Why I carry - even at home.

I live in a regular neighborhood, very little crime - elderly neighbors, quiet and friendly. My family and friends have mocked my husband and I for carrying weapons on us, even when we are home - mainly because no one can see the need for it.
Last night, I've never been happier I lock my doors and carry a weapon on me at all times.
As I was sitting on my couch, home alone because my husband was gone for the evening, I heard my door rattle. Now... crime is SO rare in my area, that even though I thought it odd at 9pm, I didn't think anything serious of it and just chalked it up to someone putting a flyer on my door, or leaving the "snowman" gifts that our neighborhood does. I was so involved in my book, I didn't care to get up and check. When my husband came home an hour later, I asked him to check the front step. Nothing was there. I knew immediately something was off. And sure enough, 20 min later, a police officer showed up and parked in front of our house. Our 70 year old neighbors were burglarized. The robber had tried our door first, but it was locked. Seeing our neighbors were gone, he climbed our 6ft fence and went in through a backyard door and robbed them.
It was so close to being me. I had been in and out my front door and had left it unlocked between my trips outside... and just as my husband left, he locked it on his way down the stairs - almost as an after thought. If he hadn't done that, I would have had a man in my house... and some hard snap decisions would have needed to be made. With my gun by my side, the guy was lucky, as the only thing that kept him from likely being shot was a small bolt lock.
I feel horrible for my dear elderly neighbors. It shook me up and he didn't even make it in our house. And I feel bad I didn't get off my couch and at least look out my window. I may have gotten a view of him and prevented my neighbors from feeling violated.

It's a good lesson though. I hear people say all the time "I never lock my doors!" - it doesn't matter how safe you feel... you never know. And even though my own mother mocked me for having my weapon by my side while I sat on the couch, or carried it in my purse when I went to their home.... if I had my gun in my room, and my door hadn't been locked - I wouldn't have been able to reach it in time.
So, continue to mock - and I will continue to be prepared.

reply to post by CeeRZ


I feel sad for you if you feel the need to carry a gun/weapon in order to feel safe.

It is your right but.....whatever. Some people are thick.

reply to post by CeeRZ


I get what you are saying, but it seems to me that the burglars didn't ignore you because you had a gun (they didn't know that, and who knows, they may have had 2 machines guns on them?) but because you were home. Had you not been home, having a gun would have made no difference.

I have a number of weapons in my house (but no gun) - but no-one knows that so it's not a deterrent to burglars. It just means I can kill them in the very unlikely event they walk through my unlocked door with the intend on struggling very hard to find anything worth stealing

(note: not that I would kill them, obviously! )

I carry my weapon when I'm outside the home (and not at the campus of course) but I can't see carrying it with me at home?

Having said that, I'll note I have guns sitting in all 4 rooms I spend 99% of my time in and I know where they are to be within short reach at all times...but they sit there too. Every month or two, I'll rotate ammunition and every few months I'll break them down and clean them for good measure, if nothing else.

The only time I can say I've had my gun at home and not where one is normally just sitting anyway? It's been when a specific reason, at that moment, has caused an issue ..then it's very obvious in my hand ..or if I'm in the bedroom? Well... I always have liked the sound of tromboning a pump shotgun. It's a sound I think is ingrained or something, as people seem to know what it is without even being in the room to see or claiming to have heard it before.

* We do get home invasions and home burglaries turn fatal for homeowners regularly enough to keep those I have, spread around in regular spots tho... I can understand that.

justreleased
reply to post by CeeRZ

 

I feel sad for you if you feel the need to carry a gun/weapon in order to feel safe.

It is your right but.....whatever. Some people are thick.

It is your right but.....whatever

This is the best argument I have heard against the constitution to this day. Thanks man! I now have no problem giving up the little freedom I have left because of your words of widom.

reply to post by CeeRZ


I'm sure you suspect that your family is "different". Maybe a nagging feeling that something is missing?

I believe you posted what you did to make yourself feel better. I hope, for your sake, it works.

Before you get defensive, please understand that no one that is in the process of living and enjoying life, needs to have instant access to lethal force at all times.

Granny Clampett approves!











Besides, it's not like you are using a shotgun
as a substitute for social skills.



/for the laughs

reply to post by AndyMayhew


Good point.

If someone looked at me while I was shopping at the local grocery store they would have no clue I'm a lunatic.

I dress indiscriminately but really it's just a disguise. Underneath the persona of normality is my reality of insanity.

My point being.....not sure. I guess people should carry weapons on them at all times. You just never know if the person standing next to you in line may decide to attack.

If you want to live in fear then.....

If the USA is going that paranoid i'm amazed they can take a shower or any other activity that involves water or both hand without one hand being on a gun sometimes and i have this vision of bubba on the can with a 12 bore pointing at the door

reply to post by CeeRZ


As crime increases in my nice suburban neighborood on the West Side-my wife was held up by two lowlifes with guns IN OUR DRIVEWAY.

Sadly...I carry at home as well. Even taking out the trash.

So should you. Its happening everywhere. Good luck to you.
PS (Get floods outside with motion detectors (not TIMERS)...that automatically turn on).

DocScurlock

justreleased
reply to post by CeeRZ

 

I feel sad for you if you feel the need to carry a gun/weapon in order to feel safe.

It is your right but.....whatever. Some people are thick.

It is your right but.....whatever

This is the best argument I have heard against the constitution to this day. Thanks man! I now have no problem giving up the little freedom I have left because of your words of widom.

LOL! That's exactly what I was thinking.
Talk about a holier than thou attitude. So typical of responses from people now says. If you don't agree with them, they belittle you and attack your intelligence.
He was correct on one part. It is her right to carry a gun. If she knows how to handle it and use it properly I see no problem whatsoever with that. In fact as long as no one attacks her I am pretty sure that no one would ever know she even has a gun.
Oh but wait, all of us 2nd amendment gun nuts are trigger happy fruitcakes who love to shoot first and ask questions later.
I think they have us confused with some of the new Nazi style policeman we see in the videos on here sometimes.

reply to post by DocScurlock


What are you talking about?

(*sane people*) See what I mean about being thick?

reply to post by Daz3d-n-Confus3d


People like you should carry a gun. (rolling my eyes.)

justreleased
reply to post by Daz3d-n-Confus3d

 

People like you should carry a gun. (rolling my eyes.)

Why thank you. I do. See what I mean about attacking someones intellect.

reply to post by Maxatoria


It's paranoia.....until you see the bodies of neighbors carted out with sheets over them...dead by scumbags who wanted their property more than they did.

Then it's self preservation and intelligent response to the challenge of not joining your neighbors.

One of those things....if you haven't experienced the need, it's probably impossible to even attempt to describe the requirement.

That is the ultimate joy of a free nation though. I can take personal responsibility for my life and safety ...and my neighbors can become willing and accepting victims of violent crime. We are all free to make our choices and live by the outcomes...or not.

reply to post by InverseLookingGlass

Before you get defensive, please understand that no one that is in the process of living and enjoying life, needs to have instant access to lethal force at all times.

Totally disagree. Personally I always have a weapon on me or within a few foot reach at all times. There have been times I was thankful of that. If you don't wish to that it's your prerogative and more power to you. but don't mock others. Me, I'll keep the guns handy and the ammo dry.

OP, good job on maintaining a secure lifestyle. Having a scare is better than having a tragedy.

So your neighbors still got robbed.... How did you having a gun save the day again?

justreleased
reply to post by CeeRZ

 

I feel sad for you if you feel the need to carry a gun/weapon in order to feel safe.

It is your right but.....whatever. Some people are thick.

Tunnel vision^^^
Read the OP again, take a couple of deep breaths, take a shower, take another big big breath, exhale slowly, then come back here to comment, I hope you'll be able to make it to the point, well unless...

Good job OP, may you never use your weapon in the future.

Think of having a gun like an insurance policy, you have it and hopefully you never have to use it.
It doesn't matter if they knew she had a gun or not, the point is is that she would have been prepared
Had they got into the house and even if they had machine guns she would have had a fighting chance.

I dont carry at home.. but I do have firearms in my home. I carry ( as its my right as an American Citizen) when Im going to certain areas or certain venues. I dont feel the need to carry all the time though. I have a lot of passive security and a beast dog.. if someone tries to bypass those, they arent looking to have tea and crumpets with me and they might not leave in one piece if they wish to do me or mine any harm.

I prefer not to take human life.. so I make my home and my "space" as forbidding as I can to at the very least try to save someone from their own stupidity. I have had the occasion to pull my weapon twice here in my own yard and each time it was wih the knowledge I am being put n the position of possibly killing another human being. I am not really cool with this new development in our town or that folks arent heeding the warning signals that Im not easy pickings. The problem these days is that they wont simply rob.. theyll do home invasions and have no problem murdering you and your family for a TV. Id give someone whatever they wanted ( or needed) to prevent having to take a life.. but Ill be damned if they dont come with murder in mind themselves and a rap sheet that looks like a novel.

Here last year ... and I live in a very nice area.. a woman was robbed at her YARD SALE.As in her cash and what they wanted to take with a gun stuck in her face.

Sick days... sick people...