My discussion with an antigun person / business.

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JLStorm

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2004
Messages
1,131
I went into a notary public and auto tags business to get 3 more concealed weapons permits notarized and once the woman behind the counter realized what she was notarizing she got very nervous and started stating how she hated guns and wished there were less of them in the world. She asked me what I did for work and why I needed to carry a gun. I told her that along with my full time job I also work in the investigation field and I am armed most of the time, but I mainly carry for self protection. She was a bit disturbed by this, but I decided to I try a new discussion tactic that I had been thinking about. I told her, believe me, you want people like me to carry guns in our community. I said, its a shame, I have so much training that the police departments should have but cant afford to give their officers. She perked up when she heard that. I said thats right ma'am, I can spend thousands on training and for me its either a write off or a personal expense that I can afford, but unfortunately most police departments including ours dont have the funding to get their officers the type of training I have. I went on to say that if the utah mall shooting were to happen around here, you would definitely want armed citizens like myself there, especially since our police department is small and covers a lot of area.

I could see the lightbulb go off in her head and she told me that its a shame the police dont get the training they need, but she was glad there were people out there like me, and that she hopes I stay safe, etc etc. She notarized 6 pages and only charged me for one and told me to come back anytime I needed anything.

I doubt she is going to run out and buy a gun, but on the other hand, I doubt she will ever be nervous with the thought of me carrying a gun again either.


I am sure there is a better way to get the point accross, but this was the best I could think of, and it certainly seemed to make a good impression, so I figured I would share.
 
No one permit covers travel throughout the US only a Federal agent can carry in al 50 states. I have my Flordia, Utah and am now working on my California. 3 or 4 are not uncommon depending on where you travel. To get my California I became a LAPD reserve officer. otherwise impossible in Los Angeles.
 
doesn't sound like she was 'anti' per se, but more like she was undereducated. That was a great example you put to her and I'm glad she appeared to soften after your explanation.

I guess that would be one for the win column.
 
I have found that a frank discussion with people who initially have an "anti" feel to them often results in changing their mind. I had a discussion with a friend of mine about teachers carrying in school. She was originally agast at the idea, saying it was too dangerous for the kids. I explained that just because we have a law saying that guns are not allowed in school does not mean that criminals won't come into a school armed, right? She agreed. Then I used her child as an example, and said "if there was a criminal walking around the school on a shooting spree, wouldn't your want your child's teacher to be able to get the kids all safe in a corner somewhere, and then be standing there with a gun, in case the bad guy came through the door?" I could actually see her going through teh picture in her mind, and then she said, "yeah, I guess I would." She said it still kind of gave her the willies to think about teachers having guns in school, but that she had never thought about it from the stanpoint of protecting HER child from a criminal attack.
 
You know, in Texas, a Notary is normally $6 per notarization. There are three affadavits to be notarized for a CHL application. That's $18 a head during a class with approx. 25-30 people in a class. That's between $450 and $540 a class. I don't know how they do it for the OP's CCW, but you might want to pass that on to your Notary 'friend.' Might not be a bad way to introduce her to the gun community.
 
Jerkface, actually I have 6 + hopefully applying for nevada soon which will make 7 CCW's. I travel through all 50 states regularly and I like to be able to carry as often as possible. Its really an expensive pain in the butt, but I have to do it.
 
First off. Good job in educating someone, and bringing them over to our side. That's the tack I'm beginning to use. Argueing is fruitless. Education works.

Secondly, forgive me for joining the off topic part of this thread, but I'm confused. What is the reason for the notorized forms for a CCW? They do a background check, don't they? Is it just to verify that you are who you say you are? Here is Washington state....very liberal....but...a shall issue state, we get our CCW simply by going to our local law enforcement office, filling out the forms, paying the money, give fingerprints, have them do a background check, and wait a few weeks for the paperwork to process. Nothing notorized needed. I guess I'm not sure what that is for.
 
It goes by state, and some states like CT for instance there are parts you only have to notarize if you are doing a non-res (non res CT requires 3 notary seals). I dont really get it either, sometimes I think they do it just to make it a little bit harder to apply.

and Frostbiker, its $5.00 per seal here, so that would have been $30.00, but she only charged me $5.00 which was nice.
 
What did we learn here?

And DO NOT derail this by either bitching about notary fees, the requirement for notaries, or any of that crap. That's not really what happened here.

Our bud JLStorm was NICE. And he EDUCATED someone. While being NICE.

If you're nice, while applying logical reasoning, it'll often work a LOT better than if you are adversarial. And too many of you guys are adversarial and confrontational. Quite a few of the folks that you initially label as "antis" are in fact uneducated fence-sitters. That's an EASY win!!!!

Tone it down a little, and be NICE. And we will gain converts.
 
Pay for a Notary?
In my town in NH the clerk is a Notary, Has to be as a part of her job for the town. We pay her salary with out taxes the notarization is free.

Also my commercial bank I have my accounts with has a notary on staff they are free as a customer courtesy.
 
TacMedic I am not sure where the money goes. But it is fairly easy to become a notary. Here is a link for your state.

www.texasnotary.com


Great job to the poster for the civilized discussion you had with the notary. This is the kind of thing it takes to furthur our cuase.
 
No one permit covers travel throughout the US only a Federal agent can carry in al 50 states. I have my Flordia, Utah and am now working on my California. 3 or 4 are not uncommon depending on where you travel. To get my California I became a LAPD reserve officer. otherwise impossible in Los Angeles.
Click to expand...

Actually, per HR218, any current or honorably retired LEO can carry through all 50 states. Level 1 LAPD Reserves are full-time peace officers (no CCW required) and fall under HR218. Which I guess means that you are Level II with just a CCW issued by Bratton.
 
Okay. I guess this is going to be a thread about notaries and what states one can carry in, and not about how one person can easily convince another VOTER to come over to our way of reasoning.

I guess that's just too damn hard.

It isn't about notaries. It isn't about what state your dang permit is valid in. It's about winning converts. All the rest of the stuff is gratutious crap.

Mods, I've tried to be subtle. It doesn't work.

And I'm pretty tired - Jen's been in the hospital since Tuesday with the latest round of "fix the gastric bypass gone bad."
 
I was getting the CMP paperwork notarized in town (small town) at the bank. The lady asks what it's for and I tell her to purchase surpluss rifles from thew CMP. To this she says " You're not going to come back and shoot us are you?". I came thiiisss close to laying a smart a$$ remark on her, but I just smiled and said 'no'. And I live in the Northwest corner of IL (as 'downstate' as Cairo in perspective on such things).

Of course, the concealed carry bill will never pass in this liberal vortex. We're lucky if NOTHING happens on gun rights here---that's a good day.

My best 'convert an anti' rap is ALWAYS the Hollocaust. You can see the light go off sometimes, sometimes not.
 
Great job getting the lady to somewhat understand. I don't much like your argument, but whatever we have to do to change people's thinking, I guess.
 
Yeah, you get some interesting reactions.
I remember when I was applying for my pistol permit in my town. I was at the police station and doing all the paperwork and the lady clerk had the most concerned look on her face. Didn't say anything though. She was all business. I should've said something to reassure her.
As I was being fingerprinted by a police officer he just casually asked me why I wanted one. I said I've always wanted one and now was as good as any other time to get it. And that was that, just had a pleasant chat about things afterwards. Funny anecdote was that while I was inked and printing his cell phone rang and it played the theme from the show COPS. :D
He just gave a sheepish grin.
 
An Added Potential Benefit...

But Bogie - if I'm nice, how can I live up to my rep as a gun NUT??? :neener:

Just kidding - now on to the real point:

Another potential benefit of being NICE and EDUCATIONAL....if there are other people within earshot of your conversation, your NICE and informative manner may just tip the scale for them, as well!

Nice going with the lady,

Michael
 
JLStorm

Nice.

Good model.

It might also be well to keep a few anecdotes of armed citizens who have come to the aid of Law Enforcement personnel.

"Yes, I'm the good guy. It's a shame there aren't more of us. Law enforcement needs all the help they can get."

It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.

Well done.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

W
  • Locked
The State Gun Business is Thriving.
Replies
0
Views
285
winston smith
W
Y
  • Locked
Don't even know how to title this...
2 3
Replies
54
Views
4K
BullfrogKen
B
T
  • Locked
Educated a gun-ignorant person
Replies
11
Views
629
scout26
S
A
  • Locked
My Handgun Was Stolen!!!
Replies
21
Views
1K
rantingredneck
R
S
  • Locked
A good school story.
Replies
5
Views
676
cassandrasdaddy
C
Back
Top