So I was forced to admit a little hypocrisy

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rogerjames

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So I was having a friendly conversation with a friend the other day about owning and carrying guns. Of course, one of the predominant reasons we all have for owning and carrying guns is self preservation and our value of our own life and those of our loved ones.

So my friend jokingly repeats that I claim to own and carry guns because I value my life... then points out that... I eat like crap, I drink too much, I don't exercise, and I never go to the doctor! :what: I had to laugh and concede that there was some validity to his statement, and it made me want to share that with the rest of you because I am sure that statement applies to many of us.

But then I did counter... that all of those unhealthy things I do are of my own will and nobody else is forcing those unhealthy things upon me. And if some unhealthy behaviors impart some joy into my life, then I must be willing to deal with the potential consequences of those choices.

Owning and carrying a gun will help protect my right to keep on making those choices, so that some BG can not take that freedom from me. :D

Just thought I would share a funny conversation that made me pause and think.
 
If I want to end my life slowly, well so be it, it is MY life! If someone else wants to end it for me, I plan to at least be in a position to "debate" the matter!
 
Pausing and thinking is great! I try to cultivate friendships that make me do that on a regular basis.

Imagine if we were all still living with the same views/opinions/values we held after graduating from high school.

I don't have to justify carrying often. When I do, I admit that I don't feel terribly at-risk, but I place a lot of value in self-reliance and insuring your own self protection is one means of exercising that. I consider it a virtuous thing to do if you're a competent, responsible, and mature individual.
 
TCB in TN wrote
If I want to end my life slowly, well so be it, it is MY life! If someone else wants to end it for me, I plan to at least be in a position to "debate" the matter!
Well said. That sums it up nicely. No nit picking, comparing or rationalizing about other people's life choices:)
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So my friend jokingly repeats that I claim to own and carry guns because I value my life... then points out that... I eat like crap, I drink too much, I don't exercise, and I never go to the doctor! I had to laugh and concede that there was some validity to his statement, and it made me want to share that with the rest of you because I am sure that statement applies to many of us.
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It is true, though. I get a good laugh when I see people talking about stockpiling magazines and bottled water for the end of the world, carrying two guns on them 24/7 with multiple reloads, but they don't fasten their seat belts, cut down on the beer and it's been 7 years since they've been to the dentist.

If the goal is self preservation, the logical starting point would be the most likeliest of risk factors. Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco, Auto Accidents, all kill a whole lot more people than home invaders or street thugs.
 
There was an account of a home invasion I was reading, in which one of the survivors said that around hour 4 of the ordeal, "at this point, I just wished they would kill us and get it over with."
 
What you do you yourselves, is your problem.. What other might do to YOURSELF, is another kind of problem, and you have the right not to let it happend !
 
Hey, maybe its also a good wakeup call to change those bad habits that are reducing your quality of life. A little excercise goes a long way, and it addictive.
 
then I must be willing to deal with the potential consequences of those choices.
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so please don't go begging the gub'ment to use their power (guns) to "coerce" me to open up my wallet to pay for a "free" heart transplant for you after you clog your arteries and ruin the "one per customer" you received at birth.
 
Self improvement can be a long road. Eating right, quitting alcohol, exercising, etc. is usually incremental and difficult. Keep taking small steps, and one day you'll wake up miles from where you began.
 
I guess I 'm sorta in the middle, I eat fairy well, stay somewhat active, and only go to the doctor when I need to. I suppose this may or may not lead to long life. Also I carry a Ruger LCP .380 caliber; this choice also may not be the best for self preservation. But hey, at least I try.
 
LOL, I often make the same observation (quietly) to friends when I see obese and semi-obese people discussing SHTF in gunstores, etc...
 
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But...But... that stuff isn't FUN
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I think this is often the crux of the matter.

To the OP, I believe your buddy is right, it is hypocritical in a way.

If your HONEST reasoning behind carrying a gun is 100% self preservation, you'd better be a health nut too, because the odds are literally probably better than a million to one that you will add more years to your life due to being health nut than you will due to carrying a gun. But being a health nut actually requires effort, and isn't as simple as just strapping on the new toy we bought last weekend to go out bumming around town.

I'm guilty of this too; my diet isn't the best and I often enjoy some brewskis on the weekends, but I do hit the gym during the week and would drop that bad stuff if the choice came down to doing that stuff, or gaining weight I shouldn't be gaining.

Everyone should have a right to carry of course, but that does not eliminate the issue brought up in the OP. I think that realistically, those of use who carry but are not health nuts can not lay perfect claim to the idea that we carry with self preservation being the only ultimate goal.
 
The other point is this. You protect yourself from others taking your life.

The other thing you do, IMO, you make society safer. It serves a greater good. The last thing criminals want is an armed populace. The more decent law abiding folks have guns, they more likely they will run into one conducting crimes.

You are in fact protecting yourself and in protecting them. They may not agree with you, but put you in an office building with a single entry door and have an armed intruder come in that door. Whose office do you think they will feel safer in?

Liberals HATE when we carry guns until the day comes when they are confronted by an armed criminal, then they look to the "gun nuts" to help them out.
 
So my friend jokingly repeats that I claim to own and carry guns because I value my life... then points out that... I eat like crap, I drink too much, I don't exercise, and I never go to the doctor!
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Well the ONE good thing is that you do NOT go to the doctor.

When you start learning about "natural" medicine and living a healthy lifestyle, you can minimize trips to the doctor. Besides they are so imbedded with the drug companies they will likely kill you with over treatment like they did Go. Washington.
 
I carry a gun because when it comes time to prove "survival of the fittest" I plan on being part of "the fittest."
Same reason I work out, don't smoke, eat very healthy and well rounded (and properly portioned) meals, get enough sleep (8hrs per night), and only have an occasional drink (probably 2-3 drinks per month total).

A healthy body responds better to stress, handles extreme circumstances better, and allows me to ensure that I can overcome whatever I have to in order to protect my family. Remember, YOU are the weapon, the gun is just a tool.
 
Hypocrisy would be someone who is clinically depressed to the point of being suicidal stating that they carry a gun for self defense. I don't think that some unhealthy lifestyle choices are tantamount to a death wish.
 
Good point. Diet & exercise kiddos. Wear your seatbelt. And don't smoke!

I've always found it a little odd that some of our shooting sports top "athletes", as it were, in USPSA/IPSC, have a little peter belly going on! :) But they can sure outshoot me, and I'm skinny and in pretty good shape!
 
The guiding principle of liberty is SELF OWNERSHIP. You own your body and your life. As long as your activities do not infringe on the lives, liberty and property of others you should be left alone.
 
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I'm fine with this, until we start considering that in many states insurance companies can't set one premium for people who choose unhealthy lifestyles, and a lower one for people who take care of themselves. The healthy wind up subsidizing the willfully unhealthy, who also use more health care resources, pushing premiums higher for everyone. Premiums are to a point where I can no longer afford insurance at all, regardless of my health.

This goes as well for retirees. Why should one person be able to choose an unhealthy lifestyle and consume far more from the medicare trust fund than a healthy person who has paid in just as much, if not more?

Your choice to live unhealthily often does impact others, in quite substantial ways.

It's not hypocritical to carry a gun for self defense, but live your life as a slovenly lard ball. It's merely ironic.

It is hypocritical to pay lip service to individual liberty, live an unhealthy lifestyle, then go on the public teat for your health care when you get old or become disabled as a result of that lifestyle..
 
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