Do you wear your seatbelt?
Do you hold a handrail while going down a steep flight of stairs?
Do you look both ways before crossing the street?
I don't see it as living constantly in fear, just another step to be prepared. Odds are I'll never NEED a gun RIGHT DAMN NOW, but should that time come to pass only a gun will do and I hope to have one at hand.
We all do many things every day to help us make our way through the world safely. I don't tie my shoes out of constant fear, it's just good sense. I'm not in constant fear of a car wreck, but I wear my seatbelt. I've learned a whole bunch of first aid just in case I need it. Hell, I always carry jumper cables and an air pump in my cars (came in handy after a UNT football game last year when someone had a dead battery). That isn't fear either, just small steps to be ready.