How do you justify carrying?

[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.

 

[Glock Lover]

I say..watch the evening news. Nuf Said.

 

[Indianajeff]

I refuse to let myself, family or others fall prey to the worthless scum that drains our society.

 

[Joe Williams]

Because it is my right and duty to protect my family and myself, and to be prepared for emergencies. We are prepared for several types of emergencies, such as floods, blizzards, tornados, widespread illness, etc., that could place us in a position of having to be self sufficient for a number of days. We are prepared for emergencies in the car, such as breaking down in an isolated area or being caught in a storm that could require us to be self sufficient for several days. All of the above have happened to people in the past, and will happen again in the future. Every single year in this country, there are disasters that leave people on their own for a period of time. Some of the tools used to meet those needs are extra food, water, warmth, medication, etc. Every single day, innocent people are attacked by criminals, innocent people who are on their own for a period of time. By the time police arrive, it will be too late. Criminal acts are just one more emergency every self sufficient person should be prepared for, and handguns are one of the tools used to meet that need. And they are used by law abiding citizens to fight off a criminal attack roughly two million times every year, most often without a shot having to be fired.

As for the other question, I have twice as civilian been in situations that required me to pull a gun to protect myself. Once in my home, once in my workplace. In neither instance did it become necessary to fire.

 

[LPMan59]

ever been to the southside of muncie or W38th St in indy?

 

[INGunGuy]

It levels the playing field in defending myself or my family from a bad guy...

INGunGuy

 

[techres]

Good question!

1. I will never forget being mugged at knifepoint. That alone would be enough.

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.

3. Scouts taught me to "be prepared", and so I am. That alone would be enough.

4. I exercise a fundamental right every day. How about you? That alone would be enough.

5. I have kids and plan to live for them, perhaps even kill for them, but have no plans to die in front of them. That alone would be enough.


Any of the above would be enough. All of them together though is more than enough to want me to carry this uncomfortable, socially awkward, legally difficult, and occasionally constraining piece of metal and plastic with me every single day.

And if I am lucky, I will never need it. But if I ever do...

 

[redneckmedic]

Because I'm an arrogent cowboy with a power trip who chooses not to be a victim.

 

[PatMcGroyne]

'Appearance of evil'

....because I look scruffy in a beard. Good enough for anyone's question. I carried a side-arm for 399 days in Viet Nam, never took it off to sleep or bathe, except for my R&R to China Beach. I am comfortable knowing -- 1. I use it safely. 2. It is my friend. 3. Luck favors the well-prepared. Pat

 

[Mike H]

I carry a weapon "because I can". enuf said.

 

[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]

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.

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.