I have been asked by my mom to not carry when I am at her house. This morning I sent her the article by Robert Boatman "The Constitutional Right and Social Obligation to Carry a Gun". She promised that she would read it but hasn't yet. I received this request as an email reply from her after sending her the article. Last night I verbally shared with her that I had my gun on me the previous Saturday when I was at her lake house. I told her I had been carrying because I never expected that she would ask me not too. I was commenting to her how lucky I was that none of my VERY anti-gun aunts had noticed and therefore I avoided a huge issue/argument with them (I probably would have been asked to stay at least 100yds away from them and their children ). Anyway, I have a response to her that I would like some opinions on before I send it too her. She has told me many times that she understands why I carry and she respects my decision to do so, she just asked that I leave it in the car when I get to her house. From her email:
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But I've been thinking of your comparison of carrying your gun 24 /7 to the seat belt scenario that you gave to me - I understand the concept of 6 blocks or 6 miles, etc. (anything can happen anytime) ... but at some point, we do take our seat belt off.
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My reply follows:
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If that is your wish I will honor it. I am curious why, but I don't need you to tell me why for me to respect your wishes. There is a reason I conceal carry, namely so that no one knows that I have a gun. I'm hoping to keep it that way. I would like to ask you to not tell anyone that I carry it or that you have asked me to not carry it at your house. I would probably be asked by many members of our family to do the same as you have asked when in reality I could have it on me and no one would even know, like no one knew I was carrying when I was at your house on Saturday. I have put great care and thought in making sure that I have a very safe, very reliable gun and also a very safe way to carry it. The holster guards the trigger of my gun and the gun fits tightly in the holster. The trigger can't be snagged on a branch or chair or pulled by someone hugging me or a child grabbing at my waist.
And maybe the seat belt analogy isn't the best. You are right that at some point you take it off and it isn't necessary. I don't feel that anyone knows for sure when a gun might be necessary. I don't think of this as being paranoid, just prepared. As an example, did the people sitting in church when one of the many church shootings happened think that during mass was an appropriate time to leave the gun in their car?
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Please be honest with your thoughts. I am trying to be respectful but also stand my ground and maybe educate her as to why I intend to carry 24/7. I WILL honor her wishes and leave it locked in the car when I go unless she tells me otherwise so we can skip the "it's called concealed carry for a reason" stuff.
Thanks, I look forward to your responses.
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But I've been thinking of your comparison of carrying your gun 24 /7 to the seat belt scenario that you gave to me - I understand the concept of 6 blocks or 6 miles, etc. (anything can happen anytime) ... but at some point, we do take our seat belt off.
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My reply follows:
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If that is your wish I will honor it. I am curious why, but I don't need you to tell me why for me to respect your wishes. There is a reason I conceal carry, namely so that no one knows that I have a gun. I'm hoping to keep it that way. I would like to ask you to not tell anyone that I carry it or that you have asked me to not carry it at your house. I would probably be asked by many members of our family to do the same as you have asked when in reality I could have it on me and no one would even know, like no one knew I was carrying when I was at your house on Saturday. I have put great care and thought in making sure that I have a very safe, very reliable gun and also a very safe way to carry it. The holster guards the trigger of my gun and the gun fits tightly in the holster. The trigger can't be snagged on a branch or chair or pulled by someone hugging me or a child grabbing at my waist.
And maybe the seat belt analogy isn't the best. You are right that at some point you take it off and it isn't necessary. I don't feel that anyone knows for sure when a gun might be necessary. I don't think of this as being paranoid, just prepared. As an example, did the people sitting in church when one of the many church shootings happened think that during mass was an appropriate time to leave the gun in their car?
---------------------
Please be honest with your thoughts. I am trying to be respectful but also stand my ground and maybe educate her as to why I intend to carry 24/7. I WILL honor her wishes and leave it locked in the car when I go unless she tells me otherwise so we can skip the "it's called concealed carry for a reason" stuff.
Thanks, I look forward to your responses.