Yes, and those are reasonable precautions. I am retired military and have been around guns my entire life, and have had a permit to carry in my home state for decades, I never do–I have the permit solely because in Virginia if you conceal a loaded firearm in your car, it is a crime unless you have a concealed carry permit. As I hunt and frequently transport guns, I did not want to run the risk of charges if I left a gun loaded while I was moving it from one location to another.
There is not a significant risk in my life or most normal people’s lives of needing to use lethal force for defense purposes.
Casual carry also promotes lawlessness and violent overreactions to events, and has led to many deaths.
I had to do some searching of some old emails, but I found it and that was back in January 2011.
Well, many people disagree with you and don’t feel the need for you to run their lives.
But if you have an opinion to convey it might go over better if you didn’t resort to insults, name calling, and insinuations. To turn a phrase, “You catch more flies with honey than with being an old crank.”
I’ve not called anyone in this thread names or insulted them. I don’t respect casual carry and think it is unwise, but I have not directed an insult at anyone here. It is entirely in bounds to mock, deride, and generally condescend to a class of people (but not individual Dopers) who are obsessed over guns, “defending themselves”, apocalypse preppers etc. They’re all just shades of unwell people who are replacing voids in their life with the false security of a gun.
Well, the department can certainly prohibit them from carrying department issued firearms off duty. But not their own. This issue came up with some part-time officers I knew whose departments wouldn’t allow part-timers to carry off duty. A discussion with the attorney generals office made the chief of that agency realize he did not have the authority to have that policy.
This reminds me of the time I was waiting for my Southbound train to take me to Grand Central at rush hour, and we were all treated to the BLAM BLAM BLAM of gunshots on the incoming Northbound train. It’s a fucking miracle that nobody was dumped onto the SB track by the crowd moving away from the shots, or trampled by people trying to get outta Dodge.
That miracle was probably helped by the fact that nobody was waving a gun around in the middle of the crowd trying to “help”, and there were no followup shots by another armed person trying to “help”.
Whatever argument one has to support concealed carry, a crowded Subway is one of the worst possible places to use a firearm.
That’s precisely my point. With my military service I feel comfortable in my handling of firearms, but I never had to deal with a scenario like a crowded subway train and station. If I were to have a concealed firearm in that scenario I’m pretty sure the only likely reason I would draw my weapon is if the shooter was aiming at me.
But what of any “hero” like people that may be there? They may think, I’m armed and I’m going to take down this jerk. And without thinking who is behind their target as they sight in, next think you know there are many other innocent bystanders in the lines of fire. Just great.
That is why I advocate extensive training and proficiency standards for CCW licenses.
Y’know, I was under the impression that part of living in civilized society was NOT having to be constantly at the ready to fight to the death.
I mean, I’m fine with someone who has been verifiably trained and background-checked carrying if they do choose, but that is what it is, a choice. I do not feel either choice is inherently more moral or wiser than the other.
I wouldn’t trust the people who verify. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Several years back, Texas still had requirements for a concealed license, which included being certified on a range and background checked. The moment I lost what little trust I had in any such system was when I saw an instructor (who was an off-duty LEO and openly advertised for the NRA) ‘guide’ a senior citizen whose hands were shaking so badly he could hardly load his weapon, much less hit a paper target not 3 feet in front of him. He was a bigger danger to himself and to bystanders than to any hypothetical assailant but still ‘passed’ the requirements.
I remember when I first learned about this:
The OneBox is the TL:DR.
Do I think this is inherently wrong ? I can’t say that. But I found it shocking and unsurprising.