So you want to carry
One of the greatest responsibilities that each of us has is to protect ourselves and those we love. Thankfully we still have the second amendment which allows us to do so with a firearm. The second amendment says:
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”
As witnessed once again this past weekend, hate walked into a church in Houston and started shooting. Every day when you turn on your television, you see the political intolerance and hate of the opposite side of the aisle, antisemitism wreaking its ugly head, racial division, high crime rates, open borders with all kinds of potential terror crossing into our country unchecked, and the list goes on. Now is the time to be vigilant if there ever was one. My question is, should you carry a gun? You see, every person is different in their abilities and their character. If you carry, and you make the wrong call, it may cost someone their life, it will cost your finances and perhaps even your freedom. It is vital that you truly know yourself before you consider walking around with a gun on your side.
A long time ago, when I was a boy, I played organized hockey for many years. Off the ice I did not get into many fights, mostly because I was smaller than most. However, when I was on the ice, I felt a little invincible with all that protective equipment on. I had a little bit of a temper, so I was often the instigator in starting fights. It just seemed like the thing to do, especially when my favorite team back then, the Flyers, had the nick name of Broad Street Bullies. No one ever really got hurt during our fights because we were well protected. Several years into my playing days, the state instituted the policy requiring face shields. When they did this, the players felt even more protected from injury, so it was immediate that we started to see kids swinging their sticks higher and striking the heads of their opponents. Not baseball bat swings, but hits to the head nonetheless.
I share that example because as kids, we felt we were well protected with our equipment. We would engage in more aggressive activity on the ice than we should have. Carrying a gun should never make you feel this way. It is a tool of absolute last resort. If your personality, pride, aggressiveness toward others, you get road rage when someone cuts you off, please rethink your decision to carry a gun. You are not only putting others in danger, but you are putting yourself in grave danger of misuse.
Years ago, I took a class with another instructor. This person would have 3 or 4 pistols on his body at all times. When someone in the class asked him why he did this, his response was something like “so I can go anywhere I want.” What he was really saying is that now he can go to the “bad” part of town and feel protected. This is wrong thinking and should never be a reason to carry a gun. Remember your primary responsibility is to protect yourself and your family. This starts by knowing your surroundings and avoiding potential dangers. If you ever find yourself in a class with an instructor with that mentality – RUN.
I have told people in my classes over the years these same things, and if you choose to carry, which is your right, you need to be the nicest person out there. Avoid putting yourself or your family into harms way, and always be aware of your surroundings.
It all starts with having the proper mindset, proper attitude and proper training. If you would like to talk more about this topic or schedule a class, please reach out.