Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I like this. I'd restate slightly: "When trouble finds me, it will not find me helpless."
Why Do You Carry A Gun?
- Thread starter The Night Rider
- Start date
OP
OP
The Night Rider
Member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2022
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- 2,147
Most of the statements that that particular guy made were ignorant. He also refused to wear his body armor except at shift change.
I think I mentioned this guy in another post. And one of the things that I found really odd is it one of the worst places that we ever had to go check butted up against his backyard.( <I want to clarify that I mean this in the most absolute literal sense. The back wall of the substation was topped by his back fence) He knew he was living next door to that place and still didn't see any reason to carry a gun
I haven't seen him in 8 years. I'm sure he's retired and living the life by now.
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Mutual combat is unlawful in all states but two.
.308 Norma
Member
Hardly! Not unless "both parties" include my wife and other loved ones. The protection of my wife and other loved ones is one of the reasons I carry. And getting into a fist fight at my age would just be silly.
BTW, my wife also carries. And she's a lot better with a handgun than I am (and probably most of the folks here). But at 5'1" and 120lbs, I doubt she'd be of much help to me in any kind of physical confrontation. There's no one I'd rather have on my side though if I ever have to "demonstrate" why I carry a gun.
Edited to say; my wife read this, and she too said that she appreciates that I carry for her protection as well as my own.
Eutycus
Member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2024
- Messages
- 150
As far as your wife being better than most folks here. I got a little story. I used to work at a prison where we all had to requalify with a firearm every year.The instructor told us that the women would probably outscore the men. His reasoning was that women didn't have to unlearn the bad habits (like breathing) that most men have.Hardly! Not unless "both parties" include my wife and other loved ones. The protection of my wife and other loved ones is one of the reasons I carry. And getting into a fist fight at my age would just be silly.
BTW, my wife also carries. And she's a lot better with a handgun than I am (and probably most of the folks here). But at 5'1" and 120lbs, I doubt she'd be of much help to me in any kind of physical confrontation. There's no one I'd rather have on my side though if I ever have to "demonstrate" why I carry a gun.
Edited to say; my wife read this, and she too said that she appreciates that I carry for her protection as well as my own.
.308 Norma
Member
Could be.
I know when my wife and I took Idaho's "Enhanced" Concealed Carry course together (even though Idaho is a so-called "constitutional carry" state), we were each required to fire nearly 100 rounds that afternoon. And when the smoke cleared (pardon the pun), the instructor, a county sheriff's deputy examined both of our targets, he turned to me and said, "I wouldn't make her mad if I was you."
I'm okay with that though. I can outshoot my wife with a rifle any day of the week, and she's not even in the same class as me with a shotgun.
For me, it's pretty easy. I tell them: "My wife was robbed, beaten, raped and murdered. I have had 3 friends murdered. You seem like a pretty good person, so if I see that you're in a situation where you're about to be robbed, beaten, raped or murdered and don't want me to interfere, please let me know."
hutch51
Member
Went to an indoor range with a friend and his wife. She wants to try my wife's Sig P238. One magazine, put them all in the center at twenty feet at first try. I stuck my head around the barrier and asked "who did that?". Friend points at wife and says "She did". Oklahoma farm girl.
Sweet gal - my friend married well. I've got a winner too.
hutch51
Member
I carry because there is no "safe area". Criminals are armed and mobile.
I am my own "first responder".
I am my own "first responder".
Armybrat
Member
Years ago I watched a group of 6 or 7 security guards at an Austin gun range doing their annual requalify session.
The lone female scored higher than all her male colleagues…..and she let them know it.
Choctaw
Member
Job requirement.
"In case I need to shoot something". That would probably lead to a longer conversation, but that about covers it.
luzyfuerza
Member
This is my answer to someone who is honestly interested in why I carry and train with a handgun:
"I used to enjoy going to a restaurant in Trolley Square in Salt Lake City. I was trained, was competent with a handgun, had great carry gear, and it was legal, but I only carried occasionally in those days. Too uncomfortable. Too much of a hassle.
Then a mass shooter killed five and wounded four innocent shoppers at Trolley Square. Fortunately, I wasn't there that night.
But I had to ask the man in the mirror this question: 'How would you feel if you HAD been there, and a loved one had been injured or killed, and you were unable to prevent this because you weren't carrying your gun?'
I didn't like the answer I had to give myself.
Since answering that question, I've carried everywhere legal. And I've trained and practiced. A lot.
That's why I carry a gun."
And then I offer to train them, if they are interested, so that they too can have the tools and skills to protect their loved ones.
"I used to enjoy going to a restaurant in Trolley Square in Salt Lake City. I was trained, was competent with a handgun, had great carry gear, and it was legal, but I only carried occasionally in those days. Too uncomfortable. Too much of a hassle.
Then a mass shooter killed five and wounded four innocent shoppers at Trolley Square. Fortunately, I wasn't there that night.
But I had to ask the man in the mirror this question: 'How would you feel if you HAD been there, and a loved one had been injured or killed, and you were unable to prevent this because you weren't carrying your gun?'
I didn't like the answer I had to give myself.
Since answering that question, I've carried everywhere legal. And I've trained and practiced. A lot.
That's why I carry a gun."
And then I offer to train them, if they are interested, so that they too can have the tools and skills to protect their loved ones.
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Enfielder
Member
In my experience, the majority of people want to live their lives on the sunny side. Peace. Love. Happiness. Good will towards man and woman. These are all good things as I hope that all who read this here can appreciate. I embrace these beliefs as they are more than gospel.
Then there are us. We are those who know the darkness. We don’t embrace it but we know it as it surrounds everything that is good.
I remember when I started carrying a flashlight every day. It was after I was lost in the woods at night with a girl I was trying to woo. I had second degree burns from my lighter on my fingers from getting us out of the woods. Thankfully, I had a compass on my watch that dug me out. In retrospect, I should have just build a fire and snuggled with her until daylight but dumb is dumb no matter how young you are. I’m still better off without that girl and better off with a flashlight on my hip.
I was 8 when I discovered the utility of carrying a knife. It wasn’t a weapon back then but it was empowering, none the less. I could whittle any old stick to the sharpest point on any day.
Flying commercial air feels like removing my third hand when I check my knife.
I don’t remember when I got my first multi tool. It was a “Bucktool”. Carrying that made so much sense to me as I fix anything. and everything that needs fixing. I once saved a pelicans life on an Outer Banks fishing trip which cemented the idea of alway having one. I repaired a snow machine out in the Alaska bush with a multi tool that surely prevented us from being stranded out there until we were missed.
I started carrying a gun when I lived in a constitutional carry state. One night, I left my car without my weapon, only to see a shirtless man with a sword in his waist band walking down the street. I went back to my car and strapped up. Nothing happened between me and the swordsman but he was arrested later that night after attacking someone.
I’ve ended the suffering of animals that were hit by cars with my weapon when the only alternative was hit them again but this time with feeling.
I’ve carried my weapon in places that were dangerous if circumstances were just a little bit different.
I‘ve carried my weapon defiant of bad laws that were passed that stripped me of the right to protect myself.
I’ve carried weapon in times of peace. I’ve loved and embraced while carrying my weapon. I’ve given aid to those in need while carrying.
All the time, I’ve known the darkness is there; as we all do. There is no denying it.
I am not a psycho killer, hellbent on blasting the blood from another man.
I am a man who wishes to protect my love and heart from those who know not the value of it. I am a farmer who wants to protect his flock. I am a lover who wants to continue to embrace his kind. I am a deadly mother f-er to whomever dares to threaten me or mine.
I maintain the principal of being able to take a stand, when it is just and warranted, against anyone who threatens my family or, my pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.
The definition of family carries over to those who are innocent and unable to defend themselves. I’d be loath to face the other way.
This I why I carry. There’s no reason to be useless when you know how to be useful.
There is much to fear out there but don’t forget that you carry out of love. Embrace your fellow but never let him f*** you over.
Then there are us. We are those who know the darkness. We don’t embrace it but we know it as it surrounds everything that is good.
I remember when I started carrying a flashlight every day. It was after I was lost in the woods at night with a girl I was trying to woo. I had second degree burns from my lighter on my fingers from getting us out of the woods. Thankfully, I had a compass on my watch that dug me out. In retrospect, I should have just build a fire and snuggled with her until daylight but dumb is dumb no matter how young you are. I’m still better off without that girl and better off with a flashlight on my hip.
I was 8 when I discovered the utility of carrying a knife. It wasn’t a weapon back then but it was empowering, none the less. I could whittle any old stick to the sharpest point on any day.
Flying commercial air feels like removing my third hand when I check my knife.
I don’t remember when I got my first multi tool. It was a “Bucktool”. Carrying that made so much sense to me as I fix anything. and everything that needs fixing. I once saved a pelicans life on an Outer Banks fishing trip which cemented the idea of alway having one. I repaired a snow machine out in the Alaska bush with a multi tool that surely prevented us from being stranded out there until we were missed.
I started carrying a gun when I lived in a constitutional carry state. One night, I left my car without my weapon, only to see a shirtless man with a sword in his waist band walking down the street. I went back to my car and strapped up. Nothing happened between me and the swordsman but he was arrested later that night after attacking someone.
I’ve ended the suffering of animals that were hit by cars with my weapon when the only alternative was hit them again but this time with feeling.
I’ve carried my weapon in places that were dangerous if circumstances were just a little bit different.
I‘ve carried my weapon defiant of bad laws that were passed that stripped me of the right to protect myself.
I’ve carried weapon in times of peace. I’ve loved and embraced while carrying my weapon. I’ve given aid to those in need while carrying.
All the time, I’ve known the darkness is there; as we all do. There is no denying it.
I am not a psycho killer, hellbent on blasting the blood from another man.
I am a man who wishes to protect my love and heart from those who know not the value of it. I am a farmer who wants to protect his flock. I am a lover who wants to continue to embrace his kind. I am a deadly mother f-er to whomever dares to threaten me or mine.
I maintain the principal of being able to take a stand, when it is just and warranted, against anyone who threatens my family or, my pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.
The definition of family carries over to those who are innocent and unable to defend themselves. I’d be loath to face the other way.
This I why I carry. There’s no reason to be useless when you know how to be useful.
There is much to fear out there but don’t forget that you carry out of love. Embrace your fellow but never let him f*** you over.
Old Dog
Member
I made that vow when I was about fourteen after being set upon by a group of my peers and being robbed of my Christmas money and a new pair of Adidas; I made that vow again as a young sailor robbed once at knifepoint in San Diego and shortly after that, at gunpoint in Oakland. These instances kept me engaged in such pursuits as boxing, martial arts, shooting, eventually law enforcement, but most importantly taught me that I was the only person totally responsible for my own safety and well-being.
Strangely, in the past fifty years or so, no one except one of my sisters has ever asked me why I carry a gun. But since she got carjacked at gunpoint (she lives in Chicago, go figure) she's coming around.
Frankly, these days, if I were to be asked that question, I'd probably respond in shock, "You mean, you DON'T? Do you ever even watch the evening news or have you ever ventured out in your city?"
Of course, in this day and age where Dem mayors of large cities state publicly that stealing is not a crime if the person doing the stealing is poor (or is otherwise a disadvantaged minority) and doesn't require being held accountable by the justice system, there are probably folks out there gladly handing over their cars, wallets and purses to the folks pointing guns at their heads.
OP
OP
The Night Rider
Member
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2022
- Messages
- 2,147
On Monday the 22nd a man walked into the Rockrimmon library in Colorado Springs and had a meltdown. He threatened to kill himself. He threatened patrons.
The library staff and security called the cops and got told there was no unit available to assist them.
The guy left after an hour and security called the cops and canceled the call.
That is why I carry a gun.
News Report.
youtu.be
The library staff and security called the cops and got told there was no unit available to assist them.
The guy left after an hour and security called the cops and canceled the call.
That is why I carry a gun.
News Report.
Colorado Springs library concerned with lack of police officers available to respond to 911 call
According to the Pikes Peak Library District, library staff at the Rockrimmon Library called 9-1-1 Monday evening when a man entered the building, began scre...
youtu.be
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an unexercised muscle, or constitutional right, atrophies. is how i choose to peaceably exercise, or not, any of my unalienable rights also open to public discussion? just as i firmly believe in our enumerated rkba, i also adhere to our unenumerated right to privacy.
if asked by friends about guns, “i like to target shoot” is a truthful answer, left at that. only if pressed about carrying a gun, beyond the fire extinguisher and a cop is too heavy to carry rationales, my apocryphal q&a is:
a: do you know that guy seated over there? or the guy sitting next to him?
b: no, i don’t.
a: neither do i.
a: how about that other guy standing in the corner, do you know him?
b: yes, as a matter of fact, i do.
a: so do i…
if a pleasant chat continues, i like history, so i explain the exact purpose of the redcoats’ march from boston upon lexington green and concord bridge on april 19, 1775. hint, it wasn’t to arrest a politician, shutter a church or destroy a printing press.
most anyone who remains intent on debating about guns likely isn’t much of a friend and has an agenda that i simply rather not entertain. so if necessary i turn the discussion around to saying, “since not everyone is personally familiar with guns, how about let’s discuss the manner in which each of us exercises, or not, another of our enumerated constitutional rights, say our right to religious freedom.” consensus generally ends this discussion.
in any event i have pleasantly and innocuously practiced social distancing from long before the advent of wuhan flu so this issue rarely comes up.
if asked by friends about guns, “i like to target shoot” is a truthful answer, left at that. only if pressed about carrying a gun, beyond the fire extinguisher and a cop is too heavy to carry rationales, my apocryphal q&a is:
a: do you know that guy seated over there? or the guy sitting next to him?
b: no, i don’t.
a: neither do i.
a: how about that other guy standing in the corner, do you know him?
b: yes, as a matter of fact, i do.
a: so do i…
if a pleasant chat continues, i like history, so i explain the exact purpose of the redcoats’ march from boston upon lexington green and concord bridge on april 19, 1775. hint, it wasn’t to arrest a politician, shutter a church or destroy a printing press.
most anyone who remains intent on debating about guns likely isn’t much of a friend and has an agenda that i simply rather not entertain. so if necessary i turn the discussion around to saying, “since not everyone is personally familiar with guns, how about let’s discuss the manner in which each of us exercises, or not, another of our enumerated constitutional rights, say our right to religious freedom.” consensus generally ends this discussion.
in any event i have pleasantly and innocuously practiced social distancing from long before the advent of wuhan flu so this issue rarely comes up.
AlexanderA
Member
A recurring theme of this thread seems to be laying guilt on people for not carrying a gun. That's a personal choice and there are pros and cons either way. As a longtime "gun person" I made the choice years ago not to carry. In a way this is very liberating.
aaaaa
Member
There are some benefits to not carrying and I am interested to hear more about your decision but this is probably not the thread to expound on not carrying. It is a worthy topic for its own thread IMO.
This type of question always reminds me of the fact that was explained well by Major Caudill: The gun is civilization.
"The Gun Is Civilization"
by Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret)
Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and
force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of
either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under
threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two
categories, without exception. Reason or force, that's it.
In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through
persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction and
the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm,
as paradoxical as it may sound to some.
When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use
reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your
threat or employment of force.
The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on
equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal
footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal
footing with a carload of drunken guys with baseball bats.
The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers
between a potential attacker and a defender.
There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad
force equations. These are the people who think that we'd be more
civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes
it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true
if the mugger's potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or
by legislative fiat--it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential
marks are armed.
People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the
young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a
civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a
successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force
monopoly.
Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that
otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in
several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the
physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.
People, who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal
force, watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it
with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier
works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If
both are armed, the field is level.
The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an
octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn't
work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily
employable.
When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but
because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I
cannot be forced only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but
because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those
who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those
who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation... and
that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.
"The Gun Is Civilization"
by Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret)
Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and
force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of
either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under
threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two
categories, without exception. Reason or force, that's it.
In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through
persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction and
the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm,
as paradoxical as it may sound to some.
When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use
reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your
threat or employment of force.
The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on
equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal
footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal
footing with a carload of drunken guys with baseball bats.
The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers
between a potential attacker and a defender.
There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad
force equations. These are the people who think that we'd be more
civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes
it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true
if the mugger's potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or
by legislative fiat--it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential
marks are armed.
People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the
young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a
civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a
successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force
monopoly.
Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that
otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in
several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the
physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.
People, who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal
force, watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it
with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier
works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If
both are armed, the field is level.
The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an
octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn't
work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily
employable.
When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but
because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I
cannot be forced only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but
because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those
who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those
who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation... and
that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.
MrTwigg
Member
I'm pushing 70, I'm not fist fighting with some teenage punks, I want to be at least 80 before I pass on.
