“A citizen may not be required to offer a `good and substantial reason’ why he should be permitted to exercise his rights,” he wrote. “The right’s existence is all the reason he needs.” --- Good for him. A Bush/I appointee, FYI.
what i have a hard time understanding is not the legality, but the thought process that leads anyone to feel the need to conceal a deadly weapon on their person at all times... where do these people live, that being able to apply deadly force at a moments notice is a necessity? or is it for a feeling of security? how helpless does one have to feel before secretly arming themselves? to be completely honest, id feel more uncomfortable being around a person that i know to be carrying a gun than i have ever felt anywhere in the city i live in. i understand the "right" to have a gun, but thats an excuse, not a reason. id like to hear why anyone would want to carry a gun at all.
One of the gentlemen was my boss. The downside of him carrying a gun was that if he wore his Glock, I'd get bummed by the butt several times a day. We worked in close quarters, and more then one person asked him to carry hes Walther PPK instead.
As for carrying concealed, I think it's ridiculous. If someone pulls a gun on you, you want to give them what they want (your car, wallet, etc.,) and walk away regardless of whether or not you have a gun. Pulling a gun in defense means that you better start shooting to kill. That's a lame thing to do over something that can easily be replaced, IMO. And most people that are shot don't go down. They are most likely to take a bullet and shoot back at you. Most people don't realize that the force of impact of a bullet is actually quite small. I think concealed guns mostly comes from misplaced bravado. I suppose if you were in actual combat with a gun in the military, you might be able to effectively protect yourself with one, but even then, you might shoot someone nearby accidentally in the process. The truth is, If you have a gun, the person that is most likely to be killed by it is yourself or a loved one. That's just how it goes.
Years ago, a doctor friend of my father's was at a drive up ATM in the Cape Coral area of Florida. While being held at gun point for what was, at the time, a $200 max withdrawal, the assailant decided not to leave a witness, and killed the doctor. Meaningless crime, and loss of life. I hope the need for my weapon to ever leave it's holster never arises. I wouldn't want to make the decision, or distinctions, that would end anyone's life; myself included. I can't honestly say that if surprised by a would be thief that was after my wallet that I would risk my life or those with me for a replaceable, tangible thing. The event I am on guard against is the one that separates my life, or my family's life, from me. If, as you state, misplaced bravado is a faulty reason used to possess a CCW, then I would agree that that individual is not a good candidate. I am probably a bit older than most who post on this site, so I have a benefit of years, and a even tempered disposition to help balance the distasteful possibility of ending a life.
The problem with 1, is that there is only a very slim chance that you'll have certainty, and then be able to use your gun to effect. The problem with 2 is that you risk escalating non-lethal situations into one, and as it stands, most armed robbery doesn't result in murder. When you consider the slight possibly benefit of carrying, and weigh it against the possible accidents and scenarios gone wrong, I just don't think it is worth the risks. That said, I do support your right to carry, and I just hope that are very conservative about your carrying and use. Also, you might be surprised at the age range here. It's pretty large.
If you are a fan of Roosevelt or even just of US History, I highly recommend reading "The River of Doubt". http://www.amazon.com/River-Doubt-Theodore-Roosevelts-Darkes...
BTW, I dislike the characterization that US liberals want gun control and conservatives don't. I come from a family where most are liberal, and most have guns. -It's such a erroneous stereotype. Maybe things are different elsewhere, but in the Midwest, I don't think politics and gun ownership map very strongly.
2. My *ss makes all slacks look awesome