Why do you carry?

...because I was in a situation where I was genuinely fearful for my life once, a long way out in the woods, and had no way of defending myself. I resolved right then and there to never be in that position again and I got my permit and have carried daily since then. That incident was probably twenty years ago.
 
Yet another four legged violator of my subjective, split second interpretation of the 21 Foot Rule, yesterday. Full speed at me, not just standing there, blatantly displaying menacing posture. I had to yank, but I did not crank, because the threat stopped its charge 15 feet from me, thus avoiding being stopped with a tiny amount of time to go. I was the third person to telephone local law enforcement in two minutes to report this threat. They conveyed their concern about my yanking on average of once every 5.5 months, which for me translates into 1,000 miles in my towns' single family residential neighborhoods. I told them that I am not a factor in how often people allow their guard dogs to roam at large on the street to ambush menace people. If once every 52 years, then I will respond appropriately to the threat once every 52 years. If it is 52 times per year, then I will reasonably respond to the threat 52 times per year.
 
richbuff said:
Yet another four legged violator of my subjective, split second interpretation of the 21 Foot Rule, yesterday. Full speed at me, not just standing there, blatantly displaying menacing posture. I had to yank, but I did not crank, because the threat stopped its charge 15 feet from me, thus avoiding being stopped with a tiny amount of time to go. I was the third person to telephone local law enforcement in two minutes to report this threat. They conveyed their concern about my yanking on average of once every 5.5 months, which for me translates into 1,000 miles in my towns' single family residential neighborhoods. I told them that I am not a factor in how often people allow their guard dogs to roam at large on the street to ambush menace people. If once every 52 years, then I will respond appropriately to the threat once every 52 years. If it is 52 times per year, then I will reasonably respond to the threat 52 times per year.
Click to expand...

Where do you live? Detroit?
 
1. I can't afford a full time bodyguard.
2. I enjoy the company of Mrs. Smith and her 5 little children.
3. Like Iggy, I'm too stiff and sore to run and too old to fight,
but I can if I have to.
 
Everyone that can legally carry should, because laws & LEO only deter crime not prevent it. Only the victim can truely prevent the crime committed against them.
 
This case is new enough to have a lot of information about it on the interweb. Do you have more details, such as a city and county, so we can search for it?

Bob Thorton said:
Case in point a couple years back in a few towns over from me. 72 year old man shot and killed a 65 year old man .380 a.c.p., shoot him 4x because as he said he kept coming at him. He did the right thing, the name of the game is to stop the threat. But the prosecutor was able to paint a picture to the jury that he used 'excessive force'.

He was found guilty.
When the Judge sentence him he told him I hate to do this but my hands are tied.
He gave him 25 to life. Will he do all of that doubtful, but there is a good chance he will die in prison.

On the very next day the courts allowed the victims family to sue him for everything he owns, so that even if he gets a new trial on appeal and gets out he will no longer have his home.
Click to expand...
 
Muss Muggins said:
I'll agree with you to a point, but there's lots of people around the Trail of Tears in these parts that take great pride in claiming to be at least 1/7th Cherokee . . .
Click to expand...

That would be from ONE of thier SEVEN grandparents?

Pitcher Nolan Ryan said that his heart problems were heredetary noting that his STEP-FATHER had similar issues.
 
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The issue with many, many people that ccw, they truly have no idea what they are doing. Many states require zero training or even a basic going over of the laws of self defense. If you are shooting an unarmed person that is advancing on you in most states, you are going to jail. Raw fear is never a reason to shoot someone. That is what makes the burden so heavy for all of us that carry, understanding that you have to be 100% correct before pulling the trigger. Furtive gesture aint getting it done.
 
Bob Thorton said:
I'm searching now, I'll post what I find. It should be in the local newspapers archives.


Here's what I could find.

Merrill Kimball sentenced to 25 years in bee farm killing - Portland Press Herald
Click to expand...

I have always told people NOT to get in petty arguments. This was not a case of a robber, raper, home invader getting shot. This was two people who knew each other, did not like each other, who got into a heated exchange of words.

He may have been justified, but he was downright ignorant to get into a verbal fist to cuffs. As soon as someone raises their voice to me over the years I have just separated myself from them. Especially work, or family.

fredj338 said:
The issue with many, many people that ccw, they truly have no idea what they are doing. Many states require zero training or even a basic going over of the laws of self defense. If you are shooting an unarmed person that is advancing on you in most states, you are going to jail. Raw fear is never a reason to shoot someone. That is what makes the burden so heavy for all of us that carry, understanding that you have to be 100% correct before pulling the trigger. Furtive gesture aint getting it done.
Click to expand...

ODD, in the states that have constitutional carry I have seen no states that support your claim.
 
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Thanks. It's always hard to make an assessment from a news report, but on the face of it, things look bad for the defendant (notwithstanding the guilty verdict). On a semi unrelated note, this quote could be used in any number of self defense threads . . .

"Kimball told police immediately after the shooting that he fired his gun after Kelley, who was 6-foot-4 and outweighed him by more than 100 pounds, shoved him repeatedly and forced him to retreat 35 feet. Kimball, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, then drew his .380-caliber pistol and fired three times.

Kelley was pronounced dead at Maine Medical Center in Portland. The state medical examiner who conducted the autopsy said any of the three shots could have killed Kelley."

Bob Thorton said:
I'm searching now, I'll post what I find. It should be in the local newspapers archives.


Here's what I could find.

Merrill Kimball sentenced to 25 years in bee farm killing - Portland Press Herald
Click to expand...
 
Yep. I still get grief from some folks. I always answer their snarky question about my carrying like this: "Do you wear a seat belt?" They always say "yes". I ask - "been in a car accident?" Mostly they say "no". "Well there you go. I've never needed my gun either."
 
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"Why do you need that?"

If you have to ask, you won't understand. Everyone needs to find the answer within themselves, or not. I don't believe any other person can convince or persuade a gun into (or out of) your hand; it's something you must decide for yourself.
 
I carry because it is my right, guaranteed by the US Constitution, more specifically by the bill of rights.

Thomas Jefferson summed it up best: "A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."

The rights enumerated in the first ten amendments are not rights given by the government. The bill of rights does not grant rights. It recognizes rights inherent in our being citizens.

I also carry because it is my responsibility to protect myself and my family because I refuse to abdicate this responsibility to a government and recognize that the government cannot be everywhere at every time. And, this comes from a person who, next month, will have been a continuously sworn law enforcement officer for 40 years.
 
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