The world is a dangerous place sometimes. You might worry about social upheaval or crime. If so, you may think you’ll feel safer if you own and carry a concealed weapon.
If a firearm is your weapon choice, it’s not always the best idea. You should consider the following facts before you buy that ankle or shoulder holster.
Concealed Carry is Not Legal in All States
The most vital thing about concealed pistol carrying you should understand is that it’s not legal in every state. Each state has different concealed carry laws, and if you buy a gun and intend to carry it around with you, you might face some serious jail time if the police catch you. That’s because:
• Firearms are potentially quite dangerous
• If you carry a gun, you might escalate a situation rather than defuse it
In California, for instance, if you carry a concealed pistol and the police catch you, that’s a minimum sentence of 3 months. Depending on your criminal record and other mitigating circumstances, you might get more time than that.
Also, even if you can legally carry a concealed weapon in one state, when you cross state lines, it can become illegal. For example, if you have an Alaskan concealed carry permit and drive to New York, you can’t carry your pistol with you. If the police catch you, you’ll get a fine and jail time.
You Shouldn’t Carry Without Proper Training
Let’s say you’re in a state with legal concealed carry laws. You decide you want to have a gun with you sometimes. You should still not carry one until someone trains you on how to use it properly.
That is because:
• You might accidentally shoot yourself with it
• If no one trained you, you’re putting yourself and others in danger
You might feel more secure walking around with a gun in your pants or under your jacket, but if no one taught you about shooting and gun safety, you’re a lot less safe than if you had no weapons. If no one trained you, and you did not put in any range time, the gun won’t do you much good even if someone threatens you.
Once you know how to use the gun and can legally carry it, that’s when it makes sense to do so. If you’re active or ex-military or a police officer, you’re in a better position to do it.
Guns Rarely Solve Problems
If you look at gun stats, you’ll see you’re a lot more likely to shoot yourself than a home invader. The same goes for concealed carry situations.
It’s true that if you have a gun on you, and someone tries to rob you, you might draw on them and chase them off. If you fire at them, though, you could just as easily hit an innocent bystander.
That’s an adrenaline-packed situation, and if you kill someone accidentally, even if you felt some individual threatened you, the courts will hit you with a manslaughter charge.
Gun enthusiasts don’t like to hear this, but guns create more problems than they solve. You can just as easily carry a knife or some mace. You can protect yourself with those, and it’s much less likely you will kill someone accidentally.
You Can Avoid More Dangerous Situations
What’s also true is that some people want a concealed carry permit because they’re eager to shoot someone. They go out of their way to walk through dangerous areas at night because they fantasize about firing their weapon.
Think about George Zimmerman murdering Trayvon Martin a few years ago. Think about Kyle Rittenhouse, the seventeen-year-old who went across state lines and shot someone in Wisconsin.
These individuals wanted to get in gun battles. They envisioned themselves as peacemakers or vigilantes.
You might not have those intentions, but you’ll do a lot better if you can simply avoid potentially dangerous situations. If you know you have to walk through a rough area, call an Uber, or hail a taxi instead. If you don’t want to work late in a dangerous neighborhood anymore, tell your boss you’re no longer interested in taking the night shifts.
There are too many weapons in the US as it is, and there need to be harsher gun laws. If you carry a concealed weapon, make sure it’s legal where you live, and someone has trained you to use it. You should only draw it if you feel you have no other choice.
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