Aside from the obvious, what made you carry full-time?

Nope, I'm not the voice of the opposition. It is just my voice. I don't represent anyone else but apparently voicing your own opinion here is politically incorrect. Or am I taking that the wrong way?

I'm saying two things here. First, I realize that I'm talking about the possiblitiy of losing my life over the (slim) possiblity of being in a situation (where, I don't know) where I don't have the means, meaning a firearm, to defend myself, not that I've ever known anyone who has actually done that. But I also know that were I to shoot someone, I stand a chance of losing everything else. Some choice, huh?

I'm also saying to not let government off the hook. I'm not referring to the supreme court though. Didn't get to vote for them. But government is there for a purpose, only we don't all agree what the purpose is. Some seem to think the purpose of government is to do nothing but I'm not in that camp. And I'll never understand why anyone would want someone in office who doesn't believe that government is there for a good reason. Anyway, there's going to be a government just the same, so might as well wish for a good one.
 
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Okay, I'll bite. But first, let me say for the record that I 'reported' your post because I was afraid it would lead to a political debate that, frankly, is off-topic. I didn't want a thread I was enjoying to go off in that direction. Since the mods clearly disagree with me on this point, and seem to have sanctioned the thread going in this direction, so long as it is friendly, I'll go ahead and participate. :)

BlueTrain said:
Nope, I'm not the voice of the opposition. It is just my voice. I don't represent anyone else but apparently voicing your own opinion here is politically incorrect. Or am I taking that the wrong way?
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I can't speak for the intentions of others, but I would take them at their word. Most here genuinely wonder why you would hang around a bunch of guys and gals who see your own ideology as the enemy of their own freedom. It's nothing personal--it just doesn't make sense to most of us, that's all.

It would be sort of like 99% of the folks on this board deciding to go hang out at the DailyKos or Huffington Post. :)

BlueTrain said:
But I also know that were I to shoot someone, I stand a chance of losing everything else. Some choice, huh?
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The phrase, "I'd rather be tried by twelve than carried by six", applies here I think. Yes, it is a cliche. But it's true. For the most part, I feel like I could get a fair trial from my peers. I also believe they would factor in things such as stress and fatigue in deciding my intentions. Sure, there are bad judges and juries, but every single day people go on trial, get fair trials, and it isn't reported on by reporters. You yourself already admitted that your chances of ever having to draw your gun, much less use it, are slim. How then are you likely at all to do all of that and be one of the unlucky few with a jury and judge that walk into the courtroom out for your blood?

But government is there for a purpose, only we don't all agree what the purpose is. Some seem to think the purpose of government is to do nothing but I'm not in that camp. And I'll never understand why anyone would want someone in office who doesn't believe that government is there for a good reason. Anyway, there's going to be a government just the same, so might as well wish for a good one.
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The question, then, is what did our founding fathers intend when they wrote the constitution? What was their mission? What is the purpose of government?

Well, I think we all agree that the government has some responsibility to protect us from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That having been said, it is not reasonable to believe that they can protect us from all enemies, and furthermore, we must give up our essential liberties in order to get more protection (though of course most of the time we give up liberties and get no more safety at all).

I would rather, as Thomas Jefferson put it, "sail the tempestuous sea of liberty" as opposed to being timid and preferring the "calm of despotism". In other words, I would rather live in a society where carry of a gun is a level-headed decision than have my government disarm us and be responsible for our protection (which means disarming us of our weapons and numerous other freedoms).
 
Gee, I didn't know anyone had to report a questionable post. I thought the referees were checking everything anyhow.

Why am I even on this board when it seems like I disagree with everything? Well, I don't disagree with everything, just a few things. But sometimes I think people read things into my posts that aren't there. In this particular thread, for instance, I never suggested that no one else carry a gun, did I? (or maybe I did!).

I'm still a gun nut, to use an old expression, though I'm winding down, in a manner of speaking. And this is an especially active message board. Some of the posts here really impress me with the depth of knowledge and experience of the contributors. Other posts, less so. I don't pretend to have any special knowledge or experience. I haven't been down range to the sandbox or the SE Asia war games. The closest I've been was sitting at the airport during the six-day war. I also don't like to be dogmatic about too many things and for that reason it sounds like I argue both sides of an issue sometimes. Or I'm just being wishy-washy.

But for precisely that reason I haven't had the religious experience that suggested I should go about armed, though I've actually known people murdered with firearms (in their sleep). And like I say, there's always a first time. And I've never heard of those other things you mentioned.

The founding fathers wrote the constitution "to form a more perfect union." Remember that before the constitution there was the confederation and that didn't work out too well. As soon as the first president took office there were problems and some of them had to do with taxes. Some officeholders did everything they could to make anyone who disagreed with them criminals. In other words, they had second thoughts about the common folk having a hand in running things. But that got worked out eventually, more or less. TJ himself was out of the country while this was going on and came home still full of idealism. But I digress.

I never intended to say or suggest anything to curtail anyone's freedoms and I know that no one here would either.
 
When I started this post, I was curious to know why people choose to carry a concealed weapon all/some of the time. I think I clearly stated my motivation and most of you have complied with the discussion and avoided saying, "Because I can." There were no political venues or agendas.

I pretty much conceded the fact, when composing the original post, this Forum being what it is, would expect most to be of like mind. Interesting that we should get a viewpoint that was unexpected and while I respect everyone's right to their individual opinions, it should make no difference to anyone that others have a point of view that is not in line with the majority that seem to frequent this Forum.

However, I feel that recent viewpoints expressed are off topic, as pointed out by a staff member several posts ago and I, as the originator, would prefer to stay on topic. I would have thought that my reasons were of some interest to others as I think other's rationale would be of interest to me, and other reader's of the Forum.

So with that in mind, I again ask what made you carry a concealed weapon? I did not ask, why you elect not to carry a concealed weapon. Perhaps that might be a topic for some of those that prefer to express those views.
 
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After I closed the restaurant, I went to drive home. I was 19 and didn't own a gun. It was about 1:30 in the morning on a Saturday night in July. I had a shotgun held against my head as I sat in the driver's seat of my Mom's new car. I noticed that the kid holding the shotgun was trembling. I was told to get out of the car. Then I was told to hand over my wallet, which I did. Then, while still being held at shotgun-point, my Mom's new car was driven off by two young guys. Afterwards, the kid with the shotgun got in their car and it drove off following mine as it was disappearing in the distance. There were four of them, and it went down pretty quick.

As I stood in the the road watching the cars drive away, three things went through my head:
1. I was glad they didn't kill me.
2. If I HAD had a gun on me, once the shotgun was pressed against my head it would not have done me much good.
3. I was not the bad-ass I pretended to be. (Probably as wise to consider now as it was then.)


As time went on I learned much more about both situational awareness and firearms. I'm still not convinced that I can 'never be taken by surprise - ever'. (But I'm working on it.)

So I suspect that the basic reason that I carry is because once upon a time I received a first-hand lesson in how quickly your life can change, when and where you would never expect that anything like that would ever happen.

.
 
I'm also saying to not let government off the hook. I'm not referring to the supreme court though.
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The point is that the Supreme Court has let the "government off the hook" when it comes to its responsibility to protect individual citizens.

It's pointless to talk about not letting the government off the hook when there's a Supreme Court ruling that says the government/police don't bear any blame if they don't protect you.

It's not your decision, it's not our decision, we don't get to make it. It's already been made and it is the law of the land for the foreseeable future.
 
45Gunner, . . . in my previous post, . . . I didn't elaborate, . . . but the 3 tours in VietNam taught me that if the enemy wants you, . . . he can probably get you, . . . but you have an option / choice to make it as hard as possible, and maybe take him with you if you have to go, . . . and my choice is to do just that.

Luby's in Texas reiterated what I had already learned, . . . and it is only one example in a string.

My choice for carrying is MY choice, . . . for protecting MY person, . . . and MY family, . . . first and foremost. Yes, given appropriate circumstances I would be first in line to help others, . . . but the primary motivation just comes down to personal survival, personal safety, personal security.

It is public knowledge, public policy, and publicly stated that all the layers of government have no duty to my personal safety, security, etc. . . so I'll do it myself, . . . and a 1911 on my belt is just one of the tools I choose to use.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
My choice for carrying is MY choice, . . . for protecting MY person, . . . and MY family, . . . first and foremost. Yes, given appropriate circumstances I would be first in line to help others, . . . but the primary motivation just comes down to personal survival, personal safety, personal security.

It is public knowledge, public policy, and publicly stated that all the layers of government have no duty to my personal safety, security, etc. . . so I'll do it myself, . . . and a 1911 on my belt is just one of the tools I choose to use.
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Couldn't have said it better.
 
So, BlueTrain, I guess having car insurance is "living in fear", or maybe having life insurance is. Maybe health insurance coverage is "living in fear". Wake up, man. The government isn't in place to protect you. The police, as the courts have affirmed, are not there to "protect" you, but to report and later solve the crime.

I can understand why someone would have reason not to carry, but to say we live in fear because we do shows your intelligence level. I fear a whole lot less when I am carrying. What is your plan when you have to step out of your perfect, protected little bubble you've created for just a minute, and someone demands your possessions, or even your life from you? What then, blue? Call the police again? You'll bleed out long before they get there. Maybe you have little to fear with "500 of your closest friends" escorting you everywhere, but some of us live in the real world, and have to work in the real world, with it's very real dangers. Some of us live in dangerous areas, some of us have sh*t for family. We can't all live the protected life you do, blue.
 
It is my blood given right to do so but I don't like carrying. There's a heavy, real responsibility involved with carrying a pistol. I do it sometimes. I mailed my pistol to tampa before i flew down there for a vacation.
 
Back On Topic

I carry Full time, because I work full time, and my boss told me to carry at work, so I oblige. . .. Otherwise a loaded SD gun at my workbench was what I did before he asked me to carry all day. Sometimes work is easier without a gun on my hip, but work will always be a hell of a lot easier alive ;)
 
I was a big, strong man who wouldn't hesitate for a minute to smash someone......not that I had to.....folks just chose not to fool with me. Now, my gray hair, gray mustache and limp from the many joints that hurt simply flag me as a target. I would run but I couldn't outrun an 80 year old Hooker!

The choice was easy. Either become a victim or level the playing field.

God made man. Samuel Colt made them equal.

Flash
 
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