"Hawke" wrote in message
...
On 4/17/2010 11:48 PM, Don Foreman wrote:
On Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:34:47 -0700, Hawke
wrote:

If you want to get a permit and carry
concealed I think that is sensible. But just walking around everybody
else with a gun on your hip like a cop seems a little weird, if you ask
me.

Hawke

Roger that.

If ya wanna be a cop, do the training regimen and take the job.

A CCW does not make the posessor an ersatz cop, champion of the
oppressed, defender of others. It merely conveys the legal right to
carry a weapon. Actual use of that weapon is subject to lots more law,
both criminal and civial. Legal defense is expensive, figure $50K
minimum. Acceptable if death would obviously and provably been the
result of not killing, pricey otherwise. You have seconds to make that
decision, and however that turns out the perp's rellies who mourned
his sorry ass while he was planted at public cost will know your
address.


You're right on the money. The first problem you have if you use a gun for
self defense is are you correct in that judgment. Were you legally right
when you decided to use deadly force? You may have to make that decision
very quickly and without knowing a lot of the facts. Then if you do use
your weapon comes the second guessing by the state. Was it all legal and
proper? Hopefully it was and you aren't prosecuted for using the weapon
when you didn't have the legal right to do it. But even if you were
legally allowed to use the weapon you're not free from civil liability.
The person you shot can sue you even if you were legally in the right and
they may win in court. Last comes the psychological impact on you that
comes from shooting another human being. Some people have no trouble with
this but others are greatly affected by shooting another person even
though they had to. So the truth is it's a hell of a big responsibility to
even have a gun on you. Even more so if you actually ever use it. Most
people never give things like this a thought until its way too late.


Depending where you are, you may not have to worry about the civil courts.
Many Staes shield the self defender against civil repercussions if the
shooting was done in self defense. I'll agree about the psychological impact
that some people might feel. I may even feel sad for a short time but take
comfort in the fact that it was them instead of me or a loved one. Ice cream
usually cheers me up a bit :-) Actually, the honest citizen who defends
himself probably give it much more thought than the bad guy does.