An excellent viewpoint -- Wisconsin related, but applies everywhere

[Garand Illusion]

Give the following a read. It's short and would be a GREAT article to pass on to anti's:

Excellent Article

Here are a few excerpts from a LEO who REALLY gets it:

Concealed-carry permit holders act as first responders, as do many ordinary citizens who know CPR, first aid or how to use a fire extinguisher. Their actions are often the difference between life and death. The same holds true for concealed-carry permit holders.

I do not believe I deserve special rights because I am a law enforcement officer. I am, and will always be, a citizen first. I believe there are many good members of our communities who are willing to take on extra responsibilities to keep their communities safe and to serve as first responders to stabilize dangerous situations. If they want to step up and be prepared to do their part if it is ever needed, as a police officer, I am thankful for their help.

This really made me think. I was talking to an older relative recently who is a retired sheriff's deputy. He was doing some church work in a rough area (meth lab area in the country) and while he was telling me about the interesting people he suddenly chuckled and said, "course, I did throw in that little .38 five shot of mine before I drove back there."

I also occasionally go places less than savory for various reasons; work, church, there's something worthwhile there, or it's just someplace I want to go and its' a free country and who's to say I shouldn't. Why should a retired LEO have the right to carry along protection and I can't? What makes the anti's think his life is more important than mine?

Fortuantely I live in colorado, where I can "throw in my little .38 five shot (or my 15 shot 9mm)" before I visit an unknown neighborhood or go hiking alone into the mountains.

 

[TimRB]

"Why should a retired LEO have the right to carry along protection and I can't? What makes the anti's think his life is more important than mine?"

I don't think it's an issue of value; I think it's an issue of trust. The antis trust cops, and no one else, including themselves. They strongly believe that the police will protect them, and they also believe that every privately-owned gun in the country is in the hands of a latent madman.

Tim

 

[Petre]

I read this a while back as we strive here in Wisconsin to get CC approved.

My wife and I own a number of businesses in Milwaukee , WI

My wife often closes up one (A gas station) Late at night and though she has a guy with her who is the "security" and stock person . He doesn't carry a gun and is probably more afraid of the local thugs than my wife. He's basically there to watch/keep younger kids from stealing.

Recently my wife said some older kids started hanging around late at night , hanging on the outskirts of the lot and watching her routine. She basically knows everyone in that neighborhood and recognized this kid and his brothers as local trouble makers . After a few nights of this she started to get a real sense that they were waiting for an opportunity to either rob her directly or break into the store after she left. Being the strong and possibly foolish woman she is , she decided to confront the one she knew best as to exactly what he was doing hanging around there and told them they couldn't just hang around on the lot at night. Long story short , he got beligerant with her showed her he was carrying a pipe , and threatened that she better not disrespect him (As if he deserved any) or she'd be sorry.

The guy showed up again the next night , so she called the local law enforcement who took an hour to show up. When they did she told them what was going on and they told her there was nothing they could do. She said she felt they were looking for an opportunity to attack her and the officer said "Yeah , you're probably right"

They didn't even bother to try and look for the guy and question him. The officer suggested my wife get a gun. As a store owner she could protect herself and property with one if she wanted. My wife prior to this had never owned or shot a gun .



Now I'm teaching her how to use it , like I want my wife to have to shoot someone. But these are the times we live in.

Ironically , as I stated earlier , she knows everyone in the neighborhood as we've been at that location for 20 years and she's watch kids grow up there. Most give her the respect she's given all of them over the years and treat her like family. Even the thugs. She happened to know one of the local gang leaders , who , though he's a criminal , has always treated her with respect ... she told him who the guy was that was coming around and had threatened her. He said he'd take care of it.

The next day the kid that was hanging around late at night , showed up at the store , came in and apologized to my wife and never came back again. Go figure.

My wife told me about all this after the fact and decided maybe the best thing was for her to have a gun. I bought her a gun the next night. (Taurus 85SS Ultra Lite .38 Special with Crimson Trace Laser grip)

Concealed Carry isn't allowed in WI yet to my knowledge ... but these idiots that are against it as well as anti gun , really need to get a clue. Officers like the one quoted in this thread , know what is going on and have their hands full. Response time for a violent crime is fast enough to make a report and call the coroner. Law abiding citizens should have every right to carry a concealed weapon cause it's the only real protection we have against a violent crime which is usually over in a minute.

 

[TimRB]

"Law abiding citizens should have every right to carry a concealed weapon cause it's the only real protection we have against a violent crime which is usually over in a minute."

Check your local laws carefully. Even here in California a person is specifically allowed to carry a concealed weapon at his/her place of business or home. It doesn't solve your whole problem, but...

Tim

 

[azurefly]

I don't think it's an issue of value; I think it's an issue of trust. The antis trust cops, and no one else, including themselves. They strongly believe that the police will protect them, and they also believe that every privately-owned gun in the country is in the hands of a latent madman.

I don't think they "strongly believe that the police will protect them." After all, it would take but a moment's rudimentary thought to realize that they won't be there when their protection is necessary. What the antis do is force themselves to pretend that the police will protect them. There is a difference.

No one who is not mentally defective could miss the notion that a criminal can come at you anywhere, and do what he wants to before a cop can get between you two -- unless he wanted to miss that notion.


-azurefly

 

[TimRB]

" After all, it would take but a moment's rudimentary thought to realize that they won't be there when their protection is necessary."

Yes, I know that. But I don't think there's much point in worrying about whether the antis really believe these silly things or if they are just pretending to. As gun owners, what matters to us is that they are anti-gun and they vote. We need to try to bring them to their senses if we can, but always vote regardless.

Tim