Convince me on a ccw

[GambJoe]

The concept of knighting yourself a "sheepdog" is a dangerous error. It leads "good" guys to overstep their ability, their capacity, their training, and their authority with potentially disastrous results. Your sidearm is there to protect you and your loved ones in the moment of most dire need. It is not a badge giving you the power to fight crime, nor a magic talisman giving you the insight to avoid potentially horrible mistakes of judgment when entering complex and dangerous criminal scenarios. It also does not in any way place you under the protection/indemnification of a law enforcement agency in the event that your good-will action goes awry.

I agree.

The issue that concerns me is that from your OP, it does not sound as if you have fully committed to the idea that you would be willing to use deadly force to protect yourself. Forgive me if I am wrong, but that is how I interpreted your post. You should first decide whether you would be willing to kill to protect yourself and your family. Everything else will come from that. All those stories you hear about people who get killed with their own gun, those are the people who pulled a gun but were not willing to use it when they should have. If you aren't willing to use it, don't even consider carrying it.

But when? I hope I have the sense of when not to use one as well. Like I said I don't know the laws. I'm pretty well committed to it if I find someone unwelcomed in the house. Me shooting is not automatic but I'm prepared.

 

[bicyclewrench]

Quite frankly sir I'm not sure I see your quandary. You either except responsibility for your personal safety or you don't. The rest is just paperwork.

 

[mickeygrimreaperblueeyes]

convince me that there isn't a difference between living as a free man versus living as a a convict with no ability to exercise the right to bear arms because you're a convict...

I will follow the rules till the rules can't be followed.

I have often noticed the the situations requiring a firearm are often presented to people when there isn't one in the law abiding person's possession. If you can live without your loved one, because that person is dead due to failure to act, then maybe you didn't need a gun. I would also rule out Rape as something I'm willing to watch perpetrated on my loved one.

Luck Favors The Prepared.

 

[Winchster]

The concept of knighting yourself a "sheepdog" is a dangerous error. It leads "good" guys to overstep their ability, their capacity, their training, and their authority with potentially disastrous results. Your sidearm is there to protect you and your loved ones in the moment of most dire need. It is not a badge giving you the power to fight crime, nor a magic talisman giving you the insight to avoid potentially horrible mistakes of judgment when entering complex and dangerous criminal scenarios. It also does not in any way place you under the protection/indemnification of a law enforcement agency in the event that your good-will action goes awry.

It exists simply to keep you alive in that critical moment when your life is directly threatened.

Nutnfancy takes credit for and butchers a concept not his own. I don't dispute your version and if you read the original, neither does the originator.

On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman
By LTC (RET) Dave Grossman, author of "On Killing."

To the original poster, if you can't decide if you want your CHL, then try something else first. Since September 1, 2007 we as Texans have been graced with a much easier to understand and follow bit of legislation called the MPA ( Motorist Protection Act )
You can legally have your pistol in your vehicle as long as you meet four simple criteria:

Section 46.02, Penal Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to
read as follows:
(a) A person commits an offense if the person
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or
her person a handgun, illegal knife, or club if the person is not:
(1) on the person's own premises or premises under the
person's control; or
(2) inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle
that is owned by the person or under the person's control.
(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or
her person a handgun in a motor vehicle that is owned by the person
or under the person's control at any time in which:
(1) the handgun is in plain view; or
(2) the person is:
(A) engaged in criminal activity, other than a
Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance
regulating traffic;
(B) prohibited by law from possessing a firearm;
or
(C) a member of a criminal street gang, as
defined by Section 71.01.
(a-2) For purposes of this section, "premises" includes
real property and a recreational vehicle that is being used as
living quarters, regardless of whether that use is temporary or
permanent. In this subsection, "recreational vehicle" means a motor
vehicle primarily designed as temporary living quarters or a
vehicle that contains temporary living quarters and is designed to
be towed by a motor vehicle. The term includes a travel trailer,
camping trailer, truck camper, motor home, and horse trailer with
living quarters.

Try that first, and if you find you don't do it, then the CHL only gains you a few more things. However, a CHL will keep you out of trouble if you are in a federal gun free zone, whereas MPA might not.

 

[dacavasi]

If you're needin' convincin', then you shouldn't outa think about it too hard...

 

[Corporal K]

Sam1911 - trust him. He's in pre-med.