk into a store and buy a Glock semi-automatic pistol. How that person can walk into a grocery store with that gun and start shooting innocent defenseless people. Or, in the case of Arizona, he could've walked into a restaurant with that gun and if he is not happy with the service, start shooting everyone in the restaurant.
I can understand if someone wants a gun for hunting. But, what else would you need a gun for if you don't use for hunting? Shooting people, of course. I know I will upset some of my friends who are anti-gun control but I don't see any reason to own a gun unless you want to hunt or shoot people.
I pray that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and other victims get well soon. I pray for the friends and families of those who were not so lucky and did not survive the shooting in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, January 8th.
For those who are not familiar with the background of this story, please go to this link:
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