Under what circumstances are they drawing and firing and what constitutes "around" me?
Do you mean on a range?;
Except at a range I can't imagine circumstances in which anyone around me would be drawing and firing at anything without me ducking for cover.
If they're not around me I really don't care what they do.
What if they are up the aisle in the Walmart, or across the parking lot and decide they need to get into it with someone and start letting rounds go in your direction (instead of into the intended target), simply because they have no skills and have never drawn and fired that gun in practice to be able to at least make reasonable hits.
I do think its a good idea people are exercising their rights and carrying their also guns, but I also think its a scary idea, all at the same time. There are a LOT more people out there with a gun that have no training, or even basic skills at all, and those people are just as much a threat to us, the bystander, as they are their intended target. Its kind of like the old gang drive-by joke. If youre the intended target, youre likely the safest person there.
When I wrote "for all I care", I should have written that it's really not up to me what others carry. Whether they carry legally or illegally, I can't control what someone else carries and I can't control what level of training they have or what their practice regimen is.
Unless there is some sort of law that requires training classes and regular qualifications . . . Yet, expecting others to meet training and qualification requirements would imply that we want more government oversight in our lives.
The bottom line for me is that people that conceal carry legally are really a vastly lesser worry than criminals that may want to attack me or my family.
Considering Texas requires a license for concealed carry, and considering the low percentage of active licensees* compared to the general population, and considering how many of those licensees do not carry on a daily basis. Well . . .
*1,443,195 active license holders in 2019, which is 5% of the population of Texas currently estimated to be 28,995,881.
https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/LTC/reports/ActLicAndInstr/ActiveLicandInstr2019.pdf
from
https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/LTC/reports/demographics.htm
I dont think you should be required by law to take a course or pass a test. Thats just part of your responsibility as an adult and citizen. If you choose not to do your due dilligence, and you screw up, thats all on you, and it should be.
Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to think, all you need do is acquire a gun, and your good to go.
Agree. For one thing, to take the Pocket Pistol Class, Gunsite has a minimum prerequisite of this class.
https://www.gunsite.com/classes/150-pistol-class/
It would be nice, and make a lot of sense, if the states, local municipalities, etc, would offer reasonably priced, if not free, classes of this type. Especially since so many now have just bought guns in a panic, and likely have no training.
Our ever-increasing taxes pay for so much BS stuff, this would actually be a good thing to "waste" the money on.
Places like Gunsite are great, but realistically, most likely out of reach for most.
