Defending your decision

[Alpo]

Have you ever found yourself having to defend your decision to carry a gun?

"You're carrying a gun? Why? Why do you feel the need to carry a gun? Are you that scared that you need to carry a gun to feel protected? Are your man parts so little that you need to carry a gun to make yourself feel like a man?"

 

 

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

Thems fighting words!!

[Doc Shapiro]

If you have to ask, you'll never understand.

[Alpo]

Book I am reading. A guy is in the bank when it gets robbed. And as the stoned robbers started getting wilder, and talking about all their hostages, and shooting a couple of them to let the cops know they mean business, he drew his gun and shot all three of the bad guys. Yay.

 

Later he is being interviewed, and someone says, "Why were you carrying a gun in the bank?", and I thought, "Why wouldn't he?"

 

A story I'm quite fond of. I had taken my daughter and her boyfriend to dinner at the Olive Garden, and we had to wait. He suggested we wait in the bar. I said I couldn't go in the bar. He wanted to know why I couldn't go in the bar. I just repeated I couldn't go in the bar.

 

He kept questioning this, and I kept repeating I couldn't go in the bar. Then the little light bulb went off over my daughter's head, and she said, "That's right, he can't go in the bar".

 

By now he is getting loud. "What did you do that they won't let you go in the bar???!!?"

 

"Shut up. You can't carry a gun in a bar in Florida."

 

"YOU'RE CARRYING A GUN!!?!!!??!!!"

 

"A little louder. I don't think they heard you in the back of the kitchen."

[Blackwater 53393]

I HAVE been asked a time or two about my choice to carry. I mostly carry openly. Neither time was the inquiry confrontational.  Once was in a grocery store checkout line at a store that had been robbed a couple of days earlier.

 

The cashier overheard the question and snapped off that she wished I had been there on the day in question and that more people should carry.  She’s known me for years and thinks a lot of me and Schoolmarm!

 

The other time was on the street in downtown Nashville. Again, it was a nice lady who asked. I just kinda’ smiled and replied with the question, “Why don’t you?”  She looked puzzled for a moment, so I explained that I had a family that I cared for and often carried money and that I would protect them both as well as anyone else who might need help.

 

She nodded and smiled.  Who knows?  Maybe SHE carries now!!

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

Do you wear a seatbelt in your car? Why? Are you hoping to get into an accident? Do You have a fire extinguisher? Are you hoping for a fire? 

[Utah Bob #35998]

Defend? No. Explain calmly? Yes. 

I have never had to answer the question because someone saw my gun. I only carry concealed. Just in conversations with friends and acquaintances.

[Michigan Slim]

I don't get questions. Nobody knows I'm carrying. Except the neighbors across the street....... 

[Singin' Sue 71615]

Never have to.

No one 'really' knows.

And if I am open carry, it is in an area where most ALL open carry.

 

We have noticed those who are not afraid of us carrying will offer a nod that they acknowledge the pistol.

Those who are nervous tend to avert eye contact and cower...

The later speaks 'target' to a person with ill intent, doesn't it?

[Hendo]

My body, my choice....

[Smoken D]

Never a problem for me. Had a gun on me some 51 years now. Naked without one. Do you wanna see me naked? Well, do you, punk?

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

8 hours ago, Alpo said:

Have you ever found yourself having to defend your decision to carry a gun?

"You're carrying a gun? Why? Why do you feel the need to carry a gun? Are you that scared that you need to carry a gun to feel protected? Are your man parts so little that you need to carry a gun to make yourself feel like a man?"

 

 

 

 

Never a second time from the same person.

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

Never been asked. Never been questioned by the handful who know.

[Three Foot Johnson]

How would they know? That's the whole idea of "concealed" carry, isn't it?

 

I defended my position as the only "not guilty" vote on a jury one time. After the first late night, they all voted "not guilty" with me the next day.  Dumb trial dealing with a local bar not complying with clean air laws governing smoking in enclosed public places.

[DeaconKC]

The best answer I ever heard on the carrying topic went as follows:

"You carry a gun? What are you compensating for?"

"I'm compensating for spineless, sniveling, self-emasculating cowards who have abandoned their responsibility to protect the weaker members of our society."

[Whiskey Hicks]

I think of it as an informed personal choice. Empirically, I know the instances of my needing my firearm  are statistically low, but as others have pointed out, some of us do prepare for the less than average events happening.

 

I however don’t think someone is a coward for not carrying. Again, it’s an informed personal choice and I won’t fault others for their choice on how to confront the statistics.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

14 hours ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

Do you wear a seatbelt in your car? Why? Are you hoping to get into an accident? Do You have a fire extinguisher? Are you hoping for a fire? 

 

 ...... to me, this carries a lot of water .......   

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

Just wish I could carry.....[sigh  !!!!! ]

[Alpo]

I noticed several of the responses had versions of "how would they know I'm carrying a concealed gun?"

 

Nowhere in my question did I mention the word "concealed".

[Hendo]

7 hours ago, Alpo said:

I noticed several of the responses had versions of "how would they know I'm carrying a concealed gun?"

 

Nowhere in my question did I mention the word "concealed".

For many, "concealed" IS the only option. 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

If you open carry, you're asking for comments, good or bad. So, no complaints if you get them.

[J-BAR #18287]

I like to see folks carrying openly.  Everyone around is looking at them, not me.  

[Blackwater 53393]

2 hours ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

If you open carry, you're asking for comments, good or bad. So, no complaints if you get them.

Who’s complaining??  I hope more people will begin carrying openly when concealment isn’t practical.  If the alternative is going unarmed, I don’t see it as a real alternative!!  The more open carry we see, the less remarkable it will become!!

 

When it becomes unremarkable, we’ll have won a major battle in the war to protect our civil rights. ALL OF OUR CIVIL RIGHTS!!

[John Kloehr]

Tennessee is a carry state, no distinction between open or concealed. Well, a temporary quibble with the new concealed-only permit until permit-less carry kicks in.

 

I generally carry concealed in town. I generally carry open locally where everyone already knows me.

 

I have never carried open in Gatlinburg, some tourist soccer mom might call the police on me; the police have no choice but to investigate. I'm told it leads to about a half hour of being told I am completely legal, but the police have no choice but to verify the permit status when some tourist soccer mom calls in a MWAG.

 

Around here, the tourists support the economy. Don't make waves makes sense. In other words, even though legal, don't be that guy.

 

About a year ago, went for new truck tires in a nearby town. Forgot my cover garment. Was not going to leave my firearm in the truck since I was turning the keys over to the shop. Fine, open carried in the "customer lounge."

 

I brought my computer so I could make use of the 2 to 3 hours for the work on the truck (I knew it was a bit more than tires going in). I spent most of that time answering questions about what I was carrying, why I carried, other details of my carry rig, modifications to my carry, what ammo, why that ammo, spare mags, where to get a permit (I'm an instructor ), no I'm not a police officer, and more.

 

I'm happy to discuss carry with the community, and I don't characterize my interaction as "defending my decision." But then I do not expect trouble at the grocery store or bank or gas station. Someone did try to break into my cabin in the forest one night when I was home. In a county where LE response can easily be more than a 1/2 hour. I bought my first carry gun the next day, and made arrangements for a carry permit shortly after that. I needed the permit to meet the legal requirement of going into the community "with the intent to go armed." All I really needed was to be able to go home armed.

 

I have never felt a need for a firearm in the grocery store or bank or gas station, but I was not comfortable leaving it in my car at any of those places. It is safer for the community if it is in a holster on my body. Th same for getting my vehicle serviced, don't leave it in the vehicle.

 

If open carry is legal where you are, and you choose to carry openly, my advice is to be friendly and represent the community well. Since it is not "normal" here even though legal, it does draw attention. How I (and you) respond does set the tone for the rest of the carrying community. We are all judged by how I (and perhaps you) come across to those asking.

 

Now, this is Tennessee, and when the temperature and humidity both go above 90, my interest in a cover garment goes down. Apparently, so does interest in asking me questions. After about 5 years here, have only had a couple people fearfully adjust their course to avoid me. Fortunately they did not call me in as a MWAG.

[Sixgun Sheridan]

On 6/13/2021 at 8:32 AM, Alpo said:

"You're carrying a gun? Why? Why do you feel the need to carry a gun? Are you that scared that you need to carry a gun to feel protected? Are your man parts so little that you need to carry a gun to make yourself feel like a man?"

 

Unfortunately my man parts aren't massive enough to help me fend off a pair of knife-wielding thugs half my age. Anyone who expects me to gets their idea of fighting from watching Bruce Lee movies. I'm not Bruce Lee.

[John Kloehr]

And as much as the classic answer comes to mind, saying you carry a gun because "a cop is too heavy"... It reduces any chance to convert a non-carrier.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

I'm still defending my decision to vote for Ross Perot in 1992.

[Blackwater 53393]

2 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

I'm still defending my decision to vote for Ross Perot in 1992.

SO!!  You’re one of those responsible for the rise of the Clinton cartel!!  

[Joe LaFives #5481]

It's certainly an option to carry openly or concealed here in Arizona.  I will ALWAYS opt for concealed,  that way I don't provide information to possible perpetrators.  

[Ramblin Gambler]

I have a single buscadero rig that I bought between the time I decided to start cowboy shooting and when I actually went to a match.  So when we get constitutional carry in a couple months I plan to break that out for the cool factor on weekends.  Technically I can do that now with my LTC permit but it would mean potentially having to talk to LEO a lot and showing them the permit. 

 

To answer the question, when anyone has asked me why I'm carrying, I think I've always said "Why not?"  I like Blackwater's response of "why aren't you?"  I will use that next time.  I have a reputation as a curmudgeon anyway, so when I get into a conversation about how I can't go into a bar, my family doesn't push it anymore.  I don't know if they know the reason or just recognize when I'm not going to answer. 

[Smuteye John SASS#24774]

3 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

I like to see folks carrying openly.  Everyone around is looking at them, not me.  

That's what I was thinking.

[John Kloehr]

3 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

I like to see folks carrying openly.  Everyone around is looking at them, not me.  

 

21 minutes ago, Smuteye John SASS#24774 said:

That's what I was thinking.

Back to Tennessee, 90+ degrees, 90+% humidity, the lightest available vest over my t-shirt (Columbia, that bastion of progressive thinking)... I do get asked "Watcha got underder?

 

I reply and ask "watchugot?

Really, once I understood "you lava" the dialect here is not difficult. And ain't nobody wearing an extra layer 'less they carry'in.

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

A friend once commented that there was no need for him to carry a gun when he was with me, because he knew I always had at least two guns on my person.  

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I pretty much always open carry. 1911 with poly ivory grips, with a chinese dragon on them. I nearly always get VERY favorable comments. From "Nice gun, I like those grips", to "Can I hang around with you? I feel safer with you carrying that gun." 

I've also had several "people" who looked like they had Bad Intentions turn and go the other way when seeing it.

 

[Alpo]

A friend once commented that he was so glad that I was there with him (at Western Union where he was wiring money) because I had my "hand cannon" (his term, not mine, Walther PPK 380). I'm pretty sure that he was of the opinion that if someone tried to steal the $600 he had with him, I would prevent it.

 

Boy, was he wrong.