Posted on 09/04/2009 8:54:03 PM PDT by marktwain
To the editor:
I carry a gun everywhere I go in Flagstaff. I carry at the bank, I carry at the grocery store, I carry when I go check the mail. Any business with a sign that says "no weapons" does not get my business. I do not have a permit to carry a gun, as you do not need one in our great state. I carry a gun for one reason; guns save lives. According to a study by The University of Florida a person defends himself with a gun every 53 seconds. According to the NCIPC, a homicide is committed with a gun every 48 minutes.
I would like local businesses in our community to wake up and realize what restricting guns does. Criminals do not obey rules. It seems a simple fact, yet businesses in our community still post "no weapons" signs. Criminals will ignore your sign while people lawfully possessing a weapon will follow your rule. Posting a "no weapons" sign is as good as a "come rob me, no one will stop you" sign.
The day I need a gun to solve a problem is going to be a terrible day, but much better than the day I needed a gun to solve a problem and I didn't have one. I'm not strong enough to carry a cop on my back, so I carry a gun on my hip.
Get smart, Flagstaff; arm yourself.
Georgia needs to get on board with this.The way its supposed to be.
I carried a gun for many years in Lousiana before it was legal to do so.
At the time my Dad told me...
“I’d rather come bail you outta jail, than to have to identify you at the morgue.”
I went to college in Flagstaff in the 1970’s. Across Milton Avenue from campus was the “Pic-quik” market where you could buy guns and beer. No one saw anything wrong with it at the time and crime was minimal.
“Don’t Californicate Arizona” bumperstickers were ubiquitous. They didn’t work. Flagstaff’s full of Lefties, now, from what I hear.
That is unfortunate to hear. :-(
It would be interesting to determine what inspired them to move to a freedom-loving state like Arizona.
I think it’s rude to carry openly. Arizona has an excellent concealed carry program (a friend just got a permit only 8 days after taking the class and sending in the application).
Go armed, but keep it out of sight.
Besides, it’ll scare all the hippies at NAU.
“According to a study by The University of Florida a person defends himself with a gun every 53 seconds.” WOW! Where does that guy live? (Old joke)
Ping
I don't even carry a gun, and these signs really irritate me. What kind of a moron thinks his store is safer because a sign will make it violence free? Don't answer because I know what kind of moron. The kind we have in the White House.
Unfortunately, you’re correct. Flag has been turned into an artsy-fartsy town for liberal morons. It used to be a great “cowboy” town.
So what
I don't know why they came. As a native, I felt the state should have had a strict interstate immigration policy.
No one cares what you think (feel) pal.
Here in Michigan, we can open-carry or conceal-carry.
There are situations where each one has it’s advantages.
(And review the spelling in your tagline.)
They come to Flagstaff because it’s a nice place to live and has a great “party-school” university.
The libs seem to have taken over all the best places - Sedona, AZ for example.
Others of us came here for work, and as refugees from California. Unfortunately, too many California refugees bring their stupid political ideas with them.
Maybe they are morons for posting “no weapons” signs, but it’s their freedom to do so—a freedom we should all cherish and protect. Now if we can just get the anti-smoking Nazis to back off on telling business owners whether they can allow smoking or not.
No one cares what you think (feel) pal.Up yours too. It's that sort of attitude that gives legal gun owners a bad name.
I used to carry concealed in AZ in a fanny pack, until a judge decided that was illegal. Then I carried openly when out in the woods with my daughter, and I could tell that it bothered some perfectly fine folks. Now, with CCW, I can (and maybe do) carry concealed again.
Conservatives tend to be more polite than leftists. There appear to be some egregious exceptions in this comment thread.
I carried a gun in FL and many other states before it was legal to do so, and I would do it again if the CCW laws are ever repealed. The supreme law of the land is the US Constitution, and the Supremes recently ruled correctly what 99% of the American people have always known, namely, that the 2nd Amendment applies to the people, not the states. How could the phrase "the right of the people" be interpreted to mean anything but THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE?
I was saved from being a victim of a serious crime on two separate occasions by having a gun in my possession even though it was not legal for me to have it in some of the areas that I frequently traveled. In neither incident was I required to fire the gun in self defense, the mere display of the gun and my obvious intention to use it if necessary was all that was needed to end the two potentially deadly confrontations.
And I would like to see every law abiding citizen carry any way they choose.
Flagstaff is FULL of libtards now. You can’t do an armpit fart without elbowing one of them.
INDEED.
I never said “Up yours pal.” You said that.
Read my post again, and you will find that we can open-carry or conceal-carry. They both have their advantages. Now, about your “Miss Manners” statement about it being “rude” to “open-carry”, how so?
Is it “rude” to assert my 1st Amendment rights in public?
Please explain your reasoning.
Also, you state that it “bothered some perfectly fine folks”
So what. They were irrational, and can not fathom that you were no threat to them. You would’ve been a protector in time of need.
If we let our lives be governed by people like that, we will end up with a person like -oh yeah- Obama.
Oh, and thank you for your service to our country.
They drove the cost of housing out of sight in Arizona and brought over a far more liberal political philosophy.
Actually too bad because our housing market is in shambles and we now have more dimocrat US Representatives than Republicans.
Now, about your “Miss Manners” statement about it being “rude” to “open-carry”, how so?Because it is relatively unusual for people to carry openly, those who do inspire fear - not an unreasonable fear since carrying openly when you don't have to, and where most people don't, is a sign that you may not have all your marbles in one jar.
Is it “rude” to assert my 1st Amendment rights in public?Yes, frequently it is.
Also, you state that it “bothered some perfectly fine folks” So what. They were irrational, and can not fathom that you were no threat to them. You would’ve been a protector in time of need.First, I don't consider them irrational, and I find those who carry openly in situations where very few do to be somewhat intimidating (and I'm packing too, just not rudely). Second, even if they are irrational, it is rude to cause them distress if you don't need to. When I felt it necessary to carry openly, I did so, but regretted the distress it caused. Does that help explain it?
If we let our lives be governed by people like that, we will end up with a person like -oh yeah- Obama.And if we would give more respect to the feelings of others, it would be a better place.
Oh, and thank you for your service to our country.Thanks. See my other post of tonight to see how you can help all of us, including those of us from long-ago wars.
Dream Warrior... Washington hasn’t been a “normal state” for a long time. But yes, I suspect that California is oozing liberals into all sorts of places. Like Flagstaff and Sedona, and Phoenix. I suspect they might not last long in Kingman, though :-)
Dream Warrior... Washington hasn’t been a “normal state” for a long time. But yes, I suspect that California is oozing liberals into all sorts of places. Like Flagstaff and Sedona, and Phoenix. I suspect they might not last long in Kingman, though :-)
“I think it’s rude to carry openly.”
Like hell. Open carry reinforces the tradition of the 2nd Amendment and is an excellent deterrent to crime. If some spineless hoplophobe gets his/her panties in a bunch over it, tough. They need some “re-education”.
You have met the enemy and it is you. Hilarious.
Carrying a concealed firearm is a cowardly and dishonest act. It also puts you at a disadvantage as you have to move a layer of clothing to get to your firearm, slowing down your draw time. Carrying a firearm is nothing to be ashamed of and is no different then having a slogan on a T-shirt.
If people are offended by the sight of your gun then more people need to carry openly until society gets used to it. I’m offended by gay pride parades but I wouldn’t try to prevent them from having one if they so choose.
90% of the time nobody even notices an openly carried handgun.
Carrying a concealed firearm is a cowardly and dishonest act.Where did you get that? The "My testosterone is bigger than yours" manual? Nonsense.
It also puts you at a disadvantage as you have to move a layer of clothing to get to your firearm, slowing down your draw time.It also hides the fact that you are armed, which can be a tactical advantage.
Carrying a firearm is nothing to be ashamed of and is no different then having a slogan on a T-shirt.It is nothing to be ashamed of, but in most situations it is rude, which is something to be ashamed of. As far as the difference between carrying and having a T-shirt slogan, I've never yet heard of anyone being shot by a T-shirt slogan. The biggest problem with carrying openly is that it hurts the 2nd amendment cause by giving the impression that gun owners are immature or intimidating (or both).
If people are offended by the sight of your gun then more people need to carry openly until society gets used to it. I’m offended by gay pride parades but I wouldn’t try to prevent them from having one if they so choose.I don't care about those who are offended in a political sense. The issue is the many who are rightfully alarmed. In today's world, displaying a gun marks you as different, of questionable judgment, and armed. That is a threat, pure and simple. Obvious, YMMV depending on whether you wear it out in the woods or to a restaurant in a big city. As for gay pride parades, I find them incredibly rude, given the frequent obscenities associated with them. However, they are legal. Gay pride parades in most places are just as counter-productive and rude as open carry.
90% of the time nobody even notices an openly carried handgun.Only if 90% of your carries are where nobody is present! Otherwise, the idiocy of that statement speaks for itself. Even out here in the wild west, open carry has been discouraged as long as there have been towns.
Try open carry sometime. Nobody notices. If you are too ashamed of your firearm to do so then just go to opencarry.org and look there. It’s not a unique phenomenon.
Concealed carry was criminalized in the 18th and 19th century because it was universally viewed as a cowardly and dishonest act, and not the means by which a law abiding person with no ill-intent would carry.
People can be alarmed if they wish, that’s their right. Their alarm does not remove my or your right to carry that firearm openly.
Try open carry sometime. Nobody notices.As I wrote previously, I have carried openly. It is true that people don't go up to you and challenge you (that would be, ahem, rather dumb, since you are visibly and arrogantly armed).
If you are too ashamed of your firearm to do so then just go to opencarry.org and look there. It’s not a unique phenomenon.What is it that you don't understand about civility and politeness? I'm not ashamed, I just choose not to disturb other people unnecessarily. From your tone, I suspect you choose to disturb them to make a point. That's rude - my original point.
Concealed carry was criminalized in the 18th and 19th century because it was universally viewed as a cowardly and dishonest act, and not the means by which a law abiding person with no ill-intent would carry.Are you advocating that we return to that policy? If not, then what relevance does it have?
People can be alarmed if they wish, that’s their right. Their alarm does not remove my or your right to carry that firearm openly.I will type this very slowly so you will understand. IT IS NOT A MATTER OF RIGHTS! NOBODY IS DENYING YOUR RIGHTS! However, you behavior will help stir a backlash against those of us who want to be able to defend ourselves by carrying a firearm, just like that complete idiot who wore an AR-15 to an Obama visit here in Phoenix. Get it? It's about tactics and politeness, not in-your-face rights. You remind me of in-your-face gays... and don't they just make you want to support their cause because they are in your face?
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