Who has the right to ask you if you are carrying?

[DaveS]

I have a Carry Permit and have had one since shortly after they became legal in Tennessee. If I and others lose that right it will likely be because of attitudes like some of you have expressed in this thread. As has been previously mentioned and ignored, the Constitution protects you from government bodies misstreating you. The Constitution doesn't give you any rights on my property or property of any private individual. I can ask anyone I chose to leave my property. I can ask for just cause, unjust cause or no cause at all. I have that right because it is my property. If you refuse to leave I can have you arrested for trespassing. I can ask you to leave because you are carrying a weapon, because you aren't carrying a weapon, because I don't like your religion, your skin color, your politics or because I'm having a bad day. The facts are that we who carry weapons are in the minority. The anti-gun folks are also in the minority. The majority are those folks who take a neutral position. If we behave ourselves, carry responsibly, and don't go around with a chip on our shoulder about gun rights, hopefully we will be able to keep these rights. If we act like bullies with guns, we won't. If someone sees you are carrying and says something about it simply tell them you have a legally issued permit to carry a gun. That will totally defuse the situation 99% of the time. The other 1% keep your head about you and act responsibly. If a business owner asks you to leave because he doesn't want people carrying on his property, then leave quietly without making a scene. Remember there are always people watching and some of them would love the opportunity to brand all gun owners as hot headed troublemakers. Don't give them fuel for the fire they are trying to start. Let them come across as the troublemakers. Those of you who think you have a right to carry a weapon on the property of others without their permission need to wake up. What if that person were to show up at your house without being invited and walk in your livingroom and pick up the controller to your TV and change the channel and sit down and watch whatever he wants to? Would you have a right to order him to leave? Of course you do. But what about his rights? He wanted to watch that show. That's fine, let him go home and watch it at his house. The only way we will ever have a civil society is for us to respect the rights of others. Carrying a gun doesn't trump the rights of the other person unless he is trying to harm you.

WELL PUT!!! I give you an A+ Buddy!

[DaveS]

AB28, please read Dave Nowlin's post carefully. He is correct. Then, please consider these two points.

1. Your position to carry anywhere you please reflects harmfully on all of us with HCP permits. We should all attempt to be a role model for responsible HCP carry. I would urge you to do so as well. It only takes one negative event for the anti-gun lobby to whip their base into a frenzy. Do not be the person that gives them that leverage by posting statements that could be used to further their anti-gun agenda.

2. You are 32. I am 64, so trust me on this. Everything you put on the internet becomes part of a permanent record. If you are ever a defendant in a criminal case, the prosecution will find everything you have posted on Facebook,Twitter, and forums like this in an attempt to discredit you. They will find your posts here. When you make statements that can clearly be interpreted as ignoring the law when you disagree with it (and any objective measure, you have done that), then a jury could be swayed to believe that you believe you are above the law in other areas as well. Reread your own comments and imagine them being taken out of context and read to a jury. Everyone here is trying to give you some good advice. ...my advice? Take it.

If I were you, I'd have a change of heart. I'd post my new insight here. Then in a week or so, I'd ask the moderator to delete this thread.

Very, Very well said!!!

[Guest ab28]

You're right, I've had a change of heart.