Nope, the missus has wanted one because she is afraid of home invasions. Last year and all the craziness spooked her and I can't blame her. I am honestly way too afraid to have one in the house.
With the state of the country, I'd have to break California law to ensure I always had a gun when I actually needed it. CA does not permit concealed carry without a permit and they rightly make it very difficult. The most in danger you're going to be is when you leave your home. So what I am saying is I'd be a lunatic carrying a gun too if it made sense because I am cynical and I dont trust anyone.
At the end of the day, you're at the mercy of chance.
It's all about the training and understanding what you're doing. Much of the fear is based on the unknown. Too many people think just going to the range once a month is training. It's not. Learning how to shoot correctly and blowing off some steam at the range is the fun part of ownership. Taking a proper course, understanding the circumstances, having a home protection system (lights, alarms, locks, a dog etc), having a family action plan in the event of home invasion, burglary or active shooter situation is the key to it all. I took a series of courses before my purchase. Even in Arizona, where gun laws are considered to be especially relaxed, the law will not protect you, even if you shoot someone in "self defence" if it cannot be proven that you were in imminent danger and had no opportunity to retreat to a safe space. Even de-holstering your firearm in a public place will land you in jail. Legally it's known as "brandishing." Two things that are great eye-openers are taking a proper training course and doing a ride-along with LEOs. You are taught that use of a firearm when in a life-threatening situation is a decision that WILL change your life.
Of all the people I know, both military and long-tenured LEOs, I know of just one who has ever had to actually use his firearm, and only a handful of others who have actually drawn their weapon (they never needed to fire).
Think of the millions (literally) of legal, responsible, safe gun owners, and then see the media coverage of the bad situations. But everyone tends to be drawn to, and scared by, the media coverage with their examples of when firearms were used by LEOs and it resulted in a fatality (you can probably name all of them). Still yet to find too many examples where the victim wasn't either resisting arrest or in the process of committing a crime.
Hollywood doesn't paint a real picture, shocking I know! I find it so ironic (hypocritical) that many of these actors and public figures who speak out have no problem making millions from movies and TV shows where the irresponsible use of guns is glorified (for example, ask anyone with even the slightest amount of training if one-handed shooting is taught or considered effective). Nor will these actors or sports stars leave their homes without their armed security detail(s)...
"Walls and guns don't work" unless they happen to be protecting you in your Malibu or Westchester mansion.
Ask any NYPD officer what they think about shows like 'Blue Bloods' or Law & Order. You won't get a polite response.
The US is a vast open land, and once you get outside the coastal cities, law enforcement aren't getting to you inside half-an-hour, so self-defence is the only effective deterrent. And in 99.99% of cases that's all it ever is - a deterrent. Even a moronic criminal will move on to the next house if he knows/thinks the homeowner is armed....