jmelvin
Founder's Club Member
imported post
"And thus freedom is choked to death, slowly and steadily, in the name of making gun onwers look responsible."
Tomahawk I'll go on record agreeing with your statement in whole. While I agree that our image may be at risk when someone has a glass of beer or wine or what-not while OCing, we must ask ourselveswhat is more important:Image or personal protection? The whole of the reason a free person should have access to tools of defense of any sort, is because that person's life is of value, it is one's possession and thus one should be free to protect it how they see fit, provided another is not unnecessarily harmed. The image issue is what has been used to make the casewhy carry-permit holders should be given extra "privileges", because they are supposedly more law abiding; nevermind the fact that a free individual has a right to their own life and thus a right to the protection of that life.
Although I won't drink in public while OCing, the general manner in which someone carries themself, often defines how the public perceives a person's actions. Provided one is not intoxicated (Melvin definition: under the affect of the alcohol or other substance such that their normal mannerisms and behaviour are negatively affected) a person who has holstered a gun for their protection who merely consumes a beer or glass of wine shouldn't be cause for concern, especially when we consider that many people regularly go about their daily lives in peace and quiet, harming no one, after having just imbibed the same drink without a firearm for protection. Does the intake of an alcoholic beverage potentially put a person at risk for greater scrutiny in the case that the firearm is needed for a defensive situation? Certainly, yes, but this is a risk that each person can weigh on their own and make their own decision. Similarly a restaurant or bar owner can make the choice of whether to serve alcohol to someone carrying a firearm, just like they can and should make the judgement of who to sell to otherwise.
Note, I am not encouraging anyone here to go have a drink while OCing, however my intent was to provide perspective as to why any one of us should have access to defensive tools of any sort and also provide some thought as to why a person simply enjoying a drink (while remaining not intoxicated and a danger to others) while carrying is really not a cause for concern more than many other factors.
"And thus freedom is choked to death, slowly and steadily, in the name of making gun onwers look responsible."
Tomahawk I'll go on record agreeing with your statement in whole. While I agree that our image may be at risk when someone has a glass of beer or wine or what-not while OCing, we must ask ourselveswhat is more important:Image or personal protection? The whole of the reason a free person should have access to tools of defense of any sort, is because that person's life is of value, it is one's possession and thus one should be free to protect it how they see fit, provided another is not unnecessarily harmed. The image issue is what has been used to make the casewhy carry-permit holders should be given extra "privileges", because they are supposedly more law abiding; nevermind the fact that a free individual has a right to their own life and thus a right to the protection of that life.
Although I won't drink in public while OCing, the general manner in which someone carries themself, often defines how the public perceives a person's actions. Provided one is not intoxicated (Melvin definition: under the affect of the alcohol or other substance such that their normal mannerisms and behaviour are negatively affected) a person who has holstered a gun for their protection who merely consumes a beer or glass of wine shouldn't be cause for concern, especially when we consider that many people regularly go about their daily lives in peace and quiet, harming no one, after having just imbibed the same drink without a firearm for protection. Does the intake of an alcoholic beverage potentially put a person at risk for greater scrutiny in the case that the firearm is needed for a defensive situation? Certainly, yes, but this is a risk that each person can weigh on their own and make their own decision. Similarly a restaurant or bar owner can make the choice of whether to serve alcohol to someone carrying a firearm, just like they can and should make the judgement of who to sell to otherwise.
Note, I am not encouraging anyone here to go have a drink while OCing, however my intent was to provide perspective as to why any one of us should have access to defensive tools of any sort and also provide some thought as to why a person simply enjoying a drink (while remaining not intoxicated and a danger to others) while carrying is really not a cause for concern more than many other factors.
