samdavisrises
Regular Member
imported post
I saw this blog post by John Silveira of Backwoods Home Magazine...and wanted to post it in its entirety rather than sticking it to the end of the recent "Why are you carrying a gun" thread.
I don’t NEED a gun…but I carry one
December 26th, 2007 by John
I carry concealed. About once a year, maybe less, someone who doesn’t likes guns asks me, “Why do you need a gun?” No two of the ensuing conversations are exactly alike, but they all run something like this:
I tell them, “I don’t.”
There’s usually a little pause.
Then I’m asked, “Then why do you carry one?”
“I carry one for the same reason I have car insurance.”
This usually evokes a comment like, “But you need car insurance.”
“No you don’t.”
“What if you get into an accident?”
“Then I need it.”
If that doesn’t clear things up, I add, “I don’t need car insurance until I’m in an accident. Then I need it. I really need it.”
This sometimes elicits the following comment, “Well, in this state you need it.”
“No you don’t.”
My incredulous acquaintance will then ask, “What if you get pulled over by a cop, and he asks for proof of insurance?”
“I need it then, too, but I don’t need it until I’m asked for it.”
If they can’t figure out what I’m trying to tell them by this time, I explain: “What I’m trying to tell you is that I don’t need car insurance unless I’m in an accident or I’m pulled over by a cop. Until one of those incidents, I don’t need it. And it’s the same thing with the gun I carry. I don’t need it until I need it, and if that happens, I’ll really need it and I’ll be glad I carry one. But, until then…”
I’ll often also sum it up: “What I’m hoping you’ll understand is that I carry for the same reason I keep my car insured at all times, because I don’t know when I’ll need a gun, or have an accident, or get pulled over.”
Some people see what I’m saying; others think I’m just being a smart ass. What can I do?
I saw this blog post by John Silveira of Backwoods Home Magazine...and wanted to post it in its entirety rather than sticking it to the end of the recent "Why are you carrying a gun" thread.
I don’t NEED a gun…but I carry one
December 26th, 2007 by John
I carry concealed. About once a year, maybe less, someone who doesn’t likes guns asks me, “Why do you need a gun?” No two of the ensuing conversations are exactly alike, but they all run something like this:
I tell them, “I don’t.”
There’s usually a little pause.
Then I’m asked, “Then why do you carry one?”
“I carry one for the same reason I have car insurance.”
This usually evokes a comment like, “But you need car insurance.”
“No you don’t.”
“What if you get into an accident?”
“Then I need it.”
If that doesn’t clear things up, I add, “I don’t need car insurance until I’m in an accident. Then I need it. I really need it.”
This sometimes elicits the following comment, “Well, in this state you need it.”
“No you don’t.”
My incredulous acquaintance will then ask, “What if you get pulled over by a cop, and he asks for proof of insurance?”
“I need it then, too, but I don’t need it until I’m asked for it.”
If they can’t figure out what I’m trying to tell them by this time, I explain: “What I’m trying to tell you is that I don’t need car insurance unless I’m in an accident or I’m pulled over by a cop. Until one of those incidents, I don’t need it. And it’s the same thing with the gun I carry. I don’t need it until I need it, and if that happens, I’ll really need it and I’ll be glad I carry one. But, until then…”
I’ll often also sum it up: “What I’m hoping you’ll understand is that I carry for the same reason I keep my car insured at all times, because I don’t know when I’ll need a gun, or have an accident, or get pulled over.”
Some people see what I’m saying; others think I’m just being a smart ass. What can I do?