Is it me, or is it that some people need to have the ice broken for them to CCW.

[flip180]

I really wasn't sure how else to word the title. I work in an ER as a nurse. I see all kinds of stuff to include the good and bad in people. My time as a paramedic (before becomming an RN) really opened my eyes to the world out there. There are alot of not so desirable people out there and the bad places they come from. We get shootings that come in and our waiting room is full of not only family members but their gang buddies also. It sucks to be a triage nurse during those times because the situation is real tense out there. It didn't take me long to decided to get my carry permit. Now, I don't carry at work for it is the law not to carry in a hospital but, I leave my house armed every change I get. It's no secret at work that I carry and, I am open for discussion on the topic of carry whenever it comes up at work. Since getting my permit, I've noticed a good amount of coworkers that have expressed intrest in getting their CCW and a few have already have. Those that expressed intrest in it have approached me about where to go. Is it because they are seeing society as I see it or what? I'm talking about fellow nurses, doctors and security guards. They have asked me about what schools to go to, what gun I carry and what gear/holster I recommend. I almost feel like I'm the go to guy for this topic which isn't bad.

Flip.

 

[sm]

Most folks in life do not do anything about anything until their butt, or someone else's butt close to them hits bottom and won't bounce anymore.

Natural order of things...
Survival of the Fittest...
Denial...
Complancey...
.
.
.
Some need a gentle nudge or just a swift kick in the butt...

 

[Mooseman]

I know what did it for me. Working in some of the bad areas of Philly. You learn that they're are a lot of people out there who will do you harm if given the opportunity.

 

[Croyance]

Whether it is a personal experience (or that of family/friend/somebody they know) or an aquaintance getting a permit, yes. But this is true of other things too.

 

[Jeff22]

people only pay attention to what impacts them

Most people don't really have much of an idea of how the world works in a big picture sense. They only understand events within the limits of their own experience.

I have never been a victim of a violent crime. (Getting punched by some guy I was in the process of arresting doesn't count). But I know that bad things and unexpected things and dangerous things can happen in the world, without having personally experienced them.

That's one of the reason that CCW doesn't have much support in Wisconsin. In most places in the state (the metro Milwaukee area being an exception) the rate of violent and random street crime is very low. It just doesn't happen very often, and that's one of the reasons there is no big perceived need for CCW for self protection of the citizenry. Most people have a hard time visualizing a set of circumstances where CCW would benefit them.

And some people just don't get it, even when they have personal experiences that should lead them to a greater understanding. Right out of High School (nearly 30 years ago) I dated a girl for a while. Some years later she was going to college in Minnesota. She lived in the Twin Cities area. One night about midnight she had just got off work and was returning to her car, which was parked in a public parking ramp. A group of three or four gang-bangers accosted her. We don't know if they intended robbery or rape or worse. She managed to get inside her car and lock the doors. One of the gangsters tossed a chunk of concrete through the window, and she was hit in the head and received a severe concussion. Some passers-by witnessed this and chased the gangsters off and called for the PD and an ambulance.

She was in a coma for 36 hours. (May have gotten a skull fracture -- I can't remember any more)

A couple years later she got married, and a few years after that her husband got hired on by the Sheriff's Department and I trained him in the police academy.

Despite all this, she still doesn't like him to be armed off duty. Her excuse is: "I don't want him to go looking for trouble." Well honey, you weren't looking for trouble, either, and trouble came and found YOU and you almost got killed.

But the reality of the situation is uncomfortable and challenged her assumptions about how the world worked, and so she just ignored the lesson.
That, unfortunately, is the challenge we face about CCW.

 

[scbair]

I cannot begin to understand how some people's minds work. I've been involved in enough training, team-building and assessment activities over the years to accept that it's not (necessarily) a matter of IQ; different people of comparable intelligence levels process the same data in different manners.

I've always been something of a problem-solver. My mind just arrays the data, overlays possible options, and synthesizes to the "best" solution to the given problem. That's what I do day-to-day in my chosen profession.

I don't even remember when I decided that CCW by "good people" was a good idea; I was far too young! I recall watching adventure/thriller/mystery shows on TV and in the movies, and reading novels, as a youngster. As situations unfolded (or, more accurately, deteriorated), I would ask myself, "Now, how could that have been done to prevent that, or at least minimize the damage?" In the overwhelming majority of such dramas, an armed "victim" would have resulted in a much shorter story, with a happy ending!

Think about it. As the menacing prison escapees break through the window of the isolated home, to the screams of the residents and the movie score's musical crescendo, if Mommy had simply directed a couple rounds of 00 Buck, the movie would end and we'd all go home! Instead, we were treated to another hour of sharing the family's terror as the vicious criminals "ruled the roost," while the heroic passer-by figured out what was happening, and used his bare hands to stalk and subdue the brigands!

Ya know, that's probably why Hollywood is so overwhelmingly anti-2nd Amendment. The concept of self-sufficient everyday folks who can quickly and effectively extricate themselves from threatening situations just renders the writers & producers ridiculous!

Result? I resolved to always go armed, to the best possible level. As a child, a sharp pocketknife was always at hand, and an understanding (and colorful) uncle explained the concepts of stealth, surprise, and target selection (even a Swiss Army Knife, properly honed, will reach certain major arteries, if it's done before the assailant realizes what's happening . . . talk about kidnap-resistant!). As a teen, a Buck folder in my hip pocket. When I got my driver's license, my .22 Ruger (that I used as a small game collection device ) in the glove compartment of my vehicle. Upon graduation from college, a stint as a police officer. Subsequently, a CWP-authorized handgun.

It may also be hereditary, though; my father always had a sidearm handy, and my brother also has a CWP and a couple of pocket pistols.

 

[rero360]

I would have to agree as well, I've wanted a motorcycle for a long time, but when my buddy decided to get one after not having one for a number of years, it got me off my a$$ and I bought mine 3 days after he got his. when I got my CCP a number of my friends put in for theirs as well, and some who are going to when they turn 21. so yeah I think there is a certain degree of peer pressure in it, but in both of these examples its good peer pressure, except for your wallet.

 

[Mulliga]

I've seen this here in FL

...especially from people who are into firearms: they rationalize the need for a permit away.

"Why do I need a CCW? I have one in my car, my house, and the place where I work. I don't want to go through all the trouble and expense."

I don't argue with them, but I can't fathom how they honestly believe that they'll always be on their own property or in their car when trouble arises. I suppose they never go to grocery stores, or movie theaters, or libraries, or on vacation either.

 

[22luvr]

A unexpected incident..

Recently here in Georgia, I was getting a D.O.T. physical and drug screening.
Prior to going into the toilet for the urine sample, she said it was mandatory for me to empty out my pockets completely. Out came my pocket-holstered piece on to the desk in front of her. She never batted an eye or even made a comment. She has been doing this for about 25 years and has probably "seen it all." I guess it is more common than I thought. It was a pleasant change of pace for no comment, rather than the usual "Omigod, what is that?? A GUN ?? Why do YOU have a GUN ??

 

[Soybomb]

I think it helps some people to realize that the normal guy they work with carries a gun just in case and it isn't something that only camo wearing gun nuts they have in their mind do.

 

[losangeles]

The resistance is cultural. That's the only way to explain it.

You certainly can't attribute it to intelligence and IQ. If so, you'd be surprised how many otherwise truly intelligent people who you might appreciate (or not) for other accomplishments who are anti's.

In Cali, there's also the legal aspect you have to deal with, and in LA very few get a permit. So you'll have to weigh if you want to take a chance with a concealed carry and doing something illegal. You can evaluate each situation you might happen to be in.

 

[Camp David]

I leave my house armed every change I get. It's no secret at work that I carry and, I am open for discussion on the topic of carry whenever it comes up at work.

I assume your question is, "Why don't more people have interest in CCW?"

Perhaps I can help you => A few relevnt thoughts...

Many feel that Second Amendment gives them that right already; why go through the motions of obtaining a permit and paying a fee for something that is given to every citizen via the Bill of Rights?

What if reporters had to get a permit to utilize their freedom of speech? What if Churches had to get a permit to utilize their freedom of assembly?

While I an glad that states offer concealed carry permits, I disagree fundamentally with the concept of paying for something that the Founding Fathers gave us as our birthrite. Yet, in today's society, one has to jump through hoops to participate in life so much that "obtaining permits" to do most anything has become accepted protocol... imagine for a moment Jediah S. Smith or Jim Bridger obtaining a permit for a weapon...then the foolishness of modern life becomes a little clearer....

I pay taxes for roads. I pay for police to patrol roads. I buy a trailer and I need a permit to use it on roads. Then I need to pay taxes on trailer so road commission can improve roads. Then I can only go so fast or I get a ticket for driving on roads that I paid for.

Absurd...you bet!

Instead of taking pride in CCW licences and permits accept them as the best we can do under teh circumstances... but they represent a denial of freedoms inherent in the Bill of Rights. Perhaps that is why they are not so popular.

 

[loki.fish]

A couple years ago I saw in the paper or on the news that some woman in Philedelphia got beat to death by a man with a baseball bat in a crowded parking lot. Nobody tried to help her or do anything about it. They just watched her get beat to death. I sat for some time trying to figure out how any human can just watch somebody be brutally murdered and not do anything about it. I've had a permit and gun with me ever since.

 

[rino451]

"Result? I resolved to always go armed, to the best possible level. As a child, a sharp pocketknife was always at hand, and an understanding (and colorful) uncle explained the concepts of stealth, surprise, and target selection (even a Swiss Army Knife, properly honed, will reach certain major arteries, if it's done before the assailant realizes what's happening . . . talk about kidnap-resistant!). As a teen, a Buck folder in my hip pocket."


scbair I share your sentiments entirely, but...

Sounds like like you grew up in a time/place when having a pocketknife wasn't considered having a concealed weapon and a reason to be pulled asside, handcuffed, and questioned. It's enough I guess for probable cause. It's a bit like fishing for trouble.

I respect what LEO's do, but using every little thing as an excuse to grill someone has in my opinion lead to disarmed populace and the belief by many that we no longer need to be armed to defend ourselves. My question then is, is that by design or an unfortunate side affect of what the law enforcement agencies see as necessary action? My wife for example would have a year ago told you that it's LE's job to protect her from harm. I don't really know how one logically comes to that conclusion when considering the logistics involved.

Many of us, (yes, I don't have my permit yet) did not enjoy the learning curve that you have. I would not have felt like I was lawfully allowed to carry a tool designed for and with the idea of self defense. To this day, I'm hesitant to carry a knife, even a leatherman b/c it's really up to someone elses opinion as to what you intended to do with it which causes all the problems. (I ride motorcycles and used to get rousted all the time until I got a GoldWing. Now, I'm virtually invisible.)

Randall

 

[fjolnirsson]

Sounds like like you grew up in a time/place when having a pocketknife wasn't considered having a concealed weapon and a reason to be pulled asside, handcuffed, and questioned. It's enough I guess for probable cause. It's a bit like fishing for trouble.

Good grief! Where do you live?! Even CA allows concealed carry of pocketknives for cryin' out loud! Without a length limit, even! The exception being a school, where a Leatherman is a felony.

 

[Lou22]

I believe the perception that one's neighborhood/town has become more dangerous to be in is a strong motivating factor for many to get a CCW. I liked the idea of a CCW, as I always have been a shooter and never felt much reluctance for carrying. But only recently did I move to a state that has shall issue. Even then I didn't do anything about obtaining my license until about a year ago. I live and work outside Detroit but didn't much worry about being attacked. I still feel pretty safe where I live, but the community where I work there has been (it seems) an increase in armed robberies, assaults and other violent activity. So I found out getting a CCW here was relatively easy and cheap, so that was all it took.

I don't talk about it much with friends or relatives, for I sometimes get one of the following types of comments:

1) Aren't you afraid you'll shoot yourself? Isn't carrying unsafe?
2) I certainly woudn't carry a gun. Guns are only for killing.

I even get the feeling from some people that it is immoral, or a sign of a violent nature, to carry, like, who am I to feel I need to carry a gun.

I think these ideas are common in American society, probably put there by Hollywood, or other naive anti-gun zealots.

Lou

 

[Standing Wolf]

After seven decades of government "protection," it's a wonder any of us are still capable of thinking to assume responsibility for our own safety.

 

[Srigs]

I converted my father-in-law to get his permit now just need to work on my dad!

 

[BullfrogKen]

Lou22 said: I don't talk about it much with friends or relatives, for I sometimes get one of the following types of comments:

1) Aren't you afraid you'll shoot yourself? Isn't carrying unsafe?
2) I certainly woudn't carry a gun. Guns are only for killing.

Comments along these lines are a reflection more of a person's inner thoughts, fears, and belief system. We see the world around us and try to understand it through our interpretations. These kinds of fears shed light on what your friends or relatives think they might do with a gun, or only think guns are for, and are projecting those motives upon everyone else.


I needed no specific instance to prompt me to want to go about armed. Those that do have a traumatic instance that brings them to this decision often have to re-evaluate many other tightly held beliefs, and it can be quite a soul searching experience. Unfortunately, many more would rather ignore and not go through the discomfort and fear that such an exploration demands, and instead retain their illusions.

My sister-in-law is a social worker. A couple summers ago, while working an internship, a teenage boy entered her building and asked to use the phone. She co-operated and handed it to him. He pulled out a knife, lashed out, and cut her face, producing a wound requiring stiches and leaving a scar. He fled, but was caught by police shortly after. She went to his trial to testify for leniency, believing him to merely be a troubled youth that needed help, not punishment.

She still will not come to view the world as a place with dangerous people in it, and refuses to believe some people can truly be evil and cannot be rehabilitated.

 

[KadicDeshi]

Good grief! Where do you live?! Even CA allows concealed carry of pocketknives for cryin' out loud! Without a length limit, even! The exception being a school, where a Leatherman is a felony.

No length limit? Dang, lucky. Here in Arkansas the blade length limit is 3.5 inches. Not much, really. And the whole pocket knives are banned from schools thing really irks me. Didn't stop me from keeping an Old Timer pocket knife on me. Even once gave it to the school secretary when she needed it. I didn't even think when she asked, just handed it to her. She just turned her head the other way when accepting and handing it back.

As far as CCW licenses, my brother and my dad are the only ones who gave me any grief over it. My brother once started in on me in a Colton's restaurant when he went to elbow me in the ribs and got my shoulder holster instead. "Oh, no, the waiter's gonna mug you!" I think my dad felt that I would be looking for trouble. Everyone else I've talked to has been fairly open-minded.

Recently though, my dad's become more accepting of it. Probably due to the fact that I've had my license for three years and have never been in a situation where I even thought about drawing.

Barrett

 

[Randall]

Living most of my 47 years in rural Ok. I know a lot of people have a firearm handy at home or in their vehicle even before it was legal to carry concealed here. After I got my permit 2 others here asked about how to get one, one has gotten their's and the other just carries like they always have.
Randall