[fishnjake]

Exercising my right as a gun owner in the Commonwealth of Virgina, I recently applied for my CC permit. I've survived 45 years without confrontation and have been kicking this around in my mind for some time now as to "why would I carry?"

So, I'd like to ask you all, if you don't mind answering "why do you carry?" If its part of your job such as LEO, please don't reply-no offense-I'm more interested to hear from Joe Citizen.

Am I looking for you to help me answer my own question, I suppose maybe. I've read a good deal on this site and I value your opinions-given what I've read online this seems like the site to ask.

Thanks for your input.

-Fishnjake

[OregonJohnny]

Welcome to The High Road. You'll find endless amounts of great information here.

You'll get many responses ranging from "because it's my right" to "I live or work in a really rough neighborhood and have had to use my CCW many times and it's saved my life". That's what is so great about THR, it's full of all kinds of folks with all different experiences.

The answer for me, as well as for many here is: Because it's better to have it and never need it, than to really need it sometime and not have it. The thought of that keeps me slipping that S&W J-frame into my pocket every day.

[freakshow10mm]

Same reason I carry insurance, keep a spare tire in my vehicle, keep an emergency kit in my vehicle, carry a cell phone, carry spare cash, etc. Just in case something happens, I'm prepared.

I hope I never have to shoot anyone and I hope that I waste money my whole life on stupid permits so I can carry and never have to "use" the money I spent.

It isn't so much that something did happen to me, it's if it is going to happen to me. I refuse to be a victim. Criminals prefer unarmed victims.

[Ridgerunner665]

Why I carry?

The same reason you carry a spare tire in your car...You hope you'll never need it, but its nice to know its there.

[louie19]

Just like the Boy Scouts, I like to Be Prepared.

[Just One Shot]

For me the main thing was to make a statement to the new administration!

The way I see it is, the more people that exercise their right to bear arms, the better it is for everyone who believes that gun ownership is a personal choice and not the choice of or government!

[CoRoMo]

Because...


I can't carry a cop.
I have a family to protect.
Nobody will exercise my 2A right for me, so I'll do it.
Being unarmed has become a senseless notion to me now.
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
You never know what will or won't happen tomorrow.
Rather carry and not need it than to need it and not carry it.
I refuse to be victimized by evildoers.
Ounce of prevention.


And the list could go on forever. Some are cliche, but all are relevant.
Rather than type all day, I hope the point has been made.

After having carried daily for so long, I simply don't choose to maneuver through today's world helplessly unarmed.

[HoosierQ]

Because if the going really gets tough, all that tough-guy stuff you see in the movies and TV is baloney. Yeah...get in a fist-fight...that's a terrible idea in the real world.

You carry so that, in a bad situation, you have sufficient force available to you to make and execute a safe retreat from a situation that might escalate into violence. You don't carry a gun to equilize yourself. If you find yourself in a beef on the street you need to get out of there pronto...that ought to work 99% of the time. For the 1% when that person is a psychopath or a hardened criminal with criminal intent you need to be able to defend yourself.

I have never had to pull my weapon, never, knock on wood, even had a close call. But I have it with me.

[NGIB]

Simple really. The Supreme Court has ruled in numerous court cases that the police are under NO obligation to protect you. There are threads here on this very topic - do a search and it should be a very sobering read for you.

Since nobody is obligated to protect me & mine - I accepted the job...

[twoclones]

Because violent crime victims always look so surprised on the news. That tells me I should be prepared when I least suspect to be assulted.

[NG VI]

Honestly, because I feel like it. I'm


Because violent crime victims always look so surprised on the news. That tells me I should be prepared when I least suspect to be assulted.


This is a perfectly good reason as well.

[Geezer Glide]

'Cause I can.

[pugmug]

There are quite a few states.State of mind,being,health,estate,state you live in,state of the union/country and more.Pick one.

[pugmug]

@ fishnjake,as 45 isn't old to myself,it isn't 18 either.Can you do as well as you could before when it comes to physical protection of self,family or others?I know I can't as I left 45 behind years ago.

[MikePGS]

As an individual i realize that I am solely responsible for my safety,and the safety of my family. The world is a dangerous place, and whether we want it to be true or not, there are a lot of bad people out there just waiting for an oppourtunity to harm someone.

[PRM]

Same reason I wear boots and a hat

[wyocarp]

I have to have a reason?

[rhartwell]

because I want to make sure nothing happens to my family

[cambeul41]

I have 25 pages of single-spaced essay -- me just talking to myself on the subject. Different parts of the answer go to different people, let me mention just three:

1) "Just in case" is often my first response to the question in the hopes that that will be sufficient.

2) "Because I am superstitious and believe that emergencies that I prepare for will not occur and emergencies that I do not prepare for are more likely to occur.

3) "Because I am too old and too gimpy to either fight or run as I once could, but I still have my pride and independence, and I am too proud and independent to give up my freedom to go where I will, to hide behind walls, and to go out, as gun-grabbers constantly advise us, only in flocks of timorous sheeple — and then only to non-existent “safe places."

[Davionmaximus]

I carry because the bad people do...

[Robert]

Because when seconds count the police are minuets away.
And cause I look good in a 1911...

[Gryffydd]

For me it can be partially expressed as a variation on Pascal's Wager (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager)

It may be incredibly unlikely (and this is arguable) that I ever need to defend myself or my family. That is balanced against just how bad it would be if I needed to and couldn't. I'd say dying or having a family member die as a result of that would be infinitely bad. Therefore, even a .000000001% chance multiplied by infinity equals infinity.

[Elbert P . Suggins]

Because Greatgrandad carried a 1860 Colt 44 in the CW, Grandad carried a Colt Peacemaker 45 when he come out West, Dad a Colt 1911 in the Pacific, but I broke tradition and carry a S&W 640-3 357 mag. It's in our genes to be armed!

[Boba Fett]

I CC because I live in the Houston, Texas area. That means that we have to deal with a lot of illegals, Katrina refugees (no offense if you are a good one, I'm not talking about you), and third ward types.

Even if there weren't those issues to be concerned about, I'm of the Pascal's Wager belief as well. I my never need mt gun, but I'm not going to wager my life or that of my family's on it. The fact that there is any crime or violence is enough for me to CC. Until we all live in a perfect Utopia where there is no crime (and no such place exists on earth), I'll CC.

[karlborman]

My trust is in God, not men. The Bible tells us in Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Knowing the nature of man, and this culture in which most things that are evil are called good, and those things that are good are called evil, I choose to carry knowing that one day, there is a chance (however slim) I'll have to defend that which is precious to me, the lives of those I love.

God help us all.

[PcolaDawg]

I'm kind of in the same boat you are. I'm 46 and I've never been in a situation where I've ever needed a gun for protection, but I just recently applied for my CCW.

Here are my reasons:

1. Just in case. All it takes is for ONE encounter with a bad guy to make me kick myself for the rest of my life if one of my loved ones or co-workers were hurt or killed because I was helpless to defend them against a gun-toting thug. And I don't want to die senselessly because I was defenseless in an altercation with a thug bent on ending my life. All it takes is once. Heck, I never saw a tornado for the first 40 years of my life. Now I've seen three and almost been blown off the highway by a large one in downtown Pensacola. Just because it hasn't happened yet is a silly reason to go unarmed, because all it takes is once.

2. I believe it's my civic responsibility to arm myself and help protect my neighbors, co-workers, and all other honest citizens that may need help.

3. Because I can. The right to carry arms is in the Constitution and is almost a uniquely American right. This is a gift my Country has given me that I've gone too long without accepting.

[bottom shelf]

Just because I like guns, and like being around them.

[savit260]

I wear a seat belt when I drive. I don't expect to be in an accident, but if I am, I sure want to be able to protect myself from as much harm as possible.

I have a Fire Extinguisher in my kitchen. I don't expect to have a fire, but if I do, I sure want to be able to protect myself from as much harm as possible.

I carry a revolver. I don't expect to ever be in a situation where I need to defend my life, but If I am, I sure want to be able to protect myself from as much harm as possible.

[Shadan7]

Piece I wrote and posted on the Great Orange Satan some years back:

Do you own a fire extinguisher? Why? (http://communionblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/24/do-you-own-a-fire-extinguisher-why/)

Cheers!

7

[mrt949]

My son in law is a deputy sheriff and he is too big to carry:neener:

[Wyo_F-A]

Even though I live in one of the safest areas of the country (IMHO), I carry for that 'just in case' scenario. It is better to be prepared for anything, than for nothing.

[Sato Ord]

I have not needed to pull a gun to protect myself in a long time. However, I'd rather have and not need it than need and know that it is safely locked away at home.

I've successfully used firearms for defense, both in the military and as a civilian. I hope and pray that I will never have to do so again, but if someone puts me in a kill or be killed situation I intend to be the one alive when it's over.

Also, 2A rights are kind of like muscles, if you don't exercise them, they just might atrophy to the point of uselessness.

[MCgunner]

Because when I was 16, I needed a gun and didn't have one on me. I was fortunate to escape that incident. I bought a .25ACP when I came of age and carried that for a long time before there was legal carry here. I used that .25ACP against an attacker with a knife once. I didn't have to fire, just yanked it out of my pocket and racked the slide and he hauled butt. Lesson learned and corrected. I was in the very first CCW class in my local area when the bill passed and went into effect. I am armed 24/7, now. The one time I leave it at home, I'll need it.

[David E]

Why do I carry?

Because I refuse to entrust my life to the whim of another.

.

[mljdeckard]

Hey Jake, welcome aboard.

The question in and of itself is legitimate, and you are asking in all sincerity, so I don't want anyone to respond in a flippant way.

We have been conditioned (or at least MOST of us had,) that we are supposed to let the government provide many things for us, including our safety from bad people. If you want to carry a gun, it means that you don't trust your police, and you know something bad is going to happen, or that you live a lifestyle that INVITES violence.

When I actually bothered to learn the fundamentals of human rights and government, I realized that the fundamental responsibilities of providing lies with the individual. It STARTS with the individual, and as needs arise that an individual obviously cannot provide for himself, such as say, industrial-scale defense of a nation, THEN the government gets involved. Somewhere along the line, we as a society decided to stop protecting ourselves and trust the government to do it for us.

When you do carry for a while, your eyes are opened. You realize all of the things you knew were dangerous, but you just ignored them because you were resigned that there was nothing you could do about it. You start to seriously evaluate your lifestyle and habits, things you do and places you go that probably aren't very safe. It becomes a mentality of taking charge of the safety of you and your family.

If you are then NOT allowed to carry, you feel violated. It's like being used to wearing your seatbelt, and then being told you can't wear it anymore. It's like you had a regular habit of corresponding with your representatives online, and then the government comes and tells you, "I'm sorry, you have moved to a place where we don't trust people to talk to the government by themselves. From now on we'll do your talking for you. Trust us." And then they take your computer.

My dad said for many years he never felt the need to carry, but then he said he had a change of heart when he took a serious look at the process of crime and protection, and that it became apparent that there is a big empty hole in the system of who is supposed to protect him from violence, especially as he gets older and he can shoot better than he can move.

[possum]

because i can.
because it is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

more and more reasons, that could go on and i am sure will go on all night. there are many great reasons why and i am sure that you will get alot of them.

Btw welcome to thr.

[newbie4help]

+1 to OregonJohnny.

I have been the victim of armed robbery, with my girlfriend there, and know several others who have been. So it's more than a hypothetical reality for me. I feel a responsibility to protect my loved ones.

[mgkdrgn]

I use to travel a LOT for work, and often not to the "best parts of town", all over the country. My wife expressed her concern about this to a good friend of mine once, and he replied not to worry because I "wasn't the victim type."

I learned of this later and asked what he meant by that. He said I was too young, too big, too fast, and too aware of what was going on around me. Because of that, I'd be way way down the "victim" list.

Well, some 20 years later I'm still too big (maybe not in a good way!), I hope too aware ... but young and fast are fading quickly. That, and I think it's a much meaner world than it use to be. Any number of people out there now that will, without hesitation or remorse, kill you in a heartbeat for the change in your pocket or the shoes on your feet.

That is why I carry. If I -never- draw I'll be a happy man.

[3LegDog]

To quote The Breda Fallacy :

"it's a lighter burden than regret."

[Chicken-Farmer]

I love my freedoms, family, and country! I'm a firm believer that a man has to look out for himself in this world. As a society we have been conditioned to believe that everything will be ok, the police will always save us. I'm hear to tell you that people will stand around and watch someone get mugged instead of jumping in and stopping the attack. Fear is the one advantage that criminals hold over victims. The majority of Americans are trained to act like sheep. The wolf may be eating one of my friends, but if i stand still and do as he says maybe he will leave me alone. A perfect example of this happened on 9/11 with the planes that hit the Twin Towers. An airplane FULL of people that chose to be victims instead of pulling together and taking out a few hijackers. The result may have been the same, but at least the victims may have had a chance to change the outcome. Some people are born with a survival mentality, but unfortunately many are born to be victims.
Just because you have morals and would never think to rob or kill someone for a wallet full of maxed out credit cards and $20 in cash, doesn't mean that the next guy has the same feelings as you.
As many have stated before Mr. Murphy is always on the look out to get me. I would rather have my CCW and not need it, than need it and not have it. The world is full of really bad people that want to do really bad things to you for no apparent reason at all. I prefer not to have those bad things happen to me or my family, and i'll die trying to stop them if possible.
The "fun" of carrying a gun for protection wears off really quick for a lot of people. It seems like a fun idea until your back hurts after lugging that pistol around all day, and you have to re-think your mode of dress in all situations. If you are going to choose to carry a weapon for your protection you have to have a heart to heart with yourself and ask some very tough questions. Can I, and will I take someones life that is trying to take mine? Can I live with the consequences of my actions? Can I live with myself after the trigger has been pulled?

Chicken-Farmer

[Deus Machina]

+1 for everyone here!

I'm in an area where the Latin Kings are getting big and MS13 is making an appearance. Several times last year, people in neighboring cities and further downtown were at stoplights, or filling gas, or getting off at a bus stop, and a thug walks up, thumps the poor guy twice in the chest and takes his wallet and car, without a word. I want to avoid that if I can.

What made me get my license when I did--not twenty yards from my door, I was caught and cornered against my own car, unable to unlock it, by a group of boys, younger, larger, and darker than I was--because I'm white. No reason other than machismo and mistargeted blame, and they were clear about that.

I'm 135 pounds fully clothed, have a bum knee, and was outnumbered by six or seven, but used the "be calm--then EXPLODE" method that kept me uninjured through high school.

But what if they weren't just out for kicks? What if they had the testicular fortitude to actually fight back, after a guy half their weight clocked a pair of them? After the initial pounce, I'm not much of a fighter, and I'd be lucky to leave with more than half my blood in me.

These guys live in my and the neighboring subdivisions, and I can't even go to my home in the cleaner middle-class areas of town safely. The world's going to crap, no man's an island against it, and it doesn't hurt to keep a small navy on your coast.

[Double Naught Spy]

The Bible tells us in Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Knowing the nature of man, and this culture in which most things that are evil are called good, and those things that are good are called evil, ...

So in other words, the state of Virginia can't trust anybody?? I don't think I would give this as a reason for a permit application.

[Kansan]

I like your answer, MLJDeckard. It got me thinking about all of the civilizations and humanity that have gone before us. If you open to any page of a history book, somebody is getting killed, some city getting sacked, some war going on, some civilization falling apart or taking over another one. Most of us just so happen to live in a relatively safe time and place and that has become an expectation; "nothing has ever happened to me or to this country in my lifetime, so why should anything ever change?" Well, things do change on both small and large scales and when they do, I'd like to be ready.

I think people with military & law enforcement experience seem to understand this better because they have seen under the thin veneer of civilized life. But you don't have to go to war to see this - if you've been through a bad neighborhood in a big city, visited a third-world country, or read the news any day of the week, you'll see that bad things happen to other people... the only thing is, to somebody else, YOU are "other people".

Concealed carry to me is not an isolated action... it's a small part of a larger mindset that says, "I am responsible and in control of my own safety and fate. I can influence my success or failure in life by my actions." It is the opposite of the worldview that says, "I am an entitled victim".

I happen to be in the military and have taken the oath to serve and protect my country - I do so because I love my country and believe it is the land of opportunity... not because it is the land of guarantees. I have the opportunity in this land to carry a weapon to protect myself from other people who would like to take the opportunity to deprive me of my possessions, life, or loved ones.

[dmazur]

I agree with the excellent reasons given for concealed carry. (Because I can, because I realize the government can't protect me at all times, because I want to help preserve a right, etc.)

I also want to suggest that "I'm 58 years old and haven't needed a weapon yet" isn't a valid argument against CCW. I haven't had storm and wind damage to my house that took the roof off, either.

I believe it is exactly like insurance. You hope you'll never need it, yet you keep the policy in good force and know how to file a claim if you ever have a catastrophe.

I like the "Because I like being prepared" response the best, I think. And being prepared should not make others think you are paranoid. There is a line there... :)

[svxapeal]

I carry because I can, and because I should. I carry to protect myself and my family. I carry to protect my rights, and because it is a comforting feeling knowing I don't have to depend on someone else to protect me.

Caryn

[Harley Man]

Well darn I'm way down here at the bottom and all the good answers have already been used. Let's see
45 years ago we went to bed at night without locking our doors. Just think about that .....would you go to bed at night and not lock your doors today????? For what ever reason we live in a different world today. A world where some people believe it's ok to steal and kill one another. So image your wife is being raped in front of you and all you have in your hand is your high school track trophy while the rapest has a 45 ACP to her head. Do I really need to go on here.............

[mrt949]

As the old saying goes i would rather have it and need it .but need it and not have it .carrying out of habit is a good thing ;)

[Iggy]

If the Lord wanted me to fight like a dog to protect me and mine, He would have given me fangs and claws.

[Eightball]

For all legal reasons and applications.

Plus, I like the idea of being able to defend my loved ones.

[wtfd661]

Even though I'm a LEO and you didn't want my comments on why I carry, I will give you my opinion. EVERY law abiding American should carry because its their right to protect themselves & their loved ones. Good for you in looking to exercise your rights.

[Leanwolf]

What so many people who are either anti-guns for honest citizens, period, or, those who own gun but say, "Why carry a gun?? The odds are you'll never need it."

I say, "Yes, the odds are I'll never need it. But.... if I or my family are ever attacked by a bad guy(s), then I am no longer part of the odds, I have suddenly become part of the statistics."

Plus, if I knew the time and the place some cretin were going to attack me, I just wouldn't be there.

As I'm neither clairvoyant nor prescient, I carry a firearm for self defense.

L.W.

[David E]

Cops should answer, also. It's been my experience as a cop that very few carried off-duty.

In fact, very few carried on Training Day which happened every other Wednesday.....unless it happened to be "qual day" at the range. THEN, at least, they had their guns in their car !

I never understood that.

.

[gglass]

I will answer your question with a question.

Why do you have a fire extinguisher in your home?
_
_
_
_
_
_

I have gone 45 years without a fire in my home, but I still have one. Hmmm... Maybe it's my civic duty to exit my home and call 911 to bring the fire department when I have a small grease fire.

[Gungnir]

I don't have a CPL yet, but as soon as I can apply (in about 2 weeks tops) I will.

Why?

Because I trust human nature... Sad but true.

[Geronimo45]

'Cuz chicks dig it! :neener:

The real reason is the Wedgewood Baptist shooting. I was a kid then, and it spooked me. Somebody said how you could/should concealed-carry, or that Texas should legalize it. I don't recall which. I just put the thought in the back of my mind that I'd get a license when I got of legal age to do so. When I hit 21, I did just that.

[alelks]

I carry because it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

AL

[ModificationVt]

because anyone who thinks my wallet is worth more than my life isn't worth the contents of my wallet, but are worth contents of what ever gun I am carrying.

[loneviking]

For years I always had a gun in the car with me, but not on me unless I was out in the boonies. In my neck of the woods, there are snakes, bears and mountain lions to contend with! But around town, I'd just keep the gun in a gun bag, ready to go if needed, but not on me.

And then, one day, in a small Mexican market that I often visit for their 'ready to go' fajitas, this market was robbed. The video was chiling as a middle aged guy walks out as two youngsters walk in. I'm thinking that I was fortunate that the guy wasn't me! These youngsters put a semi-auto to the head of the girl at the cash register and when she wasn't fast enough, bashed her face into the register. When the owner came out of the back to see what the screams were about, they threatened to kill him. They robbed the place and disappeared, never to be found.

After that, I got my CCW and I carry all the time.

[skwab]

I carry because I never want the lowest common denominator to have an advantage over me.

Because even with the quickest response time the police won't get there in time.

Because if people don't exercise their rights they disappear.

Those are the main reasons. I hope to God I never get put in a situation where I need it, but if I do, I'd rather have it than not.

[stubbicatt]

It is good discipline, good mental conditioning. It encourages caution.

[Shadan7]

It is good discipline, good mental conditioning. It encourages caution.

Can't be said enough, stubbicatt, nor any better.

7

[Harley Man]

Just want to remind Geronimo45 that even with a CHL in Texas you cannot conceal carry in a Church.....Now that is a STUPID law. I also felt the pain of that shooting as it was not to far from where I live. Good luck to you, and Remember Carrying comes with a BIG Responsibility.
Best of Luck
Harley Man
Viet Nam Vet 1970 - 1971

[gossamer]

You carry so that, in a bad situation, you have sufficient force available to you to make and execute a safe retreat from a situation that might escalate into violence. You don't carry a gun to equilize yourself. If you find yourself in a beef on the street you need to get out of there pronto...that ought to work 99% of the time. For the 1% when that person is a psychopath or a hardened criminal with criminal intent you need to be able to defend yourself.


Hoosier:

That is possibly the best reason/response to that question I've heard, ever. No platitudes, no polemics - just a rational explanation that focuses on safety and security.

When I talked to my uncle about my decisions to take my CCW class (two weeks from yesterday) I told him I only wanted to talk to people who understand that guns are about keeping people alive, not making people dead.

Thanks for that response, for real.

[AKElroy]

My family moved from Killeen, TX when I was young, but much of my extended family still lives there. I have eaten at the Luby's where many in that town lost their lives, and I remember the panicked calls I made with my parents to all those we know and love in that town to make sure they were OK. While my family was spared, many lives were lost because only the bad guy came armed. Texas eventually became a right to carry state, but it took "W" to get it done. 12 years ago, my wife & I were traveling through the Texas hill country, and due to the the Luby's incident, I was carrying (illegally). We stopped at a rest stop for my wife to nurse our newborn, and I walked to the nearby river. I look back toward the car (running, AC on, wife in back seat, 1911 under the drivers seat) to see a gang banger thug making a be-line towards it. I raced back, reached under the seat, grabbed my 1911 and just held it at my side and asked the guy, now 3 feet away, if he needed anything. He said, palms out in the universal "don't shoot" stance, that he "didn't need no trouble", and ran off. I am not a fan of brandishing a weapon, especially one that was being carried illegally, but it saved a carjacking, and likely saved my wife & daughter. That was 12 years ago, and I was foolish for not reporting the incident to the cops. Had the banger reported me first, I would have been the one face down in a felony stop. I have had my CCL for years, and with or without it (should the lefties prevail), I will not leave my home unarmed. Innocent lives may be affected by deciding it is just too uncomfortable for whatever reason. Believe me--the novelty wears off quickly & then we are left with only our responsibility, and the discomfort. Do it anyway. Step up, and be prepared to protect the innocent.

[woad_yurt]

Why? To better fend off a threat.

[Isher]

OK -

This may seem a little circuitous, but bear with me.

I'm selfish.

For several reasons.

I like living and I like the lives of my family and friends

A round of 124 gr Hyrdra-Shok costs me approx. $1.09

So a clip is worth $15.26

Now, if my family's lives are on the line, right here, right now,

Or the life of a friend, or my life, if it's just me

The thousands of tax dollars I pay every year with the expectation that

As a citizen, my life will not be threatened

Is entirely worthless

In this immediate moment.

All I have is $15.26

(Not the fault of the LEO's, they gotta be informed and get from there to

Here, to be effective.)

So, I'll give you a buck dancer's choice - given the situation that you are facing

You have a single or a couple three seriously bad people at close range.

1.) Pull out your cellphone and dial 911

2.) Offer them $15.26 to go away

3.) Unholster your weapon and aim; create distance from your opponents;
fire only if necessary


Therefore, I carry.



isher

[AKElroy]

"Just want to remind Geronimo45 that even with a CHL in Texas you cannot conceal carry in a Church.....Now that is a STUPID law. I also felt the pain of that shooting as it was not to far from where I live. Good luck to you, and Remember Carrying comes with a BIG Responsibility. "

Not accurate. CHL in Texas was revised recently; churches must now post the 30.06 signage to notify CHL holders that they are trespassing if the congregation chooses to prohibit carry. No sign, no tresspass. My congregation Requests me to carry.

[AKElroy]

because anyone who thinks my wallet is worth more than my life isn't worth the contents of my wallet, but are worth contents of what ever gun I am carrying.

Cute, but even guilty life is worth more than the contents of my wallet, and my wallet holds a lot. I get your point that it is your life that is being placed at risk by the bad guy over the contents of a wallet, but we need be be careful not to triavialize the taking of life with cute one liners. Sorry to be serious, but killing just isn't as funny to me as it used to be.

[CDH]

Cute, but even guilty life is worth more than the contents of my wallet, and my wallet holds a lot. I get your point that it is your life that is being placed at risk by the bad guy over the contents of a wallet, but we need be be careful not to triavialize the taking of life with cute one liners. Sorry to be serious, but killing just isn't as funny to me as it used to be.

If the predators out there thought even a fraction as much for life as you do, there would be no need to worry about being attacked.

Allow me to be less trivial about taking a life of someone who thinks my life is forfeit if I prefer to keep my wallet.
Screw 'em. I carry because I will not be a victim, and if that means that a predator doesn't make it through the encounter alive, then I'm good with that.
I hope that feels a little better for you since I chose to be just as "serious" as you.

[AKElroy]

If the predators out there thought even a fraction as much for life as you do, there would be no need to worry about being attacked.

Allow me to be less trivial about taking a life of someone who thinks my life is forfeit if I prefer to keep my wallet.
Screw 'em. I carry because I will not be a victim, and if that means that a predator doesn't make it through the encounter alive, then I'm good with that.
I hope that feels a little better for you since I chose to be just as "serious" as you.

Brilliant, CDH. Wrap up tight in that "I refuse to be a victim" blanket when you are wiped out financially for using excessive force & racked with guilt over blowing one of God's created off the planet over the $6 in your wallet. As for me & hopefully the majority of my piers, I carry to PROTECT life, not to find a reason to take it. Take your "I refused to be a victim" stance before a jury & see how that works out for you. Given your prideful posture, this may be an impossibility for you, but the ONLY words that will save you from that jury will be "I was AFRAID FOR MY LIFE". Say it with me...

[ndh87]

Because it is my right to do so if i feel so inclined (which i do)

[UMB]

I want to insure that I and my loved ones stay here as long as possible.
I was recently on a job for several days before the homeowner noticed the butt of my SW revolver sticking out of my waistband. He said, " I see you have a gun, what are you afraid of?" I replied, "Not much, hell I'm carrying a gun!"

[viperstarbuck]

It gives me options.

[arjppj]

Because I dont go into bad neighborhoods, the bad people come into mine.

[Defense Minister]

I know that, statistically, I will "never" need to use deadly force to defend myself or my family. But, I also know that, if I ever do, I will need a gun really bad and right now, and carrying is the only way to be sure of that kind of necessary access.

[John Wayne]

There are a million reasons to do so:

-A gang puts out a hit on someone and you happen to be driving the same car.

-Someone you work with has an altercation with an individual outside of work, who later comes back to shoot them and you as well, because you happen to be a witness.

-Someone with a weapon takes you to an ATM, forces you to withdraw money, and then kills you anyway.

I could go on and on, and there are numerous examples of all these events actually happening in real life. The people they happened to didn't wake up in the morning knowing they were going to die.

If you are competent and not intoxicated, you have no reason not to.

[skoro]

I used to be a Boy Scout. "Be prepared"

Actually, what prompted me to get a license is the out of control violence just a few miles to my south in Mexico that's escalating and threatening to spill across the border at any time.

I've had guns all my life, and always kept a loaded .45 or 9mm in my home, just in case. But I figured that since I'm not wealthy and live in a decent working class neighborhood and I'm not engaged in any high-risk business, that the chances of me being a target of crime was almost zero.

That's no longer the case.

Now, I keep a .357mag and the 45 in the house, keep the 9mm in my vehicle and carry either a 38 snub or subcompact 9mm.

[Hostile Amish]

I carry just in case...

[The_Shootist]

Mumbai

[Scorpian]

no specific reason, just do.

[pgeleven]

- protecting my gear on my way to/from the range

- detroit has some very unsavory neighborhoods

- because its my legal right

[okespe04]

For me it was the final step towards becoming self reliant.

[deanadell]

I've read every response to the OP on this thread....all of them interesting.

I have had my CCP in SC for a number of years, but have been lazy about carrying.

Fired a guy a number of months ago for driving a forklift into a control panel at high speed. FOund out the next day he had been bragging in the lunch room about how if we didn't hire him on full time after his 90 day probationary period, he was going to come in a "blow away everyone in the office"........

I made a decision that I was coming home to my wife and daughter......if that entailed putting that pistol in my pocket every morning, I was coming home that evening.......

[CDH]

I made a decision that I was coming home to my wife and daughter......if that entailed putting that pistol in my pocket every morning, I was coming home that evening.......

I also had a situation at work a while back where one of my employees had told another employee (who he thought was his confidential friend) that he was going to kill me.
Turned out that he had been bringing a pistol to work for several days in a row trying to get up enough courage.
As soon as the friend told me about the threat, I fired the guy making sure that I was holding a pistol under the counter. I also reported it to the police and told the guy so, so if the guy ever came onto my property again, I would be justified in shooting (immediately).

Lot's of crap out there. Even being ready isn't always enough.

[CDH]

AKElroy said: Brilliant, CDH. Wrap up tight in that "I refuse to be a victim" blanket when you are wiped out financially for using excessive force & racked with guilt over blowing one of God's created off the planet over the $6 in your wallet. As for me & hopefully the majority of my piers, I carry to PROTECT life, not to find a reason to take it. Take your "I refused to be a victim" stance before a jury & see how that works out for you. Given your prideful posture, this may be an impossibility for you, but the ONLY words that will save you from that jury will be "I was AFRAID FOR MY LIFE". Say it with me...

Well boo hoo. Anti-gunners like yourself come in to forums such as this all the time trying to somehow change people's minds.

First of all, there are tons and tons of reasonable self-defense cases that are never even referred to a grand jury, and if so, are then dropped due to the obvious nature of a "good shooting".

Secondly, if you don't want to carry to protect yourself, fine. When push comes to shove, you just act like a good little Liberal and beg for your life. I'm good with that. But here's something to consider, although you may not be so lucky as this lady who had some help that she didn't count on:
http://www.geoffmetcalf.com/reborn_20001012.html

Third, there are things more important than money, and among those things I count self-respect, freedom of movement, and the freedom to live a life unafraid of predators. In my world, predators are afraid of me (and others like me), and rightly so.
You seem to think that trigger happy gun-nuts are what people who carry are, so you keep right on believing that. I don't care.
What we are is a group of citizens who understand our country's history and what it means to defend our own freedoms. We refuse to board up our homes at night, or quit going to movies or restaurants, and be afraid to go places that we would like to.

You might think of taking your fearful victimhood ideas and float them over at millionmommarch.com or someplace where people will pat you on the back all day long.

[VingThorr]

if a someone keels over in a public place, and you're a doctor, you ought to use your skills and knowledge to help out!

i feel the same about shooting, if you're in a public place and some psycho starts spraying, and your skills and knowledge happen to be along the lines of shooting, you're morally obligated to help.

i, like many others on this forum, have acquired some skills shooting, if some situation were to go down, it would be to my eternal shame if i was cowering behind cover with the little old ladies and children

[Duke of Doubt]

Chicks dig it.

[sherman123]

I carry for my protection only however I would of course use it in defense of family or friends of mine. I'm not into the idea of jumping in random situations I might sumble on. I believe its not always the same situation you think it is and you can easily get confused over who really IS the bad guy in the situation. That and the fact that I have guns for protection and not for jumping into problems whenever I see them. Just because other people don't carry guns on them or practice sef defense techniques doesn't mean I'm supposed to go around trying to be a hero. Nothing against those who dont caryy becasue everyone I looked up to growing up never carried it's just my take on it.

[IndianaBoy]

The crime rate, including violent crime, armed robbery, murder, etc... has been steadily rising in the large town/small city in which I live.

I was in a gas station that was being robbed, the clerk locked himself in an office and called the cops. I was in the back by the coolers trying to decide at what point I was going to draw. They decide to run out the front door, and drove off just 30 seconds before the cop pulled in.

The just as easily could have decided they wanted my wallet.

Several things could have happened:

They take my wallet and leave... we all live.

They take my wallet and kill me.

I shoot them before they take my wallet.


I'm glad I didn't have to find out.

Don't stop by a gas station late at night just because you want a gallon of milk for the morning.

[redneckrepairs]

Fishnjake:

I am former LEO so possibly i should not reply , but i will lol . I started carrying because of the job policy that as a small town cop i would be armed at all times , and required to take action for " serious " crime 24/7 on duty or off . Now this was not only in the policy manual ( two , yes count them two pages ) but expected by the good folk who all pooled their resources to pay my salary meger tho it was. As the years wore on it did not take long to see that MY response time , no matter how i tried , was at times lamentably late , and i became a secretary with a gun. I could take the report , investigate the crime , and likely in the small towns bring the offender before the bar of justice , none of this helped with the violent trauma inflicted to initiate the call . I took consolation that MY family did not face quite the same situation ( this was before " shall issue " ) as i could and in fact was required to go armed freely . I got out of LE and settled back at the family farm in Colorado which has some fairly good gun laws ( except denver lol ) , and for a time did not worry about it as i considered not lugging the pistol around as a vacation , it was but it was a vacation from common sense to figure that a gun in the pickup is " good enough " . After some time the local Sheriff informed me that not only should i get a ccw , but i needed to come down and pick it up , as a family member had made some credible threats to me and my family ( long story and not for here ) . The long and short of it is that i went back to packing the dammed thing everywhere i go .... That threat is gone now forever , but it did re awaken me to my responsibility to protect myself and my family . My wife now has a ccw , as does my daughter . We dont carry to be rambo , but good things happen to bad folks occationaly , and if someone should try to victimize one of my petite girls well it will . Now i aint in shape , but i am 6-0 200 lbs and i can still see my belt buckle , that dont mean a thing against the fella with meth mouth who wants my wallet and is waving a pistol like a dog crapping peach pits . Some day i may well die for the pitiful contents of my wallet , or even anothers till , but it wont be because anyone was put on their knees and shot in the head for whatever thrill that might bring the perp . Money is not worth a life , no matter what . However point a firearm at me and you have expressed an intent to kill me and mine , i no longer trust your good will .

[CDH]

I carry for my protection only however I would of course use it in defense of family or friends of mine. I'm not into the idea of jumping in random situations I might stumble on.

But being aware of your own surroundings for your personal self defense also means that you will, by default, be aware of other's who surround you.

True and quick story: About six months ago, a personal friend and his wife (both in their late 50's) were walking out of a grocery store in Galveston where they live. My friend is not exactly the imposing type because he has diabetes and walks with a cane.
They both noticed (at the same time) a woman who was unloading her cart into the back of her SUV, oblivious to what was going on within just feet of her.
An obvious shady type was visibly stalking her and only moments from coming up behind her when my friend and his wife who were about 20 feet away from them shouted "Hey!".
The woman looked up to see what was going on, and the predator looked at my friends and appeared to want a confrontation. My friends wife already had her hand on the grip of her revolver in her purse, and my friend had his hand on the grip of his IWB pistol and simply said to the guy: "Not here, not now".
They didn't have to draw either weapon before the predator got smart and took off, hopping into a waiting car, and the woman with the SUV only then figured out what was going down.

No one goes looking for trouble, but when it's right in front of you, good people refuse to let it happen.
No macho, no Rambo; just doing the right thing even when there's a risk to yourself. It doesn't get any more "American" than that.

[Supertac45]

Read the news.

[lawboy]

I carry for the basic reason cited by everyone; I take responsibility for my own safety and that of my family and do not that expect anyone else can or will. I will add for the OP that carrying is really only a small part of that responsibility as it relates specifically to the ability to use force to repel violence. I ride my bike to work, year round, sun, rain or hail, 6 miles each way. I run 18 stories of stairs, 3-4 times, twice a week. I lift weights. I watch what I eat. I run on the treadmill and do long rode trips on my bicycle. I shoot IDPA, steel plate matches, bullseye and silhouette matches with rifle and handgun. At one time I used to take Karate and remain versed some aspects of that discipline. I carry pepper spray, a light and a knife when ever possible. And I pray everyday for protection and that I will not have to use any of that stuff against another person that day.
God bless and be safe.

[AKElroy]

Well boo hoo. Anti-gunners like yourself come in to forums such as this all the time trying to somehow change people's minds.

First of all, there are tons and tons of reasonable self-defense cases that are never even referred to a grand jury, and if so, are then dropped due to the obvious nature of a "good shooting".

Secondly, if you don't want to carry to protect yourself, fine. When push comes to shove, you just act like a good little Liberal and beg for your life. I'm good with that. But here's something to consider, although you may not be so lucky as this lady who had some help that she didn't count on:
http://www.geoffmetcalf.com/reborn_20001012.html

Anti gunners like me? I own over 50 firearms, and I carry everyday. I am both a student and instructor for proper use of force, and I am passionate about enlisting people into the fight for responsible ownership & carry. I HAVE drawn a weapon to defend myself and my family, and that experience has caused me to spend a great deal of time studying this issue. After your first response, I started a thread on "When do you draw?"---Maybe you should read some of the thoughtful posts in that thread before you judge me as a gun hating liberal.

No one goes looking for trouble, but when it's right in front of you, good people refuse to let it happen.
No macho, no Rambo; just doing the right thing even when there's a risk to yourself. It doesn't get any more "American" than that.

To this quote, I say Amen! This is NOT the same attitude you showed in your original post.

[Redhawk1]

That is a rhetorical question.

[Elbert P . Suggins]

This is my second post on this thread but I also have other reasons for carrying concealed. I am an aerial applicator and since 9\11 the FAA and FBI have been monitoring our business very closely. We are checked yearly to see that our aircraft are secured and that we have contingency plans in order to counteract any problems that might occur. I can't get into specifics but I will tell you that all airstrips and public airports that are being used for "cropdusting' are safe from terrorist incursion. All the pilots I know that are applicators are armed and so are their ground personal. And one other reason some of us have always carried side arms goes back to WW2. We know that this is a dangerous business and we have all lost friends to accidents. Fire has in many cases been involved. I personally do not want to burn to death if I am in an accident because we are shoulder-belted in with helmets and most of todays ag planes have strong roll cages. If I can't exit the aircraft and if I do not have people helping me I will NOT burn to death. I've known 3 very close friends this happened to and it will not happen to me. To hell with the the insurance people!

[KBintheSLC]

Concelaed Carry-why do you do it?

Honestly, I hate CC. It is the gun owners equivalent of "keeping it in the closet". I wish it was more acceptabe to open carry like they did in the old days. I would love to toss my Glock 20 into my Serpa retention holster and set off to the office. Instead, I have a mouse gun in my pocket, and a "don't ask, don't tell" policy I have to adhere to.

[NavyLCDR]

and a "don't ask, don't tell" policy I have to adhere to.

Is that a requirement of where you work? Open carry is legal in Utah. Anyway, you wouldn't have to conceal until you got to work, if that is the case, it's a choice that you make.

[Raoul]

Because I no loner have any interest in fleeing.

[gglass]

I love most of our gun laws in Indiana. There is no difference between open or concealed carry. If you have your LTCH, you can carry any way you wish. You still have to deal with the occasional business proprietor who might ask you to leave since that is considered private property.

We have not given into anti-gun fascism here in the Hoosier state.

[kimbernut]

An email sent to me by a friend last week summed it up pretty well:


Why I Carry a Gun


My old grandpa once said to me, "Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin'.

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to Heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because, unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

"Police Protection" is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves. Police do not protect you from crime; they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'."


..author unknown (but obviously brilliant)


Remember the average response time to a 911 call is over 4 minutes.



The average response time of a 357 magnum is 1400 FPS.

[ndh87]

Duke of Doubt
Chicks dig it.


Gotta be the best reason yet.

[usmc1371]

When I was 19 My bretta 9mm kept a woman from being stabed to death in my moms front yard in the middle of the night. The womans ex boy friend abducted her from her apartment and drove to our rural area where she jumped out of the car when he stoped at the corner. He cought her in our front yard and slashed her with a larg kitchen knife. Moms dog started barking and I heard screaming. I grabed my 9mil and my mag light and ran down stairs out on the front porch. The man was draging the woman across the yard bleeding from a gash on her arm. The sound of the slide racking got his attention and the sight of a 19 year old skinny white kid in plad boxers was enough to make him let go of the screaming bleading begging for her life woman and run like hell. This happend in probabely less than a minute and I was still shaking like a leaf in the wind when the cops showed up fifteen min later. I got my ccw the week I turned 21 and have carried pretty much every day since except while on active duty because base rules say HELL no to carrying or having a personal weapon in a barracks room. I am 30 now and have never needed to reach for my ccw since then and hope I never have to but I like having the option. Only difrance now is the gun is a 45 and the flash light is a surefire.

[NavyLCDR]

'Cuz chicks dig it!

Quote from girlfriend, "I would rather be with a man who carries a gun for protection rather than a condom!"

[SCKimberFan]

Why not?

[Hungry Seagull]

Ive gone into dangerous areas in Trucking for many years relying on wit, words and fast evaluation of people instead of weapons.

One night prior to my retirement from trucking due to medical reasons, a car full of teens shined a red dot into my cab and seeking my head next to me on the interstate at 70 mph. I had a high value load on for Uncle Sam and running quietly without any kind of protection other than satellite tracking/communications.

My hands tightened on wheel and began the process of taking them out with the 40 tons I had on me and intent to protect my own life. 6 in the car could not ever understand that a very small article about penlight type lasers were the latest fad in high school events saved them from death or worse. When I remembered that article, I reversed the manuver and shook the rig down, they moved out quickly.

That planted a seed that some day I will need to be armed against a people who are perhaps already armed.

I put it off for many years. But finally the amount of shootings and other problems in our area has increased enough to go ahead and exercise that right. Maybe someday we will get out of there and live elsewhere where we dont need CCW. But then again, we may not have that ability in the future.

So, we do the best with what we have. And pray that we dont have to draw.

Every time I see a weapons laser dot, including my own I think about those 6 clueless teenagers whose lives I almost took because they were stupid. Perhaps I was the stupid one for not taking the moment to decide... are they trying to shoot me?

If you happen to be one of those who shined laser toys into truck cabs... and feel bad now, dont worry about it. Ive already put it behind me and moved on.

Next time I see one coming my way on the street... well, there will be no worries. Not now. God bless the LEO's and Military for what they have done and continue to do but seconds is shorter than the minutes it will take for one to come and take care of the mess.

I believe there are many good people even today, and much good to do and have seen done. However that one dark heart with deciet and motive to cause harm up to including life taking for sake of bad things against myself, family or anyone else cannot and must not be allowed to stand.

[NavyLCDR]

Why not?

Because open carry works better for me.

[ComradeBurg]

I carry my gun for the same reason I carry my Swiss army knife, because I like to always be prepared. If I'm ever in a situation where I would want a gun I want to make sure I have a gun.

[Peter M. Eick]

Why carry?

Houston and my family.

[searcher451]

Henry David Thoureau was sitting in jail because he refused to pay his taxes: He detested slavery, and because tax revenues contributed to its support, Thoreau decided to become a tax rebel. As the story goes, his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson came to visit him at the Concord jail and asked, "Henry, why are you here?" Thoreau replied, "Waldo, why are you not here?"

Thoreau's essay on Civil Disobedience should be required reading for every American, particularly those who exercise their right to keep and bear arms today.

[HippieMagic]

Well... I personally see it pointless to purchase a handgun, have it registered to you, buy ammo for it, practice with it, get it for protection... then leave it in a drawer... It doesn't do much good in a drawer...

You probably paid $500 for it or more and then if you pay $200 for a CCW permit it is just plain stupid not to exercise that right... I also live in a "safe" place but my friend was carjacked at gunpoint by an out of state guy and was almost killed... the guy was eventually shot and killed by the state police because he turned and opened fire on them... I would rather not be at the mercy of a nutjob with a gun...

[maxwellsmart]

For me it's pretty simple. It's so I never have to find out if I'm strong enough, fast enough or smart enough to physically stop someone from killing me. However, my attacker will have to worry about those things but not for long.

[doorman]

Amazingly, I was asked this question in deer camp back in Decmeber.
My answer was that the right to carry concealed is like a muscle. If you never exercise the rights you have then some elected official will have not problem removing those rights in the interest of public safety.

I realize, statistically, that there is a level of risk in carrying a firearm just as I accept the risk of driving my vehicle on a public road way.

[jbrown50]

I carry hoping I never have to use it but totally prepared in case I have to.

I love the story of David in the Bible when he went up against Goliath.
I think he picked up those extra four smooth stones just in case the other bullies in the vicinity wanted to fight too.

[Tom Held]

On Monday night I took the 3 hour Concealed Carry Course at the NRA Headquarters range in Fairfax, Virginia. This course is taught about twice a month and sells out everytime. Good course, taught by 4 NRA staffers who were former FBI and Police officers. 8 of the 24 people were women. There is 1 hour range instruction on the following day, 1 on 1, with one of the instructors, shoot your own handgun or use one of theirs. Very good course and you get the certificate to apply for a concealed carry permit.

NRA also released a new DVD, Personal Protection Outside the Home, $34.95 but discounted for NRA members. Very professional dvd.

Tom

[Lonestar.45]

First, for protection of my family. I too have never had a dangerous encounter where I thought "man I wish I had a gun". But all you have to do is read the CNN headlines any day of the week to see bad things happen to good people. I have a lot more to live for now with a wife and kids, so me sticking around is a lot more important than it ever was, and their safety is also first and foremost.

Second, there is protection in numbers. If even just 25% of the US population had concealed carry permits, politicians would NOT want to screw with that voting block. I view having a CHL sorta like NRA membership in some ways. Even if I NEVER carried, I'd want it just to add another number to the ranks of those that support gun rights. Politicians stand up and notice (usually) if the numbers are against them in a big way. Re-election is the only language they understand.

Third, the CCW class here in Texas is a great way to learn about use of force laws. The average gun owner w/out a permit probably has no real idea of what is lawful and what is not when protecting yourself with a firearm. All they know is what a friend told them or what they saw on TV. A class is a great way to (hopefully) learn what you can and cannot do when protecting yourself with a firearm, whether you carry concealed or not.

[Deanimator]

I carry because:

1. Police have no legal duty to protect individuals.
2. Police have no legal liability if they fail to protect individuals.
3. In almost all instances, police have no physical ability to protect individuals who are not either in custody or assigned a personal bodyguard.

Expecting the police to protect you from a violent attack once it starts is as irrational as expecting Chuck Norris to do likewise for you. It's just NOT going to happen.

If your life is in immediate danger from a violent attack, you will either protect yourself or you will not be protected AT ALL.

[Timradcliffe345]

My trust is in God, not men. The Bible tells us in Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Knowing the nature of man, and this culture in which most things that are evil are called good, and those things that are good are called evil, I choose to carry knowing that one day, there is a chance (however slim) I'll have to defend that which is precious to me, the lives of those I love.

God help us all.

Nothing more needs to be said. God Bless.

[AK-47Ghost]

I'll kill someone else before I die if I have too...why else carry a gun???

[messerist]

Too many good people have gone before me and made the ultimate sacrifice in order that I may exercise my Right as an American. I owe it to them. I've been to many bad places in the world where an armed citizenry could have made a difference in the chaos. I will not allow that to happen here.

[CoRoMo]

Because I'm supposed to.

We all are supposed to exercise our right to own and to carry because if we don't, nobody is going to do it for us.

[DHJenkins]

Because our society has devolved to the point where people would rather watch you die than help you - and feel justified doing it.

[7mmSTW]

Because 98% of the people in this world are sheep, that leaves 2% as wolves or sheepdogs...My concience and raising keep me from being a wolf or lamb...

[Vern Humphrey]

I carry for two reasons:

1. So I won't need a gun -- I have been in two situations in civilian life where I had to draw on another man. And that ended the confrontation. Had I been unarmed, it might have been bloody.

2. To exercise my civil rights. It's like voting. If nobody voted, the government would get the idea nobody cared and abolish voting.

[chuckusaret]

For the protection of family and my self against the scum of the earth, the muggers, home invaders and thugs/gangs. I have no hang ups about protecting my family or myself with deadly force.

[patcbradley]

In process of getting ccw, but when it is done I will carry for one reason and one reason only. To protect the ones I love or atleast let me get home to them. I am all for the right to carry, but not in order to make a political statement. In order to make a statement you must not be concealing very well. Just dont believe risking someones rights is worth "making a statement".

[PT1911]

I would suggest finding a thread talking about experiences when it was necessary for carriers to use their weapon.. that will give you all the answers you need....

[ZombiesAhead]

Honestly, I'm not too worried about my personal safety where I live and my self-preservation instinct just is not enough to "scare" me into carrying. I imagine when the day comes that I must support a family I will feel different.

For now, my answer is "because I can." I exercise my "God" (natural) - given right to self-defense to show the earthly powers-that-be that we still value personal responsibility and self-determination.

[tinygnat219]

fishnjake,

I carry simply because I want to be able to protect myself and my family in case I am ever in a situation where a gun may assist in saving my life.

That's it. Nothing more nothing less.

[CoRoMo]

Because my Lord and Savior commands his disciples to be armed.
He could have told them to get a shield or some body armor the next time they could afford it, but no. He said that if you don't have a deadly weapon, go sell your coat and buy one.

[Whitewolf 508]

" Warrior born and Warrior bred,
A warrior I will be until I am dead."

Can you think any other reason is needed?

[hostilecrab]

Politically correct answer:
"To be able to defend myself and those that I care."
"Better to be prepared than unprepared"

The Politically Incorrect answer:
(Please I mean no offense to anyone....)
"To shoot people".

Like a saw is a tool used to cut wood. The gun is a tool used to shoot people.

I myself like the politically incorrect answer because I find it disturbing, and it really makes me think hard about what it means to carrying a gun.

But when it comes down to it - when a bad guy, serial killer, psycho on drugs, mugger, rapist, psychopath, murderer, evil person who has no respect for another person's life is ready to take my life for whatever reason...... I will be shooting a person...... whether in defense of my own life or whatever. Boils down to shooting a person.

[Vern Humphrey]

For the same reason I vote -- to exercise my civil rights.

(And also, of course, in case that skuzzball over there giving me the stink-eye dloesn't get any ideas.)

[wecklish]

Hey I am really not being a smart a@#. I just have an opportunity to use the greatest quote I have seen. It actually came from a member on this site but I can not remember thier name. "Why do I carry?" ....because I can't throw a rock 1500 feet per second.

[wecklish]

Not being a smart a$#. I just have an opportunity to use the greatest quote I have seen. It came from a member in this forum I just can not remember their name. "Why do I carry?" ...because i can't throw a rock 1500 feet per second.

[kmbrman]

Because in Tex. an armed gunman came into a local restaurant , and killed many customers a few years ago. A local woman had her weapon outside in the car. This was before CC became the law. Due to her work on our CC program in our state ,we can carry in most places concealed. Hopefully a repeat of this won't happen in the future.

[AK kind of guy]

I carry to protect myself and my family

[doublebarrel12]

Because those chainsaw massacre movies would have been very short if someone had a concealed weapon!!! And ofcourse, I would rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!!