The media always says he's the watch captain, so I just assumed that he was acting in that capacity. Even then, I'm still not wild about the idea of people arming themselves to do routine things like go to the grocery store...accidents happen, LIKE THIS.
While I obviously disagree about the accidental part, I generally do agree about arming yourself to go to the store; although I'd consider it more of a personal decision than anything else. As you know, walking around with a loaded weapon completely changes your mindset. I don't want to have to tote that mindset around just to pick up a gallon of milk. I'd rather be able to wander around in a casual state of mind and ogle the SMU chicks shopping. The other aspect is that I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to carry in most of the grocery stores down here since they sell beer/wine. Leaving a weapon in your car seems dangerous and counterproductive.
This is interesting to me. I guess I have a different point of view being I do carry a weapon at all times. There is no rhyme or reason to when/where someone is going to decide they are going to rob a convinience store and kill the clerk and customers who are there.....which could be at the exact moment you are down there just to pick up a gallon of milk. The 5 O'clock news doesn't lead with a story that warns you John Smith is going to shoot up the Piggly Wiggly....it's BTW John Smith just shot up the Piggly Wiggly and killed the clerk and 4 customers for no apparent reason.
People (like me) who carry a weapon are 'confortable' trading the responsibility and mindset required to walk around with a weapon when balanced against the fact I am protecting my life and my families life. El Barto makes a good point when saying leaving a weapon in your car is dangerous and counterproductive. The CCW classes I've taken (1 to get my liscense and 3 more to refresh/re-learn/stay up to date on the laws) have all encouraged the participants that if you aren't carrying your weapon a 100% of the time, then you shouldn't even carry it. Here and there carrying is a bad habit to form because you can confuse if you left it in your car/ is it still home in my safe / did I lock my safe / did I lock it up in the car....etc.
Even here in MO there are places where carrying is "prohibited", but if you are found to be carrying in/on those locations it is not a 'Criminal Offense'. If you are discovered to have a weapon and are asked to leave and you dont (which why would you not) the police are called and they ask you to leave. If you still refuse(which I can't see anyone doing) you face a fine of $100. From there if you decide to make a ruckus you face revokment of your liscense and so on....but I can't imagine anyone not just leaving IF discovered.
My point is, I easily take the chance of at most...paying a $100 fine over not being prepared. An example would be you are not 'supposed' to bring your weapon into any sporting event that holds over 5,000 people. Now leaving your gun in you car if you are lets say at the Cardinals game in Downtown St Louis is foolish...even in the lockbox I have it is still open to be stolen. So why even take a weapon to the game then? My reasoning is that when leaving the game, walking back to your vehicle at 10-11 at night....is exactly when you'd want to be protected from the element of society that likes to prey on moments like that. I risk 'being discovered' and being kicked out of the game or at worst a $100 fine everytime to assure that when me, my wife and 3 young boys are walking back to our vehicle that our lives aren't ended or she isn't raped or my kids aren't beaten and so on.....and it doesn't bother me a bit.
And, at this point having had this liscense to carry for close to 6 years now, I can walk around with a 'casual' mindset even with the knowledge of having a weapon on me and understanding the responsibility / danger that accompanies it. It's just something I'm willing to live with considering everything that goes into that decision. Chances are, I NEVER have to even think about drawing my weapon (I've only begun to consider it once and the moment was handled by the business) ever in my life. I don't want to not have that option though.
Topic: Trayvon Martin (Read 47844 times)
