Just glad to be here

[22hornet]

In Australia it is illegal to own a firearm for "personal protecton". As far as I know "carrying" a firearm is illegal, although you can "transport" your firearms, to the range, gunshop, house, etc if the firearm is in a gunbag or similar.
It may or may not be illegal to use a firearm is self defence, depending on the situation. Shoot at someone and you take your chances on trial.
Australia is a completely different culture and I DON'T believe Australians have a need to carry firearms for self defence, just my opinion.
BUT if I lived in a different country I might change my mind......

[Daryl (deceased)]

In Australia it is illegal to own a firearm for "personal protecton". As far as I know "carrying" a firearm is illegal, although you can "transport" your firearms, to the range, gunshop, house, etc if the firearm is in a gunbag or similar.
It may or may not be illegal to use a firearm is self defence, depending on the situation. Shoot at someone and you take your chances on trial.
Australia is a completely different culture and I DON'T believe Australians have a need to carry firearms for self defence, just my opinion.
BUT if I lived in a different country I might change my mind......

I would tend to disagree with you, but I'd certainly stand up for your right to feel the way you do.
 
I don't live in a "bad" area.  I live in a peaceful neighborhood at the edge of a medium sized town with a military base on the west side.  My house sits about 12 miles from the Mexico border, as well.
 
I don't carry a firearm because I think I'm going to be attacked today.  If I thought I'd be attacked somewhere, I wouldn't go there.
 
I don't carry a firearm because I'm afraid, either.  Life is full of risks, even in our own homes.
 
I carry a firearm because I know that bad things can happen when we least expect them to.  I've known some really bad things to happen to some really good people who lived in really good neighborhoods.  
 
Home invasions are becoming more and more common.  Along the border, at least some of it is by border bandits who cross the border and then return to Mexico with their loot.  Some of it is also done by gang-bangers.  Criminals don't usually pick bad parts of town for this, since there's more money in the higher class areas.
 
I carry a firearm because when seconds count, law enforcement officers are only minutes away.  We are each ultimately responsible for our own safety.  If we die from violence inflicted by others, law enforcement will most likely investigate.  Whether they find the perp or not won't matter to us though, because we'll be dead.
 
I carry a firearm because I know that the time for the lion to lay down with the lamb has not yet come.  I'm not willing to give up my life without a fight if a criminal decides I should die.  My life, and the lives of my family are worth fighting for.
 
I carry a firearm because I believe it's not only a right, but an obligation to protect myself and my family.  
 
I cringe every time I think of the Luby's in Texas where the young lady watched a deranged gunman execute each of her parents, while her self defense firearm was stored in the glove box of her vehicle.  The law required her to not carry it inside the restaurant, but law enforcement wasn't fast enough to save her parent's lives.
 
Try convincing HER that she doesn't need to carry.  She's a strong supporter of our right to keep and bear arms.
 
I will always stand up for anyone's right to decide that they don't want to carry a firearm.  I DON'T agree that they have the right to make that same decision for me.
 
Daryl

[Clueless]

I would carry if I felt a threat.  I own many fire arms but have never felt the need to carry in our area.  I live in a city of over 175,000.  Every store, every restaurant, every public and city building has metal detectors one has to pass through as you enter.
 
I do on occasion carry in my vehicle.  I'm glad I have that right to carry as I see fit.
 
Carrying is a personal decision.

[Daryl (deceased)]

Carrying is a personal decision.

I agree.
 
Daryl

[Autonomous Citizen]

I live in a VERY safe rural area, hunting is a way of existance here.  But I still carry given the nature of my business.  I'm glad this has turned into a real discussion...

oh, and I whole-heartedly agree that carrying is a personal decision, it carries a requirement to higher service, one most civilians would not consider.  Nothing against those who don't.

[greywolf]

In Canada , we are not allowed to carry , must have permits to even get the pistol, then must have permit to even take it to the range and back , and then , by the most direct route possible , it is a crock , As i have stated many times , the anti's don't want your pistols , they want it ALL , piece by piece. They start with the pistols , and work thiwer way up to the rifles. In the end citizens will be able to defend themselves with baseball bats agains guns that the criminals have . A criminal will ALWAYS get a gun , they don't care if legal or not , but put a concealed weapon in law abiding citizens hands . and they think twicw, not everyone will want to carry or even have a gun , but they will think twice about thier next victim , when they don't know "will this one shoot me or not " It's  a matter of personal choice , but we must still all stand togewther as one no matter what , or sooner or later you WILL lose your guns. Look at what happened in AU and Canada so far , and britain etc.... AU got thier guns back , .....barely. The british  gov't's mentality has to go, or we won't have guns or hunting or anything, last i checked shooting a charging grizz with a camera was fatal to you not the bear , and ditto for criminals !

[gitano]

"Concealed carry" and "the right to keep and bear arms" are different elements of the same issue: Government control of the populace.
 
The right to keep and bear arms has NOTHING to do with anything EXCEPT the citizenry protecting themselves from their "government". Unfortunately, most people don't understand that the local police are their "government". The local police ARE, and they will be the ones that come and arrest you when you are "non-compliant" (like being a Jew, or a libertarian, or a republican, or a gypsy). It won't be the "Army", although it WILL be the local National Guard when the local police are outgunned.
 
What most fail to appreciate about "concealed" or "open" carry is the harm done when government is allowed to constrain the possession of firearms in the name of "security" or "the greater good".
 
It is not unreasonable to expect that "inappropriate" shootings would occur if every American were carrying at all times. So what? Look at the carnage on the highways every year, but no one would dream of eliminating car ownership or use ("carry"). Yes, I know, you need a license to own a car, BUT... ownership of a car is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Furthermore, ownership of a car doesn't threaten jack-booted thugs, AKA "police". The point is, when, in the name of "the greater good", possession (carrying) is resticted because of concern about "inappropriate" shootings, "the greater good" is actually harmed because the people's ability to protect themselves from their government, is eroded. Just another rock on the pile.
 
Carry concealed or carry open, has NOTHING to do with how "scared" I am; it has NOTHING to do with how "safe" my neighborhood is; it has everything to do with my constitutionally protected right to protect myself from fascist government agents. (Fascists aren't members of the Fascist party. Fascists ARE people that think that whatever the government does, is, by definition, "right".) And those same government agents ( the police) HATE it when the people can protect themselves from police brutality, and LOVE all the goody-two-shoes that cry crocodile tears when they speak of "safety" issues and "the greater good". That crapola plays directly into the gun-grabbers/fascists/socialists hands. These people (socialists AKA democrats in this country) are the exact same people that installed the greatest beasts of all humanity - Stalin and Hitler. Leaders who spoke often, eloquently, and persuasively about "the greater good", and when the people were finally completely disarmed, murdered 10s of millions of people. A little worse I would argue, than the rare "inapproprate" shooting.
 
By the way... How many "inappropriate" shootings are there every year by police. Yet, not only do we NOT speak of disarming them, we give them arms and weapons that the public can't have. Just so there's no ambiguity about my attitude; if I were king, the police - in ALL their forms - would not be allowed to posess (let alone own), any weapon that the general, law-abiding populace couldn't own. How's that for raising the goody-two-shoes'/socialist's angst?
 
Paul

[Clueless]

I have to agree Paul to a point. Gun toting police can be very dangerous. Maybe that's why in my community only a select few police officers carry weapons. Most carry "pepper spray" or "taser guns".
 
The cop on the street doesn't carry a weapon, the cop running his routine motor route does not carry a weapon on his person. In his vehicle there's a shotgun behind his seat.
 
The Horse Police do not carry a weapon only "pepper spray" or "mace".
 
Only the Detectives carry a weapon on their person.
 
I've never seen the Sheriff or one of his deputies with a weapon on their person. Granted their weapons are most likely in the back or trunk of their cars.
 
I can't be sure about the State Patrol..they could maybe carry a weapon on their person. I've not had any close encounters with State Patrolmen or women. :smiley:
 
I have attended many city functions and been in crowds of policemen and have never seen a firearm being carried on their person.
 
They were carrying in the court houses but I'm thinking that was stopped not long ago. Too easy to take a firearm away from a deputy in the court house. Happened not too many years ago and two judges, a couple lawyers and some innocent by-standers were shot, killed and wounded.
 
 
I do carry if I feel it's necessary. I want the right to carry. I don't have a license to carry openly. Frankly I don't want big brother to know I even have any firearms.
 
If and when I carry I carry concealed.

[caretaker]

I will not confirm or deny that I carry. It is my right to do so if I wish too. it is also my right not too. It is also my right to keep my mouth shut about it. I have always supported gun control. (My gun My control)

[Clueless]

:smiley: I like that..."my gun..my control" :smiley:

[gitano]

About 20 years ago or so, the state of Alaska decided that state Park employees should carry guns. I was appoplectic about it, but of course "they" never ask for my permissoin before doing things like that. I had a simple question: "What in the name of all that is sane, could be happening in a state park that would require a park ranger to use lethal force? If there's a crime against a person taking place, then the armed citizens nearby OR the state police can take care of it.
 
Rangers with guns infuriates me to this day.
 
Paul

[Clueless]

I don't understand the need for a Park Ranger to carry a firearm either.  
 
Do they go to the Police Academy for firearm training?
 
Have there been any incidents of Park Rangers shooting someone?
 
Anywhere in any state?