General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you carry a concealed gun, you are the problem [View all]sarisataka
(22,378 posts)going out looking for trouble. If carrying the key is to avoid trouble. That is why when I found myself inside the perimeter I joined the spectators. I pay taxes to have a police force to break up a fight.
If I expected to go somewhere and get into a fight I would:
A)not go there
B)not bring a gun
C)not go there
Someone carrying is (IMO) obligated to avoid trouble. To use a recent case-
See a suspicious person and call it in- fine
Observe from a distance to give the person's location-ok
Loose sight and pursue- overstepping civic duty, now there is responsibility for what happens after (I would have kept the jury tied up for as long as it took explaining this concept)
Choosing to be armed is for a situation so dire and immediate that 911 is not sufficient.
It also (properly) requires a mindset that says ego and pride must always take a back seat to caution and common sense. This is the main reason most who ask me about being armed outside of the home I advise against it. In the home is a different set of circumstances but still is not for most people (again, IMO)
Edit> I should add that logically if a person chooses to be armed, carrying always is the only thing that makes sense. You do not put a seat belt on when you think you may have an accident. If a person knew the day their house would catch fire they would have a BBQ for the entire city fire department that day. To those who 'carry only when I need to' I say then don't do it at all. If a person thinks they need to be armed today, see my A,B and C above