I thought I was going to get jumped over a t-shirt at the mall!

[marinevet1994]

So I stop into the mall yesterday to look for a gift for the wifey. As I'm making my way to the desired store, I notice an underprivileged gentleman (term used loosely) who couldn't afford a belt to hold his pants up wearing a shirt that had both Dr Martin Luther King Jr and our current POTUS. I could stop myself and busted out laughing at the absurdity. He and his friends, noticing my mirth, started coming towards me, asking if "You got a problem?" I was carrying but the mall was just crowded enough that I didn't want to draw. Luckily I still had my Bluetooth in my ear from a conversation I was having in the car, so I put my finger up to it and said just a sec, hon. Then I looked the guy in the eye and asked as calmly as I could if I could help him. He and his friends just gave me a dirty look and kept walking. I honestly thought they were going to attempt to kick my posterior on the spot. I know I shouldn't have laughed but come on! One of the greatest proponents for equal rights on the same shirt as the man who is doing his level best to strip us of our rights! Am I the only one that finds this so pathetically funny?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[DontTreadOnI]

So I stop into the mall yesterday to look for a gift for the wifey. As I'm making my way to the desired store, I notice an underprivileged gentleman (term used loosely) who couldn't afford a belt to hold his pants up wearing a shirt that had both Dr Martin Luther King Jr and our current POTUS. I could stop myself and busted out laughing at the absurdity. He and his friends, noticing my mirth, started coming towards me, asking if "You got a problem?" I was carrying but the mall was just crowded enough that I didn't want to draw. Luckily I still had my Bluetooth in my ear from a conversation I was having in the car, so I put my finger up to it and said just a sec, hon. Then I looked the guy in the eye and asked as calmly as I could if I could help him. He and his friends just gave me a dirty look and kept walking. I honestly thought they were going to attempt to kick my posterior on the spot. I know I shouldn't have laughed but come on! One of the greatest proponents for equal rights on the same shirt as the man who is doing his level best to strip us of our rights! Am I the only one that finds this so pathetically funny?

Not sure how I feel about that.

Glad you're okay.

[niks]

Am I the only one that finds this so pathetically funny?

Pathetic? Yes Funny? No

[Tzadik]

Although I think the shirt is offensive, I think it was ill advised to openly comment on it. If you are carrying you have a duty to avoid conflict as much as possible not prevoke it.
The dangers of a confrontation escalating are too great, along with the possible damage to the reputation of fellow gun owners .

Just my two cents.

[Str8upguy]

I can understand your confusion over the man's t-shirt, but where you made a mistake was laughing. I'm glad for you that nothing happened, but you need to practice keeping your thoughts to yourself. As a suggestion you should consider reading "Facing Violence" by Rory Miller. good luck

[hammer2213]

Honestly I don't try to start problems ever. but i have had this problem since I was born lol where if I find something funny or ridiculous I will laugh. Not saying it's smart but I can't help it. Smooth move with the phone! Stay safe!

[WHEC724]

I can't judge you, Marinevet1994. Yes, there is good logic behind not provoking an individual.

However, I'm not going to cower around the pieces of dirt either. 'Glad it turned out okay.

[finst3r]

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.

If you can't restrain yourself from emotional outbursts in social settings,
then perhaps you should re-think carrying a deadly weapon.

Am I the only one that finds this so pathetically funny?

Yes you are.

This could have ended VERY differently for no justifiable reason.

[PIESYOR]

"I could stop myself and busted out laughing" But you didn't, so I guess that means you wanted to laugh.

An angry look is justification for threatening the use of deadly physical force? Wow, the laws are really different in your state.

[QKShooter]

Always try to make certain when you are armed that your actions serve to avoid conflict and confrontation rather than help to create it.

If it helps any just think of it in monetary terms. If you escalate a scenario that ends up in a shooting and the person that you are forced to shoot...dies - it will be deemed a homicide until your State attorney General decides that it was justified. It will need to be determined if you knew the victim or not - if there was possibly drugs involved etc etc.
Your firearm will be confiscated and you will at least temporarily lose your license to carry.
The victims family may decide to avenge that death in various assorted ways no matter who was at fault.

You will need to hire a competent attorney before being questioned by the police regarding the incident.
If the person that you end up shooting is only injured...then plan on being sued in Civil court. Even if you win and the civil case is ultimately tossed out you are looking at a MINIMUM of 10 Grand for attorney fees.
In short and no matter what...you are possibly creating a monumental "life mess" for yourself.


Just as an added FYI in case folks were unaware of the fact ~ M.L.K. was a conservative registered Republican.

[RoadRunner71]

Your mistake was to laugh, as you admitted. You covered it well with the Bluetooth. Better to not put yourself in that position in the first place.

We all see stupidity and ridiculous situations everyday. If we let loose with laughter at every one of them we would likely be in at least one altercation a day. Self control in all things is what we as responsible, armed citizens must strive for.

I tell the drivers that I work with (regarding road rage) to think beyond the moment. What is that comment or gesture going to gain you? Are you so lacking in self control that you can't contain your frustration? We control our reactions, not the other way around.

[BigJon10125]

Reaction is a tough thing to control. It is a learned skill. My face shows my feelings often and sometimes (according to my wife) ones I do not mean to express. Gotta be careful, glad it turned out ok.

[SamRudolph]

Quick thinking on the cover- props for that.

[Taurahe]

I can understand your confusion over the man's t-shirt, but where you made a mistake was laughing. I'm glad for you that nothing happened, but you need to practice keeping your thoughts to yourself. As a suggestion you should consider reading "Facing Violence" by Rory Miller. good luck

Last time I checked, the OP was well within his rights as a free person to laugh at something he finds humorous. I see gang banger wannabees all the time wearing shirts and hats with marijauna leaves and other stupid crap on them. They have a right to wear it if they choose, and I have a right to laugh at their stupidity. I will agree it is easier to stay out of trouble than to get out of trouble, but the OP did nothing wrong. He did not openly comment to them. They took it upon themselves to be the open aggressor, not the OP.

[oneshot]

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.

If you can't restrain yourself from emotional outbursts in social settings,
then perhaps you should re-think carrying a deadly weapon.




Yes you are.

This could have ended VERY differently for no justifiable reason.

^^Rediculous post^^^^^^^^

I, like the OP find it very humorous that morons who are so clueless as to think that just because of skin color, these two figures(MLK and Obama) are cut from the same cloth, when they were polar opposites.
Stupid people are just that, stupid.