Not all of them. Some are just forced to live that way. And before you say they should move, that is not always possible. Everyone should have their 2A rights regardless of where they live.
Absolutely, even if you live right next door to the police station.
They do have their 2A rights. They can have a handgun, They can have a carry permit of they show cause and the federal courts have ruled this is not a violation of their second. I have one in NYC. Here's an example of the mindset... My neighbor shoots beind his house regularly. A new family move from NYC to the ridge above his property. He went outside to shoot. Within a few minutes he was surrounded by LEO, guns drawn. They realized he was legal and on his own property. The woman from NYC had called in "crazy man with a gun" complaint. LE apologized and asked him to call the PD before he shoots in case someone calls in the future. They went to explain to the woman that he is allowed to shoot on his property. She went nuts. In NYC gun=crime. That's the general mindset. Her husband came home during this. He learned he could get a CCW permit. He immediately got a permit. Came to me for his training. Regarding gun rights, whatever you get to do, homey also gets to do. You want homey to legally carry then OK.
It's a tough call. Having spent a lot of time in NYC there are millions of pedestrians walking around on a 4X12 mile island during a workday. Somewhere near 8 million on foot. It's packed as tight as a baseball stadium. Hard to vision without actually being there. There is no safe direction and the rules dictate you can't take the shot, even if your life is in danger, unless you have a clear background. It seems everytime police fire they hit innocent bystanders. While we can't have 8 million people packing we also can't deny their second amendment rights. So the courts have tried to meet this in the middle by ruling that refusal to issue a CCW permit is not a violation of the 2nd. This was a fderal court decision, not a NY court. They can stillhave the gun, just can't carry it. However, a permit system is in place and it is possible, but expensive, to obtain a permit. Not much different than many states. Also, huge difference between NYS and NYC. The city has it's own laws so the state law doesn't apply. Elsewhere in the state the permit is relatively easy to get, is good for life and does not restrict people from carrying in bars, restuarants, public transportation, banks, church's, etc. However the state permit is invalid in NYC. A second permit specifically for the city must be obtained.
I can't argue with you about the crowds, at least in Manhattan, but I don't have to imagine them as I grew up in The Bronx. I left 38 years ago but it's about the same as it was back then crowd wise. Every now and then I kinda miss it but then I come to my senses. Remember that the reason New Yorkers have a bad attitude is that the light at the end of the tunnel is New Jersey.
Oh yeah, NJ, the toll-booth state. State motto, "Fifty cents please." The picture on the license plate is a toll collector leaning out of the booth. It's a parking lot for Manhattan.
