What do you say?

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SO i was wondering what do you say to private citizens who see you walking around with a OC firearm one your side?

When they ask, why you need a gun? What do you say?

What reasons do you give?

Just curious what others tell people, when they are confronted

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Gizmoe142 wrote:

SO i was wondering what do you say to private citizens who see you walking around with a OC firearm one your side?

When they ask, why you need a gun? What do you say?

What reasons do you give?

Just curious what others tell people, when they are confronted

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Since I've never been "confronted", I really don't have an answer for you.

I do know that many Arizona "Citizens" OC. I guess it goes unnoticed.

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I tell them a number of things depending on how they approach me. Most people who have approached me are actually pretty pro-2A, and so that's usually a pretty easy one. I explain OC, then we usually end up talking about what I carry (and sometimes they tell me that they carry concealed, but didn't know about OC, or that they carry open in their car...

The anti's, well, no matter what answer you give, it's going to be the wrong one anyway, so I stick to the facts. I tell them because it is legal. I tell them because the average response time for a 911 call is over 12 minutes. And I ask them if they watch the local news. I also tell them that OC deters the BGs from perceiving me as an "easy target".

Sometimes the anti's will say "well why don't you just get a CHP, and I'll tell them that I already have TWO, but that OC is more of a deterrant. I'll let them know that CCers get attacked all the time, and although I've been researching it for almost a year, I can't find a single incident of a citizen who was OCing and got attacked by a BG. I tell them that if I CC, I might have to shoot someone who confuses me for an unarmed citizen, and attacks me thinking that I can't defend myself. But if a BG sees my firearm, he will move on down the road, so OCing actually means that I'm LESS likely to have to use my gun in self-defense.

If they want to argue woth that, I usually just bid them to "have a nice day" and walk away.

But that's only happened twice to me...

Usually, people who comment on it are pro-2A, and interested in OC, at least in my experience.

I get more guff from my wife than from strangers...

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Like Navy and Dreamer I too just tell them it's a deterrent or occasionally if I can tell that the person is anti-2A right off the bat I simply say, "because a cop's too heavy to carry." and walk away.

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Just look at the with a crazed stare, making weird sounds, and say, "I like to shoot people".

I did this Monday at the Richmond Lobby Day. Not to someone asking me, but to a group of OC'ers at a lunch table next to us. We are all kidding about it.

I have had one negative encounter and it was from an older man who claimed he was a retired LEO. Couldn't get a word in edgewise. But that's been the only one in 2 1/2 years. Most people say nothing and most don't :what:. It's pretty much a non-issue with me.

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NavyLT wrote:

or in Texas: " 'cause some people just need killin' "

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Reminds me of a Tshirt....

Some people are alive.....

.....because it's illegal to kill them"

:celebrate

LIVE FREE OR DIE

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I don’t carry a gun… Stolen from, and linked back to Syd at “I don’t carry a gun…”
If you want to re-post this , please feel free to do so but give Syd some respect and link him too, it’s HIS, and Syd, thanks man, this is really a good one!
Visit Syd’s great blog here: Front Sight, Press

Yata hey

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Gizmoe142 wrote:

SNIP When they ask, why you need a gun? What do you say?

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You have to understand that the question derives from a false premise: that the gun is needed.

Deliberate, or unthinking, it is basically a "trick question."

So, you don't answer the question. You say something else.

"Good heavens, ma'am, I very much hopeI never really do need it."

Of, if they are antagonistic, you might say, "Oh, I never argue abouthuman rights like self-defense." (then just walk away).

Or, "Rights don't require a justification, ma'am." (and just walk away)

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Citizen wrote:

You have to understand that the question derives from a false premise: that the gun is needed

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Or you could say, "Actually I carry it so that I will never NEED it. If I leave it at home, and some armed criminal attacked me or my loved ones, THEN I would need it. If I should ever be in a situation where I must defend myself or my loved ones, and I'm carrying it, I HAVE it already, and will not be in need of it..."

Or more simply put, "I don't NEED a gun, I already HAVE one..."

So you are right, this is a trick question. When we carry, we never NEED our firearms, because we already HAVE them...


The proper way to word that question would be "Why do you HAVE a gun?".

And the proper answer is "Because I never want to be in a situation where I NEED it..."

"Need" implies that you require something that you do not have.


Words have meaning.

Those who do not understand the meaning of words are ill-equipped in a match of wits.

Those who DO understand, but still misuse words are indeed the most treacherous and dangerous adversaries of Liberty that we shall ever meet...

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Dreamer wrote:

Those who do not understand the meaning of words are ill-equipped in a match of wits.

Those who DO understand, but still misuse words are indeed the most treacherous and dangerous adversaries of Liberty that we shall ever meet...

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Those who do not understand are ill-equipped to deal with life.

Those who DO understand are indeed dangerous adversaries of any threat to it.

Yata hey

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I remind them that the United States is still at war with Al Quida. Osama is to be considered armed and dangerous. He's still at large!!!!

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When folks ask my why I have/carry/or think I might need a gun my reply is simple:

"I carry a gun so you will have someone to hide behind when trouble starts."

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Bikenut wrote:

When folks ask my why I have/carry/or think I might need a gun my reply is simple:

"I carry a gun so you will have someone to hide behind when trouble starts."

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That's a sweet gun in your picture. Is that a .380 cal?

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I was once asked if I was expecting trouble, because I was carrying OC. (I was not being confronted but rahter the person apparently used the gun as a conversation starter)

I told her that no I wasn't expecting trouble, but that I suspected that the folks at VT, Columbine, and Ft Hood weren't either.

She "got it" right off the bat.

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Then again, you can quote Robert Heinlin (author)
"An armed society, is a polite society."

:lol:

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cscitney87 wrote:

Bikenut wrote:

When folks ask my why I have/carry/or think I might need a gun my reply is simple:

"I carry a gun so you will have someone to hide behind when trouble starts."

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That's a sweet gun in your picture. Is that a .380 cal?

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Nope... that is a Brescia chambered in .22 short! And it disappears in the palm of my hand.

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Grapeshot, those twelve reasons why not, and why you (we all) carry a gun are outstanding!

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Pat-inCO wrote:

Then again, you can quote Robert Heinlin (author)
"An armed society, is a polite society."

:lol:

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Man! Another Heinlein fan! I've read 100% of his published fiction works, and most of his non-fiction works.

He's one of the few who simply "gets it," though in his case, past tense would be more appropriate.

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"Why do you think you need to carry a pistol in here, do you think there will be trouble?"

"No, ma'am, if I thought there would be trouble I'd be carrying a shotgun."

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"Why are you carrying a gun?"

Because I can't carry a cop.

Because it's easier than carrying a cop.

Because I wasn't issued a full-time cop.

Because even if there were a cop on every street corner, it'd still take him 20 seconds to get there and begin figuring out what happened 18 seconds earlier.

Because lollipops aren't nearly as effective at deterring or stopping violent crimes directed against my person.

Because I was mugged once and left for dead. Next time, I'd rather leave the muggers for dead.

Because Colorado State's authorization to use deadly force in defense of self, other persons, or against unlawful intrusion, is meaningless without a means of deadly force.