If you have a particular encounter with another citizen or LEO, post it here.
 #606  by Wynder
 
So, I was chatting with my mom this morning on IM and it finally come up. She's from Delaware back when it wasn't so bad, now living in International Falls, MN where the only thing they need guns for up there is for bears and whatnot.


(8:18:54 AM) Mom: You sister wants to know whats up with you carrying and wearing a gun to Holli's birthday party and to Bryans to pick up the couch?

(8:19:28 AM) 8690379: Except for work, I always carry with me.

(8:20:06 AM) Mom: I don't think Bryan and Lisa likes it in their house tho. Might next time you go there you can lock it in the trunk?

(8:20:44 AM) Mom: Lisa knows for a fact that his parents and sister would frown on it

(8:21:00 AM) 8690379: I wasn't in Brian's house. I was actually outside of Lisa's house and I don't have a car safe -- not willing to put it somewhere where it can be stolen. That's irresponsible.

(8:21:26 AM) 8690379: And if Brian's family has a problem with it, we just won't visit them, that's fine.

(8:22:18 AM) Mom: oh now Rob, you can't be like that, you have to respect others wishes when your there. On your own person or in your own house that is fine, but when you around others its different

(8:22:58 AM) Mom: I suppose you'll never visit me then cause you would have to leave it outside in the truck if you came here. I mean we have guns in the house, but they are in a gun cabinet, for show mostly

(8:23:08 AM) 8690379: If I'm on someone's property sure -- they have every right to ask me to leave, but I can preclude that but not going there in the first place.

(8:23:24 AM) 8690379: Probably.

(8:24:09 AM) Mom: your really obsessed with that gun. I can understand wanting to keep your family safe, but the whole world isn't a sewer pit

(8:25:12 AM) Mom: you mean to say you wouldn't go to your sisters for a visit or a holiday dinner without wearing your side arm?

(8:25:20 AM) 8690379: I'm obsessed with keeping my children safe. I'm obsessed with keeping myself and Krista safe. I'm obsessed with my rights as an individual. And, with all due respect mom, you guys don't have Bloods and Crips in your area.

(8:26:09 AM) Mom: this is true, we have bears and mountion lynx in our area, but I am just saying to respect others when you visit.

(8:26:19 AM) 8690379: I wasn't *in* their house.

(8:26:42 AM) Mom: you wore a gun tho son to a childrens birthday party.

(8:28:51 AM) 8690379: Again, not in their house -- it was late at night in the city in an open access area where kids were going in and out of the building, hanging out in the parking lot. Reading has heavy latin gang activity -- if, for some reason, there was an incident where someone got inside and became violet, what do we do then? Cover our eyes and hope we're not next?

(8:29:46 AM) Mom: you guys need to move up here where the most you have to worry about is that you hope your snow blower doesn't break down in a snow storm.

(8:29:50 AM) 8690379: It comes down to the same classroom scenario. If a gunman comes into a classroom and holds them hostage, would you rather have the teacher carrying a firearm to protect them or allow them to die one by one? Sure, it's a VERY remote posibility, but I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

(8:30:46 AM) Mom: All I am suggesting is that you find or have a safe place to store your firearm when you get to your destination so you don't make others feel uncomfortable.

(8:31:16 AM) 8690379: So, African American's shouldn't go out in public because they might make some of the elderly folks uncomfortable?

(8:31:56 AM) Mom: not all black people are gang members the same as all iraq people aren't terrorist.

(8:32:28 AM) Mom: not getting into races here sweetie, just to respect others feelings when your around them

(8:32:29 AM) 8690379: And not all people with guns are criminals. Some are loving, caring fathers who want to make sure no one ever hurts his babies.

(8:33:42 AM) 8690379: I was drawing a parallel between making people feel comfortable... I'm not concerned with how other people feel when my actions are lawful and serve a good purpose.

(8:34:32 AM) 8690379: Just like African Americans shouldn't care if they make people uncomfortable simply by their presence.

(8:34:46 AM) Mom: of course it is your decision on when and where you carry your gun, I was only asking because it made Lisa and Bryan a little uncomfortable

(8:35:08 AM) 8690379: Did she think I'd shoot her?

(8:35:18 AM) Mom: And your choice would be not to visit them unless you can go there wearing your side arm?

(8:35:45 AM) Mom: Oh silly of course not its just they aren't use to someone being around them wearing a weapon

(8:36:16 AM) Mom: having someone wear a gun when they are around you I suppose is intimadating.

(8:36:35 AM) 8690379: If they would take away my ability to protect my daughters, I would not visit them, no.

(8:37:11 AM) Mom: but there are appropiate times to wear the weapon and times when it is not appropiate to

(8:37:38 AM) 8690379: If you rewrite that, it would say, there are appropriate times when you can protect your life and times when you must be a victim.

(8:38:13 AM) Mom: hehe Naaa I would not rewrite it son. there are times when a gun should not be in view

(8:38:53 AM) Mom: should not be worn. you think Bryan or Lisa is going to attack you or your children to where you will have to defend them in their home or his parents home?

(8:39:06 AM) 8690379: In law, property rights trump almost every other right you have as a citizen, save for life and liberty. If a property owner asks me not to carry, it is my choice to leave or not even enter the premises to begin with.

(8:39:29 AM) 8690379: No, but then there's out in the car, getting to the location, stops along the way, and the trip home with stops.

(8:40:27 AM) Mom: its going to make you a very lonely person then I believe, I don't know many people, especially those with children who likes the idea of someone wearing a weapon to come and visit them

(8:40:55 AM) Mom: thats what trunks are made for, when your visiting someone, it can be stowed in a trunk until your ready to be on the road again

(8:41:34 AM) 8690379: Trunks are not secure. If someone broke into the car, they would have a fully functional firearm and that's completely irresponsible.

(8:41:44 AM) 8690379: I've already had my Prius broken into here on campus.

(8:42:42 AM) Mom: remove the ammo chamber, install a lock box somewheres in the car for it, there are always options to safety.

(8:42:47 AM) 8690379: I've had 50% of my cars broken into or stolen come to think of it.

(8:42:51 AM) Mom: why do you not wear it into work then?

(8:43:00 AM) 8690379: It's against school policy.

(8:43:19 AM) 8690379: Property rights. :) I can choose to wear it into work and they can choose to fire me. :)

(8:43:28 AM) Mom: Lordy Rob you need to get away from that area and move to a quieter safer place

(8:44:31 AM) Mom: But everything you have said about the rights to wear it into someones home should pertain to work as well, There have been as many shootings in a place of work as not. It all comes down to where you should wear your weapon and rights

(8:46:21 AM) 8690379: I choose not to carry at work because I could never hope for a better job with the benefits I have, considering I have children. I have no real rights on anyones property other than my own.

(8:47:38 AM) Mom: Enough of that I suppose each person has their own options on what they do where they live and the fear that they have to live with.

At that point she shifted the topic and I let it drop. I doubt she'll ever come around and, if I do get a chance to visit her, I'd probably leave the damned thing at home, but use the excuse that "I'm not licensed in MN," as my reasoning, heh.

Darn moms.
 #610  by bms429
 
Interesting read. Though I did have to chuckle when it said you have a Prius :pointlaugh:
All I can think of is Jeff Dunhams jokes about him driving his Prius.

Anyway, Good job standing your ground and making sense. Thankfully my mother is a lot more understanding of my getting a permit. I am still up in the air if my father has an opinion one way or another. But like you, I would rather be alive than a helpless victim.

9mm is faster than 911 :!: :!: :!:
 #613  by myopicvisionary
 
A sparkly blue Prius with a chihuahua and Christmas decorations in the back window!
 #614  by myopicvisionary
 
Actually, I had a very similar conversation with my mother last week. I stopped by to visit for about 45 minutes and only when I was walking out the door, did she notice my Kimber.
HER: "John, what's that?"
ME: "Its my pistol, Mom"
HER: "What do you have a gun for?"
ME: "My protection"
HER: (and I knew this was coming) "Is someone after you?"
ME: "No, Mom"
HER: "Then why?"
ME: "As I said, my protection"
HER: "From what?"
ME: "Mom, I know you watch the news and read the paper everyday"
HER: "But there's no trouble here!"
ME: "Trouble occurs where you least expect it"
HER: "Aren't you going to get in trouble?"
ME: "For what?"
HER: (now say it along with me everyone) "For walking around with a gun!"
ME: "Mom, its legal"
HER: "Oh, you have a permit"
ME: "No I do not"
HER: "But you said its legal"
ME: "It is because it is not concealed, a permit is not necessary to carry openly"
HER: "But I've always heard/thought...."
ME: "Mom, everything you thought you knew because of TV, etc. Forget it all."

And I explained everything to her about the lawa which blew her mind. And to justify my needs to her, I explained about my run in at Costco that I recently posted herein.
 #621  by stephpd
 
My mom hasn't said anything yet although I think she felt it when I went over for Easter and we hugged. Older brother asked once, just doesn't come up in conversation. Mentioned that I couldn't believe that I was able to get a CCDW but nobody responded.
 #1039  by dave_in_delaware
 
This is why my Mom and Grandmother don't know I carry. They're scared enough that I even own guns. But if they knew I carried it w/ me daily, they'd both go coronary. :roll:

Some things just are better left unsaid to those who just wouldn't understand, no matter what you told them. Ugh.
 #1446  by Gotarheels03
 
this isn't unusual. I have the same discussions with both of my parents and they just don't get it. In fact, my dad is rabidly anti-gun. Hell, both of my parents deal with DE's worst criminals on a daily basis yet still can't wrap their heads around the idea of owning and carrying a firearm. Both my parents see them as evil, scary things that could go off at anytime. My mom is slowly coming around though.
 #4686  by JMBare
 
I used to have very similar conversations with my mom, simply about owning and having firearms in the house..

Over time, I have debated and discussed my family into understanding the importance of private firearm ownership.. Now they al own guns and we frequently have family trips to the range.. LOL

Since they are all now so comfortable and know how outspoken I am about constitutional issues(as the good little Libertarian that I am), that it doesn't surprise anyone when they learn that I am carrying..

Reading this just sort of took me back a few years when this personal struggle was fresh and new..

Ahhhh good times...

It is also always funny how people are suddnely at ease with your firearms presence if they think you have a permit, like that somehow makes your gun harmless to them.. LOL

-JMB