ep0k
Regular Member
Mall ninja, responsible carry, etc
For the overwhelming majority of the Maine OC community, this isn't relevant, but it needs to be stated plainly and I think a few of the lurkers could benefit from reading this.
Your handgun is not a fashion accessory. It is not a toy for grown men. It is ABSOLUTELY not a tool for intimidation.
As much as it pains me to say it, if you are a combat veteran, it is not a replacement for your battle rifle.
For some people, such as myself, it can be very cathartic to have a weapon on your hip. This is not a good reason to carry, in and of itself. Allow me to elaborate:
I will not deny that it "just feels right" to have a gun on my hip. I served for six years in two branches of the military, including a very long tour in Iraq. I carried an M4 with a multiplicity of attachments for 14 months during my overseas service, and I knew, every day, that my rifle might ultimately be the last line of defense between me and an unfortunate end at the hand of self-proclaimed Sharia judges.
Carrying a weapon is as natural to me as breathing.
This is not enough, in itself, to carry.
I carry every day, not because I need a sidearm to be comfortable, but because I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I carry because, in the course of my life, I have been the victim of more violent crimes (assault, battery, robbery, home invasion) than I have been in car accidents. I carry because I am a member of the unorganized militia.
In the US, the proliferation and use of firearms has been proven, unilaterally, to deter crime, and provide an inarguable measure of personal protection.
For a man such as myself with a wide spectrum of disabilities, the case becomes even clearer.
I carry because I have chosen to take personal responsibility for the protection of myself and my family. I have the knowledge and the training to do so responsibly. I take the profession of arms, and the bearing of arms, as seriously as a cloud of anthrax on a windy day. I am not ******* around.
I expect no less from anyone else who chooses to exercise their right to bear arms. If you are willing to undertake the personal obligation of daily carry, please do so responsibly.
Don't carry just because you can. Don't carry because it feels right. Don't carry just to prove a point. Don't carry to advertise or intimidate.
Carry responsibly if, and only if, you can know with a clear conscience that you are defending yourself and your rights.
For the overwhelming majority of the Maine OC community, this isn't relevant, but it needs to be stated plainly and I think a few of the lurkers could benefit from reading this.
Your handgun is not a fashion accessory. It is not a toy for grown men. It is ABSOLUTELY not a tool for intimidation.
As much as it pains me to say it, if you are a combat veteran, it is not a replacement for your battle rifle.
For some people, such as myself, it can be very cathartic to have a weapon on your hip. This is not a good reason to carry, in and of itself. Allow me to elaborate:
I will not deny that it "just feels right" to have a gun on my hip. I served for six years in two branches of the military, including a very long tour in Iraq. I carried an M4 with a multiplicity of attachments for 14 months during my overseas service, and I knew, every day, that my rifle might ultimately be the last line of defense between me and an unfortunate end at the hand of self-proclaimed Sharia judges.
Carrying a weapon is as natural to me as breathing.
This is not enough, in itself, to carry.
I carry every day, not because I need a sidearm to be comfortable, but because I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I carry because, in the course of my life, I have been the victim of more violent crimes (assault, battery, robbery, home invasion) than I have been in car accidents. I carry because I am a member of the unorganized militia.
In the US, the proliferation and use of firearms has been proven, unilaterally, to deter crime, and provide an inarguable measure of personal protection.
For a man such as myself with a wide spectrum of disabilities, the case becomes even clearer.
I carry because I have chosen to take personal responsibility for the protection of myself and my family. I have the knowledge and the training to do so responsibly. I take the profession of arms, and the bearing of arms, as seriously as a cloud of anthrax on a windy day. I am not ******* around.
I expect no less from anyone else who chooses to exercise their right to bear arms. If you are willing to undertake the personal obligation of daily carry, please do so responsibly.
Don't carry just because you can. Don't carry because it feels right. Don't carry just to prove a point. Don't carry to advertise or intimidate.
Carry responsibly if, and only if, you can know with a clear conscience that you are defending yourself and your rights.
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