Why are you carrying that firearm?

I'd much rather the armed intruder and I both make it out alive, and I'll talk him through it, if I can. However, I'm not a trained psychologist, and since he's the armed criminal, violating local, county, state, and federal law by his his actions, I'd at a very close second make dang sure I, my family, and my friends make it out both alive and unscathed than the armed criminal who unlawfully invaded my premises.

But the the above scenario is if he showed the maximum amount of San Francisco pacifism possible, including please, excuse me, sir, and ma'am.

Even then he'd be heading for jail six says to Sunday. Any other way, particularly if the armed intruder displayed or threatened a weapon of any kind, and/or refused even the first of my halts, he'd be headed head over heels over the balcony without question.

I live three stories up, and am a crack shot.

Criminals, please don't try this at MY home. I've been there. You have more to live for than dying.

since9 said:

Three nights ago, I was about half an hour into a conversation with with the gas/convenience-store clerk who has, over the last six months, become a friend. He loves it when I show up at midnight and walk past the 16 to 25 crowd of dozens usually hanging around the store, and says he's noticed two things happen. The first is that most don't notice I'm carrying at all, but of the ones that do, they quickly start talking about it, though the conversation returns rapidly to whatever they were talking about before.

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This wouldn't happen to be at Briargate and Academy would it?

kel said:

This wouldn't happen to be at Briargate and Academy would it?

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That would be the Shell station, that place is always packed with bikers for some reason.

This is a conversation, as close to verbatim as memory allows, from a couple days ago. A fellow approached me as I was entering Walmart, still in the parking lot, and began this conversation as follows. He gave off an arrogant and rude vibe, and I knew from the start that it was going to be annoying at best. I tried to give informative but consise answers to speed the conversation along, because with each sentence, the fellow got more worked up.

Him: Is that a gun?
Me: Yes sir, it is.
Him: You're not a cop.
Me: No sir, I'm not.
Him: Why do you need a gun if you're not a cop?
Me: To give the cops one less crime scene.
Him: Cops are there to protect you. That's why they have guns.
Me: Cops are there to punish the guy that killed me. My gun is here to make sure they don't need to.
Him: So you walk around, assuming someone is gonna kill you?
Me: I walk around knowing that if someone tried, they'd be gambling with their own life-- a gamble in which I'm confident I would prevail. Most crooks aren't so confident. Why would they target me when they could target someone who isn't armed-- like you, for example?
Him: You just carry a gun because you're f***ing crazy. (that's what I like to call a 'tactical sidestep'. ~_~ )
Me: I carry a gun because I believe my family and I are worth protecting, my freedoms are worth defending, and my rights are worth exercising. You'll be happy to know that I also regularly practice the freedom to live my life according to my own values, and not yours. Have a good day.

At this point, I walked into Walmart, and he went on to his car, grumbling and swearing aloud. I'm pretty sure my last little retort was a bit over his head. I was just happy to be out of the conversation. I love educating people, but I hate trying to talk sense into someone who only wants to argue.

I think it's safe to say that I just don't understand people.

kel said:

This wouldn't happen to be at Briargate and Academy would it?

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Lol, yes! Are you the writer I ran into there a few days ago, the one to whom I gave the URL to this website?

Tribunal Power said:

At this point, I walked into Walmart, and he went on to his car, grumbling and swearing aloud. I'm pretty sure my last little retort was a bit over his head. I was just happy to be out of the conversation. I love educating people, but I hate trying to talk sense into someone who only wants to argue.

I think it's safe to say that I just don't understand people.

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That's my problem, too. If I'm walking in to Wal-Mart I'm usually there for a reason, and that reason isn't to entertain every closed-minded person who is having just a bad enough day that they want to drag me down with them. I don't mind people who are just curious or interested, but you can usually tell the difference by the way they approach you.

Tribunal Power said:

This is a conversation, as close to verbatim as memory allows, from a couple days ago. A fellow approached me as I was entering Walmart, still in the parking lot, and began this conversation as follows. He gave off an arrogant and rude vibe, and I knew from the start that it was going to be annoying at best. I tried to give informative but consise answers to speed the conversation along, because with each sentence, the fellow got more worked up.

Him: Is that a gun?
Me: Yes sir, it is.
Him: You're not a cop.
Me: No sir, I'm not.
Him: Why do you need a gun if you're not a cop?
Me: To give the cops one less crime scene.
Him: Cops are there to protect you. That's why they have guns.
Me: Cops are there to punish the guy that killed me. My gun is here to make sure they don't need to.
Him: So you walk around, assuming someone is gonna kill you?
Me: I walk around knowing that if someone tried, they'd be gambling with their own life-- a gamble in which I'm confident I would prevail. Most crooks aren't so confident. Why would they target me when they could target someone who isn't armed-- like you, for example?
Him: You just carry a gun because you're f***ing crazy. (that's what I like to call a 'tactical sidestep'. ~_~ )
Me: I carry a gun because I believe my family and I are worth protecting, my freedoms are worth defending, and my rights are worth exercising. You'll be happy to know that I also regularly practice the freedom to live my life according to my own values, and not yours. Have a good day.

At this point, I walked into Walmart, and he went on to his car, grumbling and swearing aloud. I'm pretty sure my last little retort was a bit over his head. I was just happy to be out of the conversation. I love educating people, but I hate trying to talk sense into someone who only wants to argue.

I think it's safe to say that I just don't understand people.

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Ignorance can be overcome, but you JUST CAN'T FIX STUPID!

Which is why one of my tenets is: I refuse to have a battle of wits with the unarmed.

I am a free man. I have read, and I understand the constitution.



Why aren't you armed? Whose responsibility is it to keep you and your family safe?

I carry for that moment after 911 is called and before the police arrive. In those precious minutes I need to take personal responsibility for myself and those who may be in need. One must have the correct tools for the job at hand; sometimes the correct tool is a handgun.

Always, when encountering another citizen, be good ambassadors for Open Carry. Words are very powerful, so use them to disarm and educate.

Mike, I'd say you need to rethink that a bit. Sounds like you have never had to defend your life... I have.

First, the police have NO obligation whatsoever to even answer your 911 call or defend you if they manage to get there in time. NO legal obligation, and you can't sue them if they fail either.

Second, if you are truly under attack, you will probably not have TIME to call the police until after it is all over. You will be too busy finding cover or doing what you have to do.

Yes, YOU and you alone are responsible for your life and safety. All the time, every day, regardless of what else is going on. Don't lose sight of that with some pollyanna idea that the police will save you.

They come and take the reports and direct the traffic. If you are lucky.

Mike, if you don't have time to call 911, don't. Just take care of yourself and those with you.

If you do have time to call 911, your plan is sound.

That the police have no obligation to protect you as an individual does not mean that they are not a resource of which you should fully avail yourself--if you can do so without increasing your immediate risk.

Of course you guys are correct, if I don't have time to dial 911, I won't.

Situational awareness has to be considered. Not every form of attack on your person is the same, and a handgun is not always the correct tool to use. And yes I have been 'attacked', but in this situation I could not use a gun until is was justified.

It was a case of road rage. This person was hell bent on doing me and my wife harm. My wife was driving with me in the passenger seat late at night. In this case we decided, this is a contradiction, not to call the police while we were in the car, but decided to drive to a tactically superior position.

The plan was simple we were to drive to our home. A place we know very well and a place that is very dark. We could park our car exist our vehicle with ease, but our victims could only exit one door of their car. After stopping the car, my wife would run to the house call 911, and let the dog out.

You have to know this was before I was armed. I would exist the car run to my garage retrieve two hickory handles that I had. I could not verify if they had a gun or not, so I was at a disadvantage, but had to do what I could to protect my wife and myself.

I was willing to engage them with two 24 inch handles that I had cut off of sledge hammers. I was not scared but calm and focused, with adrenaline coursing though my veins.

However, after following us for fifteen miles they turned off the freeway less the a half a mile from our exit. I was very happy that they fatigued out. I did not have get real nasty hurt someone or get hurt. Know that I would have tried to kill them, with my bare hands if need be. If they were willing to follow us that distance, then they were willing to do great bodily harm.

Before you pull your gun it self-defense, you must consider the legal ramification of justifiable force. You must train yourself to what is or is not justifiable. From my perspective you draw your weapon for one reason... to kill. If your not willing to live with killing another then don't carry a gun.

Mike... said:

I carry for that moment after 911 is called and before the police arrive. In those precious minutes I need to take personal responsibility for myself and those who may be in need. One must have the correct tools for the job at hand; sometimes the correct tool is a handgun.

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Well said.

Always, when encountering another citizen, be good ambassadors for Open Carry. Words are very powerful, so use them to disarm and educate.

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Sometimes the best words are "DOWN! PUT THE GUN DOWN! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND! HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD! DO IT NOW!"

And at the business end of your handgun, at that, being ready to pull that trigger if they anything other than complying.

LEO: Why are you carrying that firearm?
Response: when seconds count the Police are just minutes away.

I don't know who said that, but its about as true as as it gets.

"Why are you carrying that gun?"

It's not big enough to walk on its own yet.

Couldn't resist.

since9 said:

Lol, yes! Are you the writer I ran into there a few days ago, the one to whom I gave the URL to this website?

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No I am not, I just always see bikers there when I drive by at night.

"Why are you carrying that firearm?"

The extra 2.2 lbs is really helping me trim my figure.

since9 said:

"why are you carrying that firearm?"

the extra 2.2 lbs is really helping me trim my figure.

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lol!!!

Cause John Wayne did.

Why do i carry ?

About three months ago my wife and I were in K-mart at the snack bar when a mother and her small sun were sitting at a table having lunch, I heared the boy say something to his mother, she then asked excuse me, but my son wondered why you carry a gun, with a smile I got down on my knees to look him in the eyes, I told him there are bad people in the world, and you don`t know were thay are, and if one came in here I would want to protect you and your mom, at this he asked how can you carry it, I promply responed with, well a long time ago there were some great men who started this country, and thay wrote this paper called the Constitution and it said we had rights from God, and one of these rights is called the 2nd Admendment, and it says that we have the right to protect ourselfs`, I then told him it was very important for him to protect it when he got big, at that his mother turned to her son and said "see I told you he was a good guy", at that I walked over to my wife sat down and eat my hotdog.