Why you carry your handgun

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NateKirk

New member
Why do you carry a gun?

Hey all. I'm writing a paper for my sociology class on the American gun culture. So to help me with that, I am asking these questions...
- Why do you carry a gun?
- What do you think is the definition of gun culture?

I'm not looking for any kind of debate or anything, just your personal opinions and thoughts. Thanks!
 
Hey all. I'm writing a paper for my sociology class on the American gun culture. So to help me with that, I am asking these questions for all of you who carry...
- Why do you carry your gun? (self defense, exercise rights, other, etc.)
- What do you think is the definition of gun culture?

I'm not looking for any kind of debate or anything, just your personal opinions and thoughts. I've got my reasons to keep mine around but I need others opinions so my paper won't be biased toward my reasoning only. Thanks:)
 
There are bad people that do bad things. There have been killings, home invasions, etc., etc. not so far from me. I see carrying as a way to defend myself if needed. There's no sense of power. I view it as not being a helpless victim.
 
Then again;

"American gun culture" Is a political term and a tool for left-wing politics. It's your paper but perhaps a better subject might be the historical foundation of the Second amendment of "our" Constitution, which is sovereign. .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
Ever push a gun? Or tie a rope to it and drag it? I swear, carrying it is so much easier and it's less hell on the gun!

I would carry because of a few reasons. None of them are because I see myself as a peacemaker or a half-assed cop. Instead of saying why I would carry though, a quick story about a dead girl which may illustrate why carrying is a good idea: A 26 year old girl drives out to a nice place to go bike riding. She does, no problem. Her car won't start when she returns. She uses her cell to call a few people including her Mom. But she also makes the mistake of accepting a ride from a good Samaritan. If she had a CCW, it is probable she would not have been raped. She probably would not have been stabbed to death. And my 26 year old female friend would likely not have been buried naked in a shallow grave in the woods. So. While you and I may be tough, wise, strong men, there's still a lesson there. Bad people are out there and defending yourself may be desirable.

My take on "gun culture" is that it is such a malleable term, attempts at defining it do not lead to much. It is whatever the reader or writer wishes to make it. I feel it is term used to make blanket statements and generalizations without fear of being seen as making assumptions, all too often. I feel it is a politicized term and therefore is a dangerously ephemeral catch-all. Consider this: in what context do you hear about "gun culture"? Invariably it is negative- a wacko, a shooting, etc. But demonstrably, many millions of people who presumably make up that same "gun culture" do no such thing. There's just no newsworthy items surrounding them. Didn't hear about me in the news today, did you? No news story about me safely taking out a rifle today, clearing the action and sticking my finger in the breech to make sure it was unloaded, keeping my finger off the trigger, while pointing the muzzle in a safe direction, yet again. no blurb about that.

If I was asked what I would want "gun culture" to mean, I would answer "responsible, law abiding firearm enthusiasts".
 
Mainly just to exercise my right, that being said I'm always prepared to use it if the time comes that I need it.
 
Thanks guys keep em coming!
Also I realize that the term "Gun culture" can be used as a political tool, but I can't think of any better terms for the large population of shooting enthusiasts that are unique to our country.
 
Before I got my CCW permit I was driving in Carson City Nv. The intersection in front of me was partially blocked with Police cars. Someone went into a nearby restaurant and started shooting people they didn't know for no reason at all. About the same time in southern Ca. a older man was beaten to death with a baseball bat in the sporting goods section of a store. The transient who was pan handling outside apparently did not like something that was said to him.

I began to wonder what I would do if I was in those situations, either as a victim or a spectator. So today I carry a gun, and I keep a fire extinguisher in my car and home. I don't really plan on having a fire, nor do I plan on ever having to shoot anyone. But if I do have the need, I will have the proper tool for the task.

I live in a desert region, so one benefit to society from my ability to defend myself is that I am not too afraid to stop to see if I can help a stranded motorist.

When seconds count the Police are just minutes away.
 
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Why do I carry a gun . . . simple. There is an ever increasing faction of our population who consider themselves "above the law" (no, I'm not talking about politicians although they certainly qualify) and who will do anything to get what they want. My life experiences have shown me that the Police cannot be everywhere all of the time and a person needs to be aware of what is going on around them whether it be in a parking lot, at home or out in public. The Second Amendment of our Constitution (which the politicians need to read once in a while) guarantees me the right to bear arms. My work experiences have shown me many things - things that people ought to never have to see - the results of homicides, beatings, home invasions and bodily harm undesereved by innocent victims. . . . . things that no person is immune to if in the wrong place at the wrong time. I pray that I will never have to use the handgun that I carry . . . but I refuse to be a "victim" nor have a member of my family become a "victim".
 
When seconds count the police can be there in minutes!

It's my right to carry a firearm. It's my duty to defend and protect my family, and my self.
I prey every day that I never lose the first, or need the second.
 
I carry a gun for the same reason I wear a seatbelt; just in case something bad happens. I buckle up my seatbelt every time I get in a car, and I've only ever needed it once. But that one time, my seatbelt saved my life. So far, I haven't needed my carry gun, but I carry it everywhere I'm able to legally carry it, just in case I ever need it.

And "gun culture" doesn't really mean anything. There are all sorts of people who shoot guns for many different reasons. I suppose "gun culture" just means "people who own and shoot guns". The media likes to portray us all as crazy, anti-government rednecks, but nothing could be further from the truth. I worked at a large gun store right outside a major American city, and many non-gun people would be amazed at the sheer diversity of our customers (I don't mean just racial diversity, I mean ALL types of diversity).
 
Why do I carry? It depends on the situation, if out for a walk in nature I want one just in case I encounter a bad creature...either 4 or 2 legged! In a more urban area the reason is obvious. Up until several years ago, I never considered carrying or even having a gun loaded in my house because I thought I lived in a pretty safe rural environment. What changed that? My house was broken into and trashed top to bottom and several thousand dollars worth of my stuff stolen. That and a rash of home invasions in recent years when the home is occupied. Most of these crimes are perpetrated by scumbags who need to feed their heroin or similar habits. Lots of these clowns are from out of state and I think they see this area as an easy mark.
Gun culture? It could be made up of hunters, target shooters, skeet shooters, cowboy action, plinkers or self defense types. That's a hard one to pin down.
 
Wisdom tells us there are situations in life where being able to defend ourselves, family and friends requires force beyond wit or human power is capable.
Finding yourself such a situation with a gun or mob pointed at you, would you rather bet you can contain the situation for a 5-15 minute response time for the police (assuming you could call) or would you rather match force with equivalent force during the delay for help to arrive?

I don't expect you will find too many on this board that would bet their lives on a super fast police response.


To quote the tag line of another poster here, allow me to turn the question back to you:

Is the idea that a woman, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to that same woman, standing over the dead body of her attacker?

If there were no evil in the world, ......

(And good luck with the paper)
 
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