Crap like this actually gives legitimate concealed gun owners a bad name.
This.
I dunno about the rest of you, but to me, accepting the responsibility to carry a deadly weapon on my person on a daily basis actually means a few things.
First and foremost, it means that I have the responsibility to
avoid conflict at all costs. Getting in petty squabbles with an aggressive individual is not worth the cost of having to take a life, if that aggressive situation escalates. By taking the high road and avoiding the fight, I do my part to ensure that both I and the bad guy(s) continue to draw breath, and experience the world outside of a prison cell.
Whether or not the video is staged, here's my take on why it's an extremely poor example of responsible gun ownership:
1. When confronted by the men in the truck, the driver of the BMW pulls off to an unpopulated area, and gets into a verbal arguement. That's escalating. The safe and responsible thing to do would have been to get on the phone and call the cops. Let them know what's happening, and where you are. Then sit tight, and lock the doors. That way, if the truck's occupants get out and try to attack, you've got a barrier between you and them. If that doesn't work, drive away.
2. The driver left immediately, in a rather big hurry. That's a great way to endanger other drivers on the road.
3. At the stoplight, instead of calling the cops or asking other drivers for help, the driver and his passenger once again engage the two men in the truck in a verbal argument. That's escalation, again.
4. Upon leaving the stoplight, the driver flips the truck the bird. Guess what? Escalating.
5. A few more flips of the bird from the folks in the sportscar. Escalating. Don't see anyone on a cellphone to the cops, do you? I also don't see them stopping anywhere to get help.
6. Well, you get the idea.
So no, that's
not why we carry. We don't carry to settle stupid road-rage squabbles with other idiot drivers. We certainly don't carry to have something to point at another human being when we tell them to give us the camera.
Sorry to ruin your fantasy.
