Social Life Of An Armed Citizen

Why Carrying Concealed is More Complicated Than You May Think

Who do you tell about your defensive handgun? While many people may be understanding and supportive, many others may not share your enthusiasm for carrying a firearm for personal defense, and may be uncomfortable, or even offended, by your carrying in their presence. Others may be unable to keep from talking about it and drawing often unwanted attention to the fact that you are carrying.

Personally, I focus on the word concealed in the phrase “concealed carry,” and choose to tell very few people that I routinely carry a pistol on or about my person almost every time I walk out my door—and usually inside that door as well! Your spouse or significant other will certainly know, and close friends may know, but I keep the number in the know as small as possible. Most people don’t need to know that you are carrying, and if a situation arises where its use is needed in their presence, they will find out soon enough!

This gives rise to another important social consideration of carrying a gun: What do family and friends do should you need to use your gun when you are with them? Un- less you and they are properly trained in advance of the event, it can needlessly complicate things at best, and lead to possibly tragic results at worst. The short answer to this problem for me is: The one with the gun is in command. I intend to only draw my weapon in extremis, when there is no other choice except to use the gun or see myself or other innocents die or be seriously harmed. My wife and close friends know they are to do what I tell them in such situations, and to get out of the way and under cover and stay there until I tell them otherwise.

Another important topic is your social contacts after a defensive gun use. This is the confrontation with the criminal justice system discussed earlier. You’ve defended your life with a gun, and the police have you in custody. Your one phone call is to your spouse. Does he or she know what to do in that situation? A full discussion of this topic, though of vital importance, is outside the scope of this survey report, but it is of such importance that I commend to your attention the serious, deep, and frequent study of the le- gal aftermaths of a defensive shooting.

For now, give serious and sober thought to what you will do in the immediate aftermath of a defensive shooting. For example, what do you say when you call the police, whether and when you need to call an attorney, should you ask your attorney to come to the scene, etc.? Probably most important is: Do you have an attorney lined up ahead of time that you can call as needed? After that, how will you pay the legal expenses associated with even a righteous shooting, one where you are not criminally charged or sued civilly after the fact? The very worst of all possible times to look for a lawyer is when you are sitting in a jail cell after successfully defending your life with a gun. You need to think about it NOW, when you are calm, when your life and freedom are not in jeopardy, and you can take your time, ask for advice, study the available literature (there’s plenty out there!), study the several products on the market designed to aid you in this very situation (including paying legal fees), and choose the one that best meets your needs and your purse, all in the quiet of your own home with no pressure on you at all! The Self- Defense SHIELD consists of an insurance policy owned by USCCA, Inc. that designates the members as beneficiaries. No individual underwriting is required. The USCCA, Inc. owns and pays for the policy while YOU, as a PLUS member, automatically get the benefits. This liability insurance policy is underwritten by the Savers Property and Casualty Insurance Company, a subsidiary of the Meadowbrook Insurance Group. Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc. and its insurance company subsidiaries have been rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. In 2010, Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc. wrote $801,900,000 in policies.  See more information at http://www.USConcealedCarry.net/join-now/

As always, take care and stay safe,

-Tim Schmidt

Tim Schmidt is the founder and CEO of the United States Concealed Carry Association