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THEY GET IT! Why I Carry.

6K views 62 replies 29 participants last post by  gunthorp 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well for the longest time my friends and girlfriend were always like "Why do you want to / need to carry a gun?" They thought it was an attempt at trying to be all macho and the like. Well just the other day this happened in in my front yard.. One of the pictures is an actual shot my balcony. I was coming home from work around 2 in the morning when I rolled up on the police scene and was shocked at what I saw. Aparently my girlfriend, friend and his wife all saw this take place. We used to live in such a nice little college community but in the last few months, it's all gone to crap.
I walk in the door and my girlfriend hugs me and says "Now I know why, I so wished you would have been here....."
 
#3 ·
You are fortunate that they geti it: I guess most of us have very mixed experiences in that regard--I certainly do. (It really doesn't seem very difficult to understand, does it?)

The next step is for your girl friend to figure out the ramifications if you had been there: what to do--other than call the police--is not an easy issue.
 
#5 ·
Hoosier said:
You are fortunate that they geti it: I guess most of us have very mixed experiences in that regard--I certainly do. (It really doesn't seem very difficult to understand, does it?)

The next step is for your girl friend to figure out the ramifications if you had been there: what to do--other than call the police--is not an easy issue.
Well here in michigan we are at no legal obligation to help anyone except ourselves and our families. I would have called the police, and gathered as much info as I could [license plates, descriptions]. Then I'd stay with her.
 
#6 ·
Dunno. In my front yard. I'da had all involved proned out. That ain't gonna happen if I'm there. Too many crimes happen due to apathy/complacency/etc. I won't stand idly by, even if I don't know the people involved.
Not saying you are wrong in your decision to gather info, and don't want to start anything, just that that's not how I would have handled that.
 
#7 ·
san antone rr said:
Dunno. In my front yard. I'da had all involved proned out. That ain't gonna happen if I'm there. Too many crimes happen due to apathy/complacency/etc. I won't stand idly by, even if I don't know the people involved.
Not saying you are wrong in your decision to gather info, and don't want to start anything, just that that's not how I would have handled that.
Here's the thing. I'm no super citizen cop....I carry a weapon to protect myself and my family. I personally think that if you have anything else on your mind other than those 2 things, you should not be carrying.

Besides, if I were to go out there it would be one more headache when the police show up, now there is a firearm in the situation regardless if I draw it. I gather all the info I can making it easier to have the police do their job. I might have even disarmed myself and then went out there to break it up, I'm no small guy - but even that doesn't feel right to me. I've been trained to always carry my gun and to avoid all confrontation unless my life is in danger.

....It's a constant debate, I love it! :smile:
 
#8 ·
You posted that it happened in your yard. That puts it inside my comfort zone and I would be protecting mine. I'm not the type to look for problems and have been carrying for 10 years legally; that's when TX passed the concealed carry law. I'd step in- just me.

That's what is great about this board. We can have differing opinions and be adult enough to agree to disagree.

Carry on with the exchange of info and opinions. It keeps my blood pumping.

Regards.
 
#9 ·
D2, your right, but the biger question is what about what's right? I remember a saying I heard one, "All evil has to do to win is for good men to do nothing."
I don't know what I would have done, I'd like to think I'd have help in some way other than "being a good witness" If things had gotten a bit more out of hand the victim could have been killed.

Just my two cents.
 
#10 ·
As or more important perhaps is that your friends imagine themselves on the receiving end of a possible damaging or life threatening attack - and what if anything they'd be able to do to defend themselves.

Even if a group of big guys was not threatening with a weapon per se - it could still be a situation where presentation of a gun could be construed as justifiable - providing anyone could say honesltly - ''I was in fear of my life".

These doubting people should try and see the ''insurance'' aspect of carry - there ''in case'' and not as a means of provocation or anything macho. Simply excercizing one's innate right to defence of self.

That guy must have been savagely kicked - many times.
 
#11 ·
I could not just watch. Atleast of yelled at em then retreated. Telling em ya called the PD could atleast stop the attack. If a group wants to come after ya after ya retreat , then its their loss.
 
#12 ·
san antone rr said:
You posted that it happened in your yard. That puts it inside my comfort zone and I would be protecting mine. I'm not the type to look for problems and have been carrying for 10 years legally; that's when TX passed the concealed carry law. I'd step in- just me.

That's what is great about this board. We can have differing opinions and be adult enough to agree to disagree.

Carry on with the exchange of info and opinions. It keeps my blood pumping.

Regards.
I live in an apartment building so while it's my front yard, it's not.....make sense? If it were my house, that would definatly not be going down.
 
#13 ·
Back on the original topic- Your family now understand that you don't carry because you see yourself as some kind of Dirty Harry or Wyatt Earp. Sux that they had to see a violent encounter to drive the importance of self defense home, but you can now perhaps introduce her to your firearms and invite her to the range if you haven't yet.
 
#14 ·
Well here in michigan we are at no legal obligation to help anyone except ourselves and our families. I would have called the police, and gathered as much info as I could [license plates, descriptions]. Then I'd stay with her.
One of the really nice things about carrying, is the aftermath. Perhaps they wouldn't like you calling the police, and appearing as a witness in court: but you are not totally at their mercy if they decide to try to do to you what they did to him.

I'm with you on the reaction. To go out into the area of an apartment building--after you've called the police--is frought with too many possibilities.

After all, you are dealing with unarmed men. There is no question that you could shoot if they attacked you, but maybe they wouldn't...exactly. Maybe they would just slowly get closer, leaving you with two options:

- Shoot one or more unarmed men when they were still out of hitting range.

- Wait until they are close enough to rush you and take your gun.

And then, with the police rolling in, you could be shot by them.

Of course, there is the speach from the balcony approach (with visual aides :smile: ) is much more feasible, but still problamatic in view of the fact that the police are on their way. At least, that's how it seems to me...
 
#15 ·
Hoosier said:
One of the really nice things about carrying, is the aftermath. Perhaps they wouldn't like you calling the police, and appearing as a witness in court: but you are not totally at their mercy if they decide to try to do to you what they did to him.

I'm with you on the reaction. To go out into the area of an apartment building--after you've called the police--is frought with too many possibilities.

After all, you are dealing with unarmed men. There is no question that you could shoot if they attacked you, but maybe they wouldn't...exactly. Maybe they would just slowly get closer, leaving you with two options:

- Shoot one or more unarmed men when they were still out of hitting range.

- Wait until they are close enough to rush you and take your gun.

And then, with the police rolling in, you could be shot by them.

Of course, there is the speach from the balcony approach (with visual aides :smile: ) is much more feasible, but still problamatic in view of the fact that the police are on their way. At least, that's how it seems to me...

Right, thank you for your support. There was just too many "what if's" for me [a legally armed citizen] to get involved directly.
 
#17 ·
A group of unarmed men is still a deadly threat. If a peace officer has their weapon drawn, and you continue to advance, what's the officer going to do? He's going to shoot you, because if he gets in a wrestling match with you you could get his gun. Same with an armed citizen.

As for what to do as a bystander at this sort of event, each must make his own decision. What cheques can your body write, and what can you sleep with at night? I know where I stand... and it's not on my balcony yelling at people. Then again, I live in Colorado.
 
#18 ·
There was just too many "what if's" for me [a legally armed citizen] to get involved directly.
:mad:
Here's the thing. I'm no super citizen cop....I carry a weapon to protect myself and my family. I personally think that if you have anything else on your mind other than those 2 things, you should not be carrying.
:mad:

KITTY GENOVESE
 
#19 ·
Miggy said:
:mad:

:mad:

KITTY GENOVESE
My earlier point exactly as well as the one made by Tank. I am not standing idly by while someone does another dirty. I don't walk around like Billy Badass spoiling for a fight, but will I stand there and refrain from intervention simply because the law does not require me to? Nope. I would want someone to help me if I were on the receiving end of that ass whupping, so I do unto as I would have done to me.
 
#20 ·
Could a Would a Should a


Lets get the thread back on track and not Beat up on d2thomas .

1 he wasnt there to make a judgment of what was going on so how can he say he would jump in

2 Guess what he wasnt there

3 I wouldnt say i could jump right in with out being there keyboard commando or not All he has to do is what he thinks is right ya can rip on him becuse

4 HE WASNT THERE ...


Now lets get back on track Not the What If's or I would have done this Becuse it dont matter he wasnt there anyways
 
#21 ·
nothing wrong with d2thomas. He would have made a decision that would ahve kept him home and alive that night. When in doubt,retreat. If ya make it home safe at the end of a day, you did good.
 
#23 ·
Well I wasn't there and neither was d2thomas, so we just have the text to work with. In this case we don't seem to know why the beating happened, so let's go live to the hypothetical scene.

You are on your balcony and see say 5 men run down another man and begin to beat him. You draw your legally carried firearm and enter the scene to make the men stop. Let's say they do and the potential victim runs off. The five men then explain that the potential victim was caught raping one of their 10 year old sisters just down the street. They have no idea who he is and you just let him go scot-free.

How about to make it worse the men in their rage didn't stop and you shot one or more of them to end the attack?????????

See intervention is a very tricky thing. The link by FLM is a good read and echos things I have been told by LEOs I know. In my CHP class we tell people not to get involved directly unless they are personally acquainted with the people involved. There are some black and white areas though. Such as the clerk at the stop-n-rob looking down the barrel of the shotgun.

Personally I would have to go with d2thomas and I would not interject in this situation other than to let the beaters know that the police were on their way and I had photographed them. What they chose to do about those things will dictate what happens next. I would think if they were bad guys they would run off, if they were putting a beating on a rapist they would stop but sit on him. BGs might also decide to try to do something to me. At that point they become a direct threat and must be dealt with.

Plus different states have different laws. The DA gets to say what those laws mean and how they apply to you. In Texas, Colorado and now Florida you have greater protection as a citizen invovled in a shooting. In Michigan, where this happened, you don't have those protections.

-Scott-
 
#24 ·
My nephew saw my CCW when we were leaving for the movies. He asked "why are you bringing your gun, are you expecting trouble?". I answered, "when you get in the car you put your seatbelt on.....are you expecting on getting in an accident?" He immediately got the point.
 
#25 ·
SCOTT put it real well.
too much gray/unkown areas to monday morning quarterback it.
in ohio you'd be stepping in a big pile of %^&& if ya walked out there and interceded and ended up shooiting someone. if ya had to shoot someone more than likely, here in ohio, you'd be kilt by the state. the DA would chew ya up. and if not by them, then the civil suit would kill ya financially. yelling from the balcony seems to be the wisest approach. taking pics another good approach.
safe yes, helping yer fellow man...well...
i'd like to say i'd be "sensible" enough to do what is 'right' but 'right' is such a gray area and i sure would want someone to help me if i was getting stomped to a greasy spot.
emotions can run high and thats what'll get ya hurt or in legal trouble. lotsa responsibility we are talking about.
if ya kill a man you take all he has and all he'll ever have.
 
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