I need opinions, help!

[bjones870]

My last forum was closed, so I'll try again...


Here's a scenario that I discussed with a family member recently. I'm looking for fellow shooters input. Here's the scenario:

A older teen/ young man, between 18-20, lives in a rough part of town. The teen has never done anything illegal, and always obeys the law. But recent events have made him want to conceal carry. He's under age, but feels it necessary. He is VERY experienced with firearms, and has extensive knowledge. He argued it was ok to carry, while I didn't necessarilly agree. But he had a good argument with this sentence "I'd rather be in prison because I shot someone, than be dead because I wasnt armed."

What would you do in this situation, carry or not? Why and why not?

 

[shootniron]

He needs to obey the law now so that he can legally carry when he is of age. Carrying now can lead to big trouble for him even if he uses the gun in a justified situation. Ayoob has written fairly extensively saying that nobody should do this and I tend to agree with him. This is a great time for him to polish his situational awareness skills.

 

[GoOfY-FoOt]

The teen has never done anything illegal, and always obeys the law.

If the teen in question is truly, law-abiding, then there would be no question as to what to do. ABIDE BY THE LAW!!!

There are other ways to defend yourself, and if the situation is so bad in the "rough part of town", now that the young man is legally an adult, he could excercise his right to relocate to a safer area, all together.

Another option would be to espouse a woman a few years older, and she could get her permit...

Or solicit a friend or co-worker who carries, and spend more time with them...

Or study the law to see how exactly one in the situation could keep a weapon nearby. i.e. vehicle, private property, etc...

Some states, have laws that allow 18-21 yr.olds to carry if they are LEO or active military...

There are many options available for a young person, without tarnishing their perfect, law-abiding record. Heck, by the time I was that age, i had broken so many traffic violations, it wasn't funny. I nearly lost my driving privilege for a spell because of the points I had acquired in a short time frame. And, that was just for the infractions that I had been cited for!!!

I would continue to abide by the law, if I were the young man in question. If he doesn't like the law as it is, he should get involved in his state's legislative process or a lobby that supports his position, and go from there.

 

[pax]

Ahh, the other moderator might have been a bit too terse in the closing statement, so I'll expand:

TFL, as a forum rule, does not promote or condone breaking the law. That makes TFL the wrong forum to discuss the ethics of lawbreaking.

Hope that helps.

pax

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do." -- Prof De La Paz in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein