since9
Campaign Veteran
imported post
While eating a very early breakfast at IHOP this morning, around 3:15 am, two young professionals seated next to me noticed I the OC of my firearm. They said nothing until after both they and I had a brief discussion of eateries around town.
A short conversation ensued:
Them: "Um, Sir? Do you mind if we ask you a question?"
Me: "Not at all - what's on your mind?"
Them: "We're just curious as to why you're carrying a gun."
I smiled thinking of all the conversations we've had here.
Me: "Well, I'd carry a cop, but they weigh too much!"
Them (chuckling nervously): "But woldn't you rather let the police do their job?"
Me: "Absolutely, and if they're around, more power to 'em."
Them: "So why don't you?"
Me: "Because they not around. There's actually a police station right across the street. But they're there, or out on partol, or responding to calls."
Them: "Exactly."
Me: "Exactly?"
Them: "Yes - they're out among us. Doing their job. Which is why I'm having a hard time understanding why you think it's your job to do their job for them."
Me: "Given the fact that police station is just across the street, how long do you think it would take for them to walk through these doors the moment a 911 call were put to the system?"
Them: "About a minute."
Me: "Try two minutes, mininum. And if some criminal came in to rob the place, how long do you think he'd be here before he'd be out the door?"
Them: "About a minute?"
Me: "Closer to forty seconds, max."
Them: "So why not just let him go?"
Me: "Fair enough. However, what if it's a massacre shooter like the one at Luby's or at Virginia Tech? The cops would probably put him down in the end, but in the meantime, a lot of us here, perhaps 20, would die."
Them: "And you think you can prevent that."
Me: "I'm not here to prevent that. I think I can protect myself, and if, in so doing, I wind up stopping a tragedy, so be it."
Them: "Are you a security guard?"
Me (thinking): "Yes, I am, actually."
Them: "What firm do you work for?"
Me (thinking some more): "JanSec."
Them: "Never heard of it."
Me: "It's a small firm, recently created. Ever hear of Wackenhut?"
Them: "Yes."
Me: "That's a big firm. I'm a small firm."
Them: "How long have you been carrying a gun?"
Me: "More than twenty years."
Them: "Have you ever shot anyone?"
Me: "No, and I hope I never will. I'm just ready in case that need should ever arise."
Them: "How many people in your security firm?"
Me (grinning): "Just one."
Them (getting it): "Oh."
then...
Them: "Do you need a license?"
Me: "No license is required for open carry in the State of Colorado, but you do need a license for concealed carry. You can't open carry in Denver, but CC is legal everywhere in the state except post offices, some government buildings, court houses, and a couple other spots."
I gave them this website as a reference for more information. We'll see!
***
Well, that just tickled me pink! Nearly all of my carry to date has been CC, except during combat duty in the military. I've only recently done some OC, and it does take a little getting used to (for me, not so much others!).
I like being asked questions like this, though, as it gives me the opportunity to use a bit of humor and a lot of common sense, without all the usual rhetoric, to help people think about the issue apart from the usual anti-gun spin and the usual pro-gun rhetoric.
While eating a very early breakfast at IHOP this morning, around 3:15 am, two young professionals seated next to me noticed I the OC of my firearm. They said nothing until after both they and I had a brief discussion of eateries around town.
A short conversation ensued:
Them: "Um, Sir? Do you mind if we ask you a question?"
Me: "Not at all - what's on your mind?"
Them: "We're just curious as to why you're carrying a gun."
I smiled thinking of all the conversations we've had here.
Me: "Well, I'd carry a cop, but they weigh too much!"
Them (chuckling nervously): "But woldn't you rather let the police do their job?"
Me: "Absolutely, and if they're around, more power to 'em."
Them: "So why don't you?"
Me: "Because they not around. There's actually a police station right across the street. But they're there, or out on partol, or responding to calls."
Them: "Exactly."
Me: "Exactly?"
Them: "Yes - they're out among us. Doing their job. Which is why I'm having a hard time understanding why you think it's your job to do their job for them."
Me: "Given the fact that police station is just across the street, how long do you think it would take for them to walk through these doors the moment a 911 call were put to the system?"
Them: "About a minute."
Me: "Try two minutes, mininum. And if some criminal came in to rob the place, how long do you think he'd be here before he'd be out the door?"
Them: "About a minute?"
Me: "Closer to forty seconds, max."
Them: "So why not just let him go?"
Me: "Fair enough. However, what if it's a massacre shooter like the one at Luby's or at Virginia Tech? The cops would probably put him down in the end, but in the meantime, a lot of us here, perhaps 20, would die."
Them: "And you think you can prevent that."
Me: "I'm not here to prevent that. I think I can protect myself, and if, in so doing, I wind up stopping a tragedy, so be it."
Them: "Are you a security guard?"
Me (thinking): "Yes, I am, actually."
Them: "What firm do you work for?"
Me (thinking some more): "JanSec."
Them: "Never heard of it."
Me: "It's a small firm, recently created. Ever hear of Wackenhut?"
Them: "Yes."
Me: "That's a big firm. I'm a small firm."
Them: "How long have you been carrying a gun?"
Me: "More than twenty years."
Them: "Have you ever shot anyone?"
Me: "No, and I hope I never will. I'm just ready in case that need should ever arise."
Them: "How many people in your security firm?"
Me (grinning): "Just one."
Them (getting it): "Oh."
then...
Them: "Do you need a license?"
Me: "No license is required for open carry in the State of Colorado, but you do need a license for concealed carry. You can't open carry in Denver, but CC is legal everywhere in the state except post offices, some government buildings, court houses, and a couple other spots."
I gave them this website as a reference for more information. We'll see!
***
Well, that just tickled me pink! Nearly all of my carry to date has been CC, except during combat duty in the military. I've only recently done some OC, and it does take a little getting used to (for me, not so much others!).
I like being asked questions like this, though, as it gives me the opportunity to use a bit of humor and a lot of common sense, without all the usual rhetoric, to help people think about the issue apart from the usual anti-gun spin and the usual pro-gun rhetoric.
