How do we educate the ignorant?

[ckamanao]

It really amazes me sometimes how much people, who don't carry a sidearm, do not think before they panic. They just can't seem to understand that criminals, don't use holsters. The "bad guys" typically stuff the pistol in their pants or in their pocket. A good example of this is when a friend of mine had his broken into on a trip to Las Vegas. He had his Glock in his backpack encased in a Fobus holster with two spare mags. Needless to say, his Glock was stolen along with the magazines but they LEFT THE HOLSTER! But how in the world do we educate people in this?
I hobbled into IHC in North Orem on my crutches, I broke my knee cap, with my wife and my 3 year old little girl to get xrays taken. While I was standing at the check in desk my crutch pressed up into my arm pit and lifted my shirt up enough that someone saw the grip of my 1911 that I had in an IWB. I sit down and the next thing a woman approaches me and says she is the head administrator there and tells me that someone "reported" me carrying a gun and left for fear of their safety. She asked me if I had my CFP and that I needed to keep it concealed. I responded that not only did I have a CFP but that I was also ex-LEO. I couldn't believe that someone honestly felt threatened enough by a guy on crutches, in a hip to ankle leg brace, and with his wife and toddler. Where are peoples brains? Is their no common sense anymore? How do we educate the ignorant?

[gobbly]

Funny, I was just coming on to post something about ignorance that made me chuckle today.

Responded to a youtube comment on an OC video. Got a response back which contained this little gem

i can only hope that one day people wont have to own [expletive] guns and carry them everywhere they go. and it seems that onle the western part of the world has guns and our crime here is worse than ever. Over in Europe and Switzerland, etc. things seem to be better than they are with our gun laws here.

The good ol' pacifist swiss, of course, they roll over to anyone!

[Hawk87]

Ha ha the best part is that Switzerland is probably better armed then we are. And then you have countries like Great Britain where they have no guns, and yet have a higher violent crime rate.

[Daeyel]

I find it best to plant seeds by asking question that will stick with them.

If your house is broken into, what are your options without a gun?

They may get mad and defensive with replies like, 'Most criminals just want something to sell for drugs!' or flat denial: 'That will never happen!'

Then you can advise them,
Your only option is to hide and hope they are only there to rob, and not commit crimes against, say, the women of the house. Having a firearm gives you more options, even if you choose not to use them, or better yet, do not have to resort to them.

They generally do not like hearing this. However, it will stay with them, and every time they read about a rape, murder, beating, or other violent crime in which someone got hurt, violated or killed, that seed grows a little more.

[Polecat]

If your house is broken into, what are your options without a gun?

They may get mad and defensive with replies like, 'Most criminals just want something to sell for drugs!' or flat denial: 'That will never happen!'

I thought a home robbery would never happen to me either but it did last July. My apartment was broken into not long after I had left for the day at about 5:40am. They stole my laptop, ipod, digital camera, PS3, Wii, a divers watch, my laundry money (about $20 in quarters), and a wireless router. I am glad I had renters insurance which covered the replacement of those items.

Thank God they didn't steal the 1911 or the XD9.

Thank God again that they didn't break in while I was sleeping as I don't wear my hearing aids when I am sleeping.

I've since moved out of that apartment (Winchester Park in Taylorsville) and into a much safer neighborhood. When I lived there my girlfriends car was stolen (recovered about 3 weeks later with no damage) and someone was rooting around in my Jeep and stole some stuff from inside there.

Anyone who thinks they won't be a victim is playing the odds. Maybe you will never be a victim of a home invasion, maybe you will never need to pull your concealed firearm to defend your life or loved ones, maybe you'll never get into a car accident and need to rely on your auto insurance.

Why take a chance and play the odds? I'd rather stack them in my favor as much as I can.

[faydee]

personally i dont even bother trying to even talk to the anti's anymore, cause their logic is so skewed it hurts my brain... they can't see past their own fears and biases to listen to fact or reason...

its a waste of energy

[Q120]

I know one or two people who are of the mentality that carrying a concealed weapon is pointless. Their argument usually goes something about like this:
"You will NEVER have to use that gun. You will never even have a reason to draw it, so it is pointless to carry it. I've walked around bad parts of town and have never felt the need to have a weapon on me"
Me: "Maybe I never will have to use it, but I'd rather have the option in the case it DOES HAPPEN"
Them: "It never will."

Anyone who thinks they won't be a victim is playing the odds. Maybe you will never be a victim of a home invasion, maybe you will never need to pull your concealed firearm to defend your life or loved ones, maybe you'll never get into a car accident and need to rely on your auto insurance.

Well said, Polecat. I should just start asking the antigun people I know if they feel the same way about their car or life insurance.

[DiscoLives4ever]

The argument I seem to run into most is "Having a gun is more likely to hurt/kill somebody accidentally than be able to stop something bad from happening".

[sarahbn]

I used to be one of the ignorant, so I'll testify as to my conversion.

The one thing that really did it for me was finding out that my next door neighbor carries. Here was a totally 100% ordinary guy, mows and weed-whacks his lawn every Friday, wife and 2.5 kids and all, perfectly average. I overheard him talking to my husband about it and I found out that pretty much half the adult males on my block have their permits.

At first I was kinda put off by it, but then it dawned on me that there hadn't been any gunfights at any of the block parties. Then I felt really stupid. I was just as safe now as I was before I knew everybody was packing.

After a while it occurred to me that my block was probably a lot safer not despite, but because these people carried. And then I knew that when I was ready, I'd step up and take my place as a responsible adult, making society a little more polite by being armed. It took me a long, long while, but here I am.

[brainoncapitalist]

I used to be one of the ignorant, so I'll testify as to my conversion.

The one thing that really did it for me was finding out that my next door neighbor carries. Here was a totally 100% ordinary guy, mows and weed-whacks his lawn every Friday, wife and 2.5 kids and all, perfectly average. I overheard him talking to my husband about it and I found out that pretty much half the adult males on my block have their permits.

At first I was kinda put off by it, but then it dawned on me that there hadn't been any gunfights at any of the block parties. Then I felt really stupid. I was just as safe now as I was before I knew everybody was packing.

After a while it occurred to me that my block was probably a lot safer not despite, but because these people carried. And then I knew that when I was ready, I'd step up and take my place as a responsible adult, making society a little more polite by being armed. It took me a long, long while, but here I am.

+1000! Awesome testimonial, Sarah!

[gwarren]

Sarah, my hat goes off to you in a BIG way. You are a common sense person, that there are too few of these days. Regular people continue to be regular people, even if they carry a sidearm. I too like to stack the odds in my favor, against BGs. I also hope I'll never need it, but it's there if I do.

[UtahCFP]

I used to be one of the ignorant, so I'll testify as to my conversion.

The one thing that really did it for me was finding out that my next door neighbor carries. Here was a totally 100% ordinary guy, mows and weed-whacks his lawn every Friday, wife and 2.5 kids and all, perfectly average. I overheard him talking to my husband about it and I found out that pretty much half the adult males on my block have their permits.

At first I was kinda put off by it, but then it dawned on me that there hadn't been any gunfights at any of the block parties. Then I felt really stupid. I was just as safe now as I was before I knew everybody was packing.

After a while it occurred to me that my block was probably a lot safer not despite, but because these people carried. And then I knew that when I was ready, I'd step up and take my place as a responsible adult, making society a little more polite by being armed. It took me a long, long while, but here I am.

Sarah -- would you mind if I include your conversion story verbatim in my CFP classes?

[sarahbn]

Sarah -- would you mind if I include your conversion story verbatim in my CFP classes?

Please, feel free to include it!

[UtahCFP]

Sarah -- would you mind if I include your conversion story verbatim in my CFP classes?

Please, feel free to include it!

Forgot to ask... I'd like to put it on my class Web site as well...

[sarahbn]

Forgot to ask... I'd like to put it on my class Web site as well...

Absolutely, please do!