I’m not allowed to tool up in my workplace thanks to the big, bold 30.06 sign on the front door. A policy that I’ve questioned multiple times with my site leader to no avail. Subsequently, when I leave the building for lunch, I generally stop by my truck to grab my XD(m). If a coworker is driving, this makes for a conversation starter. One of my coworkers has repeatedly chided me for carrying. He’s also 6′ 6″ and a former collegiate athlete. I tried the usual approaches to change his mind, and while he was accepting of my decision to carry, he still felt it was unnecessary. Felt it was unnecessary . . .
This afternoon he relayed a story to me about a urban outdoorsmen [ED: homeless guy] physically threatening him as he got in his car at Starbucks yesterday. He managed to use his imposing size and a firm tone to get enough room to get in his car and beat feet which I’m thankful for. However, it warmed my soul to hear him say, “For the first time in my life, I wished I had a gun.” And it threw me over the edge of the happiness cliff to hear, “Hey and I’m sorry I made fun of you for wanting to carry.”
He was quick to point out that he wouldn’t want to ever pull the trigger, but he now sees why I’m armed nearly every time I’m anywhere I’m legally allowed to carry. He’s asked me to check out some firearms his father in law gave him, make some recommendations, and train him up a bit. Next stop, CHL class.
I firmly believe an armed society is a very polite society. I have no doubts that my coworker and friend would have exited the situation alive yesterday gun or not. But I’m also glad to see another join the ranks even if it took an angry vagrant to do it.
Sounds like somebody that might be open to carrying a stun gun tho.*
* check local laws.
good for you!
good for him!
Well, Tyler, it seems that the skell may have converted your friend. But now that he’s on the path to enlightenment, you may help him go the rest of the way.
+1000
As it has been said many times before, “An anti is a gunny who hasn’t been in fear of their life/safety yet.”.
Awww. Don’t you just love a happy ending? Warms my heart.
Who doesn’t love happy endings well atleast until the cops come busting through the door… oh you meant the kind at the end of a story.
Unfortunately, it often takes a personal experience for folks to change their perspective that radically on something like this. And most folks aren’t 6’6″…
I worked with a guy who was the largest guy I’ve personally known. Around 6’2″ and 350 lbs of solid muscle. He was shot and killed in a random street robbery while driving home and stopped at a red light. This while he was a Fed LEO and had emptied his 357mag revolver at the perp.
Then remind your friend how an older female that weighs in at 110 lbs, feels when she’s out and about. Pure terror shouldn’t be the way a person has to live.
This picture is hilarious.
So smug. I LIKE IT!
“I have seen the LIGHT!”
As in muzzle flash.
Nice work!! I’m in the same boat, no carry at work or in company vehicles. And my personal challenge is to avoid turning off the unenlightened by bringing out my soapbox.
I once had a job where I couldn’t carry at work. I did it anyway. YMMV.
…and point him in the direction of this website.
I’m a big guy. 6′, 280, powerlifter, former kickboxer, etc.
You know what? It doesn’t matter if they ahve a gun, or if they’re just totally fucking crazy and tooled up. I’ve been in a couple of fair fights and decided they’re for suckers.
Hehe, fair fight? “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.”
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
“Fair” fight?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPqhm36sjVE
Really? The penal code about carrying is… 30.06? Hahahahaha
Yep. Couldn’t be any more ironic unless it was “TPC .40 smith and Wesson”
I always chuckle at the 30.06 code number. That had to have been planned by a legislator with a sense of humor.
Close calls remind us of our mortality. Too bad it took that and not logic to convince him of his vulnerability.
I think we should keep our converts regularly reinforced. I found one slipping back into the Anti-gun guilt yesterday. He expressed to me he was afraid of having too many guns. I told him “don’t be, no one gives a car guy cr@p for having a garage full of cars or a sports fan a room full of baseball cards.”
He told you “he was afraid …”. I read “his wife told him …”.
Sounds like Testicles in Purse syndrome. Firearm, BBQ Ribs, several ounces of Whiskey….stat.
I have always thought Liberalism was a sexual disfunction.
Well done Lad.
Sounds like it might be more accurate to say “Aggressive homeless dirtbag converted one yesterday.”
Still, we’ll give you the point, since that was almost certainly not the outcome the homeless dirtbag was hoping for. 🙂
I had a similar experience that prompted me to go the CHL route. Hadn’t really thought too much about carrying before, and then had a rather unpleasant encounter one day while riding my bike. Only in my case, it wasn’t a bum, but a complete asshole, and I’m not some 6′ 6″ bruiser.
Just because someone is “homeless” doesn’t make them any less capable of carrying an illegal weapon and using it when they “feel” wronged, or what ever sets them off that day.
Carrying concealed is not about being macho. On the contrary, you have a greater responsibility of not brandishing or using a firearm in a situation where it’s not warranted.
Carrying concealed is about insurance. Just in case. If you never ever have to touch it when you are outside your property or car, so much the better.
It’s no different than having a fire extinguisher for protection, not to play fireman. I have one in my home that I haven’t used in 20 years. The gauge shows that it’s still at proper pressure, and it’s there. Just in case.
Jimmy, just because the gauge shows it has the proper pressure doesn’t mean it will work as advertised after that long. If it’s a dry powder extinguisher, more than likely the powder has caked into a clod that ain’t going to pass through the hose when you need it most. Don’t let it give you a false sense of security, have it checked out by your local fire fighters or bite the bullet (pun intended) and get yourself a new one. They aren’t all that expensive, better to have it and not need it then to need it and yours not work. One last thought and I’ll get off my soap box, have it checked yearly by a trained professional.
Nope, I’m not a fire fighter, just our small city’s Emergency Management Director.
+1
We did that. Outside fortunately, the grill was on fire underneath at the bottle connection. Ran and got it, pulled the pin and phhbt.
Thanks for the tip Rick. I am pretty sharp on just about everything and I had no idea. I’ll be checking into my fire extinguishers.
You’re welcome. I don’t comment often, more of a lurker soaking up some good wisdom on the gun culture from folks who are like minded. I enjoy the banter, the tips, the snark where warranted, and the common sense displayed here. I even get something sometimes from the trolls.
I’m not new to firearms, just new to owning, keeping, and carrying. Along with Drudge, this is the other of my top 2 sites regularly visited.
You guys and gals are appreciated, thanks.
Rick
Excellent job, Tyler, in getting him educated. But he needs to realize that if he can’t pull the trigger when it’s legally and morally necessary, a gun will do him no good. Recommend he read Massad Ayoob’s “In The Gravest Extreme ” to dispel his legal objections. If he has moral objections, direct him to my book, “A Time To Kill: The Myth of Christian Pacifism”.
Now remind him how he would probably have felt had he NOT been such a big sumbitch, like my scrawny, 5’6″, ass.
^
This. Not to mention the fact that the co-worker said he couldn’t bring himself to shoot someone, then why bother. What happens when some thug calls his bluff after he draws? Not to mention the risk of being charged with brandishing if he thinks all he has to do is pull it out.
Size doesn’t matter much. I’m 6’4″ 220 lbs, a former Army aviator and I carry everyday. You never know what’s gonna happen…better safe than sorry. Good on ya lad.
Ever since that guy ate the face off that old man in Miami we have reason to fear erratic strangers in public. Your large friend would be no match for someone juiced up on drugs and feeling no pain. A hole in the right place will drop blood pressure and end the assault.
I’m a big guy. But i’m not a young guy. And in my younger days I went 1 on 1 with a drug addled fella intent on doing me harm. I would have a stroke or a heart attack if I tried to repeat that performance now.
Nobody wants to use a gun in a dgu. If they’re looking forward to it they’re probably one of the one’s that shouldn’t have a gun. But everybody, regardless of age, gender or physical condition should have the option of a gun in their tool box.
Yeah, but too many people (gun people included) convolute the willingness to use a gun in self defense as the same thing as WANTING to use a gun to kill, like it’s some kind of desire.
I’m a martial artist, and have significant training in practical self defense (CDT, if you’re curious).
My take away from my training is that a handgun is really good for winning fights.
A recent unrelated head injury confirmed that I do not want to be in a fist fight.
“I firmly believe an armed society is a very polite society. ”
I’m with you 100% on that, and I betcha that’s part of the hoplophobe syndrome – they’d lose their blank check to run around being annoying PITAs. 😉
Some have said that liberals are really conservatives that haven’t been mugged.
The muggers need to pick up the pace then. Lazy bastards aren’t doing enough conversions.
Anti-gunners are just future CHL holders that have not yet been mugged, robbed, home invaded, etc.
Its wonderful to live in fantasyland until the barbarians come knocking at your gates…
It’s too late for the Barbarians. We’ve got Imperial Storm Troopers busting down our doors today.
Haha, I was there for this enlightened moment. It was glorious, almost as glorious as the picture at the top of this page…
Good work, Tyler.
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