Okay, so how do YOU answer when asked, "Why...?"

Because i enjoy being alive....

This is my answer -
"I carry because it is natural for me, appropriate for me, and in fact required of me to seek the tools that enhance my ability to carry out my in-born duty as a man - to protect those around me first, and myself second."
At that point I like to ask the person (if it's a man) "The question is, why don't YOU carry?"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by limatunes

This is exactly what I wrote on the matter in this post a few weeks ago....


An old school friend commented on one of my pictures of me doing a Yoga pose with my Glock 19 strapped to my hip. After confirming that it was, indeed, a gun, she asked, "Why?"

This is not a stupid or ignorant question. Often, when I see people ask this question I watch the responses from my fellow gun toters and I have to cringe at how defensive, sarcastic and sometimes flat out mean they can be.

"Why" is not only NOT a stupid question it is a fantastic question. It is the mother load of all questions and one of the founding questions for knowledge, betterment and furthering in understanding.

Some "why" questions can be answered by science or reason or math or faith. But the answer to "Why carry a gun?" is as unique as the person being asked. One thing all questions of "why" have in common that they are all worthy of serious consideration and an honest appraisal by the person doing the answering. After all, in our cases, we might have to answer that question in court some day so we might as well have our serious (and non-flippant) answer ready to be given.

The reasons people carry guns are vast. Sometimes it springs from past evils and people carry to protect against a future revisitation of evil. At times the news of evil visited on others is enough to make people aware of the potential for harm and so they arm themselves. Other times there is a clear threat that frightens someone into being armed. For others still it's nothing more than an exercise in their constitutional rights.

Upon seeing this simple word, "Why" and question mark I decided to reexamine my own personal reasons for being armed and to give my own personal answer to the question posed to me.

Truth be told, I've answered this question a million times in a million different ways but when all the chaff and dust is blown away it all comes down to one word with enormous weight: responsibility.

I, and I alone, am responsible for my life.

I was taught to take responsibility for my actions (good or bad), my things, my money, my body, my diet, my health. I sometimes think we forget to teach our children to take responsibility for their own safety (when they can physically, morally, mentally, emotionally and legally do so). I certainly wasn't taught that. It was something I had to learn on my own.

When I was young my parents used to tell me, "Stay in public. Public places are safe." The idea was that other people would intervene and that bad people are less inclined to act in public. Like all very dangerous concepts, this one has smatterings of truth in that people COULD intervene (if they choose to do so) and attackers COULD be less likely to attack in public though we are all seeing how brazen attackers are being these days.

The fact of the matter is that I could be beaten to death in the middle of the street with dozens of witnesses watching and they can all go home at the end of the day and justify the reasons they didn't get involved and probably live a long life with nothing more to say about the incident than, "Wow, it was awful. I saw the whole thing. Someone should have saved that poor girl but I couldn't because..." insert excuse here. And I wouldn't blame them. Seriously, I wouldn't. Because it's not their responsibility to save me. I am capable, healthy, sane, whole and there is no reason why anyone would have to take responsibility for me when I am capable of doing it myself. If they choose to get involved it's out of the kindness of their heart.

My life is not even the responsibility of police officers. A police officer has every right to look at a situation, evaluate that it is too much for him to handle alone and wait in the wings for backup to arrive while he watches a brutal crime being committed. He has no legal responsibility for me.

There are people for whom others willingly take responsibility, of course. Young children, whom are under the responsibility of their parents for protection and guidance until they can do it themselves; the elderly, who may be incapable or the mentally defective or disabled; we choose to share the responsibility for their lives and it is a noble thing for us to do. Being a mother I know personally what a wonderful responsibility children are. I welcome it as I welcome the responsibility of my marriage and keeping myself and my heart for my husband and even in sharing in the responsibility of his life as he does for me. These are not burdens as much as they are joys but they are GREAT responsibilities.

Sadly, some governments try to take the responsibility of safety away from their citizenry when they simply cannot fulfill the burden of that responsibility by the fact that there will never be a suitable ratio to protect everyone or the ability to fulfill every need.

Sadder still is that some people shirk their responsibilities by choice. People choose not to care for their elderly family. They abandon the ill or even their own children. They walk away from their marriages. They blame others for their actions. They blame McDonalds for getting fat. They blame the government for their poor spending habits. They blame the police for failing to protect them when things go south. They blame everyone but themselves because they believe it will some how assuage them of the penalties of those responsibilities. I mean, who wants to pay their credit card bills when you can blame the credit card companies and try to make a settlement? Who wants to pay the speeding ticket when you can blame the poorly placed sign?

But in the world of carrying a gun, the responsibilities reach into life and death, literally. Who really WANTS to weigh the weight of a human life? Who really WANTS to take that life? Who really WANTS to sit there at night and wonder if there could have been any way, ANY WAY, to have not have had to do what was done? Who WANTS to think about the family of a life they took in favor of their own? Who wants that?

I don't. I really and truly don't. And so I truly understand the compulsion of others to throw off that responsibility on others. The gravity of responsibility of armed safety is one that I considered deeply and that I have felt with an almost physical weight. It is heavy because IT IS the responsibility of life itself and I would be lying if I said there weren't times I wanted to force that responsibility on others as well. Anyone who has TRULY considered what they are taking on by being an armed citizen should be humbled by such a responsibility.

But I can't ask someone else to take responsibility for what, by nature, is mine and mine alone. I certainly can't.. won't ask someone else to make those kind of decisions for me. To ask someone else to bear the burdens of deciding life and death in my stead when it is my life on the line would be irresponsible of me. This is my life. I am responsible for it and that includes making those tough decisions for myself, my safety and what I need to do to protect myself and my life. It also means accepting the penalties of those decisions whether they be legal or emotional. And, for me, it means arming myself so that I have a better chance of continuing to fulfill my other responsibilities as a wife and mother and daughter and sister and friend.

And with that comes a further responsibility to be trained in the use of my firearm so that I can be safe and competent should I need it (God forbid).

Yes, there are those who have chosen to take on the responsibility of other people's safety when they can and I thank God for them. Law enforcement, military.. their sacrifice and dedication to people who are unwilling or unable to take on the responsibility of their own lives and safety is commendable. I honor them. But they can't be everywhere and, no matter how devoted, none of them will ever care as much about me and my life and my safety as I can and do.

Other brave souls can't always be here, I can. They can't make some of the decisions that I must, so I will. They can't protect me, so I am protecting myself.

---

Wow. Nicely said.

I carry because when seconds count the cops are only minutes away. Then I asked them if they have ever seen the cops get to a crime scene when it is happening. The cops always get there in time to clean up the bodies. And that is not a rant against the cops, I support them 100% but it's just a fact of life and death. I may go down but I won't go down without a fight and I'll do my best to take a few with me.

Nobody that knows would ask that question.





*concealed*

I havent yet been outed but in that situation, I see no reason to give a 'legitimate' excuse. I dont care to give an excuse at all. So something appropriate would be, to diffuse the situation and leave, "because a cop is too heavy." Probably most antis havent heard that one.

It's my little secret, my own family doesn't know. If they did happen to ask I would just tell them "I cant" (Carry Always Never Tell)

"Need" typically indicates a choice, option, or desire.

My response is "In case I HAVE to shoot someone."

There is a small group of family and friends that know I carry. Most understand why. The few who don't are all family members. It's not that they are anti gun or anti carry. They are apathetic to the whole idea. No one has ever asked me why outside of that small group.

I have had many discussions on the matter with people. I usually bring up the subject after feeling them out. Most every one I have spoke to agree it's a good idea. Unfortunately it doesn't become a priority with them and they just drop the whole idea a few weeks later.

Since I don't have any gun related stickers on my car, or wear gun related hats or tee shirts or dress like a mall ninja, I don't expect to ever be asked by a stranger. My weapon is concealed.

You don't?(looking perplexed)

I've been carrying for 30 odd years and only once have I been asked that question, he was from OH, I told him "for protection". I replied in a way to make him feel like "why would you ask?".

Another reason I carry is because of my Grandfather. When I was 16 (the late 70s) he told me as soon as I turn 18 to get my license, I am an American and it was my God given right to be able to carry, "their are a lot of bad people in this world" he told me. He carried a lot with a S&W K-22.

Ever since, I have had my license when ever I could and I have carried. Now all my friends have their license and carry most of the time.

The only time I have ever been asked why I carry a firearm was early on when I first started carrying years ago. It was a friend and I actually brought up the subject by showing off my new concealed permit and my choice for a carry gun. Don't even remember my response back then, but one thing I know now; the subject just doesn't come up outa the blue, therefore I have no need for a response. I'm not trying to be facetious, just honest. The way I look at it is simply this, if you're not with Law Enforcement, and I don't know you personally as a fellow firearms enthusiast, you have no right to question my reasoning for carrying a firearm at any time. I carry my defense tools concealed and I'm darn good at it, so if you have somehow made me and decide to ask me such a personal question, you'll most likely be met with a sarcastic response for outing me and trying to put me under the microscope.:wink:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Walk Soft

You don't?(looking perplexed)

---

I like this :smile:

The few people that know, understand. I don't think anybody has ever felt the need to ask me why.

Partly, being tiny and female it might just be kinda obvious that I wouldn't have much chance fighting someone off without some kind of weapon, and "everyone" knows tiny females are optimum targets for rape and crime, right??? (I don't think it's entirely true though, doing stupid things with stupid people in stupid places has a LOT more to do with it than physical size, but it's just something that "everyone knows" right :P)

Never asked. No one knows.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tala

The few people that know, understand. I don't think anybody has ever felt the need to ask me why.

Partly, being tiny and female it might just be kinda obvious that I wouldn't have much chance fighting someone off without some kind of weapon, and "everyone" knows tiny females are optimum targets for rape and crime, right??? (I don't think it's entirely true though, doing stupid things with stupid people in stupid places has a LOT more to do with it than physical size, but it's just something that "everyone knows" right :P)

---

I like this too!