I am your family, your friend, your neighbor and your store clerk. I am the person you say hello to on your morning walks. You see me in the store, the restaurant, on the street and in your neighborhood.
Depending on your political point of view, you may think it odd I own or am carrying a firearm. You probably don’t understand why. Let’s clear up a few misconceptions you have about me.
I am not a remnant of the Wild, Wild West and I don’t fancy myself a junior G-man, secret agent or super hero. I am not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t wear a tinfoil hat. I am not compensating for alarmingly small genitalia. I don’t go around trying to get into fights and I certainly don’t want to put myself or anyone else in danger.
What I have done is gone through numerous background checks, completing many Federal and state forms along the way for the legal purchase of my firearms and the ability to carry them. I have completed every required training program and have gone well above and beyond that level of education. I train and practice often and take very good care of my firearms. I keep track of the latest legal cases to make sure I do not inadvertently run afoul of the law. The absolute last thing I ever want to do is use my firearm against anyone and I will do everything I possibly can do to avoid it.
I am also very well aware in the case of a self-defense incident where I have to discharge my firearm; my life will be turned upside down. Even if fully and unquestionably justified, I will very likely be handcuffed by the police, arrested and jailed until the situation is cleared up. My case may be taken by the prosecutor to a Grand Jury to determine what charges to bring. My entire life, every social media post, every letter, every comment to someone at a party will be scrutinized for possible indications of bias or callous intent. My training and my mental state will be evaluated. Some may wish to ‘make an example’ out of me, and my actions will be used to judge other armed citizens. I will incur significant legal expenses and my family will be harassed by those who feel that I was wrong to do what I did.
Why then am I an armed citizen? The answer is as simple as simple can be. Despite of the negative that may follow, I choose to live. My family chooses to live. I for one refuse to allow a criminal or thug-terrorist to decide it is my time, or my family’s time to bleed to death on a public street or in my own home.
Are there people who legally own firearms and use them irresponsibly? Of course. Just as there are people who drink too much, drive poorly, stand on the top steps of ladders and run with scissors. They are a minuscule population within the firearm community and I have as much problem with them as you do.
It is estimated that defensive uses of firearms outweigh felonious uses by 30-80 to one or between one and two million times per year in the United States. There isn’t an accurate number since this isn’t a metric collected in police reports. Nobody from the “gun control/gun safety” movement even wants to look for those numbers. They say they are statistically insignificant or simply don’t exist.
While you may not know I am a legally armed citizen, you still benefit from me being here. We are long past the days where any criminal fears the law, the police or the courts. The only thing they still have to fear is their victim. If they believe their potential victim is armed and can defend themselves, they will move on to someone who can not. They will find an easier target. (They’re criminals, not morons.) The more people like me, the more armed citizens there are, the less likely someone will be made a victim
In case you don’t remember me, let me give you my description. I am male, female or gender nonspecific. I am young, middle aged or retired. I am tall, medium height or a little short. I have a full head of brown/red/blond/black/purple/green hair or am bald. I am thin, fit & muscular or overweight. I’ll be wearing shorts & a tank top, jeans & polo shirt or a suit or long/short dress.
I am the armed citizen.
Bob
#oddstuffing, #2ndAmendment, #armedcitizen