USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Everybody starts somewhere. If you drive a car or fly a plane, you had that first time behind the wheel; that first solo flight. If you are like me, there was a lot of excitement and maybe a little (read: a lot) of fear.
To me, carrying a pistol seemed strange at first. You see, although I grew up with guns (Gun Culture 1.0), carrying one on the person in public was seldom done, except for police and thugs. I had carried one in the car when traveling, but carry permits were uncommon in those days.
Then the carry revolution began in Florida and swept across much of the United States. Tennessee, with the incessant urging of gun owners across the state, enacted a permitted carry law. Initially, the ninety-five sheriffs of the state-issued the permits. A bond was required in addition to the cost of training and permitting. I was able to scrape together the funds to get the ball rolling. I took the required course, paid for the bond, and went to the bowels of the City-County Building in Knox County to get fingerprinted.
Note: Bad guys can get fingerprinted 24/7/365, but to get my permission slip, I had to set an appointment during business hours.
So, I got the very expensive carry permit and started to carry a pistol. It seemed like everywhere I went people were looking at me. I thought to myself, “Do they know I am carrying a gun? Do they think I am a weirdo?”
I went to the magazine rack at Walmart once and was thumbing through some (gun) magazines, and up walked a police officer. “Am I printing? Does he think I am a bad guy?” Oblivious to me, the 12-pound anvil on my hip, and my decided list to starboard, but then he started perusing the magazines, too. Okay, I’m just an ordinary guy, participating in my constitutional right to bear arms. Everything’s cool.
As time went by, daily carrying of a handgun everywhere except where prohibited became routine, and the time came when being without at least a little pistol in my pocket became odd and uncomfortable like I forgot something.
Carrying a handgun is an awesome right and responsibility. For most of human history, the powerful have ruled over the weak. Fists or blades have enabled brigands of all sorts to rob, rape, and pillage at will. The development of the repeating handgun, beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century has changed that. The woman or the man of lesser body strength is able to project equalizing power. From Smithsonian Magazine:
The old saying goes like this: God created men equal. Colonel Colt made them equal.
If you are thinking about carrying a handgun and getting a permit (in states where required), then just go ahead and start the process. Get training whether required or not. Get some good instructional videos, such as the Gunsite 250 video course #ad.
Learn and always follow the Four Rules:
- Rule One: All guns are always loaded.
- Rule Two: Never let the muzzle cover anything which you are not willing to destroy.
- Rule Three: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
- Rule Four: Always be sure of your target (and what’s beyond it).
Particularly in these unsettled times, with police stations being burned and insurrectionists taking over sections of cities, you are indeed on your own.
Plan and act accordingly, and above all remain dangerous.
About Liston Matthews
Liston Matthews has been involved in the gun rights movement since 1971. He was involved in the passage of the Tennessee carry law, and its improvements. He has testified before local legislative bodies. He has contacted politicians and had numerous editorial letters published. He believes that politicians must be carefully vetted at the local level because few change their positions when they move to higher office.
Liston writes his own blog Good Hill Press is an AmmoLand News contributor, and formerly wrote at Examiner.com.
I’ve carried for over 40 years now, and have always been amazed at how little people scrutinize other people. In all these years I’ve yet to have anyone notice that I’m carrying, and I generally carry midsize to full size guns. You’re absolutely right, initially you’re self conscious and thinking that EVERYBODY knows, but after a couple of weeks you never give it another thought.
I have to carry concealed here in fla, except when working on private property with owners permission. it just feels weird if I am not carrying, like not wearing my seatbelt in the car. even clark has a point with “except where prohibited”. as far as I am concerned my God given right and safety is more important than man-made laws.
Carried off and on since I was 15. At that age, I was volunteer dispatching at our SO on weekends and school holidays. Biological dad, even in the early mid-1970’s, worried about someone attacking the office. He gave me a High Standard .22 WMR DA Deringer that I kept in an old Exxon “gift of the month”, plastic wallet to break up the outline. For a while, I was paranoid that one of the deputies might notice it, but AFAIK, nobody did. At least if they did, they never mentioned it. When I graduated high school, I began carrying a… Read more »
I’ve carried for over 9 years now (with a CCW license – which I keep even after Oklahoma went Constitutional Carry half a year ago), Like you, I never had any problems getting used to it.
But I just cannot bring myself to carry open. Despite open carry’s advantages, I see one over-riding disadvantage… open carriers are the FIRST to be shot by bad guys.
Excellent article, felt almost as if I had written it. Never did occur till now, very easy going, almost pacifist friends asking for advice suggestions 0n clbr.,brand and the choice of rev/auto as being best to carry. Kinda knew this day might one day arrive.
‘Except where prohibited’? You think violent criminals care about that rule? If you carry concealed, keep your mouth shut, and avoid metal detectors you should have a serious re-think about your position.