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[Hoshnasi]

I get that everyone wants to protect their family and all the ego/bravado that goes along with those beliefs.

There is no ego or bravado in my wanting to protect my wife and son, nor is there any ego or bravado in my wife wanting to protect me or our son.

I think is it responsible to be prepared to defend your family.

No one can prepare for everything and stop every action no matter how well intentioned.

No one claimed you can. But I am further in the proactive category than you seem to be. You're taking a "It won't work so why bother" attitude.

You control the controllables and press on. I'm not a small guy by any means so there aren't many places I am genuinely afraid to go.

This is an excuse to enter into dumb situations. Again irresponsible.

Also as a life long native, my threshold for sketchy is much higher than many transplants who seem to think that any difference = danger.

Even when you feel sketchy you still go in, so I'm not sure why this point maters. Nor does "life long native" mean anything. I'm a Ca. native too. It doesn't mean I go to bad neighborhoods for McDonalds.

[Ergo the Qualmed]

No, Caliguy, you don't understand.

[greensoup]

I realize I'm only quoting a small bit of your post, but this statement really irks me.

I've had a CCW for 14 years and carry regularly. I have had a few incidents that were a bit sketchy such as an extremely aggressive pan handler, a man road raging at me and a creep that followed me into a parking lot. But luckily, none of those incidents escalated to the point I felt my body/life was threatened. However, both of those situations could have turned quickly and had they, I would have been very happy to be armed.

Some antis would say that the gun could be taken away and turned on me. I would respond with, I'd rather take that chance. Because as a small woman, I do not want to ever leave my fate up to a (statistically) man which is larger and stronger than myself.

A firearm is the absolute best force equalizer.


It's extremely arrogant to tell someone that they are paranoid or crazy for wanting to carry <insert place or time here> just because you feel safe in that same situation.
Some people feel safe walking unarmed to their cars in a dark parking lot. That's fine, I don't.
Some people feel safe opening their front door to a stranger. That's fine, I don't.
Some people feel safe driving alone (especially at night) without a firearm. That's fine, I don't.


Do I avoid any sketchy situations? Yes of course. Do I LEGALLY exercise my right to carry a firearm for self-defense in the event the need arises? Hell yes.

By saying people shouldn't be scared or paranoid when doing X or Y doesn't help our cause and is no different than an anti asking why you need <insert gun here> or why you would ever need to carry a firearm.

Its actually the opposite. If you dwell on irrational fears. People will see that in your argument, in the same way the fears of people who are anti-gun are also irrational.

Paranoia and fear of extremely rare events go in both directions, and if you spend your time worry about a 1/100,000 or a 1,000,000 event how will you ever convince someone that they shouldn't worry about you because as a gun owner you ARE one of those 1/1,000,000 events.

There is a big difference between being concerned/prepared and instead dwelling on the unlikeliest of events and letting them steer decision making and behavior.

Like these two arguments. I need a 15 round magazine because in a crisis situation people get nervous and you may miss several times, especially if there is more than one robber or they are armed. Or my favorite, what if 5 crackheads on PCP break into my house and they've come to kill my kids, kidnap my wife and rape my dog.

The first makes sense the second is why people would argue you shouldn't have a gun.

[IVC]

Point is that some people may be using a gun as a false sense of security.

Well, if probability of needing a gun is as small as you say, then what's the problem if the sense of security is false? If it makes some people feel happy and safe while not affecting their chances, then so be it.

Do you go around telling kids that their parents really cannot protect them and that mommy holding them is just a false sense of security because she cannot do much to protect them anyway?

I'd say that the truth is somewhere in between, but even if you were completely correct you would only undermine your own argument - if it's unlikely to happen then there is no harm in falseness of the sense of security.

[rugershooter]

OP, what exactly is your definition of "over the top"? Some people I know thing it's excessive for me to carry a gun any place outside my home. Some people think I'm paranoid because I carry a knife everywhere. "Over the top" is an extremely subjective phrase. Is it over the top for me to carry a gun when ever I can if I'm in a gun friendly state? What percentage of the time is it acceptable for me to carry a gun or knife before you consider it over the top?

[kaligaran]

Its actually the opposite. If you dwell on irrational fears. People will see that in your argument, in the same way the fears of people who are anti-gun are also irrational.

Paranoia and fear of extremely rare events go in both directions, and if you spend your time worry about a 1/100,000 or a 1,000,000 event how will you ever convince someone that they shouldn't worry about you because as a gun owner you ARE one of those 1/1,000,000 events.

There is a big difference between being concerned/prepared and instead dwelling on the unlikeliest of events and letting them steer decision making and behavior.

Like these two arguments. I need a 15 round magazine because in a crisis situation people get nervous and you may miss several times, especially if there is more than one robber or they are armed. Or my favorite, what if 5 crackheads on PCP break into my house and they've come to kill my kids, kidnap my wife and rape my dog.

The first makes sense the second is why people would argue you shouldn't have a gun.

Are you suggesting the 3 events I used as an example make me paranoid or are 1/1,000,000 of happening?
Because each of the 3 events I used has turned into a bad situation to a friend or someone that I had met previously.
My mothers friend (an elderly woman living in a middle class retirement community) had a strange man force his way into her home. He strangled her with a phone cord and stole the rings off of her finger. He was later caught and convicted.
Another was a co-worker raped after being attacked walking to her car after work. The man was never caught.
The latter was two friends (male and a female) that were driving to Panama City for a vacation when they were robbed at gunpoint while filling up their tank at an exit. The two bad guys were never caught.



I do not dwell on anything. Nor do i live in fear or paranoia. I recognize that bad things can happen to good people anywhere and it's no one else's responsibility but my own to ensure my own safety.
I would rather have a way to defend myself than leave my fate to a bad guy.

It's amazing to me that on a gun forum that anyone suggests its dwelling on fear or paranoia by simply recognizing bad things happen and to want a way to defend yourself.

[Garand1911]

The one time i did not have my gun or knife, i was walking the dog and walked right into a guy breaking into my neighbors car, in broad day light.
Just recently had some a-hole get all roadrage on me, cuz he was going to fast. Thats something that can always go bad quickly, almost did a couple times in the past couple years.

But i agree some people take it over the top a bit.

[CAguy]

OP, what exactly is your definition of "over the top"? Some people I know thing it's excessive for me to carry a gun any place outside my home. Some people think I'm paranoid because I carry a knife everywhere. "Over the top" is an extremely subjective phrase. Is it over the top for me to carry a gun when ever I can if I'm in a gun friendly state? What percentage of the time is it acceptable for me to carry a gun or knife before you consider it over the top?

I listed them in the beginning but the jist of it is people who's existence is tied to fear and the need to carry at all times (to schools, in the shower, willing to quit a desk job because you can't go armed to work, answering the door with a gun, won't go out in public, ect) and the general doom-gloom out look on everything and focusing on the the slim chances of being struck by lighting as a mind set.

There is also those that have almost a fantasy of being some kind of gunslinger super hero crime fighter type (Billy Rosewood we got to talk (Beverley hill cop movie) type) who's fantasy's and scenario imagery becomes obsessive/unrealistic.

It's not about carrying a gun per se, never was. It's the over reliance on carrying a gun as some sort of force field against crime (false security blanket), unrealistic expectations, fear dominating thinking and hence lifestyle and freedom of movement socially, and the focusing on the negatives and doom-gloom crime is everywhere dictating thoughts/focus beyond ration/reality.

Unhealthy idolizing of guns if you will.

Again, it's not a anti carry issue. I'd probably carry sometimes if I had a CC permit. It's mostly been mulled over even though some reiterate things for arguments sake. I think the majority have managed to comprehend the topic while some just like to argue for argument sake or are part of this fringe and feel attacked.

Can't please everybody.

[CAguy]

Well, if probability of needing a gun is as small as you say, then what's the problem if the sense of security is false? If it makes some people feel happy and safe while not affecting their chances, then so be it.

Do you go around telling kids that their parents really cannot protect them and that mommy holding them is just a false sense of security because she cannot do much to protect them anyway?

I'd say that the truth is somewhere in between, but even if you were completely correct you would only undermine your own argument - if it's unlikely to happen then there is no harm in falseness of the sense of security.

I concurred with that assessment in post #101.

[CAguy]

The one time i did not have my gun or knife, i was walking the dog and walked right into a guy breaking into my neighbors car, in broad day light.
Just recently had some a-hole get all roadrage on me, cuz he was going to fast. Thats something that can always go bad quickly, almost did a couple times in the past couple years.

But i agree some people take it over the top a bit.

Whatever you did when you didn't have a weapon you should have done if you had one. Many come here and say "I wish I had a gun for this/that" and if a gun were to change your behavior and/or embolden you to do something contrary to what you would be inclined to do without one then it was probably best.

[ElvenSoul]

To be quite honest!

Carrying forces me to be more polite and nice.

[cudakidd]

I've heard the opinions posted by those that feel it is a false sense of security to carry or that irrational fears are being displayed.

Wrong. Crime can and does happen at any time. Just as you buy Auto Insurance hoping to never have to use it, a CCW is just another tool for your Safety.

Read "More Guns less Crime" for cites on the use of CCW to deter Crime. The Author notes 700,000 occasions YEARLY of a firearm deterring a Criminal.

And for more current and ongoing examples, read the Monthly Armed Citizen Feature in the NRA publications...most of those people did not know a specific threat was coming, they just happened to be prepared for it...

So since CCW is a individual Choice as to what and how many to carry, in todays Chaotic World why would you question someone who choses NOT to be a Sheep but a Shepherd? And why would you label them as "over the top" or unstable to do so?

Isn't that the Very same Description of Gun Owners by ALL the Antis?

This thread can go on and on. If you don't want to carry fine...cancel your Auto Insurance, Ditch your first Aid Kits, Fire Extinguishers, stop getting Vaccinations as well. Since after all you won't ever need any of them either.

[Supertac916]

Sucks for your friend.

but still won't change my mind. my physical home security is high enough that a meth head won't be breaking in short of using a battering ram.

oh and btw, i have experienced being robbed at gunpoint before when i was younger. back when we were living in alhambra. had a pistol pointed at me and actually pushed into my forehead to make my parents give up the cash. the thing is, i didn't get scared from that event, in fact, it started my interest in guns. i most likely wouldn't be a gun owner today if it weren't for that punk that robbed us that night.

It did suck for him, but at the end of the day he learned from it.

I've had several family members and friends go through home invasions, robberies, someone trying to kick their door in running from police, car jacked and beaten. The interesting thing is that none of them happened in Stockton or Oakland. They were in San Ramon, South Land Park, Pocket, Fair Oaks, which are all nice areas.

When my wife and I started dating we were assaulted by two men with 9mm handguns on a rural camping trip in Ice House. Up until then, she always asked why I carried a gun with me. I had my CCW and she didn't understand why I carried everywhere. I didn't need my CCW gun that day because I had my rifle with me, which deterred both men from furthering their assault. Since then she doesn't ask and will acquire her permit after our boys get a little older.

My intention isn't to sway you from your beliefs, but an explanation of why some of us carry. I guess some of us have different reactions to what we decide to do after being victims or almost becoming victims of violent crimes. Seems that crime can happen anywhere and often where you wouldn't expect it.

[VoR]

Whatever you did when you didn't have a weapon you should have done if you had one. Many come here and say "I wish I had a gun for this/that" and if a gun were to change your behavior and/or embolden you to do something contrary to what you would be inclined to do without one then it was probably best.

You said it yourself in an earlier post. Your argument has completely collapsed. I really feel that you are being hypocritical and judgmental. Not everyone is a big guy.

[Artema]

I also remember a guy carrying on about not being able to carry on school grounds when picking up his kid. Stuff like that just makes us look loony. It's as if the firearm is some kind of force field for crime and the ultimate multi-tool to solve any problem.

Overall you sound like an anti-2A. However, one thing I like about Colorado is there is no restriction like that. I was very surprised!