carrying a weapon

[thetruth]

In Melbourne, Australia where I live I honestly find I have no need whatsoever to carry a weapon (plus our weapon laws are strict). Through viewing the many posts on here it seems that every man and his dog carries one. I even see posts such as 'where do you carry your back up knife'. Seriously, is America such a dangerous place that a concealed weapon is necessary or is everyone just doing what it says they can do in the constitution? I know there are voilent areas but I struggle to believe it is necessary most of the time.

Cheers
Sam

[Hand Sword]

No, it's not necessary in america. There are places where it might be a good idea to have one. I'm sure Australia has those places to. Most Americans do not carry concealed weapons all the time. Maybe, and this is just my opinion, those posters live in those areas, or deal with that reality in some manner most of the time, maybe on the job. In that case, it's better to have and not need, than to not have and need.

[bushidomartialarts]

america isn't that dangerous. honestly, i think most people who carry routinely are either stroking their testosterone or carrying mostly because they like weapons and enjoy having one.

i'm armed about half the time and i'll be the first to admit it's because i like knives. i carry a knife to carry a knife.

i am, of course, excepting cops and security guards and other people who go into dangerous situations for a living.

honestly, if you wind up someplace dangerous in the states, half the time it's dangerous 'cos some other bozo was carrying a weapon for one of the two reasons i mentioned above.

[Hand Sword]

Hey Don't throw stones! -- LOL

[Mcura]

(stepping onto a soapbox)

There are some folks who carry items that can be improvised in a pinch should they need to. A good, thick pen, a comb, and your house keys can give an attacker something to think about as you distract them by pummeling. Umbrellas, canes, or a rolled up magazine or newspaper can land a solid hit in a hammer fist blow. It's up to you; the mind is the best weapon at your disposal.

(stepping off the soapbox)

[Hand Sword]

Hey, no thinkers allowed! Only barbarians (or Bozo's) and their outright weapons are allowed!!

[Carol]

Its not that dangerous here, but also keep in mind the environment. There are Americans that pack...of the ones that do, many choose to keep the conversation restricted to people that share their interest.

I don't pack, but I wouldn't hesitate to whip my laptop at someone.

(Sorry Hand Sword...thinking again....I'll run away now...)

[Hand Sword]

Thank You!

[still learning]

Hello, Many of the bad guys do carry some kind of weapon in America? Makes getting money and other things easier?

Crime is everywhere? Our jails are overflowing and to make room they let criminals out early only to let them do it again(crimes).

Repeat offenders get smarter when release, because they learn how to get away (lessons)from other people in jail.

Amercia is still a great country ask any criminal...who get so much freedom to do what the want untill caught? only to be release on parole?

Like self-defense practice makes perfect and the more you do over and over the better you get?

Why do you think martial arts are so popular here in America? ....Many of us NEED to defend our selfs and family?

Other than that.....it is a safe place to live compare to? .....mars? ...Aloha

[Hand Sword]

I thought they were popular because, at least to me, they've become great day care centers.

http://martialtalk.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Drac]

Hey, no thinkers allowed! Only barbarians (or Bozo's) and their outright weapons are allowed!!

Duhhhh...Sounds good to me...

[Mcura]

Duhhhh...Sounds good to me...

(grunt, slobber, drool) ... Crunk SMASH!!

*Whackity, whackity, whack whack whack!*

"No Crunk, no! Bad Crunk! Give that nice mugger back his arm! No, not like THAT!"

[Mcura]

Right, enough comedy.

There are still lots of places where folks still keep their doors unlocked and neighbors know the full names of other neighbors. Hence, a lot of people don't find it necessary to carry a knife or a gun. And even if they do, there's still a very large chance they'll never use that gun except at a target range. That pocket knife will be used to cut apple slices for a child instead of (literally) disarming an attacker.

These are only tools, after all.

[SFC JeffJ]

Often times, I carry a pistol, knive, pepper spray, and an ASP. It might seem a little excessive, and I know exactly why I do it. I've been in some rough situations, mainly durring my military carreer, and the thought of something like that happeing without having any weapons at all scares the crap out of me. So I'll admit it, it's like having a security blanket after a bad nightmare.

Jeff

[loanbanker]

Besides training in Kenpo I also train with the knife. I have almost always carried a knife even before my training. Its just now I understand the dangers of no knife vs knife and the difference having a blade can make.

I would rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

[Kacey]

I don't generally carry a weapon (unless you count a 1-inch Swiss Army knife... but I mostly use that to open boxes). I try to be constantly aware of my surroundings, and if I'm worried, I have my keys out for easy access... and if necessary, my car key can go between my fingers. Weapons can be lost, stolen, taken away in a fight.. and since I don't train with one, I see no reason to carry something more likely to be used against me than by me.

[Cruentus]

In Melbourne, Australia where I live I honestly find I have no need whatsoever to carry a weapon (plus our weapon laws are strict). Through viewing the many posts on here it seems that every man and his dog carries one. I even see posts such as 'where do you carry your back up knife'. Seriously, is America such a dangerous place that a concealed weapon is necessary or is everyone just doing what it says they can do in the constitution? I know there are voilent areas but I struggle to believe it is necessary most of the time.

Cheers
Sam

It's simply an issue of personal responsability.

Simply put, my self-defense, the defense of my family, and the defense of my community is not the military or law enforcements responsability. My self-defense and that of my family and community is ultimatily my responsability. And, our laws basically state this fact. Therefore, it is important to carry the tools for the job.

This is no different then my health being my responsability and not my doctors. It is not my doctors responsability to monitor the food that goes into my mouth, to buy my multi-vitamins, and to make sure I proper exercise. My doctor is there in case I have a problem that exceeds my ability to deal with, but he is not there to be responsable for my personal health.

I can list countless examples of things that are up to the individual to be responsable for, and not society or services around them.

But that is what it boils down to. And, if more people took personal responsability for themselves, then society would be a much better place to live.

Paul

[ibba]

I would rather be prepared than unprepared

[ibba]

Paul,
I appreciate your views, they are dead on!

[Cruentus]

Paul,
I appreciate your views, they are dead on!

Well, thank you! :)

[SFC JeffJ]

What I don't understand is the group of people that say, I only carry a weapon when I need too. Isn't the nature of an emergency is that it's unexpected?

Jeff

[IcemanSK]

I used to carry a weapon of some sort when I was in college. Mainly because I hung out with a bunch of my buddies that also trained. We thought it was cool & NEVER needed them.

I'm much less paranoid, but a lot more aware of real dangers. I don't hang out where the real dangers are.

[thetruth]

Often times, I carry a pistol, knive, pepper spray, and an ASP. It might seem a little excessive, and I know exactly why I do it. I've been in some rough situations, mainly durring my military carreer, and the thought of something like that happeing without having any weapons at all scares the crap out of me. So I'll admit it, it's like having a security blanket after a bad nightmare.

Jeff

Wow that's a serious arsenal. I feel soory for the mugger who may decide to have a crack at you. I don't carry and cannot see this changing in the future. There are no areas in Melbourne where carrying a weapon would benefit you. If you get confronted by anyone in the dodgy areas it is in a gang so in my mind unless you were seriously gifted with a knife or batton having a dip at a gang this way would only get you killed. They all carry weapons and are less likely to use them if you don't have one
Cheers
Sam

[Hand Sword]

You have very nice thugs! They won't pull unless you do? A fair fight? I can't even imagine that anymore.

[althaur]

Paul, great post!

I carry by habit of being in the military for so long. You never know when a tool may come in handy. It may be for something as boring as opening a box. It could also be something much more important like cutting the seatbelt of a trapped vehicle accident victim.

[rutherford]

I have a low expectation of having to use my knife for self defense, and I've trained with it a lot using it as a striking tool without opening the blade because I think a minor altercation is more likely than needing to slice and dice some poor fool.

But, I like knowing it's there, and I like being able to pull it out and play a bit, should the mood strike.

[Wild Bill]

1. I have always carried a knife. I had one as young as 8 years old. I used to carry my swiss army knife to school many many years ago. It was just something that a young man needed to have like a hankerchief(sp?)

2.


Simply put, my self-defense, the defense of my family, and the defense of my community is not the military or law enforcements responsability. My self-defense and that of my family and community is ultimatily my responsability. And, our laws basically state this fact. Therefore, it is important to carry the tools for the job.



Paul This is absolutely true.

[Cruentus]

Wow that's a serious arsenal. I feel soory for the mugger who may decide to have a crack at you. I don't carry and cannot see this changing in the future. There are no areas in Melbourne where carrying a weapon would benefit you. If you get confronted by anyone in the dodgy areas it is in a gang so in my mind unless you were seriously gifted with a knife or batton having a dip at a gang this way would only get you killed. They all carry weapons and are less likely to use them if you don't have one
Cheers
Sam

Don't take offense to this, Sam, but from my point of view this demonstrates the victims mentality; of someone who is willing to turn in his life to his attacker(s) to the detrament of his family, those who love him, and society.

First off, by limiting your self-defense potential in hopes that your would be attackers won't hurt you (that bad) or use weapons on you means that you are putting the trust in your attacker(s). It means you are putting TRUST in the very people that MADE THE CONCIOUS DECISION TO HURT AN INNOCENT PERSON (YOU) IN THE FIRST PLACE. That is a trust that you and your family cannot afford, in my opinion.

It is people who comply with their attackers in hopes that their attackers will let them survive who get assaulted in the first place. And, it is these people who are more likely to be killed.

I don't fully blame you for this mentality, though. This is a mentality that tends to be propigated in societies with strict controls or bans on weapons. Your government has taken away your ability to defend yourself effeciently with a weapons ban, so the response tends to be along the lines of "Well, I hope I don't get assaulted, and if I do I hope I don't get killed, and if I am assaulted I hope the police or someone else will come to my rescue."

I would recommend that, despite the laws of your society, you have a winning mentality. Your mentality should be that if you or your family or an innocent person is threatened, then you are willing to fight until that threat ceases or until you stop breathing. And, you are willing to do this through any means available. It shouldn't matter if you are outnumbers, outskilled, or outgunned. It is having this winning mentality that will make you less likely to be a victim in the first place, and it is having this winning mentality that will make you more likely to survive with less damage if you are attacked.

I'll relay a story from an old Western film that stuck in my mind from childhood. I wish I could remember the title and the exact dialog, but here is the synopsis. Basically, the situation was a lone gunfighter was rescuing someone, and it ended up where he was facing a gang of about 30 armed men. The lone gun fighter says to the crowd, "If ya'll come any closer, I'm gonna open up and start shootin!' " The alpha 'leader' of the crowd responds, "Don't be crazy and surrender. You can't possibly shoot all of us!" The gunslinger responds, "Well, I can't shoot all of you. But I can promise that I can shoot at least 4 of you before ya'll kill me. And, I can promise that I will shoot you first (refering to the leader)." Needless to say, in the movie, they all paused, and the hero escaped.

That may be just a movie example, but I heard a similar true story from a cop friend of mine. I probably am going to screw up the details, but from what I remember, it was him and one other officer. There was a street gang of about 30 guys coming towards them. Backup was far away. The officer pulled his shotgun from under the seat and told the "leader" in very colorful terms that if they didn't stop where they were that he would open fire, starting with the leader and promising him that he would be killed regardless of the outcome. Needless to say, the gang didn't advance on the officers.

The point is, you have to have a winning mentality if you don't want to be a victim. The willingness to use a weapon is just part of that mentality. And, this is regardless of your countries laws or what you carry or don't carry.

Paul