Are You Too Stupid...(to conceal carry?)

[ptmccain]

Per the request of the staff that I post the article I wrote here, not direct people to where it appears on the Interweb...

I wrote this essay the other day and thought I'd pass it along here for discussion. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Let’s face it, aside from owning the right gun and gear, not everyone is equipped to carry a concealed weapon. With the boom in firearm ownership in recent years, there are a lot of new gun owners. And plenty of first-timers seem to have picked up that first gun as an impulse buy, apparently thinking, “Hey, I’m going to buy me a gun and carry it!” Their friends pack heat so how hard can it really be, right? If you’re too stupid to think through some really important questions before you start carrying, you have no business walking around with a concealed weapon. You need to stop to consider that . . .

There are legal, ethical, moral and competency implications whenever you strap on a firearm. Here are just some of the things you need to be aware of:

Legal Implications

If you carry a gun, you need to be prepared to accept the legal consequences, whatever they may be. Are you willing to go through the trouble and expense – both financially and emotionally – of being arrested, charged and tried if you have to use your firearm? If not, leave the heater at home. Can you deal with whatever might come your way when it comes to encounters with law enforcement officials who may or may not understand and respect your state and local carry laws? If not, don’t carry.

Ethical Implications

When you take on the responsibility of being an armed citizen, you also assume a greater level of ethical responsibility for every aspect of your behavior while packing. You don’t pick fights. You don’t respond to aggressive comments or gestures by going for your gat. You never go looking for trouble. You don’t – ever – drink while armed. And you never brandish it or joke around about carrying concealed. Concealed means concealed…in every possible sense. If you can’t conceal it, do not tote it. You aren’t trying to impress anyone by carrying. Your ethical posture hasto be above reproach when carrying.

Moral Implications

Are you mentally prepared to actually shoot and kill somebody? If not, the gun should stay in your safe. If you think you are just going to pull the gun out and wave it around to scare somebody off, don’t carry. If you think you can “shoot to wound,” you have another thing coming.

If the gun comes out of its holster, you must already have decided to kill somebody. Period. There is no middle ground. Can you do that? Have you thought long and hard about what that means? Are you willing to see what a bullet will do to a human body? People don’t always just fall over dead like in the movies. You have to prepare yourself for the emotional trauma of gravely wounding or killing another human being.

Competency Implications

If you are going to carry a concealed weapon, you need to be rigorous about safe, competent gun handling. Your heater is always loaded – or it better be. That means you must never ever, under any circumstance, draw it while carrying unless you’re truly in a life or death situation.

You do not pull it out to show to your buddies. You never cover anyone with the muzzle. Your finger should be indexed. You simply do not “play around” with your concealed firearm. It goes in the holster and never comes out, unless absolutely necessary.

And you need to be fully trained in the use of your firearm. Find a competent instructor and take a class. Better yet, take several classes. Just as if you want to get to Carnegie hall, you need to practice, practice and practice some more. You owe it to yourself to get in as much range time with your carry gun as you possibly can. If you aren’t willing to master all aspects of handling your concealed carry firearm, don’t strap it on.

Are you too stupid to handle all of this? Most likely not. But these are just some of the things you will need to consider before you take on the responsibility of concealed carry. Yes, it’s your right, but you need to exercise that right legally, ethically, morally and competently or you’ll hurt the cause of those that do. Got it?

[oldtexan]

Per the request of the staff that I post the article I wrote here, not direct people to where it appears on the Interweb...

I wrote this essay the other day and thought I'd pass it along here for discussion. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Let’s face it, aside from owning the right gun and gear, not everyone is equipped to carry a concealed weapon. With the boom in firearm ownership in recent years, there are a lot of new gun owners. And plenty of first-timers seem to have picked up that first gun as an impulse buy, apparently thinking, “Hey, I’m going to buy me a gun and carry it!” Their friends pack heat so how hard can it really be, right? If you’re too stupid to think through some really important questions before you start carrying, you have no business walking around with a concealed weapon. You need to stop to consider that . . .

There are legal, ethical, moral and competency implications whenever you strap on a firearm. Here are just some of the things you need to be aware of:

Legal Implications

If you carry a gun, you need to be prepared to accept the legal consequences, whatever they may be. Are you willing to go through the trouble and expense – both financially and emotionally – of being arrested, charged and tried if you have to use your firearm? If not, leave the heater at home. Can you deal with whatever might come your way when it comes to encounters with law enforcement officials who may or may not understand and respect your state and local carry laws? If not, don’t carry.

Ethical Implications

When you take on the responsibility of being an armed citizen, you also assume a greater level of ethical responsibility for every aspect of your behavior while packing. You don’t pick fights. You don’t respond to aggressive comments or gestures by going for your gat. You never go looking for trouble. You don’t – ever – drink while armed. And you never brandish it or joke around about carrying concealed. Concealed means concealed…in every possible sense. If you can’t conceal it, do not tote it. You aren’t trying to impress anyone by carrying. Your ethical posture hasto be above reproach when carrying.

Moral Implications

Are you mentally prepared to actually shoot and kill somebody? If not, the gun should stay in your safe. If you think you are just going to pull the gun out and wave it around to scare somebody off, don’t carry. If you think you can “shoot to wound,” you have another thing coming.

If the gun comes out of its holster, you must already have decided to kill somebody. Period. There is no middle ground. Can you do that? Have you thought long and hard about what that means? Are you willing to see what a bullet will do to a human body? People don’t always just fall over dead like in the movies. You have to prepare yourself for the emotional trauma of gravely wounding or killing another human being.

Competency Implications

If you are going to carry a concealed weapon, you need to be rigorous about safe, competent gun handling. Your heater is always loaded – or it better be. That means you must never ever, under any circumstance, draw it while carrying unless you’re truly in a life or death situation.

You do not pull it out to show to your buddies. You never cover anyone with the muzzle. Your finger should be indexed. You simply do not “play around” with your concealed firearm. It goes in the holster and never comes out, unless absolutely necessary.

And you need to be fully trained in the use of your firearm. Find a competent instructor and take a class. Better yet, take several classes. Just as if you want to get to Carnegie hall, you need to practice, practice and practice some more. You owe it to yourself to get in as much range time with your carry gun as you possibly can. If you aren’t willing to master all aspects of handling your concealed carry firearm, don’t strap it on.

Are you too stupid to handle all of this? Most likely not. But these are just some of the things you will need to consider before you take on the responsibility of concealed carry. Yes, it’s your right, but you need to exercise that right legally, ethically, morally and competently or you’ll hurt the cause of those that do. Got it?

If the intended audience for your essay consists of people who are in the process of making, or who have recently made, the decision to carry a firearm for protection, then how will you make it likely that they will see your essay?

[lunchbox]

If the intended audience for your essay consists of people who are in the process of making, or who have recently made, the decision to carry a firearm for protection, then how will you make it likely that they will see your essay?

You could use info to help advise a friend on if buying a gun is the BEST idea. I thought the piece had truths to it, and good read.

[oldtexan]

You could use info to help advise a friend on if buying a gun is the BEST idea. I thought the piece had truths to it, and good read.

I agree that one friend with more experience helping a friend who is a newcomer to defensive firearms is probably the method most likely to succeed. This allows knowledge transfer, skills transfer, etc to happen in the context of an existing relationship. People are more likely to take advice from someone they know, trust, and respect than from a stranger.

[ptmccain]

If the intended audience for your essay consists of people who are in the process of making, or who have recently made, the decision to carry a firearm for protection, then how will you make it likely that they will see your essay?

It was first published on a gun blog site, which I shall not name, per staff instruction.

[CaptainDooley]

You don’t – ever – drink while armed.

I disagree with this statement. Depending on location it can be legal to imbibe while carrying. As far as it being an ethical matter (where you listed it), that's really a personal call. If you are completely unable to have a couple of beers or glasses of wine with dinner and stop... well, you have a problem. If, on the other hand, you base a good portion of your life on your self discipline and self control and you know where your limits are with alcohol, I see no reason why you can't have a beer or two with dinner while carrying, and I, in fact, I do so often. It's called being responsible for your own behavior and actions.

In the same vein, I also disagree with states (like Texas where I live) that preclude you from going into a bar with your concealed weapon. I often accompany friends to places that are (by virtue of % of sales) a "bar" and never drink more than one or two and enjoy their company and take them home if needed. I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to keep a firearm on me in that situation. My friends and I are by and large too mature to pick fights, drunk or sober - and if they weren't, I wouldn't hang out in bars with them...

[ChicagoTex]

In the same vein, I also disagree with states (like Texas where I live) that preclude you from going into a bar with your concealed weapon. I often accompany friends to places that are (by virtue of % of sales) a "bar" and never drink more than one or two and enjoy their company and take them home if needed. I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to keep a firearm on me in that situation. My friends and I are by and large too mature to pick fights, drunk or sober - and if they weren't, I wouldn't hang out in bars with them...

The 51% law bugs me too. 9 Times out of 10 that I go to a bar, I go only because my friends are going and I just have a coke. I believe under those circumstances my right to carry should not be compromised.

While I think I personally can handle the responsibility of carrying and consuming reasonable amounts of alcohol (1-2 beers or other alcohol equivalent) and do so in my own home, I can understand why others would feel that alcohol consumption while carrying in public should be zero tolerance and don't necessarily view that as wholly unreasonable.

[KalashniKEV]

This allows knowledge transfer, skills transfer, etc to happen in the context of an existing relationship. People are more likely to take advice from someone they know, trust, and respect than from a stranger.

Disagree.

Maybe for a first outing/ fam fire, but "skills transfer" best occurs in a professional environment. It's not like your friend is going to completely blow off your advice, but people are actually less likely to take advice from someone they're familiar with. Maybe in the back of their head they're thinking about the time you thought you could "shake out" the waste-toner-cartridge or whatever...

As far as it being an ethical matter (where you listed it), that's really a personal call... I see no reason why you can't have a beer or two with dinner while carrying...

Disagree.

Practicing the discipline means not in-taking substances that impair judgement. Not even a drop. Assuming you do have an iron liver and you just have "a couple beers to relax" and are completely unaffected by it- let's say you do have to use your CCW. Are you going to be blowing your beer breath all over the first responding officer? Or are you going to ask the people around you for chewing gum?

[ptmccain]

Thanks for the feedback, I've rewritten the article and am posting it.

[CaptainDooley]

You're allowed to disagree - that's why I said it was a personal matter. First let me clarify a few things.

1. I drink beer because I value the artisan craftwork that goes into real beer. I value the taste qualities between different styles of beer. I don't drink cheap swill that America has foisted on the mindless masses.

2. I don't have a beer to relax. I don't drink to get a buzz or to get drunk, ever. I very, very rarely and never outside of my own home have more than 3 beers at a time/in a day and usually just have one or two. I am 270 lbs. and Irish and 3 beers spread out over 3-5 hours in an establishment in no way impairs my judgement.

To answer your question, yes - if I had to use my CCW in the parking lot afterward I would speak to the officer (what little I would speak without an attorney present) without looking for gum from the crowd.

I do not disagree with Straight-Xers/teetotalers rights to do as they please, but I for one feel that we can be (and ought to be) responsible enough and that we ought to know ourselves enough to be able to act in a mature and reasonable manner, practicing self discipline and staying within the limits of what we are able to handle.

On the other hand, if you're the kind of guy (in general, not you personally) who has at different points in your life said the words, "Hold my beer and watch this," then you probably shouldn't be drinking and carrying a weapon, or being near motor vehicles/farm equipment/ladders/power tools, etc...

Again, that's why I said it's a personal call. I have no qualms about the decisions I have made.

As far as it being an ethical matter (where you listed it), that's really a personal call... I see no reason why you can't have a beer or two with dinner while carrying...

Disagree.

Practicing the discipline means not in-taking substances that impair judgement. Not even a drop. Assuming you do have an iron liver and you just have "a couple beers to relax" and are completely unaffected by it- let's say you do have to use your CCW. Are you going to be blowing your beer breath all over the first responding officer? Or are you going to ask the people around you for chewing gum?