Why do you carry a gun?

[Diamondback]

Why do you carry a handgun?

To defend myself and my loved ones; if circumstances require, to defend my community and those around me; and because it's my right and unexercised rights frequently end up becoming lost rights.

Have you personally ever been threatened with violence?

Not directly, but someone once very close to me had a stalker problem that placed me at extremely high risk.

Are you the victim of a violent attack?

No, but in the response above, said stalker had once come extremely close to killing said "someone special".

Do you carry simply because it makes you feel macho?

Oh **** No--others can be macho, I'll be smart instead.

Do you doubt the ability of police to protect you from crime?

"Doubt' is too weak a word--I know that it's on me to hold the line 'til they get there, and know that in my area that can be quite a while.

If you carry openly, do you use a simple belt holster or wear your pistol in a tactical thigh rig?

I don't carry openly, but if I did I'd probably go with a belt-holster, something simple and classic.

Do you make it a point to show people you carry a firearm, or do you feel it is none of their business if you are armed?

It's none of their business unless I'm on their property--I don't like to advertise, even though in a perfect world I'd prefer everyone carried openly.

Do you believe there should be no restrictions, few restrictions (i.e. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, public buildings, public schools and/or hospitals) or widespread restrictions (including sports stadiums, taverns and cocktail lounges, restaurants, public parks) on where you can legally carry?

DAMN few, and those few should be required to provide secure storage. If total government control and disarmament equals safety, why aren't prisns the safest places on Earth?

 

[MetalMan]

When I was in Atlanta, it was stupid to not carry a gun. Very dangerous place for a White person at night. Wish my sister carried, she is so vulnerable in Atlanta, 5'2" with blonde hair and is very naive. Being a White blonde girl at night in Atlanta is more dangerous than being a US soldier in 2004 Fallujah. I bet in 20 years Portland will be just as dangerous thanks to how "tolerant" all the Liberals around here are. Western Europe is becoming the same way ever since the end of WW2 and the beginning of Europe's ever increasing non-European population.

What they show on the news isn't even half of the horrible crimes that happen.

 

[tom sawyer]

· Have you personally ever been threatened with violence?

Yes
· Are you the victim of a violent attack?

No
· Do you carry simply because it makes you feel macho?

Stupid is as stupid does.

· Do you doubt the ability of police to protect you from crime?

Like another said "when seconds count, police are only minutes away" - just because there are firemen, doesn't stop me from owning a fire extinguisher and having it ready to use


· If you carry openly, do you use a simple belt holster or wear your pistol in a tactical thigh rig?

I prefer the eliment of disguise and surprise., no sense in alarming other citizens either.
· Do you make it a point to show people you carry a firearm, or do you feel it is none of their business if you are armed?

It shouldn't matter to anyone, aI have nothing to hide however.
· Do you believe there should be no restrictions, few restrictions (i.e. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, public buildings, public schools and/or hospitals) or widespread restrictions (including sports stadiums, taverns and cocktail lounges, restaurants, public parks) on where you can legally carry?

I can see a logical suppression request, e.g. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, but not all the others.

 

[shayne]

wow lots of explaining going on here.i carry a gun because there are a lot of good people out there and some bad ones .i carry a gun to protect myself and my loved ones and you and yours if i have to.

 

[Villager]

>>>What's going on: FBI reports violent crime down by 6 percent last year | syracuse.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — Violent crime dropped 6 percent in 2010, marking the fourth straight year-to-year decline, while property crime was down for the eighth straight year, falling 2.7 percent, the FBI reported Monday.

Several variations of the above new story have been circulating lately. I thought that it might be of interest on this list where it seems that a recurring theme is that crime is getting worse and therefore we need guns to protect ourselves from all the bad guys. I'd like to view this trend as a sign of hope that human kind will pull its collective head out of its butt and save this enterprise called civilization. And perhaps that is the case, but there is a more prosaic explanation to be found in the recent book, "Freakonomics". It seems that this positive trend is attributable to Roe Vs Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision making abortion safe and legal. It seems that the "at risk" demographic of young men most given to violent crime is more and more dominated by a generation of children who were genuinely wanted. In other words, they were less likely to be a product of the desperation, dysfunction more likely to produce criminals.
So, we might think again next time we nonchalantly say that crime is getting worse and hence all the guns.

But meanwhile, this is quite apart from the fact that peak oil and economic collapse are imminent and out "leaders" (Republicans and Democrats alike) are utterly clueless and in a small number of years there could be genuine social breakdown necessitating taking home and neighborhood security into our own hands.

 

[Stomper]

Why do I carry a gun?

If not me, then who will?

 

[enjr4]

I carry because I am old (older) and no longer confident that I can defend myself or loved ones without the ability to equalize the threat. Once upon a time I would kick your a__. Today, I think, not so much. When I first started carrying it felt odd. Now, it feels odd not to.

As to the second amendment, gun ownership and carry are not the same. The second amendment says I can have a gun (I think that is to prevent the totalitarian instincts of government). The states have the right to control carry (per the wishes of its residents). I am very happy to live in a state that thinks personal defense is a right. If mine did not, I think I would, first, work to change it, second move to a state the does. There are fifty of them; you should be able to find one that meets your needs.
Ed

 

[stumprat]

Why do you carry a handgun?

To protect my family and myself from the unthinkable.

· Have you personally ever been threatened with violence?

Yes

· Are you the victim of a violent attack?

Yes

· Do you carry simply because it makes you feel macho?

No

· Do you doubt the ability of police to protect you from crime?

Yes

· If you carry openly, do you use a simple belt holster or wear your pistol in a tactical thigh rig?

I only carry openly while hunting. Belt holster.

· Do you make it a point to show people you carry a firearm, or do you feel it is none of their business if you are armed?

No, concealed means concealed.

· Do you believe there should be no restrictions, few restrictions (i.e. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, public buildings, public schools and/or hospitals) or widespread restrictions (including sports stadiums, taverns and cocktail lounges, restaurants, public parks) on where you can legally carry?

No restrictions. Restrictions only restrict law abiding citizens.

 

[PinkhamR]

Why do I carry? Because I can, simple as that.

Yep!

 

[FMJ 911]

I am not 21 yet, but I will get my CCW and a nice Concealed Pistol before I get my FFL. I would carry a gun because out where I live, everyone else has guns(not all guns owners are good) and there are wild animals on the hunt.

 

[Riot]

*Why do you carry a handgun?

For the same reason I have a spare tire in my truck, keep spare gas in my shed and keep a fire extinguisher in my house. For fear of the unknown. I hope and pray that I never have to use my gun like a nurse hopes she'll never have to use a defibrillator. But I'm not a fool, just because I don't want something to happen doesn't mean it won't happen. I think Sun Tzu says it best...

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

· Have you personally ever been threatened with violence?

Yes, comes with the territory.

· Are you the victim of a violent attack?

Yes, I've been shot at and been in situations without supplies. If anything it's because of my violent encounters that have opened up my eyes to being prepared because I know what it is truly like to be without and not know when supplies may be coming. When you run out of bullets in a firefight, if you ever come out of it I guarantee you will vow to never let it happen to you again. Ever.

· Do you carry simply because it makes you feel macho?

No, if anything it makes me feel more vulnerable. My biggest fear while carrying a gun is shooting an innocent person or have my gun taken from me. When I carry I try to avoid confrontations and possible violent encounters. It's akin to the phrase "walk softly, but carry a big stick".

· Do you doubt the ability of police to protect you from crime?

Yes, they have no obligation to protect you. Ever. Police are reactionary in nature.

· If you carry openly, do you use a simple belt holster or wear your pistol in a tactical thigh rig?

If I carry openly, I make sure it is at least in a level II or better belt holster. I'll only wear thigh rigs to the range.

· Do you make it a point to show people you carry a firearm, or do you feel it is none of their business if you are armed?

Never. Carrying concealed means keeping the element of surprise that you are actually a sheepdog, and not a sheep. I let the bad guys think I'm a sheep.

· Do you believe there should be no restrictions, few restrictions (i.e. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, public buildings, public schools and/or hospitals) or widespread restrictions (including sports stadiums, taverns and cocktail lounges, restaurants, public parks) on where you can legally carry?

I'm not of the mindset of "no restrictions", but I am a firm believer that if you take away my right to protect myself then you should be held liable for my safety. If you said I can't wear a hard-hat/helmet in an area and I bust my head then you should be held liable since you wouldn't let me protect myself. People sue gun manufacturers and gun shops all the time when someone gets hurt from the stupid actions of others, yet my kids have to be in a "gun free zone" without any protection from a nut with a gun other than a bunch of signs? Yeah, I have a problem with that.

 

[Asp]

I'm not of the mindset of "no restrictions", but I am a firm believer that if you take away my right to protect myself then you should be held liable for my safety. If you said I can't wear a hard-hat/helmet in an area and I bust my head then you should be held liable since you wouldn't let me protect myself. People sue gun manufacturers and gun shops all the time when someone gets hurt from the stupid actions of others, yet my kids have to be in a "gun free zone" without any protection from a nut with a gun other than a bunch of signs? Yeah, I have a problem with that.

I agree with you.

If I were to carry a gun it would be mainly because there are people I care about more than myself and I am willing to suffer the emotional, physical, and intellectual burdens that comes with defending one's own life or another against a violent and/or deadly assault. I hope one day I can say I was grateful I never had to use lethal force to defend my own and/or others' lives against immediate violence, but I have no idea what tomorrow holds.
So far no one else does either.

I just hope I can be left alone so I can shop at Walmart, watch cable TV, and drink beer.

 

[Riot]

Why do you carry a gun?

Because I grew up in Vallejo, California, and it became a habit.

lol, yeah why not? Especially since all the criminals are.

 

[JGRuby]

I was stationed at Mare Island California back in 1980 - 1986 - it was a lot better back then than it is now , back then it wasnt good either. Vallejo has became what Richmond was, and Richmond has progressively gotten worse. I always carried a gun in Vallejo and would today if I lived there now - that would make me a criminal because it is extremely hard to get a CCW there. When you see a person standing on the corner in a long leather trench coat and a ball cap and its 80 degrees out - it isnt because they are cold. People will carry regardless of whether it is legal or not. The restricitions on carry just make more criminals.

James Ruby

 

[revjen45]

Why do you carry a handgun?
Because a carbine or pump shotgun is too inconvenient.

· Have you personally ever been threatened with violence?
Yes, but not lately


· Are you the victim of a violent attack?

Nope, I'm not a victim. That's what Mr. Steyr is for

· Do you carry simply because it makes you feel macho?

No, thats what the Harley is for.

· Do you doubt the ability of police to protect you from crime?

I don't believe in fairy tales.

· If you carry openly, do you use a simple belt holster or wear your pistol in a tactical thigh rig?

I don't carry openly.

· Do you make it a point to show people you carry a firearm, or do you feel it is none of their business if you are armed?

None of their business.

· Do you believe there should be no restrictions, few restrictions (i.e. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, public buildings, public schools and/or hospitals) or widespread restrictions (including sports stadiums, taverns and cocktail lounges, restaurants, public parks) on where you can legally carry?

Jails and courts maybe.

 

[MA Duce]

Why carry? Because a fully equipped cop would be too heavy.

 

[ejmpnu92]

Why do you carry a handgun?
To protect me and mine.

· Have you personally ever been threatened with violence?
No


· Are you the victim of a violent attack?

No

· Do you carry simply because it makes you feel macho?

No, that is just a stupid reason to carry.

· Do you doubt the ability of police to protect you from crime?

Per the Supremes, it is not the role of the police to protect me. Considering that the police are now a reactionary, not proactive, they only respond if something happens, instead of taking care of the problem before it becomes a problem.

· If you carry openly, do you use a simple belt holster or wear your pistol in a tactical thigh rig?

I don't open carry, except if I am hiking and then a shoulder rig.

· Do you make it a point to show people you carry a firearm, or do you feel it is none of their business if you are armed?

It is no ones business except my own, when I am armed. If I feel threatened then that is when I believe I have the need to inform (verbally or by action) of my ability to defend myself.

· Do you believe there should be no restrictions, few restrictions (i.e. jails, mental facilities, courtrooms, public buildings, public schools and/or hospitals) or widespread restrictions (including sports stadiums, taverns and cocktail lounges, restaurants, public parks) on where you can legally carry?

Few restrictions, courtrooms, jails, mental facilities.