Why Carry....

[Guest m&pc9]

If you have to justify your position to your friends then you need new friends.

+1

[Guest HexHead]

How about I carry because the US constitution and the state of Tennessee says I can legally. I carry because i choose not to be a victim. If that is not good enough get new friends, because these guys aren't. Truth is carry for yourself and to protect those you love and care about. Don't worry about the rest of the world.

And most importantly, tell them not to worry, you won't use it to protect them.

[Guest HexHead]

All good thoughts. What about the one that they say, When you carry in to a certain place, you are just asking for trouble.

Ask them "how so?"

[Guest SouthernSaltine]

My nine year old son who is shooting in my avatar could easily pass metro's qualification test.

Tim. I love to see people teaching young ones responsible gun handling. Looks like you got a little comp shooter there. Daddy better watch it, son just might have to show him up on the range! Hows he do at the range? (PM) me, not to hijack the thread.

[Guest justme]

I got into a disucssion again tonight with some friends about why I carry. I don't feel that my answers were good enough for them but I tried my best. Let me preface this.

Two weekends ago a friend of mine, one who has his carry permit, went shooting. Afterwards, we went to a place called Princes Chicken up off of Dickerson road. Know that part of town, I did not want to disarm and go into this place to eat with out it. ( I was carrying OWB and my shirt was untucked with a jacket on. You could not see my gun) This place does not serve alcohol. They do not take credit cards, only cash. Who knows how much cash is laying around there. When they have an armed security guard sitting up front by the cash wrap, red lights go off in my head. While were were in there I spotted several people in there that were carrying. Maybe it is just because I carry I have become more observant, who knows. We ate and left. Nothing happened.

Now on to tonight. Some of my friends point of view is that when you carry into a place like that, you are just asking for trouble. This led to whenever you carry, you are just asking for trouble. To me it felt like they were just uneducated in the topic and they were afraid of guns. I brought up the recent shooting at the nursing home, didnt change their mind. One guy even said I would just lay down.

The way I see it is should the day come, and I truly hopes it doesn't, I dont want to be one of those people was caught by "Murphy" and if I need to defend myself, I will. If a guy was to walk in there with a gun, pointing at the cash register for money, I really dont want to be the person he turns the gun on next.

Can all of you, much wiser than me, give me any other help in dealing with these guys on this issue?

Thanks in advance.

why do you even try to explain to your friends why you choose to carry a gun? some people go around with their heads buried in the sand and want very badly to convince themselves and everyone else that we live in a safe society where this is not needed because law enforcement will protect the public. how wrong they are on both counts!

if you are asked again simply tell them it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[Guest db99wj]

...because cops are tooo heavy!

[Guest Hyaloid]

Despite my best efforts, I cannot throw any projectile at 900 FPS.

Look up the average response time to a violent crime in your city when someone calls 911. For most large metropolitan areas I *think* the average is around 5-8 minutes for critical calls and around 20 minutes for non-critical. Ask them how long they think a gunman would take to mow down unarmed victims, before they got to your friends.

From the ever reliable wikipedia regarding the Virginia Tech Shooting LINK:

By the end of this second attack, which continued for nine minutes after the first 9-1-1 call was received and about 10 to 12 minutes in total, Cho had fired at least 174 rounds,[17] killing 30 people and wounding 17 more.

If they fail to understand that, then I wouldn't press the issue, they likely aren't ready to receive the message.

[Guest DylisTN]

I ask: "Have you read John Lott's Book, More Guns, Less Crime"

Answer (allways to date): "No"

Me: "read it, then ask again"

Never been asked again

A few have seen liberal negative reviews of the book and try to "educate" me. I just tell them I've read it and found it rigorous and persuasive.

[Mike.357]

My wife and I had a discussion yesterday about the rash of shootings lately and how a person with a legally carried gun might make a difference.

She asked me if I was somewhere and a "crazy" came in shooting would I try to take them out.

My answer depended on circumstance. I explained if alone, my first goal would be to get out of the place unharmed. I would try to find a back door, place to hide etc..

I am not a killer and I don't intend to be one unless my life is threatened. ( or one of my family)

I carry a gun for my protection, not the protection of others. I do not carry to be a hero. I would use the gun to protect those I love, my wife, the kids and grandkids basically.

I am not sticking my neck out on the line to protect others who choose not to protect themselves.

Some of you all might and probably do feel differently. But my first reaction is going to be to get out, not to position myself to take a shot.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Mike.357
left out a key word

[timcalhoun]

My and I had a discussion yesterday about the rash of shootings lately and how a person with a legally carried gun might make a difference.

She asked me if I was somewhere and a "crazy" came in shooting would I try to take them out.

My answer depended on circumstance. I explained if alone, my first goal would be to get out of the place unharmed. I would try to find a back door, place to hide etc..

I am not a killer and I don't intend to be one unless my life is threatened. ( or one of my family)

I carry a gun for my protection, not the protection of others. I do not carry to be a hero. I would use the gun to protect those I love, my wife, the kids and grandkids basically.

I am not sticking my neck out on the line to protect others who choose not to protect themselves.

Some of you all might and probably do feel differently. But my first reaction is going to be to get out, not to position myself to take a shot.

I would have taken that POS out.

[Guest nraforlife]

My and I had a discussion yesterday about the rash of shootings lately and how a person with a legally carried gun might make a difference.

She asked me if I was somewhere and a "crazy" came in shooting would I try to take them out.

My answer depended on circumstance. I explained if alone, my first goal would be to get out of the place unharmed. I would try to find a back door, place to hide etc..

I am not a killer and I don't intend to be one unless my life is threatened. ( or one of my family)

I carry a gun for my protection, not the protection of others. I do not carry to be a hero. I would use the gun to protect those I love, my wife, the kids and grandkids basically.

I am not sticking my neck out on the line to protect others who choose not to protect themselves.

Some of you all might and probably do feel differently. But my first reaction is going to be to get out, not to position myself to take a shot.

A definition of HERO

He

Expired

Rescuing

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[Fadex]

Someone that thinks they won't get killed because they are laying down should realize the old saying "as easy as shooting fish in a barrel" applies even more when the fish are laying on the floor.

But...I carry for protection. Because I realize the government only provides for the "general" defense - they defend the public. Don't make the mistake of thinking,"but I am a member of the public". A public hazard is dangerous to everyone...a burglar in your house only endangers you and your family. The police are only legally required to defend the public. That's why I carry.

This didn't really start to hit home with me until my friend's car was broken into a few years ago in Nashville. The police wont come out at all or even take a report unless it is during regular business hours. The way things are going I can see some larger departments doing the same thing with home invasions. "Sorry just lay down and maybe the BG wont kill, rape, or hurt you or your family. Once he/she has left please file a report during our regular business hours of 9am til 4pm Monday through Friday." Not gonna happen to me. Lay down a field of fire, more likely.

I will always try to talk my way out of a fight or walk away first. I guess I believe in,"speak softly but carry a big stick".

[Mike.357]

nra says

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Expired

Rescuing

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i am sure that would be a big consolation as my wife and family faced life without me. Sorry that ain't me. My duty is to them and to come home to them.

[Guest bheard]

I don't Carry because I'm scared. I don't Carry because I want to heart someone. I Carry because it is my right to.

BH

[DaveTN]

I don't Carry because I'm scared. I don't Carry because I want to heart someone. I Carry because it is my right to.

BH

You gotta help me out with that one. Where does that right come from, and who is it recognized by?

[Guest Hyaloid]

You gotta help me out with that one. Where does that right come from, and who is it recognized by?

Oh dear...

[timcalhoun]

You gotta help me out with that one. Where does that right come from, and who is it recognized by?

I assumed that this was a joke........but if not.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

And then this:

“ A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.â€

[DaveTN]

I assumed that this was a joke........but if not.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

And then this:

“ A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.â€

No, I wasn’t joking I was serious as could be. Thinking you have a right that you do not have is not good for anyone.

The state of Tennessee does not recognize the first one as having anything to do with you carrying guns.

It does recognize the 2nd as your right to own them; but certainly not to carry them.

[Mike.357]

If we had a right to bear arms in TN we would not have to take a class and pay money to purchase a permit to do it.

Rights come without a monetary attachment.

You can keep and bear arms all you want until you leave your property.

I believe we should have the right to bear arms, but we don't.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Mike.357

[timcalhoun]

My point is that states have infringed on our unalienable rights. For the first 150+ years there were practically no gun laws. Only an occasional town ordinance that was unconstitutional then. The right to bear arms does not end at your property line. Just because some states have made it so does not make it right or legal.

[Punisher84]

Just because someone in power decides to infringe on a right doesn't make it less of a right.

[Guest truthsayer]

Just because someone in power decides to infringe on a right doesn't make it less of a right.

I had that discussion with my local bar owner tonight in between mentioning that the restaurant carry bill passed and my telling him that I would never come in his establishment again.

[Mike.357]

Just because someone in power decides to infringe on a right doesn't make it less of a right.

Let me know how that works as a defense if you ever get arrested for bearing arms without having a valid HCP.

I agree we have the right, the state does not agree though.

[DaveTN]

My point is that states have infringed on our unalienable rights. For the first 150+ years there were practically no gun laws. Only an occasional town ordinance that was unconstitutional then. The right to bear arms does not end at your property line. Just because some states have made it so does not make it right or legal.

And my point is that you can give all the reasons as to why you think you have this right; but that does not make it so. You do not have any “Right†recognized by the Federal government or the state of Tennessee to bear arms.

97% of the people of the state of Tennessee would be subject to arrest if they carried a loaded handgun off their property. That is not a right.

I believe that it should be a right. But as expected the SCOTUS (in Heller) stopped short of acknowledging our right to bear arms because of states’ rights. Gun owners running around acting like we made some kind of big win with Heller and we will be another 100 years getting this back in court.

[DaveTN]

Let me know how that works as a defense if you ever get arrested for bearing arms without having a valid HCP.

I agree we have the right, the state does not agree though.

We know how it will work don’t we?