The fact that the government is nervous about you having one is reason enough.

Having guns is what keeps us CITIZENS instead of SUBJECTS.

Joe
[&:]

 

I am conflicted, I don't own or carry a gun but will buy an arsenal if the government ever tries to mess with our right to bear arms. On the other hand, I have a suspicion that some who carry are paranoid and would shat themselves and possibly hurt someone innocent if they ever had to use it.[sm=badbadbad.gif]

 

Many peoplemight beunaware at what situation served as the catalyst for instituting the Concealed Handgun License in the State of Texas (and other states as a result in turn). It was the Luby's cafeteria massacre whereby on October 16, 1991 a man killed 23 people and wounded another 20 before taking his own life at a local area restaurant in Killeen, Texas. A patron in the restaurant had firearms in her vehicle, yet was rendered helpless due to her inability to carryvia Texas law at that time.

http://www.answers.com/topic/luby-s-massacre

If you're not into firearms and choose not to own or carry? Fine, that's your right. One which I can honor and respect. But by that same token, if you are of the inclination and determination to own and carry a firearm on your person, by all means, acquire the necessary training, keep your firearm(s) well maintained,and practice on a very regular basis. By not doing this, you only serve as an example to all the anti-gun enthusiasts out there who lay claim to all gun owners being wreckless and a danger to themselves. Frankly, if you don't get training, keep your firearms maintained, and spend time at the range, I would have to be in agreement.

I travel extensively on business. As such, I've seen and experienced a lot of bullshit out there in Anytown, U.S.A. Case(s) in point:

1. A gentleman in Dallas, Texas approached both me and my wife (from a distance) in a hotel parking lot with a knife - My firearm was invaluable at putting a stop to that bullshit. He was detained at gunpoint. Police report filed.

2. A guy armed with a bat was attempting to break into my guest house toward the back of my property at 3:00 a.m. in the morning some 3 years ago.. Again, my firearm and SureFire flashlight put a stop to that bullshit, held him at bay while the police arrived and placed him into custody. Police report filed.

3. I was in my hotel room in New Orleans (actually, it was in Metairie), Louisiana doing some paperwork at the desk when some punk literally broke into my hotel room. Needless to say, he was not prepared to be staring down the business end of a .45. He ran out of the room like a wet cat with its *** on fire. Police report filed.

4. I was driving well into the evening on a business trip to Shreveport, Louisiana. I had gotten a late start out of Austin and didn't hit the road until well past 11:00 p.m. Well, once I made the turn on I20 in Dallas, the highway becomes pretty desolate (at that hour) as you make your way toward the Louisiana border. It was closing in on 2:30 a.m. in the morning when I pulled into this gas station to fill up, get a coke, and stretch my legs. After I filled up the tank, I went into the store, got my things, set them on the counter, and went to take a leak. While in the can, I heard some commotion in the store. I took note, but as quickly as it started, it ended. So I kept on keeping on; if you know what I mean. When I came out of the restroom, the store owner was in panic mode - He had just been robbed! I stayed with the guy (in case they returned), advising him that I was armed, until the cops got there. It was somewhat unsettling given that I still had a good bit to drive on I20 at that hour. I kept thinking that they obviously saw my vehicle at the gas pump (maybe they thought it was the store owners?) and that I might catch up to them or them otherwise? I was definitely relieved to finally hit Shreveport safely. Police report filed.

****In all the situations above, no shots of any sort were fired. I like to think that my calm, training, and assessment/control of the situation afforded me the ability to stop the threats without having to resort to taking lethal action; of which, I was most certainly prepared to engage should the circumstances have warranted.

There are those who have

 

Then start buying. They have been incrementally encroaching on the 2nd Amendment since 1934. Also, don't stereotype CCW holders as being paranoid etc... The vast majority of them aren't, they are just prepared.

As far as hurting someone innocent, well that almost never happens. Most of your self defense use of firearms is done in a secluded area. Criminals don't like to carry out their deeds in public in broad daylight. It is a rare instance that a private citizen will need to deploy his firearm in public with innocent people nearby.

Take the Luby's incident for instance. Lets suppose the lady did carry her gun and engaged the loon. Lets say she engaged him within in the first 5 or 6 rounds from his gun. Lets further say all 5 or 6 were fatal rounds. She now draws her gun and engages the bad guy. The bad guy HAS to stop his assault on innocent people and turn his full attention to the lady with the gun, why? Because she poses a lethal threat to thwarting his plans. This will give more people time to de-*** the restaurant. Lets say she misses her target once and kills a fellow patron then kills the bad guy. What is the tally? 6 or 7 dead versus 23 killed and another 20 wounded. Which outcome overall is better? I would say 6 or 7 dead instead of 36 either dead or wounded would be better.

 

I agree completely with you, but the media and anti-gun nuts would have a field day with that one. They wouldn't point at the lives saved, they would point that the 1 life lost because of that 'crazy, gun-toting woman', and make it sound like things would've been ok if she had just waited for the police!

 

Badherb, just a thought. Perhaps one of the reasons you might feel you're being jumped on unmercifully is that the pose you take in your photo looks like some guy who would be standing at the on-ramp of the freeway holding a cardboard sign. Sorta hard to take seriously, if you know what I mean.

 

Crypto,

You are exactly correct. Unfortunately the national average for police response time is 12.5 minutes. That is just for the cops to show up on the scene, not take action. People need to be able to defend themselves for 12.5 minutes on average.

I use this example quite often:

Take an egg timer and go into your bedroom and lay down on the bed.
Imagine it is 2:30 a.m. andyou hear glass breaking somewhere in your home.
Sit up and dial on the phone 911.
Imagine the operator answering the phone and set the egg timer for 12.5 minutes.
Now, imagine what an intruder can do to you or a family member in 12.5 minutes, let your imagination run wild.

Remember, it doesn't matter if the police catch the guy or not. The damage is already done. Your firearm is a stop gap to protect you and your family until the police arrive and take over the situation.

People have the wrong impression of what a police officer does. Mainly they are historians. A crime occurs they show up and write a report. The police then use that crime report to hopeful catch the person before he commits another crime. The report didn't help the original crime victim but it may help future ones. Crime happens when you least expect it and the police can't be there when it happens, nor do they have a legal obligation to protect you if they are there. That being said, I personally don't know of any officer who wouldn't jump right there to protect a person from a criminal if he or she is in a possition to do so. People need to be responsible for themselves and quit relying on the government to take care of them.

 

*zombie edit* Like this one that basically is just the opposite of hisideals postedwithin this thread:

https://www.hdforums.com/m_1335464/tm.htm

*Nope - zombie edit*

 

Maybe he was that guy I saw holding a cardboard sign!!!

 

carrying a weapon causes more problems than it starts.

let's say that trouble starts and you "defend" yourself with your weapon... LEO will assume that you started the problem because you came prepared.. basically it isn't really self defense when you came prepared for a fight.

also, guys that are carrying a weapon are more likely to start trouble than those that aren't carrying. the weapon makes them feel bold - bigger than they really are, that attitude conveys itself and invites trouble.

if you are pulled over by a LEO and he sees that you are carrying a weapon, you are in for a lot more trouble than if you aren't. if you're a 1%er and carrying a weapon, it's even WORSE.

carrying a weapon just causes problems all the way around.