I am a member of another forum (not gun related) and the discussion came up about carrying a firearm for protection. As always I tell everyone I carry because I am prepared, but the libs swear the only reason to carry a gun daily is out of fear. I don't travel outside the US, plenty to see here...I don't have a problem with flying, I just choose to keep my 2 feet on the ground here in free country but if I were to fly it would be only if I could carry which we know won't ever happen. I try to avoid any situation which will leave me unarmed and defenseless...this just happens to be most places I don't visit frequently anyway like post offices, courthouses, police stations, schools and other state/fed buildings. When telling a liberal this you are told you should put down the gun and get out and enjoy yourself that I am limiting myself to only certain places. I have been told that I must live in a fortress that's armed to the hilt (I kinda do) first line of defense is my locked doors, second are my dogs, third are my firearms...2 layers of protection prior to using deadly force. I like many people have been assaulted or in a situation that a firearm would have saved my wife from 7 root canals due to being punched in the face. She has also had an incident at a redlight that most likely would have turned ugly had she not been armed, no shots fired...just the mere sight of an Ugly Black Glock had the fellow back pedaling. So why do you carry? Is it out of fear? Is it because you have been in a situation where a firearm would have been useful? How do you explain to a liberal that you don't carry out of fear, all the while telling them the world is not a safe place?
To me... carrying a gun is like having a plan for a tornado. You don't live in fear of a tornado every day of your life, but knowing that it could happen, you make a plan and ensure that you are prepared. Then... if/when it happens - you execute the plan with confidence in the preparations that you made. I don't live in fear that I may get mugged - Hell - I'm a big guy anyway, I am probably less likely that many to get mugged, but... knowing that some fool could decide to rob me, I have made my preparations and live my life confident in the preparations that I have made. But.... that's just me... YMMV
I don't carry out of fear, I carry because I passed elementary math - I can see the crime rate, and figure the odds. You (the liberal) are depending upon rose-colored glasses and unicorn breath to keep you out of trouble. Just watch the news some night - you'll see how that is working.
Why are you wasting time and energy trying to explain anything to a liberal? Really, you don't need to explain yourself. It's a right.
True, but look up the definition of fear and tell me if it applies. What do I have to be fearful of, I'm armed!
I have practiced it only very little, despite having had a carry license for many years. That said, I firmly believe in the right to do so and even consider it a laudable and dutiful thing to do. I will say this - I recently have been carrying more and I have noticed in so doing my "mindset" has changed a little. I definitely feel more alert. When carrying I tend to notice and think about how many people are not (likely) armed and I wonder to myself why am I doing it. I notice now I feel a little naked when not carrying. I am still dibbling with it and it is not something my family yet knows I have tried. I am still testing the waters a bit as to my own thoughts around the practice and if it will become something I practice more. The elimination of the public gathering trap and other changes in the law this year has definitely made the environment more conducive to my being comfortable with giving it more a try - even at my middle age stage in life.
The alertness you feel is not just you, anyone who carries feels it. You tend to notice more things and pay attention...you now have the ability to kill a human being very easily. Continue to carry...I will become more natural with time and if you are like me you will purchase the smallest firearm that you can buy so that you can carry more places more concealed.
It's not fear, plenty of people who live in relatively safe neighborhoods who have never been a victim of violent crime (me for example) carry. Why do I carry? Because it seems kind of retarded to wait until after I get into a situation where a gun would've been helpful to get one.
I've been in enough "close-call" situations to replay in my mind "what would have happened if it had gone south." Like groats said, it's a matter of odds. If you can make it through life having never been mugged, robbed, or threatened violently, you're probably lucky. Hell just last year, I had a guy almost run my wife and me over in a parking lot at Turner Field and when I yelled back at him verbatim, no cursing "watch where you're going man" when he pulled around near me and told me if "if you mouth off to me like that again you're gonna have a long night in the ER" -- we kept walking and he was about to get out of his car when I guess his friend stopped him and they drove off. You just never know the mindset of people and when it could get ugly fast. It's the unknown that you prepare for. Like many here, I don't go looking for trouble, but if trouble finds me, I want to make it home to my wife and kids. The liberals would have you believe that those who equip themselves with deadly instruments must be deadly individuals. For people of this kind of mindset, until they've felt the vulnerability of being a defenseless victim they'll never understand why we do what we do.
i carry because i have been in a situation where it would have been justified to use deadly force. when i was 18, i was hangin out with some friends of mine. one guy there i didnt know. for some reason, he decided to come to my car, and then open the door. i tell him to piss off, he hits me in the face. as soon as he hits me, i go for the knife in my glove box. when i leaned to the other side of the car, he reaches down and grabs me by the ankle, and starts to drag me out of me car. he grabs one ankle, and with his other hand grabs my other pant leg, and starts to pull. the whole time he is trying to pull me out of the car, he keeps saying "come on, my daddy made me this way", and "im gonna kill you". i get the knife out of the glove box, spring up and put the knife to his throat and stare him directly in the eye. he lets go of my ankle and pants leg, stares at me, then blood starts flowing from his neck. he then leaves. he is in prison now for trying to kill someone 2 days later. if i would have had a gun, he wouldnt be in prison now to say the least................
I am always baffled by the anti's who will come up to me and say "What happened? Did someone break into your house?" They really don't understand why someone would carry a gun unless "something must have happened to him." It is those types of people I feel like I need to shake and say "Wake up! If you wait until something happens to you, it may be too late!" Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the people who choose to carry if they've been a victim, especially if they were already pro-gun and they were just unfortunate not to have their weapon on them, but some anti's think carrying a weapon is always a fear triggered response, and that's not always true. One phrase I've used recently in conversation, "Waiting for someone to be violent with me before I take steps to protect myself is like waiting until after I have a heart attack to start exercising."
For the same reason I wear a seat belt......because you never know. I am not constantly in fear of a car accident but I wear a seat belt none the less.....sometimes the seat belt is uncomfortable and sometimes I have to adjust my clothing to accommodate it but I wear it anyway. And, no I have never been in a car accident either.....
I carry like I put on my seat belt every day.... I pray that I never need it, but I know if I do need it, it may save my life. However, like anything you want to be good at and comfortable doing when you need to do it. I practice shooting often so if I need to shoot I know how do to it correctly.