When visiting New Friends and Family

[Roadie]

I carry a firearm when it seems appropriate for me to do so. Seems to me, that to think being separated from my rosco long enough to pay someone a visit constitutes putting my families welfare at risk is a stretch. I have life insurance because I do care deeply about my Family and Accidents happen. I know I will die one day, but I will not allow fear to rule the day.

How did you confuse fear with preparedness? You are starting to regurgitate Anti-Gunner talking points..

 

[Hayseed_40]

I let my sister-in-law try to find my gun. Sometimes it takes her a while.

I enjoy it.

Does your brother watch?

 

[Mark 1911]

Ok guys. When you go to visit someone's home for the first time. Do you mention anything about your carrying? Do you leave it in the car? What do you do? All people are not gun people. I personally would be pretty peeved if someone entered my home armed without asking me if it was cool. Lets keep it clean please.

I would respect the wishes of any of my friends who preferred that I not carry in their home. But none of my friends have asked me not to in their home and yes, they all know that I carry.

I will CC at certain family gatherings if they are my home, or at a restaurant, because I don't want my gun to become the focus of the gathering. One of my father's buddies is a Marine (retired), he is one of the few of my parent's generation that I have mentioned it to, and we could talk guns all day long.

 

[sloughfoot]

My wife's sister. She is cute. And thorough. She knows I like to carry in my front pockets. She searches them extensively...

I'm glad I don't have a relative with a stick up their butt that would object to another gun in the house. In addition to theirs.

I feel sorry for you guys that are obsessed over this.

 

[Notavictim646]

How did you confuse fear with preparedness? You are starting to regurgitate Anti-Gunner talking points..

If I had a reason to beleive that the folks I went to visit had a higher than normal chance of invasion (like dope dealers) I would just not go. Regular folks I would risk it. The whole, 'I carried a firearm into your house just in case' thing would not carry water with 98% of people.

AND not viewing things the same as I do does not necessarily mean the other person is confused. In fact it might be me. I have been wrong in the past and have changed my mind when presented with a compelling argument. Got one?

 

[BlueEagle]

Yeah, I fail to see the issues here. I wouldn't tell the homeowner about the cigarettes in my pocket, (assuming I smoked,) or the pocketknife on my belt, or the multitool in other pocket, or nine inch daggers I keep concealed in my shoes....none of those things are going to have any impact on the people involved in the gathering, and so why do they need to know about them? If you're going to be that bad about it, is everybody who enters your home required to empty all of their pockets and pass through a metal detector? That's essentially what is being espoused; complete and total control of all possessions that somebody has on their person just because you invited them over to your house.

Personally, if someone has an issue with it, I don't go back to their house; I'm not a very social person anyway, and if somebody has a problem with me, they don't matter to me. I realize some of you can't quite go that far, but still....I think people are really over-reacting here.

Its essentially the same topic as carrying in stores/businesses with "No Guns" signs. If you're still willing to give them your business, (which, why on earth would you?) you CC and you don't tell anybody.

If you're still going to fraternize with someone who thinks you shouldn't have the right to defend yourself, (why on earth would you hang out with them?) you CC and you don't tell anybody.

 

[JetGirl]

If I had a reason to beleive that the folks I went to visit had a higher than normal chance of invasion (like dope dealers) I would just not go. Regular folks I would risk it.

NOBODY is "immune" to bad stuff just by being "regular folks". My cousin lives in a really nice neighborhood in a golf course community... not the stereotypical "dope dealer" type place. She was folding laundry in her bedroom and a bad guy ended up in her living room.
"Regular folks" are not exempt from invasions.

 

[ATM]

...Its essentially the same topic as carrying in stores/businesses with "No Guns" signs...

I'd say it's more like entering a store without any sign.

Some would go ask the manager if it's OK to carry while they shop there.

Others just go ahead and shop, figuring if anyone has a problem with it they'll let them know.

 

[Roadie]

If I had a reason to beleive that the folks I went to visit had a higher than normal chance of invasion (like dope dealers) I would just not go. Regular folks I would risk it. The whole, 'I carried a firearm into your house just in case' thing would not carry water with 98% of people.

AND not viewing things the same as I do does not necessarily mean the other person is confused. In fact it might be me. I have been wrong in the past and have changed my mind when presented with a compelling argument. Got one?

Sure do..

Check the Police Blotter for "nice" areas like Carmel, Fishers, etc etc. Crime happens EVERYWHERE. If you could accurately pick and choose where you might need a gun, you would never have to carry a gun at all..

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2012/feb/25/henderson-police-investigate-shooting-ar-1972587/

Massachusetts Mansion Murders: Couple Gunned Down in Their Home - ABC News

Slain pastor's mom recalls 'a man of integrity, joy, passion' | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

 

[BlueEagle]

NOBODY is "immune" to bad stuff just by being "regular folks". My cousin lives in a really nice neighborhood in a golf course community... not the stereotypical "dope dealer" type place. She was folding laundry in her bedroom and a bad guy ended up in her living room.
"Regular folks" are not exempt from invasions.

Exactly Jet; everytime somebody asks you why you carry a gun, don't we always say "you never know when something bad will happen?"

Truth is, you never know when something bad will happen. By its very nature, its unexpected.

 

[Roadie]

Exactly Jet; everytime somebody asks you why you carry a gun, don't we always say "you never know when something bad will happen?"

Truth is, you never know when something bad will happen. By its very nature, its unexpected.

Exactly. You dont drive around without your seatbelt on, then put it on in heavy traffic when you think you are "less safe", then take it off again when traffic clears..

At least, I dont, lol

 

[jazzy1993]

Would you ask somebody if you could bring your "dog" to their house or would you just show up and expect them to be ok with it? If they were not, obviously it is your right to leave, but it is also my right to assume not all people are "dog" people and may not want a "dog" in their home.

We are all expressing our opinions here, no need to jump on people because they do things differently than you or chose to show their respect in a different way.

I said I would let them know I was carrying. A bit of respect goes a long way. It appears most of you don't care what people think so why comment back on the way somebody else thinks?

 

[.45 Dave]

I suppose if you're really wondering about how folks feel you could take your gun out, twirl it a few times, pretend to shoot the pictures off the mantle, blow the "smoke" off the barrel and then put it away and watch their reaction. That should tell you what they think about it.

 

[ATM]

...why comment back on the way somebody else thinks?

Because this is a discussion topic posted on a public forum.



Am I missing something?

 

[Roadie]

Would you ask somebody if you could bring your "dog" to their house or would you just show up and expect them to be ok with it? If they were not, obviously it is your right to leave, but it is also my right to assume not all people are "dog" people and may not want a "dog" in their home.

We are all expressing our opinions here, no need to jump on people because they do things differently than you or chose to show their respect in a different way.

I said I would let them know I was carrying. A bit of respect goes a long way. It appears most of you don't care what people think so why comment back on the way somebody else thinks?

Slow your roll there Sparky. Respect goes both ways, read the rest of the thread and see the "jumping" is coming from both sides..

It's just a discussion, both sides expressing their opinion. You see it as being as innocuous and bringing a dog to someone's house, I see it as the difference between protecting my family or not.. different perspectives eh?

 

[.45 Dave]

Would you ask somebody if you could bring your "dog" to their house or would you just show up and expect them to be ok with it? If they were not, obviously it is your right to leave, but it is also my right to assume not all people are "dog" people and may not want a "dog" in their home.

We are all expressing our opinions here, no need to jump on people because they do things differently than you or chose to show their respect in a different way.

I said I would let them know I was carrying. A bit of respect goes a long way. It appears most of you don't care what people think so why comment back on the way somebody else thinks?

Yeah, but if you just stuck your dog down your pants before you went in they wouldn't have to know.

 

[LegatoRedrivers]

I suppose I think it is about offering a higher level of respect initially, like calling your business associates by Mr. or Mrs. Whatever, until they invite you to just call them joe. Or perhaps not using language that may be considered offensive. Again, this is a courtesy that I would offer others until I was invited to be more informal.

We've all said it - Your rights end where mine begin. I've been OCing more and more, and CC when I feel it is more appropriate, but a man's home is his castle. I might not care if a responsible friend is carrying in my home; but over the years I have learned to accept that not everyone can live up to the awesome that is Legato. "You can, and should, hold yourself to the highest standard; but if you expect that standard from everyone you meet all you will hold is disappointment."

I always ask permission to carry into another person's home if I don't know where they stand. Some people have no gun rules or simply aren't comfortable with firearms around, and I want to respect a person in his/her home. If I had a problem with their rules or wishes, I wouldn't enter their home. Of course, chances are that I will invite them to go shooting. I love taking non-gun people shooting.

My friends and family know that I carry, and reasonably assume that I will be carrying when we go out together. I carry into friends homes when I know they're fine with it. But what about acquaintances? People I am familiar with, but I don't know quite what they're all about yet?

If a police officer, who carries a firearm every day, can freak out about a private citizen out on the street carrying (right or wrong, we all know it happens) how might a private citizen react when they find out you've brought one in their home? A person who may or may not have had a bad experience that fosters an irrational prejudice against guns?

Trust can be a tricky thing. Not everyone has the benefits of specific knowledge and training that is abundant on this board. A person without that knowledge, who knows only what the Brady Bunch has told them about guns, will see you carrying a gun into their home as a betrayal, and that initial perceived betrayal will only make it more difficult for you to teach them that the Brady Bunch is wrong.

And don't give me that, "Concealed means concealed." It doesn't apply here. If this is a person who is a friend, or a person you intend to foster as a friend, they're going to find out you carry eventually. And if they are more anti-gun, the fact that you've carried into their home without their express consent or knowledge is just going to stick in their craw more. It may be because they don't know any better, or because they have been mislead, but old lies can die hard. If they feel you've given them reason to distrust you, whether they are right or wrong, it's going to be more difficult to show them the light.

If you're chummy enough to be welcomed into their home...wouldn't you already know something like that?

Ah, Jetgirl... you know I do so enjoy agreeing with you, but alas...

I've been in plenty of situations when I was invited into someone's home when I wasn't particularly chummy with them. Sometimes when I didn't know them at all.

Say, when my x-gf's invited me to a party at her friend's house so I could meet her friends. My ex wasn't anti-gun, she grew up in a gun friendly household, but she didn't own any or have a LTCH. Some of her friends, however, not so much.

I remember one of the first parties she asked me to go to with her, I left my sidearm in the glove box out in the car. She asked me to, and I wanted to make a good first impression; and being respectful of her friend's home seemed a good first step. I could always talk to her friends, find out their opinions and ideas (gently), and subsequently carry into their home if they were ok with it.

While I was there, I met a friend of theirs that was open carrying a 1911. I struck up a conversation with him, we talked guns for a while, and he seemed like a really nice guy. He was training to become a police officer, and had only recently started carrying. As a matter of fact, this was the first time he'd hung out with these people since he got his LTCH.

Later on, the ex mentioned that her friend (the one who owned the house) was very upset that he'd carried into her party. It made her friend uncomfortable, even though she'd known this guy for years and trusted him. She didn't want guns in her house, especially around all those people drinking. She was one of those people , it had just never really come up between the two of them.

If I'd carried into the party, I would have been "that guy." I would have been the person who made the homeowner uncomfortable, and upset the GF's best friend.

I hung out with her and her friend after that, she found out I carried, and had no problem with me carrying while we were out and about. She didn't want me to carry in her home, and that was her right. Do you really think "Sorry, hon; I can't hang out with your best friend tonight because she doesn't support my right to carry in her house." would have gone over real well?

What is it with the whole 'kids' thing? Is it because they annoy you to the point of violence or are you afraid a 5yo girl is going to steal it?

Because, Frost, if it turns out the person who has let you into their home is a Brady Bunch supporter, "Think of the Children" is the only phrase they know how to say. It's the reason the ex's friend didn't want guns in her home, even when the kid wasn't there. Her logic was flawed, but it takes all types.

 

[jazzy1993]

Because this is a discussion topic posted on a public forum.



Am I missing something?

No you're not. I have not been on here very long, but it seems a few posters walk around with an "I don't care what anyone else thinks" attitude but are quick to try and tell people what they think is right.

 

[LegatoRedrivers]

Slow your roll there Sparky. Respect goes both ways, read the rest of the thread and see the "jumping" is coming from both sides..

It's just a discussion, both sides expressing their opinion. You see it as being as innocuous and bringing a dog to someone's house, I see it as the difference between protecting my family or not.. different perspectives eh?

This is my point exactly. Different perspectives. From my perspective, having my sidearm on me is not a big deal. From someone else's perspective...

 

[.45 Dave]

What it comes down to is that each of us should approach it in whatever way we feel comfortable doing so. Some people won't carry at church because they are uncomfortable bringing a gun into a worship service. Same thing applies here. If anyone is uncomfortable wearing a gun into a another's house then don't. Personally, I carry everywhere, including parties at people's houses I don't know well and they never know anything about it. I'm fine with that. Same with church. My gun is part of who I am. If someone confronted me about it while at their house then I would do the same as if a business asked me to leave. It is their right not to want a weapon in their place. I would then either leave (politely and respectfully) or take the gun out and lock it in the car. But if they don't know or don't ask then I will continue to wear it and probably not even think about it. --and neither will they.