On Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:01:29 -0700, Hawke
wrote:

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.

Hawke

An important reason for requiring training to get a CCW is to inform
applicants of these issues. Not all states require training. I
encourage everyone who buys a first handgun to get this training
whether or not they intend to carry or apply for a permit.