tinkerinWstuff

I've read many people comment about how friends, family, and neighbors don't know they have CCW permits. I'm sure people have a good reason for this and am interested in hearing. I haven't felt the need to be as quite with my friends and neighbors about how I feel about CCW, when the topic comes up, and have been surprised to find that everyone I've run into so far seems to receive it positively. I've even discovered many other people who already have, or are wanting to obtain, their own CCW.

If someone has a link to a previous discussion on the topic, I'd love to see it.

Thanks so much! This site is awesome and I've found my work is starting to suffer from spending too much time here!

Kerbouchard

Here was my answer from a similiar thread...
How to get more Americans CC'ing

From mine, and other members past experience, letting people in on our 'little secret' tends to end badly. Either a 'friend' is more likely to get into a confrontation because he knows you carry or a co-worker finds out and next thing you know your employee handbook is changed. Often enough, after one person that you 'trust' knows, everybody knows, including people you would have never told on your own.

I'm all for furthering concealed carry, but just make sure the people you allow into your circle of trust truly belong there.

__________________
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falcon1

For my part, it's because I am a public-school educator. Most of my colleagues would be aghast (and frankly, terrified ) if they knew that I even had a permit, much less carried whenever legal. And believe me, in the small-town, good-old-boy-club atmosphere of a Southern school district, there would be repercussions.

Needless to say, carry in public schools is against the law, and I do comply with the law.

The few people who know I have a permit are either immediate family, other permit holders, or those who are getting ready to get their own.

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If the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.--Candidus (in the Boston Gazette, 20 January 1772)

sniper58

Always carry, never tell. This falls into the "nunya" category as it is nobody's business but your and the BG's.

__________________
Tim
BE PREPARED - Noah didn't build the Ark when it was raining!
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Thomas Jefferson
________
NRA Life Member

Captain38

The FEWER people who KNOW you carry, the BETTER!

Why? There will be less chance of someone under stress inappropriately giving you away, when, WITH SURPRISE, you might at least have had a hope of saving a life, possibly your own!

Logan5

CCW will be perceived in many ways.
The people you tell many not be anti gun, but some may not hear CCW, but instead hear GUN: I have a gun*, I use gun* right now, do you have a gun*? Let me tell you about my gun*. (CCW*)

They may wonder why you told them you carry a gun – not so much why you carry a gun.

rodc13

I think you really have to pick your spots, and know about the person to whom you're speaking. For example, most of my family and a number of friends know my wife and I carry, but that's because most of them carry, or will be soon.

I'm very circumspect with folks I'm not sure about. I'm also very careful about who might overhear a conversation.

__________________
Cheers,
Rod
"We're paratroopers. We're supposed to be surrounded!" Dick Winters

trob09

I concur. I told exactly 2 people when I started to carry:

1. my wife (no explanation necessary)
2. a co-worker who sits next to me. We'd gone shooting together a couple of times. He's ex-military and has expressed interest in getting his permit.

Next thing I know, other people from work are coming up to me saying "I can't believe you have a GUN on you bla, bla, bla".

Circle of trust - broken
willingness to share - gone.

cwblanco

The most perceived reason for "concealment of concealing" is because many people are not comfortable with it. Similarly, I myself might be uncomfortable walking among a bunch of strangers who openly carried. That is probably attributable to upbringing. Still though, that is nothing new, because open carry of handguns became prohibited in the old wild west over a century ago because of the reputations of drunks and hell-raisers.

Ideally the CHL licensee will be discreet and will dress and appear as if he is last person suspected of carrying. If circumstances should ever arise where the handgun is needed, the CHL will be least expected, and thus he will have a tremendous advantage. That is a great reason for keeping concealment concealed. In a small town if you tell one friend and you might as well put it in the newspaper.

I know, I know, there is a desire to discuss it with others. That is why we have this forum. Those who come here expect that others will be CHL licensees and it is no big deal.

lance22

At work, political correctness is tied to insurance rates, favored-status in government programs, and good-standing with certain charities. Political correctness leaves little room for openly gabbing about what's out in my car. That would be just plain stupid.

My friends know I carry ... because I can't really be friends with people who are strongly anti-gun. At church ... I have let a few people know because I am opening up and becoming friends with them. It's completely legal and a conflict on the subject would not put my income in jeopardy. If confronted on the subject by church leadership I would not be neither cooperative nor unpleasant and hopefully it won't result in them doing something that would permanently alienate me from a congregation that I have come to enjoy.

I won't be totally open about it because people will never agree on the issue and I'm not into arguing with idiots.