Happiness is a Worn Gun-A Liberal Democrat and His Permit to Carry: Harper's Mag.

[EdC]

Here's another interesting article with some perspectives and observations on carrying a gun from a self professed liberal Democrat who likes guns, and the sees the usefulness of concealed carry.

http://harpers.org/archive/2010/08/0083063

There's also a radio interview with the author, as well:

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/ku....is.a.Worn.Gun

In the end, he gave up carrying because, and I'm summarizing his thoughts, didn't like being in "Condition Orange" all the time. It's a decent read and I've listened to about 1/2 the interview.

He's pretty adamant that it's not the Bay Area of Ca. that's the most liberal enclave in the U.S. He says that title belongs to Boulder, CO.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[VTFatBa*d]

If you have access to the article, perhaps you can copy and paste the content into this thread. Folks without an account with Harpers won't be able to read it at the link you posted.

[ctsketch]

If you have access to the article, perhaps you can copy and paste the content into this thread. Folks without an account with Harpers won't be able to read it at the link you posted.

lets not make this site go the way or The Armed Citizen,...

[JXONE]

If you have access to the article, perhaps you can copy and paste the content into this thread. Folks without an account with Harpers won't be able to read it at the link you posted.

+1 What he said

[ccw9mm]

If you have access to the article, perhaps you can copy and paste the content into this thread. Folks without an account with Harpers won't be able to read it at the link you posted.

But then, Harper's has accounts and subscriptions for a reason. (Copyright and all, of which some recent posts by folks have reminded us all.)

[EdC]

If you have access to the article, perhaps you can copy and paste the content into this thread. Folks without an account with Harpers won't be able to read it at the link you posted.

OOPS! My fault. I bought a copy of the magazine I saw at the grocery, and then just saw the pages on the link. Didn't read the part where you need a subscription. Youse are right, and I don't want to violate the copyright. Sorry about that. Give a listen to the interview, though, if you like. From what I've listened to so far, he talks a lot about what's in the article, and some callers raise some good issues. I'll see what can be done about the article, within the law, of course.

[GM]

If you have access to the article, perhaps you can copy and paste the content into this thread. Folks without an account with Harpers won't be able to read it at the link you posted.

Remember that something called “Copyright” exists. That was a very bad idea .

[ctsketch]

I did happen to find a PDF of the full article using google *cough* *hint* *nudge* *wink* *cough*

[DaveH]

I did happen to find a PDF of the full article using google *cough* *hint* *nudge* *wink* *cough*

Is there any problem, as long as it is just a url to another site -- even if that site is not the copyright holder's site?

IANAL, but I thought posting url was OK.

[Mark IL NM]

Was an interesting read (as a liberal Green Party member with 4 concealed carry permits). His experience of utterly useless CCW classes is not consistent with mine, however...

[ctsketch]

yeah whats with all these people getting crappy CCW classes? mine was great

[n3ss]

Remember that something called “Copyright” exists. That was a very bad idea .

But then, Harper's has accounts and subscriptions for a reason. (Copyright and all, of which some recent posts by folks have reminded us all.)

lets not make this site go the way of The Armed Citizen,...

see:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=fair+use

Also, that magazine website is charging for online content because its part of the dying "old media".

[ctsketch]

see:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=fair+use

Also, that magazine website is charging for online content because its part of the dying "old media".

I'm just saying, right or wrong. the Armed Citizen is still facing a lawsuit it can't afford to fight.

[RickN]

see:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=fair+use

Also, that magazine website is charging for online content because its part of the dying "old media".

Copy/pasting an entire article into this thread, as requested, would not be considered fair use. While there is no set amount or percentage specified by law as OK for copying, using 100% would definitely not be fine.

[shockwave]

The Harper's article by Dan Baum mentions that, at a time when crime was on the increase, it was seemingly natural for states to consider tightening firearms laws...

but Florida’s legislature went the other way. Believing that law-abiding citizens should have the means to defend themselves, it ordered police chiefs to issue any adult a carry permit unless there was good reason to deny it.

Here's an article about Susan Gonzalez, a resident in my city who, with her husband, survived a deadly home invasion attack. They fended off the assailants, mostly, with a .22 Ruger. Doesn't matter if you're liberal or conservative, you can't continue to read about events like this and argue that the Gonzalezes should have been unarmed.

In another story, a Texas woman, alone in her bedroom at 6 am had two punks break into her house - she tagged both of them. The punks tried to claim they were "victims" of a shooting. And, of course, we're all cheering for the Tulsa, OK woman who bagged two thugs after the home invasion turned into a potential rape.

But Baum also has a good point regarding the bogus CHL classes he took:

Both classes were less about self-defense than about recruiting us into a culture animated by fear of violent crime.

It's one thing to be prudent and to take common-sense measures for self-defense. But at some point, there's a line that some people cross where they no longer feel secure unless they have a gun on their person. There's no easy way to draw that line, because we all have different circumstances. However, on gun boards (like this one), there is indeed a culture that obsesses to the point were a person who mows his lawn unarmed is derided, and he who advocates wearing at least 2 guns at home is applauded as having "seen the light."

And this seems to result from a kind of calculus about things like home invasion robberies, such that if one is relaxing at home watching TV and the door is kicked in as armed assailants flood into the home, that one has lost the game. Life is risk, freedom requires a willingness to take risk, and even the best preparation can fail to avert calamity. So there's some point where reasonable precaution drifts into paranoia, and while you can't define that precisely, you know it when you see it.