I can’t think of one place where I would want to carry a gun, except maybe a shooting range. I’m not a police officer or active military member. I’m not a private investigator, bounty hunter, or marshal, or any other profession that might require a gun. So, why would I want to carry a gun into, say, the Pick and Save in my neighborhood? And I don’t care how legal it is, the idea of people carrying guns into banks is just no good.
Besides, the only “safe” gun is one that isn’t loaded. To really be safe then, I would have to carry the gun unloaded; maybe keep rounds in my purse, just in case. In case what? Quite honestly, if I were robbed or otherwise attacked, I’d have no time to pull a gun—loaded or not. I certainly would not have to time to load it even if I could get to it.
Would the mere sight of a gun keep an attacker at bay? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I’d be so slow that it wouldn’t matter and then my attacker would end up with my gun. Maybe I would forget about the safety because I would be panicked. I can’t see this kind of scenario working out well.
I hear personal protection as the main argument for the ability to carry a gun, but in close quarters, I think pepper spray would be far more effective, or maybe one of those metal batons. Let’s face it, shooting someone requires pulling the gun, aiming the gun, and pulling the trigger. While this can be done very quickly by experienced people, the average person is not likely to pull it off. Moreover, I’m hopeful that the average person would rather not shoot someone at all.
Let me be clear, I have no problems with gun ownership. Hunters, hobbyists, collectors, and anyone who can own a gun responsibly should have every right to do so. But really, what does the average person gain by being able to tote a gun around town? Yet, here we are joining the masses in our ability to carry a gun to most places. I can only hope that those who choose to take up that right do it with great care.
