Packin'

[Doctor Phibes]

If I lived or worked somewhere where I felt so insecure that I felt the need to carry a gun, I'd go live or work somewhere else.

[Mik]

There is a big difference between scared and prepared.

[Jolly]

@Mik said in Packin':

Given recent history I think carrying in church is not a bad idea.

Been doing it for years.

But I'm depending on the guy playing guitar. He packs a bigger gun than I do.

[taiwan_girl]

@Mik said in Packin':

There is a big difference between scared and prepared.

Well, A person is prepared because they are scared somethings going to happen.

“Scared” is probably too strong a word. If you are not afraid of something happening, you will not feel the need to prepare for it.

Maybe concerned is a better word than scared or afraid.

Only one time during my travels have I been in a situation where someone tried to rob me. It actually was in broad daylight in Salvador Brazil. I was walking along taking pictures, and two older teenagers ran up to me and tried to grab my camera. I kind of laughed at first, because I couldn’t believe they were serious. A Argentina guy and his girlfriend were close by, saw what was happening and ran up. The teenagers ran off, but not before one of them tried to shake my hand and tell me he was sorry. . Even then, the next day I went and took some more pictures. Lol

I know this is a “touchy” area, but for me, other than hunting, etc I don’t understand why someone would need to have a gun while just walking around.

[Jolly]

@taiwan_girl said in Packin':

@Mik said in Packin':

There is a big difference between scared and prepared.

Well, A person is prepared because they are scared somethings going to happen.

“Scared” is probably too strong a word. If you are not afraid of something happening, you will not feel the need to prepare for it.

Maybe concerned is a better word than scared or afraid.

Only one time during my travels have I been in a situation where someone tried to rob me. It actually was in broad daylight in Salvador Brazil. I was walking along taking pictures, and two older teenagers ran up to me and tried to grab my camera. I kind of laughed at first, because I couldn’t believe they were serious. A Argentina guy and his girlfriend were close by, saw what was happening and ran up. The teenagers ran off, but not before one of them tried to shake my hand and tell me he was sorry. . Even then, the next day I went and took some more pictures. Lol

I know this is a “touchy” area, but for me, other than hunting, etc I don’t understand why someone would need to have a gun while just walking around.

When you need it, you'll know. My wife has pulled hers twice over the years. Even crazy people understand the business end of a .38.

[taiwan_girl]

@Jolly Again, I am not anti-gun. I have fired a gun at targets, etc But I have never felt concerned enough to have to carry one.

A meteor could fall out of the sky and hit me on the head. But I am not concerned enough to wear some sort super strong head covering that would protect me.

FOR ME AND ONLY ME (and I know everyone has different comfort levels), I am not enough concerned walking out the door, or going to temple/church or other things, that I would be in a situation where I would need a gun (or a gun would help the situation).

[Jolly]

@taiwan_girl said in Packin':

@Jolly Again, I am not anti-gun. I have fired a gun at targets, etc But I have never felt concerned enough to have to carry one.

A meteor could fall out of the sky and hit me on the head. But I am not concerned enough to wear some sort super strong head covering that would protect me.

FOR ME AND ONLY ME (and I know everyone has different comfort levels), I am not enough concerned walking out the door, or going to temple/church or other things, that I would be in a situation where I would need a gun (or a gun would help the situation).

Remember JustMe?

I've wondered if her family tragedy would have been different, if a firearm were in the equation?

[Mik]

TG, I doubt you have the mindset where you would be prepared to use a gun should it be necessary. For that reason you should not carry one. In your hands it would be more of a danger to you than anyone else.

But comparing carrying a weapon to getting hit by a meteor is to deny what you read in the papers every single day.

[taiwan_girl]

@Jolly for sure that was an absolute tragedy. I don’t know if her DIL had a gun or not. Even so, it was a very very very isolated incident. I am not trying to minimize it but I would guess that probably an equal number of people are accidentally killed by a gun in the home as are killed by a random person robbing a house.

@mik I do not deny that bad things happen. My comfort level is high enough that I believe odds are in my favor.

And it is not that I have been “shelter” all my life. For example, I lived in downtown Chicago for two year (if you are familiar with Chicago, by the street intersection of Clark, Broadway, and Diversy ). I never felt unsafe. Of course , I would take precautions. I would not walk around by myself in a short skirt at 2am (or if I did, I made sure there was a big group of people. 555). I did some research before on where I wanted to move. One thing I remember is that in Chicago, something like 75 or 80% of the crimes happen in like 10% of the neighborhoods. I made sure that I was in the other 90% neighborhoods.

Anyway, good discussion.

[Jolly]

The world is full of isolated incidents. Defensive gun use in America is very hard to quantify.

Estimates range from maybe 100,000 to 2,000,000 incidents per year.

[taiwan_girl]

@Jolly good point. There are so many variables, it is hard to say one thing or the other.

In some of the number above, having a gun helped in some situations, in others, it probably hurt.

[Mik]

@Jolly said in Packin':

The world is full of isolated incidents. Defensive gun use in America is very hard to quantify.

Estimates range from maybe 100,000 to 2,000,000 incidents per year.

Is that more or less than meteors?

TG, you can try to negate what he said with 'some helped, some didn't', but the fact is that regardless what you see on TV, when a perp sees a gun drawn or hears a shotgun being racked, he doesn't go all badass on the holder. His mindset changes entirely to 'Oh, shit... how do I get out of this alive?'. It helps. if some perps don't make it out, well, that's too bad for them. Don't live like an animal and you won't likely die like one.

[Jolly]

Let me assure everybody, if you are looking at the business end of a .22, that hole looks like the size of a stovepipe.

[taiwan_girl]

@Mik I agree with you that for me, having a gun would be more hurt than help.

But FOR ME, I just don’t think that having that “fear” in me is something I will ever feel such that I think I need to have a gun.

It really does amaze me though that people feel so concerned that a random person is going to come in to their church or temple and do harm , that they need to have a gun when they go inside. That just boggle my mind.

[Mik]

Again, you misunderstand the mindset of those who carry. It's not fear. Its acknowledgement of the world we live in and preparedness for any eventuality, to the point one can.

[Jolly]

@taiwan_girl said in Packin':

@Mik I agree with you that for me, having a gun would be more hurt than help.

But FOR ME, I just don’t think that having that “fear” in me is something I will ever feel such that I think I need to have a gun.

It really does amaze me though that people feel so concerned that a random person is going to come in to their church or temple and do harm , that they need to have a gun when they go inside. That just boggle my mind.

Then you may be hurt, raped or killed, depending on the circumstances. Guns are not a panacea. They will not magically protect you, especially not without training and situational awareness.

Tell me...What would you do, if you knew you had a person who had visited your church/temple/mosque and that person was a combat veteran who was having mental issues? A guy who you knew had weapons at his house?

[taiwan_girl]

@Mik @Jolly

As I said before, maybe “fear” is too strong a word. A better word might be “concerned”. And there are different levels of concern.

If The person is not concerned something is going to happen, they are not going to prepare for it.

I’m NOT concerned that a meteor is going to fall on my head, so I will not do any preparation for it.

I AM concerned when I get in the car, but if I get in an accident, I could be injured. So, I will prepare for it by wearing a safety belt, etc.

I have a very very MINOR concerns when I go out in my every day life and walk down the street. For my concern, my Preparation will be that I will not wear expensive jewelry. I will not carry a big amount of cash in my hand where people will see it.

My concern is quite small that a random person will jump out at me. My preparation is knowing my area, using common sense, and if necessary, avoiding the area.

FOR ME, If my concerns are so great that I feel I need to have a gun just to go out for a walk or go to church, then I am probably living in the wrong place . Again, that is just FOR ME.

[Jolly]

There some people, some very good people, that don't have a lot of choice in where they must live. There are dangers in life you sometimes can't avoid.

Cooper's color codes:

[Jolly]

Also remember another of Colonel Cooper's sayings, If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.

[brenda]

Jolly, if she wouldn't mind you sharing, what were the situations when your wife pulled out her gun?

I don't carry, but I have considered it over the years, even while I was in grad school (a very creepy guy was following me nearly every day.)