“North Canton police arrested a Uniontown man after being told he was sitting in his vehicle, armed and planning to kill people at a Canton bar,” fox8.com reports. “Police say Michael P. Bianchi, 29, of Uniontown, was found sitting in his vehicle in a parking lot in the 200 block of Wilbur N.E., North Canton, with several loaded guns and knives. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and black camouflage make-up on his face. Bianchi was arrested without incident and booked in Stark County Jail.”
Now I know that there are a lot of pat answers to “why do you carry a gun?” A policeman’s too heavy to carry around. That sort of thing. But I’m more interested in the moment you decided to carry. What triggered it? (So to speak.) My road to Damascus moment occurred when I was mugged by a thug in downtown Providence as a teen. But I actually started carrying twenty-five years later when I became a single father. I never want to face men like Mr. Bianchi without a gun. You?
I c-a-r-r-y a gun because I am a free man and not a slave.
Yup. At 10 years old, I read the bill of rights and the Second Amendment made perfect sense to me.
I’m still trying to figure out how I missed the part about having to purchase my freedom from the state for $50 (for a 5 year period) or the part where I have to carry around my certificate of freedom everywhere I go and if I get caught without it I’ll be summoned to a court where I’ll have to prove my freedom or face incarceration.
I’m sure it must be in there somewhere between ‘shall not’ and ‘be infringed’, but I couldn’t find it.
I’ve wondered that one myself.
That’s the most perfect answer I ever seen. Good job!
Thanks, but I kind of ripped it off from Socrates who said that when you see two men walking you can always tell which is the free man and which is the slave because the free man is armed.
I carry a gun because human nature has not changed since the dawn of time.
Human history is the history of abused power. When Ug murdered Not-Ug, he didn’t care that the other Neanderthal had a right to life; Ug had power, and Ug used it. When tribes slaughtered other tribes, they didn’t care about the right to life; they had power, and they used it.
This has not stopped since the dawn of time. When it happens in government, we have everything from politicians voting themselves more power to the Armenian Genocide; Waco to the Holocaust; the drone program to Wounded Knee.
It is going to happen, and it is going to continue to happen. Carrying a gun is just the best chance I have of saying “No, you cannot abuse your power over me.” Of course, it sounds more like “Bang,” but you get the gist.
“When Ug murdered Not-Ug”
But… couldn’t they have settled it with fisticuffs like we did back in my day? Now get off my lawn Triceratops!
Sincerely,
proto-Ug
Also along this line, human beings are just animals at heart. The only difference between human animals and non-human animals is human animals have s greater capacity for logical thinking and emotional control. The key word in that last sentence is capacity.
Capacity does not equal ability. Ability is something learned, developed, and honed. During the 2000-2010 years, I mentally matured enough to recognize this about human nature.
At the same time, during the second half of that decade, I saw that our fellow humans were de-evolving and being encouraged to do so by the social culture. Feelings became accepted rationalizations and the rule of law started morphing into rule of man. Civilization ends under these circumstances, replaced by medieval tribalism, a modern Dark Age.
Funny thing is, “to stick-it to the man” is (or can be) still a valid and proper reason.
I’m not sure I intentionally wanted to stick it to the man, but I only got interested in handguns and concealed carry in 2009. I’ve always been contrarian (which is why I used to be a Democrat), but something about Obama and the way the party was heading made me realize a right not exercised is a right lost.
I carry a gun only legally. Because I can.
I carry a gun because I can’t drive a tank.
When I realized that I was not emotionally or phyiscally able to to defend myself mano a mano, especially against multiple assailants.
A sidearm is the great equalizer and in hazardous situations (I was depositing thousands of dollars in cash every night, late) it is a huge comfort.
Now that I am older it is very nice to know that even Hulk Hogan or The Rock or a bad guy of similar dimensions would not necessarily have the advantage over me unless he was also armed.
Same reason I lock my doors, wear my seatbelt, pay my insurance premiums, keep fresh batteries in my smoke detectors, etc., which is I likely won’t need it, but I might.
Exactly. It isn’t a lot of weight to haul around, but it’s another tool in a world full of humans who are all too human.
I don’t think people have gotten worse, and I don’t think I’m any more likely to be harmed today than 20 years ago, but I also didn’t carry jumper cables in the car or have a home security system. I see risk, I consider my tolerance, and I adjust accordingly.
Also, I moved away from Maryland.
Good decision.
I lived there for exactly one year when I moved east and leased a house in order to take a new job. T the end of the one year lease, I moved to Virginia where I am “allowed” to defend myself against the Liberal voting base of criminals and welfare recipients.
Always shot, hunted etc but it was my sister who started carrying everyday first. She was attacked in a 4 level parking garage outside the Boston area. After being knocked down from behind the attacker was lying on her, she managed to get her hands on her appendix carry weapon.From her recollection the man realized that she was about to pull out a gun or weapon so he punched her in the back of the head and ran.
Two things disturbed me about the incident, one, that it was my sister that this happened to, it’s always different until it hits you at home. Second, the police never wrote it up as a violent crime stopped by a gun, why? Because there were no shots fired and the police use a shot fired as part of the criteria for categorizing a crime stopped by a gun.
After that I started carrying everyday. And to the people who say that were crazy paranoid, and the odds of needing a gun are blah blah blah. It becomes personal when it does happen close to home, and it could happen anywhere at anytime.
Getting shot at is enlightening. It leads to the knowledge that a wise man should appreciate the ability to shoot back.
Word.
All of the above…
Because THEY don’t want me to.
Seriously. There is so little crime where I leave its not very practical, but there is a culture war being waged and being armed is part of the culture I want to protect.
Amen. I LITERALLY just got back from buying a MCX, because the politicians and media don’t want me to have it. My LGS had them for $1,529 and were running a 10% sale. I lucked out!
That was my reason for buying an 80% lower “ghost gun”. Because Senator DeLeon didn’t want me to have one.
Because I learned at an early enough age that the state is not your friend, does not have your best interests in mind nor will they protect you.
Yeah especially in Illinois Andrew. It’s a wonder more po-leece ain’t shot…
I got my first carry permit in ’95 or so. I lived in Indianapolis at the time. My memory is not certain about this but I think it was because some folks I regularly encountered seemed a bit threatening. However, it may been that I just liked guns and wanted them around more.
Simply put, I have a wife and kids, if I can’t protect them, who will?
I carry a gun for the same reason I wear a seat belt, own fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and first aid kits. They can all potentially save my life, and the ones I love.
Not sure what started the downhill roll, but I can answer any number of ways now. Usually it’s the whole, “fire extinguisher” mantra. My general consensus is:
It’s better to have and not need than to need and not have.
Out for a bike ride late one night (Late night in Florida during the summer is the best time to ride) in a rural part of town I passed a house that had some folks outside.
One of them thought it would be funny as hell to sic his dog on me.
I came to realize a couple of great truths.
First, I never knew I could pedal that fast.
Second, after I calmed down, was that I didn’t have to be defenseless.
I tooled-up shortly thereafter.
(Nice doggie…)
Because that is the same question a mugger will ask as he lies there bleeding.
Because as a husband and father I HAVE AN OBLIGATION to defend my family to the best of my ability!!!
This is my reason, too. Also, I have a duty as a free man to use and protect my God given fights.
I started carrying after an incident when I stopped to help an injured pedestrian and was threatened by the very large road rage driver who had struck him with his car. The standoff was resolved when police arrived from the sub-station a block down the road.
I was carrying a couple years later (and ironically, returning from a gun range with an evil black rifle in the trunk) when I was tailgated for a mile along a winding residential road by another driver who decided it was his turn to go at a four-way stop rather than mine. As we approached a larger intersection he cut me off and blocked me between his car and a railroad crossing. He came out of his car screaming obscenities; I drew when he came around his bumper and approached my car door. He fled. I contacted police but they declined to take the matter further (which was fine by me).
I’m a be-prepared kind of guy. Full tank of gas, first aid, fire extinguisher, pocket knife and a clean hanky. A gun just fits with that. More so when I realized that I wasn’t the strongest or meanest mo-fo out there. I avoid physical confrontation and have never needed to use a weapon, but you never know. Oh, and I have a wife and three daughters. So there’s that.
I also discovered that I’m a good shot and I have good reflexes and judgment. Not to get all religious, but these are gifts that not everyone has, and I might just have them for a reason. Or maybe not. But I’m not going to go unarmed, if I can help it.
In law enforcement, I carried a backup. I’m retired today. I feel far more secure in a world which is rapidly going down the garbage chute and getting more dangerous. This world is seeing far more dangerous people even as budgets reduce the number of cops on the streets even as the US population is growing by leaps and bounds.
SCOTUS says the police are not responsible for our safety. If they aren’t then who is but We the People. I travel long distance; CA to wherever and back; alone. I’m driving either a hot late model Mustang, or my restored classic 65 Mustang. Either one falls into the theft target zone. I keep the doors locked and the windows are up except for the driver side. Travel puts me in areas I am not familiar with and I never know what the intent of the people around me is.
Still, I don’t carry all the time. When I go to bed, my pistol is kept handy because our once new and quiet neighborhood has seen crimes rising thanks to homeless people who camp in the woods down by the creek. We’ve had break-ins in the middle of the day as well as at night.
I also carry for all the other reasons… because I can…. because I am free…. because it pisses off the anti-gun types… etc.
Self preservation.
Because people are shitty and occasionally do shitty things.
When elected representatives decided to infringe my right to lawfully defend myself and offered no viable alternative.
Because I started reading TTAG.
Not joking. Came for the great reviews, stayed for the righteous political indignation.
Thanks, all.
Another satisfied customer… 🙂
I carry for many reasons. Obviously, it is my right. I carry because I was a military cop, I was good at it, and I know a few people I apprehended who would kill me in a second if they knew where I lived. I carry because researched actual crime statistics, and learned that crime is much more prevalent than most people think. I carry because a gun is more likely to stop a violent attack without either party getting injured. I also carry because someone hacked into US government records, specifically security clearance information, and suddenly, I became a target for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. I carry because I teach firearm courses, and I prefer to walk the talk. I carry because throughout my whole life I have always sought to be prepared. I carry because I see a government sliding into tyranny and a society that is sliding toward victim-hood. I carry because I often transport money or guns. Again, I carry because it is my right.
I started to carry a gun after I was assaulted by a police officer. I didn’t start to carry to defend myself from a police officer, but how was I to know that this guy wasn’t going to start harassing me after I filed my complaint? I also started to look at my rights and that got me looking into what my role is as an American citizen. A good citizen should be armed to protect all other good citizens.
“I started to carry a gun after I was assaulted by a police officer.”
By any chance did he think you were giving him some lip?
(I’m not justifying what he did…)
While it may not be prudent, I am unaware of any law that violates my First Amendment right to free speech to call out a person for being a jerk. That includes LEOs.
I lipped off to a cop at 17 when he caught me drunk, out after curfew, and trespassing. He smacked me twice in the chops with a weighted glove. He COULD have arrested me and really screwed up my future.
I don’t call it “brutality,” because I didn’t need medical care, and because the “justice” system would have been more brutal. I have mixed feelings. At any rate, I learned to keep my mouth shut, which is good.
“Why do you carry a gun?”
Well of course it’s because I’m a “White-Hispanic” (whatever THAT is) neighborhood watchman who goes out at night “hunting” 6’3 190lb Black “children” skulking in the shadows, I mean walking home from convenience stores while carrying a bag filled with Robitussin (codeine), Arizona Watermelon drink and Skittles (ingredients to make Purple Drank/Lean).
Robitussin doesn’t have codeine in it unless you have a prescription. Otherwise it is just Guaifenesin. Codeine falls into the same drug class as Norco, Hydrocodone, etc. and is heavily regulated by the FDA.
“Authorities” identified it as “Robitussin” but as we ALL know with everything else in the case they LIE, in fact after initial reports there was NO further mention of the “cough syrup”. I wouldn’t be surprised if the “aspiring pilot” or was it “astronaut” was carrying a bottle of full strength codeine.
Umm, no. There is a well-documented history of cough syrup abuse because many contain dexrromethorphan:
Dextromethorphan (DXM or DM) is a drug of the morphinan class with sedative, dissociative, and stimulant properties (at higher doses). It is a cough suppressant in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines including generic labels and store brands, Benylin DM, Mucinex DM, Camydex-20 tablets, Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, TheraFlu, Cheracol D, and others. Dextromethorphan has also found numerous other uses in medicine, ranging from pain relief (as either the primary analgesic, or an opioid potentiator) over psychological applications to the treatment of addiction. It is sold in syrup, tablet, spray, and lozenge forms. In its pure form, dextromethorphan occurs as a white powder.[3]
DXM is also used recreationally. When exceeding label-specified maximum dosages, dextromethorphan acts as a dissociative anesthetic. Its mechanism of action is via multiple effects, including actions as a nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor[4] and a sigma-1 receptor agonist.[5][6] DXM and its major metabolite, dextrorphan, also act as an NMDA receptor antagonist at high doses, which produces effects similar to, yet distinct from, the dissociative states created by other dissociative anesthetics such as ketamine and phencyclidine. As well, the metabolite 3-methoxymorphinan of dextrorphan (thus a second-level metabolite of DXM) produces local anesthetic effects in rats with potency above dextrorphan, but below that of DXM.[7]
RACIST!
All those big words are “RACIST” ipso facto anyone who uses them is “RACIST”.
I thought “Purple Drank” had Phenergan with Codeine rather than Robitussin with Codeine.
I would be VERY surprised if he were, since that takes a prescription.
So, I don’t carry a gun. Neither do I even own a gun lately. I’m always armed.
Where I live, in The People’s Republic of New York, the laws, supported by traditions of patronage and selective enforcement, make legally carrying a gun, especially a hand gun, prohibitive for me. (I’m not so much prohibited for bad behavior as I don’t have enough of an adminiatrative footprint for them to feel comfortable “permitting” me anything.) Even known, “mostly peaceful” resident thugs get more of a pass than I would should I be discovered carrying. When they shoot people up – my berg is one of the second-tier of “the murder rate is too high” examples – it’s just the cost of the enforcers allowing business to be done, so long as only thenright people get shot. They aren’t interested if stopping violence as a career choice.
Really, they only get wound up when one of the right people gets shot – one of the patronage class, who are supposed to be safe. Like Cuomo’s aid getting clipped by a stray from the drug turf war a couple blocks over is a big deal. The people who have to live under that risk – can’t clean up their neighborhoods, or shoot back – are acceptable losses.
Me, I’m a generally recognized non-combatant, and low value target among the factions.
That said, I’m always armed, since the kid’s brawl in middle school – no, not that time, the other one. I realized that the same folks who demanded that I do this or that “for safety”, would not and could not keep me safe.
Had I fought back more effectively, I would have been in more trouble than the aggressors who were likewise free to wail on me, as long as they didn’t go too far. It was just the J V version of the bad neighborhood thug wars permitted out in the world. Don’t go too far, or clip the wrong people, and it’ll be ignored, even encouraged.
It took me a while after that to articulate clearly that they mostly aren’t interested in my safety, only sometimes in abstract “safety”, whatever that means, and mostly in “order”, which includes permitting some abuse, as long as it’s not the wrong people getting abused. Myself, I am less interested than they in general “safety” at the cost of my personal demise. If that’s the choice I’d rather make it.
All that said, this is the game I’m in, for sufficient reasons for now. Because “guns” are a fetish of the overlords here, I don’t carry a gun. Tbey have successfulky made that prohibitive for me, with the added danger to myself they have imposed. I am perfectly clear they have done this for their own advantage, at my expense.
But, I am always armed.
(It’s almost like the 2A was written saying “arms” on purpose – to assert the prerogative of personal self-protection, without specifying the means a citizen might choose. The feds are enjoined from restricting that right, whatever however we might choose to arm for our own protection.
In the end, the anti- case is that they, not you, should decide whether you are worth protecting, and how. They’ll even “sit in” because votes on various laws to take this from you didn’t go their way. It’s almost as if they think everything should bend to their whim, and you ciunt not wt all.)
I grew up in during several school shootings (elementary/high school/college shootings), went to college and realized how dangerous to spend so much time in a “gun free” zone. Once out of college I enabled myself to defend those I hold dear as well as myself. I do travel quite a bit and find it to be a relief to come home where my rights are respected. It’s not that I expect to need a firearm at any point in my life, but at the end of the day I’m the only one responsible for my life and I choose to do so in the most efficient manner possible. A gun is not the answer to every problem, nor is it the best tool for every defensive situation, but I comfortable with the limitations presented with using a firearm for self defense as well as the benefits.
No other tool can stop a fight without anyone getting injured better than a gun. Fighting proficiency with your body alone will likely require you to engage with an aggressor to prove you’re capable and is compromised by the presence of multiple aggressors. Knives may prevent a confrontation with a single attacker however multiple assailants may still be willing to accept the risk. A gun on the other hand has the ability to prevent an attack from both single and multiple aggressor situations, and equips me to deal with them effectively if they choose to continue to attack. Regardless of the statistics of only a 10-15% lethality rate of typical gunshot wounds, most people equate guns with death and will choose to disengage rather than press their luck.
I have seen the comment somewhere (not recently) that if you heard the statistic that only 10% of airplanes ever crashed you might consider it an acceptable risk to fly, but if you heard that on any flight 10% of the passengers would die before the flight ended you would not board the plane.
Same things hold for this example. If you have only a 10% chance of ever being shot you might accept the risk, but if you are in a situation where you are likely to get shot and you have a 10% chance of dying you will not risk it.
When it comes to living or dying most people will strongly consider the 10% bad outcome before they think of the 90% good outcome. Besides, getting shot HURTS, even if you survive.
The minute Iowa became a “will issue” state. I wasn’t willing to carry illegally (according to state law, even though it wasn’t Constitutional), but as soon as it wasn’t up to our unconstitutional sheriff who denied all petitions, I began the process.
I always thought I could handle any situation ( youthful exuberance and lack of wisdom) because I was big and bad. Until I had a gun stuffed in my face in a bar. That was the last time I was in public unarmed. The next time I had a gun pulled on me at work, I had a gun too. Problem solved. Called cops while guy whined like a bitch about going back to jail.
“Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception….When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.” – Marko Kloos
This.
I started after I answered the door for a big fella wearing a brown hat and brown shirt with a box under his arm. As soon as the door opened I got hit in the face and in the head with something. I was 22 living in an apartment in a pretty good area. My pistol was in my bedside table. I came to pretty quickly and ran to the bedroom. While the guy was in my closet I did get to my gun. He ran out before I could shoot. I can’t carry everywhere due to my job. But I carry any time I can. I can’t home carry due to a rambunctious 4yr running around. But I keep arms stashed in places near my doors out of the kid’s reach, hidden but accessible. I have excellent locks and chains on my doors and high quality locking windows. You can bet that if my door bell rings, I answer with my pistol in my hand behind my back.
I have a rambunctious 3 year old running around and I carry everywhere, including at home. (Two notable exceptions…)
Consider this: is there ANY safer place for a gun with small kids running around than on you?
You’re pretty much guaranteed to know if they try and play with it.
If you think that your kid doesn’t know where your gun is, or won’t find it, you are sadly mistaken. They have an uncanny ability to find anything that is hidden away. A California CHP officer learned that the hard way. He always put his duty weapon on a shelf where his five year old twins couldn’t possibly reach it–or so he thought. They piled up boxes to reach his hidey hole, and one ended up dead. Get a small safe. It won’t stop a thief, but it will stop your kid(s).
Because FUCK YOU!
That’s why.
Because Evil is real and always among us
The Harvey Family murders. I worked with Bryan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Richmond_spree_murders
When I was 11 and my then-brother-in-law put a knife to my grandfather’s throat demanding that we bring his estranged wife out of the house. My father broke his arm, punched him off the porch and held a .357 magnum in his mouth until the police arrived. I learned early on that evil exists and I know exactly what it looks like.
I own my life and am the only one who is responsible for that life and my safety. That’s why I practice situational awareness, and a good many other things. It’s also why I carry a gun everywhere, every day.
And I don’t give a damn who doesn’t like that. 🙂
Because a blaster and personal kinetic shield haven’t been invented yet 🙂
Seriously, because I can.
Because I am older and slower than I used to be. I was disabled for a number of years, and although I’ve recovered, my wife is totally disabled. If she’s not in a wheelchair, she uses a walker. As she is completely vulnerable, I have to assume that she is a target. My town is pretty safe, but we have a large population of homeless people, many (maybe most) of whom are alcoholics, drug addicts (meth and heroin are very popular, although any number of honey oil labs have burned up) or mentally ill (the schizophrenics who are yelling and striking out at unseen enemies are particularly entertaining). It is simply good prior planning, though realistically the risk is still quite low. I do home carry religiously, as burglary is the most prevalent crime (by the druggies of course).
I carry a gun because I love life.
I like this answer.
I experienced one life-or-death event as a teen and two life-or-death events — and was the only witness to (before and after the fact but not during) a sexual assault and kidnapping — as a young adult. In other words, I experienced four events where I would have been legally justified to use deadly force before the age of 22.
A few years later with my own family in tow, I had to deal with belligerent/dangerous people on two separate occasions while camping in remote locations.
Shortly after that last camping trip, I discovered that my cousin had his concealed carry license and realized how nice — really nice — it would have been to have a sidearm on those trips. That was my tipping point and a few months later I set-out to get my concealed carry license.
Looking back, I wish I had had a sidearm through all of those events. My children will not make the same mistake that I did.
Things I have spent money on, but hope to never use for their intended purpose:
* Fire extinguishers
* Smoke alarms
* Security cameras
* First aid kits
* Insurance policies (too many to count)
* Seat belts, air bags
* Spare tires
* Emergency egress ladders
* Personal defense firearms
Asking “why” with regard to the gun is as stupid as asking “why” with regard to anything else on that list.
Because God made man and woman. And Colonel Samuel Colt made them equal.
The world is a terrible, desperate place. Always has been, and living in it is a job from which you don’t get to resign. I carry because I just may be in proximity to someone who is being stalked by an ex-boyfriend or ex-spouse; or someone who has evil intention towards someone nearby me and may not want witnesses; or I could simply get caught in the crossfire. People who will do you harm DO NOT CARE that how many laws that they violate. Laws only restrain those who are willing to abide by them. That puts good people at the disadvantage.
Evil exists in our world, it always has and always will. The obligation of those who are “good” is to be prepared to defend themselves against those who are “evil”. To be best prepared, you want to have tools at least equal to the bad guy. In ancient times it was swords, spears, & arrows. Today it is usually a gun. Since the bad guy usually has a gun, the good folks should be allowed to have their gun too.
Violence does not erupt on schedule, and criminals do not make appointments in advance. An attack is a “come as you are” party and you will have to defend with whatever is at hand.
I started carrying when we moved from Wisconsin to New Mexico and our local NM deputy sheriff encouraged us to get our CC. He told us to expect 45 minutes+ for a response to 911.
Funny, that now years later I feel much safer in NM (and most of the west) than when I visit family back in WI, or heaven forbid one daughter in Chicago. I have encountered bears, mountain lions and all kinds of wild critters in my beloved western states, but none are as off putting as being in Chicago where I once worked unarmed for 13 years.
Funny how perceptions change.
When I was young I was fit, fast, strong and had a good spidey sense. Now, 65 yrs. old, more frail with bad knees and bad hip. I pocket carry in holster Ruger LCR every day, Never had criminal incident but have had crazy incidents, more I can count. If your fortunate enough to live a long life, live it armed as long as possible.
I started carrying a handgun in the 70’s when I was 17 and doing a lot of remote backwoods backpacking because I realized it was a lot easier than carrying a long gun. Self preservation then, self preservation now. When I started carrying there wasn’t any law against it or if there was I didn’t bother to find out. We used to go to school with out rifles in our trucks and some kids even brought them into the school and kept them in their lockers. It wasn’t anything strange to see a bunch of kids riding through little towns with guns on their way to hunt in the woods or dove, quail, grouse when opening day started. My little 38 was with me all through my college days and going up into the woods to shoot after classes with buddies was something we did all the time. I assume doing that now would probably bring out a SWAT team, send 1/2 the campus running to a “safe place”, and cause an unbelievable uproar. We have become a nation of crybaby pussies.
For the same reason that I put on a seat belt when I get in a car.
Excellent reply.
It’s just pure common sense and the desire to be able to go home to my family at the end of the day.
When I first read the title I had to suppress the urge to simply answer, “Duh!”
But, with a great deal of effort I managed not to be a snarky adolescent type and will answer, I carry because I want myself and my wife to return home alive and safe every day when we go out. I’m an experienced fighter, but there’s always someone better or stronger, or several someones, or someone armed with a knife or gun or high on drugs or just plain mean.
Why do I carry a gun? Because I’m an American. That’s all the reason anyone needs.
Because you have to be able to fight to have a fighting chance!
The place I worked was prime for a disgruntled worker to come back with a gun, so I was thinking about it. When the V-Tech shooting happened, I heard a woman survivor interviewed afterwards who said (paraphrased) “I bought a gun, got a concealed carry permit, and went to the range often enough to be confident in my ability to use it accurately. Yet the campus banned guns, so when I needed it most it was in the glove compartment of my car, a million miles away.” That did it for me – I bought a gun, got a concealed carry permit, and went to the range often enough to be confident in my ability to use it accurately. Been carrying virtually every day since, even though my workplace has changed it’s evil ways, so to speak, and my personal risk seems to be much less than it was then. I don’t want to be a hero, I just don’t want to be a defenseless victim!
I was shot at many years ago by some gang members wearing red headbands and bandannas. They ran a stop sign and didn’t like the fact that I did not stop. Being down range of a flying bullet, even a .25 acp was not a fun experience in the least. The next morning I found the shells. I carry whenever possible, although being in education I don’t get to carry at work and it would probably be the place that I might most need it.
Because my country is run by petulant children who have automatic weapons and think they have the authority to force me to bake cakes.
Shh! You’ll scare the children if they know!
Oh, wait. That was the point, wasn’t it. Gotcha.
For me it was a dynamic choice,
For self protection.
For family.
For country.
No shortages of bad guys in the world.
For every dead patriot that ever lived and died with a weapon in their free hands.To your memory i carry everyday.
To live by example to my kids that a man earns his daily bread and has the right to defend it against all that aspire to take it from him and mean him harm.
And for any foreign invader that forgot that in America there’s a weapon behind every blade of grass.
Come and try, come and die.
That does it for me, I’m off my soapbox. Stop the harmonica music and flag waving.
The second coming of Barry increased my collection of powder tools from 2 to 12. A break in to my home while I was away convinced me to carry on person 24/7. The only time I don’t is when I’m in the shower and even then it’s within arms reach.
A tooled up when I got an emergency service call to a VERY bad neighborhood at 1am. In my line of work sometimes I have to go to where the stupid people are doing stupid things in stupid places
When I was younger, I could run faster than jackrabbit.
But when I got older and I started taking my invalid mother in a wheelchair shopping and to medical appointments,
I realized I could still run pretty fast, but I could not push her wheelchair fast enough to get out of trouble at the first sign.
That’s when I realized, I had to start carrying a concealed gun.
I got my license, basic and advanced pistol training, and started carrying almost every day since.
It is a pain. It is a hassle to carry a gun everywhere all the time,
but that is the sacrifice I’ve accepted for my personal security.
Because it’s tacky pushing one.
It’s stupid to drag one.
Because when I was young on crutches I was robbed. Now I’m old and weak.
Because working in a prison enlightened me.
Because you do.
Because, in the immortal words of John Wayne, “some people just need shootin.”
I decided to purchase a handgun for self defense inside the home. During the purchase process I met many sales people, customers, and trainers that impressed me as being more responsible and respectful than the average person. Meeting respectful, responsible people continued as I frequented shooting ranges and training sessions. I saw an opportunity to become a better person as well as being more capable of defending myself. The presence of a firearm reminds a good person to be respectful and responsible, continually becoming a better person.
I have since a kid on the streets of Seattle, was it legal at that point in life I could’ve cared less! moved to my Dad’s he had strict firearm policy’s, every firearm in the house had a loaded magazine, chamber empty! Dad Hated handguns but a sawed off 12 Ga was OK, go figure! brandished it one night when sisters boy friend booked from county work farm! joined service played in the South east Asia war games. Conus duty and marriage, always carried, showed new wife how too use! used when person was casing the place, also on a Voyeur! Out of service, carried regardless of law, a gross misdemeanor not a Felony! Wised up went legit (Recommended)! (got old)! now I pay to carry ever 5 years, wife also. Hope not too use but will if necessary! long winded reply for a simple question! Short version; carrying fulfilled a perceived need of self protection and peace of mind that I could and would defend my self under any and all circumstances and not have to wait for slow assistance!
Two reasons, both equally important:
1. To reduce my risk of being a victim of violent crime.
2. To exercise my 2A rights, which I feel are under attack. A right not exercised will eventually be a right lost.
God created men (and women), but Sam Colt made them equal.
Want to get my permit because evil exists.
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