How do you justify carrying?

[LCSOSgt11]

I don't rely on someone else to protect my family or myself. I am used to dealing with confrontations, and know when to avoid them. I am not so stupid to realize that I may be surprised, and am prepared for most if not all eventualities.

Probably more importantly, I understand that there are members of our society that we could live without for extended periods of time.

[cce1302]

Because I love my family.

[Glock17 Man]

It is my right and duty.


I have never had to pull my gun on a human and hope I don't, but I have pulled my Glock 17 twice both times on Dogs. I did not have to fire on either dog because my Crimson Trace Laser stopped the dog both times.

[dburkhead]

Originally Posted by techres

Good question!2. You have a 1 in 65 chance to be a victim of a violent crime per year. That will catch up with you or a family member sooner or later. That alone would be enough.

Do you have a source for that statistic? Best I've been able to come up with is 1 violent crime per 200 people in the US per year (in recent years). Since many violent crimes have more than one victim, a 1 in 65 is plausible but I'd rather have a source before citing it elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Chuck26287

OK... for those who just got all worked up over the title, calm down. I firmly believe no one has to "justify" carrying to anyone. What I'm asking is how do you answer the question "why do you feel you need to carry a weapon?" when asked by someone who doesn't have any desire to carry a handgun? Or... "have you ever really been in a situation where you would have pulled a handgun if you'd had it?".

I'm not neccesarily talking about the full-blown anti that wants to debate, but the person who you respect, and they respect you, but they don't understand why you would want to carry a handgun.

Answered very well here: Front Sight, Press Blog Archive I don’t carry a gun…

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.
I don’t carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.
I don’t carry a gun because I’m paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.
I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

And more

[Dryden]

Over the past twenty years, I have undergone 11 major surgeries. With all I've been thru, I am not about to let someone hurt me or my family. I will at least have the means to even the odds against preditors that freely roam the streets nowadays.
It's that simple.

[Bruenor]

I never have carried before. I have my lifetime LTCH, but have never actually carried before. I think, for me, it's just getting over that initial plunge, and then I probably would be comfortable carrying.

I will say that there are times that I wish I had. Nothing happened, but it easily could have. After reading all the posts here, I think I will start carrying. Maybe I will at the Fishers-Noblesville breakfast this weekend.

[Steve]

I ask them "Why do you have insurance" They always answer "I need it in case something happens" I just grin back at them and say "Same thing here". Sometimes, I can almost see the light go on above their head.

If they still question me, I tell them "Like your insurance, it's better to have and not need than to need and not have." Beyond that, there's no point in going any farther. The sheeple will never understand and the honest folk don't require an explanation.

[Archbishop]

"Same reason you and I wear our seats belts." I like this answer, because subconsiously it moves the person asking the question over to my side. Most anyone can see the value in wearing their seatbelt, and I specifically use the language, "you and I". This is a soft sell. Once the person agrees with this in his mind it's very likely that he'll be able to make the leap that the logic of why he wears his seat belt is the same logic of why I carry a pistol. It's not an evil, anti-social item that I'm carrying. It's simply a safety tool for the what if situation that could arise at any moment.
This argument won't likely work on an anti-2a, but for people that could flip a coin either way, or who just haven't been around guns this could be a good answer.
Good luck to you.

[tskin]

My 3 year old can answer this one. When I asks him "why does daddy have a gun?" His response is "to protect ourself." That's my boy!!!!

[TopDog]

This is an easy one. Because I choose not to be a victim.

I know people here in Indiana (a state where it is very easy to get a LTCH) that have become semi-professional victims (been robbed more than once) and have not taken advantage of their right to bear arms. So they remain willing victims in my eyes.