Today we face as a nation a catastrophic lack of both, which contributes greatly to the problems of crime and violence. A law by itself is incapable of preventing an action. A law can only establish the punishment for committing a given act. It is absolutely impossible for any law to prevent acts of ignorance, or acts committed by those who don't care about the law. You cannot legislate intelligence or morality.
Personal defense is a very real and serious issue.
People who will murder for a fancy jacket or five bucks in cash. People who at this very instant are looking for another victim. This is not sensationalism, it is a reality that strikes roughly 9.5 million Americans every year. The Police Department is not a personal protection agency. This position has been clearly established from the Supreme Court down to local law enforcement statements of policy.