So - you choose NOT to carry .. anyone? Why?

[Jammer Six]

quote:
"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." --Ted Nugent


I like Ted, but that comment should not be used as a blanket condemnation of those who choose not to carry. I will probably never carry on a regular basis, but people who know me would not likely characterize me as a person who accepts defenselessness, is unnatural, cheap, or cowardly.

In my experience, people don't discriminate between the weapon that I own and the weapon that Ted owns. To most people, we are both "gun nuts", simply because we both own guns.

This comment is exactly the kind of comment that gets me labeled a gun nut, in spite of the fact that there isn't a single facet of common ground between this comment an my beliefs.

Edit: To be clear, I'm talking about Ted's comment, not yours, Z.

 

[manwithoutahome]

I think that Ted was saying that you have the tools and the body to go out into the world and help others as well as youself from harm or maybe death. To turn your eyes from that responsibility as a member of the Human race is an act of shame and cowardness.

I have nothing against people who don't like to carry, don't want to carry, or even hate guns and don't wish to be around them (that is their Right). As long as you have some form or way to protect yourself and others, that is what counts. Even though a firearm is the most effective tool that you can carry and use in order to take this responsibility, for some. For others, they may feel that a blade or their hands will do them better.

The only people that I find pathetic are the ones who depend upon others (able body/minded adults, not those who are infirm or those who can't protect themselves, like children) to protect them.

M

 

[CZ-100]

Cause IM Scared of Guns... and the Police will protect me!

 

[YodaVader]

I know a large number of us DO carry ... but it's maybe unfair to assume that all do, who can.

Yeah , that is correct. Like we, as gun owners, are under some moral obligation to protect the World from evil - what a crock! To carry a gun on myself everywhere I went would be a nuisance I simply have no desire to deal with. I like guns , attend gun shows regularly , I shoot many thousands of rounds every year. Those who do carry I have no problem with - it is your right and I respect that. At the gun club when a member shows his carry piece I have no problems looking their gun over. Also, never had a member there berate me for not carrying a gun.

What gets me is that some of these guys are so badly out of shape that they should be more concerned about cardiac arrest than shooting it out with the bad guys! The odds of shooting it out with the bad guys are far , far less as compared to expiring from a heart attack.

Bottom line - it's my right to carry or not to carry a firearm. I guess this statement from a previous post best states my personal opinion :

I will most likely never, or very rarely carry a gun for defense.

The reason for this is that the parameters for a situation where having a concealed gun would be advantageous to me are so narrow that I probably wouldn't consider it worth the trouble.

 

[P95Carry]

Agreed Yoda ... YOUR right .. never any prob with that at all.

moral obligation to protect the World from evil - what a crock!

Only thing I'd add ... and this ain't a criticism .. no way .. those of us who do carry have the thought that ...... no-one, but no-one, is gonna protect us - 'cept us!

Not the cops (certainly not the cops!) ...... and I guess we regard it as our duty - to ourselves (and loved ones of course).

I'd sure not be claiming to be ''protecting the world from evil'' ... oh no .. this is keeping #1's skin intact!!

Stay safe.

 

[marauder220]

I generally carry a sidearm, usually two, pending where I'm going. My life tends to take me into the more unsavory areas of my surroundings. My girlfriend lives in what could best be described as a "ghetto". I've had my fair share of run-ins with local "thugs" and have always walked away, regardless of whether a firearm played into it or not. I also work in law enforcement (non-uniformed) and carry 2 Glock 23's when on the job. Off duty I tend to go toward the Sig P220's. At one point in my life I always had a firearm with me, but it was in the center consol of my vehicle. One day when I dropped my girl off changed that for me, when I was left defending against a car-jacker with my emerson folder and nothing else. Since then, I ALWAYS have a sidearm (usually the P220 off duty). And it has saved my butt on 3 different occasions where otherwise I would have only had a fixed blade or folding knife if my changing had not changed. The 3 instances could not have been solved with a knife. Aside from that, I am also required at times to respond to work directly from my residence, and have been authorized a Remington 870 for take-home. That rides in my back seat with 50rnds of assorted ammo. After my life-experiences, I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[abaddon]

I'm a college student and it's illegal in Washington State to carry on University property. If it was a bad area of town I would probably carry anyway, but it's actually one of the best areas of town. For me (for now at least) the possible benefits just do not outweight the possible costs.

 

[Jammer Six]

The only people that I find pathetic are the ones who depend upon others (able body/minded adults, not those who are infirm or those who can't protect themselves, like children) to protect them.

Sounds good to me.

I'm a coward. I'm pathetic.

You, therefore, are going to have to take point, and protect us both. You chase the bad guy, you shoot it out with him, and you take the medals. In fact, I'll give you mine.

I'll be hiding quietly under the table.

On an entirely different issue, if, in spite of your courage, valor, wit and skill, you don't come back, can I have your lunch?

 

[antediluvianist]

I don't carry a gun for the same reason that I I don't carry a grenade; it's overkill.

If somebody assaults me verbally I do the same to him. If he hits me I do the same to him (until people pull us apart). If he picked up a stick or a rock, so would I. Can he pull a gun on me? Yeah , it's possible, but it's a long shot, and to cover that possibility it is a good idea to carry a gun?

I'm in a bank and armed robbers stage a bank robbery, well I just lie there and don't try to act like John Wayne.

If people really want to protect themselves, and others (who asked them ?), why don't they stay in shape and learn martial arts first, rather than immediately jump to the lethality of a gun? Ted Nugent thinks non-carriers are cowards. Maybe people who rely on a gun are.

 

[Brian Dale]

Oh, Beforetheflood: -- Pssst ... got Nomex?

 

[P95Carry]

but it's a long shot, and to cover that possibility it is a good idea to carry a gun?

For almost everyone carrying .. it is indeed a long shot ..... but the possibility always exists. It is perhaps the 1,000,000:1 long shot that you are in the wrong place at the wrong time .... rest of the time, sure .. it ain't needed. But without sooth-saying skills .. that cannot be known ahead of time.

Defending to save your skin, against armed attack is not IMO ''John Wayne'' ...... in fact the majority of carry people admit to being more likely to avoid trouble than ever look for it ...... and probably also choose to make an escape if practicable. Being armed breeds manners and collectively is proven to be a more than significant deterant against armed crime.

No one ''jumps to the lethality of a gun'' ..... just the bad guys perhaps.! It is being able to answer potential threat on equal terms. The choice of some point on the ''lethality scale'' below that of firearm is to be effectively disadvantaged ..... not a situation that can be reversed at the last moment IF presented with the ultimate threat to your life.

Maybe the one day you are lying on the floor, in a bank, store ..... whilst two BG's commit a robbery ..... you are told to stay very still and not be a hero ..... you comply thinking all will be well - no ''John Wayne'' tricks for you! But someone else decides to ''try it on'' because they are martial arts trained ..... but cannot quite beat the speed of a BG's gun . Bammm! ..... he gets hit. BG's now aggitated and getting pi$$ed ... see you and others there as threats also .... and potential witnesses ... best to cap everyone ..... kill three or four? No worse for them than one.

Myth? Not really - all too possible ..... if remotely so. That one time when an ''equalizer'' just might have saved your skin.

Not trying to effect any ''conversion'' here .. just making a few points.

 

[semf]

I don't carry on my person often but I always have 2 in my truck, except when I work the airport. Glove box carry is lgal in Fla so a CCW is not really needed for that. If I feel unduly threatened or am going to be too far away from my truck, which is not often I slip a bug in my pocket, CCW is needed for that, or Wal-Mart (I am always amazed at the strange collection of people at Wal-Mart)

 

[Gordon Fink]

If people really want to protect themselves … why don’t they … learn martial arts first, rather than immediately jump to the lethality of a gun? … Maybe people who rely on a gun are [cowards].

Spoken like a true “martial artist.â€

~G. Fink

 

[ARperson]

I'll bet if you ask every victim out there what they thought the chances of them actually becoming a victim were, they would have said a "long shot." Also bet they wish they would have had the capability and knowledge to change the outcome.

Whatever the reasons for not carrying are, the "It's not likely to happen to me" argument has got to have the least merit. None, actually. That's not a choice not to carry, that's bury your head in the sand and avoiding the possibility.

 

[MoNsTeR]

Actually, I've already been a victim once. That episode definitely enters my calculation when I consider whether to carry or not.

Whatever the reasons for not carrying are, the "It's not likely to happen to me" argument has got to have the least merit. None, actually. That's not a choice not to carry, that's bury your head in the sand and avoiding the possibility.

That's just flat-out false. The fact that you're extremely unlikely to win is a pretty damned good argument not to play the lottery. That the choice to not carry is "gambling with your life" instead of your money makes no difference in the logic of the choice.

 

[Hazwaste]

When I don't carry it is because it's either because of restrictions of law or restrictions of my employer. In either case, I keep it in the car, which really bugs me since it is then vulnerable to theft.

 

[ARperson]

That's just flat-out false. The fact that you're extremely unlikely to win is a pretty damned good argument not to play the lottery. That the choice to not carry is "gambling with your life" instead of your money makes no difference in the logic of the choice.

Guess it's a matter of opinion, then because I think it's true.

The problem with your analogy, on the otherhand, is that if the odds are stacked against you when you play the lottery, and you're wrong, it's a good thing. But when the odds are stacked for you when you don't carry and you're wrong, you're dead.

So, yeah, there is a difference in the logic of the choice.

Who the hell puts their life on the line based on odds? It only takes once for the odds to be wrong and then where are ya?

 

[Gerald McDonald]

Who gives a ????, its none of my business if someone carrys or not. I dont make a habit of telling other people how they should conduct theirselves.

 

[Jammer Six]

That's just flat-out false. The fact that you're extremely unlikely to win is a pretty damned good argument not to play the lottery. That the choice to not carry is "gambling with your life" instead of your money makes no difference in the logic of the choice.

Oh, I wish I'd said that...

 

[Gabe]

If you're supposed to be prepared for all contingencies all the time, why not carry with you the jaws of life, a defibrillator set, asthma spray, insulin shots, paramedic scissors, a tourniquet. All of which are just as likely to save people's lives. Gunshot wounds is not the primary cause of death in America afterall.

It's a cost-benefit analysis, you alone know if you need to or not.

 

[telewinz]

Most people who carry ONLY because "it's my right" IMHO are accidents or lawsuits waiting to happen. For some reason unclear to me many who CCW feel the need to brag the fact to their friends, who are they trying to impress and what personal shortcomings are they trying to cover-up? The good news is that most people of this sort grow tired of their "toy" and leave it at home in short order.

Course they could be casting for the lead part in the movie "Death Wish" since Charles Bronson died.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

The Tamara Syndrome

I "used" to carry only one weapon. However, over the years on The Firing Line and The High Road, I've been influenced. We're both 6 footers and then some. I began to carry a primary and a back-up. In the winter, I carry another weapon or two. (More pockets.) Even a couple of knives. The world we live in, and all. If I go down, I'm going down swinging. And THAT is the name of THAT tune.

KR

 

[doctorhumbert]

Well, I love guns and own several handguns and rifles including an 'assault rifle'.

I used to CCW, but I stopped doing so since I moved out of business that dealt with dangerous part of the neighborhood.
I am armed when I am home, and I feel I am in 'safe enviroment' 99.95% of the time when away from home. When that .05 chance of danger does occur, I try to avoid to be confrontational.

 

[Chris Rhines]

The main reason that I carry (when I did carry, that is) is that I enjoy it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Although it's none of my business how other people conduct their lives, I don't think that it is very smart to carry 'some of the time.' The psychological effect of carrying a deadly weapon on an on-and-off basis is to "only carry when you think you need to." From there, it's a very short step to taking stupid risks while carrying (like stopping at the ghetto stop-and-rob for a quart of milk at 11:00pm.) Not a great idea. Either don't carry at all, or carry all the time.

Also, if you have a concealed weapons permit and you don't carry, you do realize that you've just registered yourself with the authorities, right? Lot of trouble to got to for no benefit...

- Chris

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Can't carry unless my job allows me to bring a sidearm to work (armed security). Wish to Hell I could though and would carry everywhere allowed by law. I'm also trained in martial arts -- Cynthia Rothrock wanna be... ...but as comfortable as I am with my martial arts knowledge, a kick or punch won't do anything to a really large man carrying a gun.... my Beretta makes us even.