Although I strongly support the right to carry a weapon, I rarely do. I don't feel the need for it when traveling around Maine because we're a pretty safe state and I seldom travel to the few areas where it's not so safe. I would feel a stronger need to carry when I leave the state but there are too many states where you can't do that anymore, and I'd hate to end up in a New York prison. I don't have a concealed carry permit because we don't need one in Maine, but some states won't accept a CC from another state anyhow. Overall, I feel more threatened by the police than I do by any bad guys that I might need to defend against.
If we are on a long trip, we always have a pistol in the car. I don't consider what other state laws are; I never even check to see if it's legal because I don't care. If we are in a situation where we need a weapon, I'll worry about the consequences later. Around town, no.
I don't always carry a gun on my person, but I never travel without one. 40 years ago when I was married, my wife & I vacationed in Las Vegas often. After a night of dinner & a little Black Jack, I went to sleep at 3:00 am & put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on our door &, of course made sure it was locked. My wife was in the bathroom. (we stayed at Circus Circus). I woke up to her screaming & our door opening. I rolled off the bed & grabbed my gun from under the bed & rested it on top of the bed just as two guys came into the room, followed by a woman who looked like a maid. The guy in front saw me & yelled, "Oh, F---," & they all ran out. I called the front desk & told them what happened, then I called the police. The three of them were gone before police arrived. The officers told me those three have been breaking into rooms & the housekeeper was helping them & they don't care if the rooms are occupied at the time. Who knows what they would have done. When we travel we always followed the same procedure as at home - her gun under her side of the bed & mine under my side.
May I ask why you feel threatened by the police? I know there are a few bad cops, but didn't realize so many where you live.
Ok now I can agree with you. I didn't think you meant what I thought you were saying. I started to use proper English but then if I used the wrong words, I'd just be skinning my ignorance. It is hell getting old, but beats the alternative.
Back when I lived alone in Idaho, I had my .22 rifle as well as a little.25 pistol that I carried in the pickup when I traveled. When I was working for Combined Insurance, I usually put an average of 1,000 miles a week on the vehicle traveling, and so I carried the pistol along with me, just as a precaution. The .22 rifle was mainly for predators at the ranch , and even then, I seldom used it. Since I have been married to Bobby, I have not had any kind of a weapon, and gave the ones I had to my kids.
The discussion is difficult to understand for someone from Europe. It seems to me that you are very quick to let yourselves be persuaded that there is a danger for you no matter where you go. Apparently you don't feel safe anywhere, you seem to live in constant fear. Not a nice life when I think about it. How often has something happened to you? How often do you draw your weapons for protection?
Do you insure your house? Why? Do you live in constant fear that a fire is going to break out? Or, do you simply want to make sure that you're covered in the unlikely event that you need it? People pay far more money on insurance than they do on their guns. They might spend a few hundred to a thousand or more for a gun that, if maintained properly, will last them forever, while they pay more than that each year for insurance.
We have never "carried" or have available (trigger lock off) any of ours at home. Don't have one in our vehicle either. Just the way we are. We don't drive into any areas that would be deemed "unsafe", even at night.
A bit like a fire extinguisher. I have had them around for years and never used them. Same with insurance. Hopefully you will never need to defend oneself, but tyranny doesn't exist when the citizens are armed. The first thing dictators do is disarm the public. Not fear, just caution.
I don't know anyone who lives in fear; not a single person. Of course, most of us are armed, lol. And I have a wonderful life but thanks for caring. I have never drawn my weapon for protection, but I like knowing that it's there should I ever need to. "Be Prepared."
My friend's mom (in Florida years ago) kept a pistol in her glove compartment. She bought a new car with hers as a trade in. Later she realize she forgot to remove the gun from the trade in. When she went back to the dealer to retrieve it, the salesman exclaimed, "Hey! Here's the pistol packin' Mamma!'
I find it interesting that some people who don't like gun owners will think they own guns because they're in "constant fear," but people who study martial arts, are never asked, "Are you in constant fear that you're going to be attacked?"