Iron Clad Reasons for Concealed Carry
The Second Amendment affords law abiding citizens of the United States to keep and bear arms. The ability to conceal those firearms for our own defense is what keeps us safe. In this article, we're going to go over:
Three iron-clad reasons for why concealed carry isn't just another phenomena – it's a necessity.
Those who oppose lawful carry by citizens may believe that they have society's best interest at heart. The mere right to carry - which certainly not diminished by mere opinion - isn't always enough to sway them. These are factual reasons to conceal carry, which can't be argued on the merits.
First Good Cause For CCW: Police Can't Be Everywhere At Once
Why concealed carry? The first good cause for CCW is that police can't be everywhere.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are only 455,000 full-time police officers (2013) employed in the United States. In a nation of roughly 319 million people (2014), that means there is 1 police officer per 686 residents. Even if you added in the 100,000 or so part-time officers, that ratio still doesn't drop much.
Let's just go ahead and jump to the conclusion that unless a police officer just happens to be wandering by when a violent crime occurs – there's almost no chance he's going to arrive in time to stop it. At best, his presence can deter criminals from committing a crime and enforce the law if they're caught red handed.
There simply are not enough police officers to protect everyone. That's a fact of life. And because of that, a person's ability to defend themselves, their family, and their property is literally in his or her hands. A concealed carry permit and being an everyday carrier just makes sense.
And then there's the response times. Depending on where you live, they may be very fast...or it might take an hour. Point being that you can't necessarily count on police to arrive in time.
Since you can't always count on there being sufficient police personnel, or even in close enough vicinity to do anything, the first and best recourse against a potential threat is a concealed pistol.
Second Of The Reasons To Conceal Carry: Criminals Don't Care About The Law
Why is concealed carry important? The second of these reasons to conceal carry is that criminals just don't care about the law.
When a person with a violent criminal record goes to get a gun to commit yet another crime, he's not going to bother with the gun store. He's going to rob someone else or buy it through illicit means. And while he's carrying that firearm, he's not going to be concerned with the laws he's breaking.
If they were concerned with the legality of what they were doing, they probably wouldn't be violent criminals. How people live is often far removed from how they should
It's law abiding citizens that have to worry about the law – not violent criminals. And because of that, being a concealed carrier of a pistol or revolver is just one more way to ensure the safety of yourself and those around you.
Deterring Violent Crime Is Another Of The Acceptable Reasons For Concealed Carry
Easily the most significant of acceptable reasons for concealed carry is that citizen carry becomes a deterrent against violent crime. Each person that acquires their permit and arms themselves with a lawfully concealed pistol gives themselves the means to save their own lives and to put a stop to violent crimes that may be perpetrated on them or those around them.
As more and more Americans apply for their concealed carry permits, violent criminals have to consider that as an additional factor they cannot see when going to commit a crime. That's what is called a "known unknown," something you know you don't know.
Concealed carriers, in the minds of a criminal, are a known unknown. Unfortunately, it also means violent criminals have to move faster, hit harder, and be more violent in their pursuits – precisely because they do not know who's armed and who's not. Nor can they afford to wait around to find out. And, if anything, that's all the more reason to become an everyday carrier.
Unlike open carriers, concealed carriers aren't easy to spot in a crowd. When a violent criminal is looking to knock off a gas station, bank, or store, he's walking in blind to who else is armed. That means he needs to think twice before rushing in – or be ready for dire consequences.
If you follow the topic through news channels, you'll find repeated examples of concealed carriers putting a stop to robberies, assaults and many more violent crimes. The violent criminal that lives in a city and state that allows lawful concealed carry by qualified citizens has to be wary of armed citizens, as any potential victim may be concealing a pistol.
At that, when should you concealed carry as a result of these reasons to do so? At every possible moment. While it's true that most violent crime occurs in rather predictable locations, it's also true that it can happen anywhere and at any time. Therefore, you want to be ready at any time, by having your CCW on you at all possible times. Whenever it's possible to carry, do so.
There's certainly more arguments why concealed carry is something more Americans wish to pursue. Despite all the violence in the news, the FBI reports that violent crime has been dropping steadily as the number of concealed carriers increase. Maybe some of the smarter criminals are catching on...
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About The Author James England (@sir_jim_england) is the contributing editor for Alien Gear Holsters. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and private defense contracting in Afghanistan. |
