"Why I Carry"

[SPG]

A pass along from another list I thought we would like. SPG


My grandpa said to me:



"Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles,
and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass-whoopin'.

I don't carry a gun to kill people.

I carry a gun to keep myself 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.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.

I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.

I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating
myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.

I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on
a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.

I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I'd like to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.

I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones
they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.

I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.

I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to
me



"Police Protection" is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police cannot be everywhere, and I mean no disrespect.

Police cannot totally protect you from crime; they investigate the crime
after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess, like the
funeral home or the county prosecutor.



Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass-whoopin'.



..author unknown

 

[x-frog-22]

Nice....pretty much my feelings

 

[45collector]

Hit the nail right on the head. I'm saving that one.

 

[FunYun]

I don't carry a gun because I love it.

Thats a lie.

I'm attracted to firearms like women are attracted to diamonds.


OOHHHH, shinny!

 

[clinotus]

I dont need a reason to carry.

 

[seanc]

How about this..
Life, Liberty and the Persuit of Happiness.
pretty much sums it up for me..

 

[Tooth]

I don't have my ltc yet.
Because this state does not follow the law of the constitution I have to wait 40 days.

 

[Yelena]

Hmm... If I get my carry permit, I don't kow if I will actually carry a gun with me everywhere. But I certainly will enjoy buying guns without waiting perod and having a legal right to eat out after a day at the range!

 

[BoB13]

Excellent.

There's one for the mASS Libs.

 

[pernox]

Hmm... If I get my carry permit, I don't kow if I will actually carry a gun with me everywhere. But I certainly will enjoy buying guns without waiting perod and having a legal right to eat out after a day at the range!

It's funny, I never saw myself carrying everywhere, but it's gotten to the point now (in very short order) where I feel naked NOT carrying; picking my daughter up from school, for instance. I even tuck the holstered P6 into my waistband or coat pocket just to take the dog out back to relieve herself.

 

[Carguy]

+1 with your grandfather.

I carry a gun because I can...and all of the above!

 

[Sleepytime]

About a month ago I was followed into a Mobile Gas Station by a Statey. As the question mark rose over my head, I exited my truck. He politely said that the reason he followed me in was because I had been traveling in the left lane for more than a mile and the left lane is for passing and there was no-one but me on that stretch of rt 20 at that time (1:00ish in the morning). He asked for my license. I gave it to him. He then asked if I had any weapons on me. Well, I paused for a second and considered the question. I had my .38 derringer in my pocket. I knew I had no outstanding tickets or warrents so there would be no reason to perform a search. I did tell him that I was carrying and then produced my LTC-A.

The reason I paused was because I didn't know what his reaction would be. Would he become overly cautious, pat me down and make a scene? Would he cuff and stuff me and rip apart my truck?

I didn't want to lie and say no in case the unforseeable were to happen, like he mistakes me for someone else, the wrong info comes back when he checks... etc.

Anyways, he goes back to his car with both my licenses. Comes back and gives them to me. He then asks why I am carrying. My reply was simply, 'because I drive home at 1:00 in the morning and you never know what can happen'. To which he says (a little sarcastically), "Yeah, gotta watch out for the crazies."

I have a clean record (which he obviously saw). That should tell him that I am a responsible citizen. I was a little taken back by his comment. I'm not watching out for the crazy people, I'm watching out for the criminals that might try and make me a victim. The are many times that I am the only one at the pumps of that gas station. Most of the time I only see a clerk appear to push the button on the register to start the pump, then they walk to another part of the store with only the cameras watching me.

The way I see it, I don't wear my seatbelt because I am out looking to get into an accident, I wear it in the event an accident happens. Same thing applies to me carrying. I carry to prevent myself from becoming another statistic.


I wonder what the cop woulf have done if I flipped the question on him?

 

[seanc]

Would it be an appropriate response to counter the officer with,
" I carry a firearm for exactly the same reason that you do". ??

 

[JonJ]

Would it be an appropriate response to counter the officer with,
" I carry a firearm for exactly the same reason that you do". ??

No. Because his likely follow up would be, "Oh, you're a cop too?"

 

[Garys]

If anyone asked me, I'd just say "For All Lawful Purposes". That's what my LTC says, so it must be true.

 

[mikem317]

I don't have my ltc yet.
Because this state does not follow the law of the constitution I have to wait 40 days.

Move to Vermont or Alaska. I hope by the time I get to New Hampshire they're gun laws mirror those of these two states.

If anyone asked me, I'd just say "For All Lawful Purposes". That's what my LTC says, so it must be true.

That or "none of your damned business."

 

[seanc]

No. Because his likely follow up would be, "Oh, you're a cop too?"

I'd like to give the police a bit more credit in the cognitive reasoning department. But, you may be right.
It seems to me that the issuance of a badge and funny hat does not give anyone more or different justification to use deadly force to protect their life than any other.

I know that I am just "little people", one of the great unwashed and a civilian given to fantastic ideals of equality and one justice for all.

 

[Old Glory]

He asked for my license. I gave it to him. He then asked if I had any weapons on me. Well, I paused for a second and considered the question.

Same thing happened to me. I was not carrying but he saw my LTC when I handed over my license. He asked if I had any firearms in the car. I told him I did not. He just walked away. I always wondered what would have happened if I did.

 

[SPG]

Up from the cellar of NES

 

[Roof gunner]

A pass along from another list I thought we would like. SPG


My grandpa said to me:



"Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles,
and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass-whoopin'.

I don't carry a gun to kill people.

I carry a gun to keep myself 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.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.

I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.

I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating
myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.

I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on
a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.

I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I'd like to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.

I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones
they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.

I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.

I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to
me



"Police Protection" is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police cannot be everywhere, and I mean no disrespect.

Police cannot totally protect you from crime; they investigate the crime
after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess, like the
funeral home or the county prosecutor.



Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass-whoopin'.



..author unknown

 

[Roof gunner]

A pass along from another list I thought we would like. SPG


My grandpa said to me:



"Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles,
and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass-whoopin'.

I don't carry a gun to kill people.

I carry a gun to keep myself 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.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.

I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.

I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating
myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.

I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on
a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.

I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I'd like to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.

I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones
they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.

I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.

I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to
me



"Police Protection" is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police cannot be everywhere, and I mean no disrespect.

Police cannot totally protect you from crime; they investigate the crime
after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess, like the
funeral home or the county prosecutor.



Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass-whoopin'.



..author unknown

Excellent !!

 

[AHM]

About a month ago I was followed into a Mobile Gas Station by a Statey. As the question mark rose over my head, I exited my truck. He politely said that the reason he followed me in was because I had been traveling in the left lane for more than a mile and the left lane is for passing and there was no-one but me on that stretch of rt 20 at that time (1:00ish in the morning).

Here's the police perspective:

"At 1AM I encountered a motorist camping in the left lane of US 20. The driver had such poor situational awareness that when I followed him to a filling station he evinced surprise that he had been tailed for over a mile by a police cruiser on an otherwise deserted highway. I used his failure to keep right as a pretext to evaluate his sobriety."​

He asked for my license. I gave it to him. He then asked if I had any weapons on me. Well, I paused for a second and considered the question. I had my .38 derringer in my pocket. I knew I had no outstanding tickets or warrents so there would be no reason to perform a search. I did tell him that I was carrying and then produced my LTC-A.

"I asked the subject if he was carrying any weapons, in case his response indicated enough risk that he was armed and dangerous to justify a Terry frisk. He confirmed that he was armed with a deadly weapon, but my personal judgment was that his possession of a Mass LTC-A and initial demeanor did not demand that I ensure my personal safety via a pat-down, and/or a protective search of the passenger compartment at that time."​

The reason I paused was because I didn't know what his reaction would be. Would he become overly cautious, pat me down and make a scene? Would he cuff and stuff me and rip apart my truck?

I didn't want to lie and say no in case the unforseeable were to happen, like he mistakes me for someone else, the wrong info comes back when he checks... etc.

I of course reserved the right to frisk the subject if a database search revealed past incidences. (Or if I just felt like it).​

Anyways, he goes back to his car with both my licenses. Comes back and gives them to me. He then asks why I am carrying. My reply was simply, 'because I drive home at 1:00 in the morning and you never know what can happen'. To which he says (a little sarcastically), "Yeah, gotta watch out for the crazies."

The subject did not display red, glassy eyes or answer with slurred speech,
so I did not administer a field sobriety test.​

Well, you've done me a personal service sharing this tale.
I never thought to memorize a pat answer crafted
to defuse the situation if some trooper wants to (say) hint that
he doesn't think "civilians" should be allowed to have guns.
That's a contingency worth mulling over.

You got off with a warning, but if you scored enough rhetorical points,
you might have earned an instant upgrade to a moving violation.

But if you drive that stretch a lot, and he works 3rd shift enough,
he will see you coming. If you speed, or drift over the line,
(or camp out in the left lane again), he may not think you're drunk,
but next time you may get a ticket.

But I think the big take-aways are:

• You can be frisked with much less pretext than you seem to realize.

-and-​

• If you lie about carrying, or don't speak up in a need-to-inform state;
and then get outed via a frisk (or database search),
you're gonna have a really bad time. (Even worse than keeping your mouth shut in a
no-need-to-inform state when you haven't been asked about guns, and then getting caught).​

I wonder what the cop woulf have done if I flipped the question on him?

He would have asked for your NES screen name, LOL.

P. S. You're lucky it was US 20.
If you were left-lane camping on Rt. 2,
this guy totally would have cited you:

 

[devldog131]

I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.

Or...

Because I'm too young to die, but too old to run.

 

[Peicemaker]

I carry a gun because: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Its my right. I don't need any damn reason.