CCW is an obligation to carry

Many years ago, at the luby's massacre in Killeen, a woman's parents were some of the victims killed. She had a gun in the car but not allowed to carry in the restaurant. She later became a legislator and helped with Texas concealed carry.
 
I pulled this quote from Wikipedia

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanna_Hupp

Hupp and her parents were having lunch at the Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen in 1991 when the Luby's massacre commenced. The gunman shot 50 people and killed 23, including Hupp's parents. Hupp later expressed regret about deciding to remove her gun from her purse and lock it in her car lest she risk possibly running afoul of the state's concealed weapons laws; during the shootings, she reached for her weapon but then remembered that it was "a hundred feet away in my car."[4] Her father, Al Gratia, tried to rush the gunman and was shot in the chest. As the gunman reloaded, Hupp escaped through a broken window and believed that her mother, Ursula Gratia, was behind her. Actually however, her mother went to her mortally-wounded husband's aid and was then shot in the head.

As a survivor of the Luby's massacre, Hupp testified across the country in support of concealed-handgun laws. She said that if there had been a second chance to prevent the slaughter, she would have violated the Texas law and carried the handgun inside her purse into the restaurant.[5] She testified across the country in support of concealed handgun laws, and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1996.[6] The law was signed by then-Governor George W. Bush.[7]
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Double Naught Spy said:
Actually, you are way overestimating. Only about 2% have their permits. Of those 2%, as much as 80% do not carry on their person with any regularity.
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The law may have changed since I last researched it, but in Texas, there was this weird "traveling" provision. In that you couldn't have a gun in the passenger compartment of your car unless you were "traveling". Not just running errands, or going to the hardware store, actually "traveling". Some folks got CCW permits to get around the "traveling" language in the law.

Aaah, I see that Texas has passed something called the Motorist Protection Act, so that "traveling" provision may have gone away.

In very gun-friendly Louisiana, we have slightly more than 40,000 CCW permits issued, which is a small number, barely over 1% of our population. However, lots of folks take the course, then decide that the hassle of obtaining the license is simply not worth the effort. My wife, for example, took the course and was glad she did, but she only wants to carry a revolver in the car and doesn't think that it's worth it to go ahead and get the license, because carrying a handgun in the passenger compartment of a car is perfectly legal in this state.

OP said:
CCW is an obligation to carry
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No, I am not obligated to carry, although I carry something every day.
 
Yes pawpaw, the laws have changed in Texas. As long as you can legally posses a handgun, you can keep it in your car. The laws were clarified to make your car an extension of your private property. No one can restrict a firearm in your car not even your boss. They've also accepted castle doctrine and many other improvements to ccw.

The old traveling law was abused by police and many people were cited and arrested due to the vagueness of the word "traveling"
 
NRA, CC licenses, carry....

I support most gun & 2A issues. I also pay for NRA memberships when I can and agree that they do a lot for US gun owners/hunters.
That said, I do not agree with telling people what to do or when to do it.
I had a valid state issue concealed carry license from 2002 to 2007. I had no lethal force incidents or problems with my state agency. I'd set up a new concealed license but Im in no huge rush. With my concealed license, I had a loaded firearm on me about 10-20% of the time. Around 60-75% of the time, I would secure a weapon in my motor vehicle(which does not need a carry license by state law). I was not concerned or scared, but would conceal a sidearm if needed.
FWIW; I'd advise new armed security industry guards or those going thru courses to get a concealed/W license too. It meets the mandated training requirement & saved $$$ if a security officer applied for both at the same time. I'd explain that it makes sense to carry concealed if needed or if a subject makes threats or attacks you off-duty/after your shift. It does happen, trust me. ;)

Clyde
 
The law may have changed since I last researched it, but in Texas, there was this weird "traveling" provision.
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Nope, no change in the law since I last researched it. As rickyrick alluded to, having a gun in your car is like having it in your house and that is why I stipulated being carried on one's person, which outside of the car and home requires a license in Texas and of the ~2% that have licenses, only 10-20% have their gun with them day in and day out.

Poor kraigwy's daughter was present for a mall shooting. She had her permit and her gun was in the car while she was in a pet shop in the mall. Irregular carry is spotty protection and if you carry in your car only, say because you don't have a permit/license, then you are engaged in irregular carry.

Some folks simply cannot carry at work for a variety of reasons, but carry the rest of the time, but even they are in the vast minority. Most folks who have permits and can't carry at work simply don't take the time, effort, and expense to have a means to secure their firearm in their vehicle while at work, but arm themselves the rest of the time.
 
Poor kraigwy's daughter was present for a mall shooting. She had her permit and her gun was in the car while she was in a pet shop in the mall.
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Hupp later expressed regret about deciding to remove her gun from her purse and lock it in her car lest she risk possibly running afoul of the state's concealed weapons laws; during the shootings, she reached for her weapon but then remembered that it was "a hundred feet away in my car.
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http://www.kgw.com/news/Clackamas-man-armed-confronts-mall-shooter-183593571.html

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnew...an-antonio-theater-shooting-the-media-ignored

Incidents like these are the only reason why I feel an "OBLIGATION" to carry. I'm a former Marine and a current cop... I've put tens of thousands of rounds down range through various training. I also enjoy shooting for fun. I feel that my training, and more important proficiency, level is sufficient to where I am OBLIGATED to try and stop an event such as the ones described above. With that said, you don't have to be former or current military or police to be proficient enough to counter said armed threats. Millions of firearms enthusiasts fire way more rounds a month than any cop, unless said cop is also a firearms enthusiast. Therefore, many serious (and sane) enthusiasts on this forum are at least as (and likely way more) proficient as the majority of cops. I do feel like there is some personal soul searching that needs to be done before you can conclude that you are "OBLIGATED" to carry. Not only your proficiency level, but your willingness to actually take a life. It has nothing to politics, or showing our numbers. You can do that by obtaining a permit to carry.
 
Unless one is calling forth the militia to armed service I see no obligation to carry.

Yes, it's a good idea and encouraging others to carry is fine. But it's not an obligation the OP can stick on me.

I carry when I can.
(But my employer makes it impossible to do on a work day. The large boulders around the building and the 85 year old unarmed "security guard" are what they offer instead. And there will be no backtalk, hear?)
 
My obligation is to protect myself and my family. My pistol is simply the weapom that I ordinarily carry around in order to fulfill my obligation. My CHCL is just the card issued by my State that says I am allowed to do so.
 
CCW is an obligation to carry
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Although I do believe you should carry if you have one, I don't believe it's an obligation to carry. When I come across a CCW holder who doesn't carry all the time, or sometimes, at all, I'll ask them why, but I would never demand that they carry. Or get preachy about why they should. Everyone has their own reasons, and whether I think they are good or bad is a matter of opinion. Making a CCW permit into an obligation is a good way to turn people off to wanting one.

Use it or lose it.
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Tell that to the group of people in California who would open carry their gun legally (had to be unloaded), and as a result of the publicity, a state law got passed banning the practice. Just because you have a right does not mean you have to exercise it. In some cases, that can be detrimental to your cause.

I want you to know, I agree with your sentiment. I think it's a good idea to carry if you have a permit to do so. I just disagree with some of your ideas and reasons. In addition, I feel obligated to carry, but it doesn't have to do with the fact that I have a permit. It's because I believe I have an obligation to protect my family.
 
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