When I was in law enforcement I responded to a shooting at a church on Sunday morning. The situation developed out of a domestic. The estranged husband showed up at church. Killed his wife when she was coming out of the morning service. An off duty policeman tried to intervene, he was shot and wounded; did not die but was crippled for life. Shortly thereafter, the bad guy husband killed himself. In spite of his courage and commitment, the off duty policeman made several major mistakes, the most significant of which was that he didn't bring a gun to the gunfight.
In a separate incident, a father went to the church sunday school and took his child in spite of custody orders to the contrary. He accomplished the removal of the child by threatening the adults with a gun. No one was hurt and the police, after many days of investigation, finally found the suspect and recovered the child. The father (exhusband) went to prison for a long time. The mother, the child and the church personnel all suffered a great amount of trauma and guilt. In this case, the use of a concealed weapon by one of the good guys may have made matters worse. It is very hard to Monday morning quarterback these situations.
If you can legally carry, and have trained and are prepared, carry ALL the time. If you think you may carry someplace that is not legal, be sure that you have your weapon VERY WELL CONCEALED. Concealed carry means CONCEALED CARRY. I don't advocate breaking the law, but you must make personal decisions about your safety and the safety of your family and you must make those decisions in advance.
Just a couple of observations: When I was a young man, I could run away from trouble if that was the prudent thing to do. I am too old now to run away. And if you could run away, can your wife, children or grandchildren run away with you? So maybe you can carry one child as you run away. But what if you have a second and/or third child. Which one goes with you and which ones do you leave behind?
When we consider these matters, we must think of our loved ones, not just ourselves.
I retired from law enforcement in 1997 after 27 years. The day I retired I was carrying a concealed weapon and with very few exceptions, I have carried one everyday since. I always carry to church. If I go out to dinner, I carry; but I never consume alcohol while armed. If I have a family emergency, I will fly (and leave the weapon at home). Otherwise, I will drive to where I want to go. Of course since I am retired, I am flexible in my travel plans. And I don't carry in schools or the courthouse because of metal detectors, not because of a law that says I can't. Plan the places that you are going so you don't get yourself in trouble.
If we are competent and capable, we must take responsibility for ourselves. We must never rely on the police because they will not be there when you need them. And by law and court decision, the police do not have a legal obligation or responsibility to be there to help you. Therefore, prepare yourself physically, mentally and philosophically to carry a weapon and carry it, ALWAYS.
When you walk into a public place, plan your escape before you do anything else, especially if you have seniors parents or children relying on you. If you can not escape quickly, then locate yourself where you can get to cover. Remember, concealment only hides you, cover protects you (i.e. stops bullets).
If an incident begins in your presence, try not to get involved - try to be a great witness. But if you do get involved, be sure that the people you are defending are worth the effort. When it is all over, you will probably be arrested and possibly charged with something you don't understand since you were trying to be the good guy. At that point in time, the police are not your friends. Exercise your right to remain silent; demand an attorney BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING!
Even though God watches over you, it is still your job to watch your six.
Thanks for your patience in my ramblings. Happy New Year to all!
SD Shooter
