Very true, it seems odd the anti-gun would be more concerned with law abiding citizens than the criminal element.

That’s is a great point, “I don’t carry to make friends.”

It is a bit disappointing, lambs to the slaughter.

Thank you Joey, free markets are a good thing.

Even self-proclaimed “gun people” and many in the gun industry, from what I have observed, don’t always accept the general public carrying concealed guns. Unless you are a LEO, no loaded guns on their property. For example, I won’t go to any local gun shows any more because 1) they have a no concealed carry guns policy and 2) they hire an armed police officer at the door asking you whether you have a gun on you. Since I don’t feel like lying to an officer, I choose not to attend. I have been to gun stores and gun ranges where they display “no concealed weapons signs.” How this is tolerated by the gun culture – the same people that argue for 2nd amendment rights – I don’t know.

If you have a concealed weapon on you and you keep it concealed, what is the problem?

It is frustrating for someone who takes their safety seriously. I have invested a lot of time, thought, and money to get proper equipment, training, etc. Yet, members of the general public who either refuse to accept that there is evil in the world, or believe that nothing bad will ever happen to them – they are quick to limit your personal rights.

Carrying a gun doesn’t win you friends. But I don’t carry to make friends, I don’t carry to be popular or to “show off.” In fact, I don’t want people knowing I carry. I just want to go about my daily life knowing that I have the tools available to protect myself in the event they are needed. Hopefully, that day never comes.

You have a hell of a point. More and more we are seeing people putting their personal sensibilities far before the personal rights of others. What’s more, they are using the government to keep others from ‘hurting their feelings.’ This is clear and irrefutable proof of the “decay” you speak of.

That’s one end of the spectrum. The other would be private individuals running their private businesses as they see fit. What once made this country great was that the common denominator to everything was freedom. Springstein doesn’t agree with a new law and decides to cancel his concert in that state? No problem! That’s his right. He refunds the money and no one is worse off. He can refuse service to whomever he pleases. There should be no law that forces any private company or individual to give fair or equal treatment to anyone. A business doesn’t want to serve blacks? That’s fine. In a free market, they’ll go somewhere else. Money talks.

Only the all-so-corrupt government can “officially” and violently deprive anyone of their constitutional rights, or at least try. A private person cannot. I guarantee you that Springstein’s reputation will be irrevocably tarnished because of his actions. His business will suffer because of it. But he didn’t infringe on anyone’s rights.

Consider your own situation compared to the carwash lady who would have her business be a gun-free zone. The first point would be to say that she can post all the signs she desires and yell at the top of her lungs that guns are forbidden at her place of business, but that is not law and that doesn’t take away from your legal right to carry. As a matter of fact, if you’re doing it right and carrying concealed, then no one would be the wiser. The second point, which applies to you, is your student selection. Would you provide training to some camel jockey who is vocal about commiting violent acts against innocents in the name of his religion? Absolutely not! And you’d be perfectly within your rights as a private business owner to refuse your service to anyone for any reason you see fit. To be sure, I’m not saying that concealed carriers exercising their rights are to be compared with terrorists. I’m only saying that no one is obligated to serve anyone.

The more freedom people have to choose and do what they believe to be in their best interest, the better, so long as they don’t use force, violence or intimidation to impose their will on others. Because, in that case, they’d open themselves to a whole world of hurt.

Joey