Do concealed weapons make Americans more or less safe?

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Votes

More safe

86% (151 votes)

Less safe

14% (24 votes)

Total votes: 175

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Don't forget. When seconds

GoldDiver — Sat, 2011-02-26 10:03

Don't forget.

When seconds count, the Police are just minutes away...

Everyone should have weapons for self defense and be prepared to use them without hesitation. Look what happens when there is a natural disaster...looting, killing, etc. People need to be able to defend themselves against bad people who will get worse in the absence of law enforcement. Yes you will have misuse and innocent people will get killed. That's no reason to ban guns. May as well ban cars because of the accidental deaths they cause.

Do concealed weapons make Americans more or less safe?

kkhelif — Thu, 2010-11-25 07:05

A fellow once said: "it is better to have a gun and not needing it, rather than needing it and not have it". Something like that in the premise.
It makes a lotta sense to me.

carry, just dont get trigger happy

SunshineRider — Wed, 2010-10-13 00:06

if a criminal knows that nobody has a gun, then there is nothing for him to worry about. but if he thinks he might have to back up his actions with his life, he is much less likely to wave his little pistol around and get the 500 bucks from the quickie mart or from grannies purse... so yes carry.. but know what your doing and dont get an itchy trigger finger.. i heard about a man who got his ccl and saw a man grab a screaming little girl. he shot him. as soon as the bullet hit he heard little little girl yell. "daddy!"

so get your license, know your weapon, shoot it frequently, and have anyone in our house (yes, even your kids) know how dangerous it is and how to use it properly. i have been shooting since i was five.

"An armed society is a polite society."
-Benjamin Franklin

carry your own

gummiepig — Fri, 2010-10-08 12:11

i have had my ccl since they offered in texas--i've never had to use it Thank GOD -- but i would if i had to--i go to the range at least once every 3 months but i practice here at home on our mini range-- even our neighbors don't object they join in -- if you are going to carry learn it right and practice--
you are responsible for the bullet(s) when they leave the barrel---and also keep your weapons clean--

Firearms

travelerj71 — Thu, 2010-10-07 15:45

Where I live your going to run across antigunners. Look at Chicago it's overwhelmed with anti-gunners and now the city has lost it's basic right to carry and it's been that way for some time now.
I say this basic American right should never be hampered and salute those who use it.
And yes I do carry. In some area's up here it's better I have it.

Concealed Carry

Cone Underwood — Wed, 2010-09-01 12:19

In communities where firearms ownership is encouraged (or at least not hampered) and protection of private lives and property is promoted, crime rates are at an all time low. Self defense is a God given right.

While I Respect Mr Tilton's View,

Kpdpipes — Mon, 2010-07-19 12:15

I must disagree with his Premise. As an Outdoor educator, he would be horrified at the idea of someone not having a Multitool. or at least a knife on their person at any given time..something that is considered a basic tool for everyday use. A firearm, in the hands of an Individual is no different. it is a TOOL. As a veteran LE officer (23 years), in a state that makes it virtually impossible for it's Citizens to obtain a Carry Permit. I see firsthand what destroying the ability of people to defend themselves does, in the form of a VERY emboldened Criminal Population. There is a reason that most of the mass shootings you see in the news are in "Gun Free Zones". The criminals who perpetrate them know that there will be little to no resistance. Every state that has treated it's citizens AS Citizens, rather than "Subjects" has seen a drop in violent crimes, as the Criminal class begins to understand that that guy walking down the street, or that little old lady, just may have something in their possession to even the odds. Will the majority of people who CCW ever need their Firearm? No, they wont, but one of the Axioms of "The Cowboy Way" in this very Magazine, is the concept of "Better to have and not need, than need and not have". I for one Encourage people to Own and shoot firearms, even in this Incredibly gun UN-frnedly environment of NJ, because every Responsible Citizen who owns, and is proficient with his or her gun, is one less person i need to worry about. You ask Mr Tipton, "How does allowing more armed citrizens in public places make anyone safer?" it makes EVERYONE safer because the Criminals aren't afraid of the Police..they can see us coming, most times whether we are in uniform or not. it's Joe CITIZEN that they are afraid of..because they never know.

I believe it makes people

La_cowgirl21 — Tue, 2010-07-13 14:37

I believe it makes people more safe to allow concealed weapons. It would make people who have intentions to break the law and cause bodily harm to others think twice about their actions. Now days you just cant be too careful.

Philippians 4: 13

Forum Moderator - American Cowboy

Concealed Carry of Firearms

Charles F. Strong — Mon, 2010-07-12 08:30

I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer (Federal) and I can assure you that you alone, with very few exceptions, can only protect yourself from egregious crime. Although law enforcement will come after the fact, draw a well-defined line around your body, and investigate. Our country's Founding Fathers meant for all proper law-abiding citizens to be armed for two purposes, which are (1) self-defence and (2) have the ability to rise up against the government should the newly formed American Government ever become as corrupt and abusive as that which existed in England during that period of time. One of the very first actions that all dictatorships (and similar corrupt governments) take in order to control its people is to legislate all the people's guns away. And all governments that have taken this actions have totally failed to keep such firearms from its criminal element. Support the Second Amendment!

Concealed Carry of Firearms

kkhelif — Thu, 2010-11-25 07:09

Right on Charles. I would agree with what you said Support the Second Amendment and also add (Support the NRA).

restricting guns increases murders

EmetChai — Sat, 2010-07-10 23:15

Both in Washington DC and in Chicago, where the Supreme Court overthrew gun bans, the per capita homicide rates increased in those cities after the gun bans were enacted, while comparable cities nationwide saw murder rates go down. Here's a thought experiment: How many of the 13 folks murdered at Fort Hood would be alive today if any one of them had disobeyed the Army's ban on being armed while on base?

In my personal opinion,

dbadley79 — Thu, 2010-07-08 23:06

In my personal opinion, carrying a weapon for personal safety is much like having auto insurance. If you have it, you may never need it. The day you don't is the day you wish you did.

Guns do make people more safe

Mason Schwob — Tue, 2010-06-01 20:32

Guns do make people more safe because if they were illegal, criminals wouldn't care because there criminals and they would already have guns. We then would have no way to defend ourselves

Concealed Carry or Open Carry

Tex Expatriate — Thu, 2010-05-13 08:21

The definitive studies on firearms belong to John Lott. I recommend everyone become familiar with his results, which demonstrate that an armed society is a polite and safer society.

carrying a concealed gun

johnksr1 — Mon, 2010-05-10 19:49

I agree with Ron65. If the bad guy thinks you have a gun they will probably leave you alone and look for somebody else to bother.
I also agree with South Texas Cowboy. If you have to pull it, make it do what it was designed to do, kill. To many times the wounded criminal wins in court and the poor victim gets the shaft.
The problem in this country isn’t legally armed citizens; it’s a legal system that’s more interested in the rights of the criminal than the rights of the victim.

we have the right to bear

mason — Tue, 2010-04-27 20:59

we have the right to bear arms

I don't know how to use this

Flunky — Sun, 2010-05-02 10:14

I don't know how to use this web site yet, still learning, so I apologize for that. I read a couple comments on the Constitution so I want to offer a little opinion on that.

The Constitution establishes a government by the majority, tells you what that majority can do and how they do it. The Bill of Rights tells the majority what they cannot do, no matter how much popular support they happen to have behind a particular measure. It's a democracy with checks and balances designed to prevent the emergence of a tyrant, be it a single person or a group of persons.

Tyrants have always controlled people by dismantling the militia, they take away the guns, no more militia, no opposition. That's how they do things or at least how they did things back then. Hence, the 2nd Amendment.

The right to keep and bear arms must be an individual right, because otherwise it doesn't make any sense. If this was simply a right granted because of the militia, why then say Congress has a right to regulate the militia? It would make the 2nd Amendment something of little meaning and substance.

But do we have the right to

nighthawksh — Sat, 2010-05-01 06:47

But do we have the right to arm bears?

The Right?

McLintock — Sat, 2010-05-01 15:50

What makes you ask that question? It is very clear, the 2 Amendment plainly says "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed". It says what it says, you do not need to look in to it. If you read the founding father (original writings) you will know you they put the Amendment in. George Washington said "No man should scruple or hesitate a moment to use arms in defense". Samuel Adams said "It was said declaring that the said constitution should never be construed ...to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms". Go look at the state constitutions of the original 13 states, and see how they viewed bearing arms.

Romans 8:28

A little humour?

nighthawksh — Sun, 2010-05-02 08:26

A little humour?

should everyone have the

nighthawksh — Sun, 2010-05-02 08:32

should everyone have the right to bare arms?

How about legs?

What we should all bear in

nighthawksh — Sun, 2010-05-02 10:39

What we should all bear in mind is that if we bear ahead and allow all to bear arms, then we will have to bear the results when this bears fruit. This could become more than we can bear.

CCW

mikeyiman — Sun, 2010-04-25 03:14

Outlaw guns and only the outlaws will have guns. This is as true as it gets. In my 20 years of law enforcement I have yet to have a problem with a legally armed citizen. Funny how certain celebs who "don't like guns and think no one should own guns" have armed bodyguards.

OPEN CARRY

Concretecowboy — Thu, 2010-04-22 15:06

California has an interesting situation going on right now. We have a State law that has been on the books forever but ignored until recently - you may carry a firearm in the open as long as it is NOT loaded. (There are limitations -registerd and legal, etc - but let me try to keep this simple for saving space and finger burn on these keys - it is basic - IN THE OPEN AND UNLOADED ).

This (unloaded) might seem a waste of time but for those of you that have handled pistols, you know how fast they can be loaded. Of course this is no protection from the bad guy that walks in with gun in hand and you have to take the decision of what you will face when you do lock and load - but this law is a good one and should stay on the books. Unfortunately, it has already been opposed and legislation for the voters is pending. But the word is out that it will remain if put to that vote.

The thing is that with a bunch of honest citizens sitting around with guns on their hips as they eat breakfast or stand in line at the bank, crooks usually move on to the next town.

Even if the thing is unloaded. No harm - no foul...

The two states where I spend

nighthawksh — Fri, 2010-04-23 07:21

The two states where I spend most of my time, Arizona and South Dakota both have legal open carry. A person can strap a loaded pistol on their hip and go most anywhere. I find that to be fine, especailly since most choose not to do so. I don't know is we want to return to the bad old days of most of our citizens carrying.

hell ya man

bullrider123 — Mon, 2010-07-19 11:00

hell ya man

Rodeo man

SECOND AMMENDMENT

Concretecowboy — Fri, 2010-04-23 08:43

The point, by those who are doing it, is to make the average citizen aware there is an attack on the the second amendment. (I do not partake in wearing my gun.) We live in a great country but the 'average' citizen is almost always out of the loop until it affects them. The 'average' is the majority...

By using the 'open carry', these citizen want to bring awareness that freedoms (bill of rights) are not just some mystic words written on some make believe book. But these rights apply to the people next door and your brother, sister, son, daughter, etc etc.

Beleive me, 'open carry' is one of the most direct and 'open' ways to bring attention that even though we see and hear of criminals carrying weapons all the time - we do not hear of our friends and relatives having guns. And this has led to the attack on the second amendment. The belief that only outlaws have guns...

for

bldambtn — Thu, 2010-04-22 14:33

Growing up where I have it is very common to know people who do carry a concealed handgun, my mom even. There have been times I was very greatfull she did, I do not want to go into why, but I am. Its one thing to argue against people because they don't have the right mindset or are inexperienced, but what about needing to out right defend yourself? There are bad people in this world and while I personally don't carry a weapon (I'm not going to learn now if I'm gonna be taught the right way while in the Marines) sometimes I wish I did. Are you prepared to take a life? No one really knows untill they are in the situation to do so and "fight or flight" comes into play. Many who have never been in the situation don't realize its not just about taking a life, its about preserving yours or the ones you love. Concealed or not, we have the right to protect ourselves and the responsibility to do it legally.

You are correct in your

nighthawksh — Fri, 2010-04-23 07:18

You are correct in your comment that one does not really know until faced with the situation. But, if a person goes into the situation with the self-knowledge they would not kill, or that they would "shoot in the legs" then they are asking for trouble.

I think the biggest problem

Flunky — Thu, 2010-04-22 12:59

I think the biggest problem here is thinking we live in a movie or something, or thinking all people will go obey the law.

You can make any law and at the end of the day you'll have one fact to deal with. Those crooks will still have a gun, and not just any gun, but whatever gun they want, regardless of any legal regulation, from a little pistol to a machine gun, they'll get it.

If you don't allow law-abiding people to pack, then you're creating a situation where the bad guy will always have the advantage.

My grandfather used to say, you find religion real quick once you have a 44 staring at you in the face.

I guess the trick is responsibility, education and enforcement. Blaming guns is a quick and easy way out. You can go rob a store or kill people with a knife, a baseball bat or a 2x4 from Lowes. It doesn't matter much, people do what they want.

A guy just out of the slammer can go buy a 12 inch butcher's knife at the store without difficulty and go kill people with it.

There's this thinking that you can get away with it, no consequences, that needs to change. People need to be afraid of the law at least, if they ain't gonna respect it otherwise. I'm not gonna preach, but people need to have some degree of morals, principles, knowing there are things you just don't do. That's also gone, easy money is what people want, and that's a reality we have to deal with.

Why you do not shoot them in the leg

South Texas Cowboy — Wed, 2010-04-21 22:50

No one likes the idea of shooting another person unless they are with some warped brain cells. However, wounding a person presents a greater danger than taking no action at all.
1) They can still hurt you or (kill you) and others
2) They can turn the court system around and sue you....it has happen in the USA and the criminal won their case
3) They can heel and return at a later date.

If you buy a gun for home protection, that is exactly what it is....and it is not designed to wound people. A BASEBALL will wound perfectly....If you pull a gun, be ready to use it effectively, size up the situation. Know your field of fire, range of fire and plan to bury what is on the end of your A.T.& T when you reach out to touch somebody. And if you do a smart kill, use the double tap method. I just hope none of us will ever have to follow through on this.

Roger Edison

http://cowboyandchuckwagoncooking.blogspot.com/

Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW)

McLintock — Wed, 2010-04-21 14:42

Yes, they do make us safer, and yes there are some who should not (people who have been convinced of a crime and people who are mentally unstable). And yes the proper training is key, but who is to do that "proper training"? And who says what the "proper training" is? If you think the government can give you the "proper training", you must be out of your mind. You must give yourself the proper training, you must know the gun you carry (go out to the range and shot 100 rounds out of it, I have a Ruger LCP and I put 50 rounds though it). Crime in the 43 states that have CCW have gone down. But what one needs to use is their Common Sense. I have heard that if you do carry you need to "be prepared to kill someone" and in some ways it is true. But beyond that you need to know what the gun can do to someone. People in general do not want to die, even criminals, and people do not want to look at death at the business end of a gun, it is a fearful thing. For me I want the "upper-hand" in a situation.

Romans 8:28

Safety and Concealed carry permits

Ron65 — Wed, 2010-04-21 17:21

When bad guys think a man or woman is carrying a concealed weapon, it tends to reduce crime. Bad guys would rather face an armed trained police officer than an armed citizen. A cop knows when and where to use deadly force. I, for example, would rather put a slug into the chest of a robber and ask questions later. When you're looking down the barrel of a .45, you don't think about negotiations. Hey, gunshots hurt, and criminals know it.

I think the question and only

nighthawksh — Wed, 2010-04-21 06:59

I think the question and only two possible answers are missleading, though I did vote.

I believe there are folks that have no businness what so ever carrying a weapon. Some do not have the proper training in the safe use of a weapon, some don't have the proper mental attitude to use that weapon.

I worked for a number of years selling firearms, and when a person wanted to buy a gun for self protection, the first thing I would ask was "Are you prepared to kill a person?" Very often I would get the response "No, I just would use it to scare the person." In that case I would recommend against a firearm. If a person is not willing to take another's life, carrying a firearm is only going to get themselves hurt. Taking a life is not an easy thing to do and I believe many, if not most, people would hesitate. That could be fatal for them.

So, yes, carrying a weapon could make one safer, but only if, and this is a very big if, they are proficient with that weapon and have the mental aptitude to use deadly force if and when it became necessary. If not, pepper spray is a better alternative.

Do Concealed Weapons make american safe?

Rocky Mountain Honey — Wed, 2010-04-21 12:41

I agree completly with your comment Nighthawksh!. There are some people that should not carry weapons at all. You see these movies with the low life gang banger, and they can't even hold a gun correctly.

Proper training and constant practice is Key.

For Me; A weapon, concealed or not. Makes me and my family safe. I've been a single mom for the better half of 16 years. I sleep with a .22 mag Derringer (with .22 mag hollow point; it does some damage) or a .38 special Lady Smith edition, under my pillow & carry one in my pick-up when I travel (which is frequent). I practice constantly. I was always tought you have one chance, make it count.

I agree

Cowgirl at heart — Wed, 2010-04-21 09:15

I agree, that anyone who has a concealed weapon, should have the proper training. I am all for protecting my family, but shooting someone to kill, that's another story. I would rather shoot him in the leg and then go from there. But, like you said, you have to have a pretty good aim. So, for know I would keep with the pepper spray, or better yet what a lot of self defense classes are teaching people to use now is Wasp spray. When you spray it, as most people, it shoots out pretty far and has almost the same affect as the pepper spray. As for the pepper spray you have to be up close to the person.

Cowgirl at heart Thank you,

nighthawksh — Wed, 2010-04-21 15:14

Cowgirl at heart

Thank you, you made my point. You say you would rather "shoot him in the leg" and while that is a nobel idea, it is foolish. First, you will be scared. Second, you would have to be a pretty good shot. Third, if you missed, you will only make matter worse. Fourth, the bad guy will be PO'ed and probably take that pistol away from you and use it on you.

Proper training will teach you to shoot "center of mass." That mean smack dab in the chest. That will result, in most cases, a fatality.

The last time I researched this (back in 2000) statistics showed the average civilian involved self defense shooting was done at 2 feet and their were 2 shots fired. 95% of those were fatilities.

I am a strong advocate of firearms, but only with proper training.

As to the comment above that the government can't give you proper training, Uncle Sam's Army does a pretty darn good job of it. Other training programs are also available.

So, bottom line, IMO, is if you are going to carry, know your weapon, know your own abilities, and be willing to take extreme action if warranted. That means killing a fellow human being!

If not, leave that smoke-pole at home.