Carry, always; it's your life!

[Beltfed]

My sons and I just returned from a trip to Louisville Kentucky. My Pennsylvania carry permit is now accepted by Kentucky; so I was delighted with the fact that I would be carrying "legally" in another state.
After exiting several establishments we started to notice that many had stickers on the entrance windows, with a handgun and a red stripe diagonally through it. The sticker in black and red said "Firearms Prohibited."
My son's looked at me and asked if I noticed the sticker at the entrance of each of the buildings; I said we will talk about it later.
When we returned to our vehicle we started to talk about the fact that we just went through several businesses that prohibited firearms on the premises. One of the establishments had hundreds of elementary school children in it.
I asked my son's, what's wrong with this?
They said I guess you shouldn't have carried your gun in those places. Then I asked; did anyone ask if I had a gun? Was there any type of screening to check if I had a gun? Was there anyone on duty to stop me if I wanted to use my gun in a violent act. All of the answers were, NO!
When I go to the court house there are armed sheriff department officers and a metal detector at the door. No one enters without being checked for weapons. They have a lock box to place any weapons in and a key that is in your possession until you exit the building. The officers are there to enforce a no weapons rule and check all who enter the building.
This is the only way to make sure all who enter are unarmed. In all the establishments I visited with the "Firearms prohibited" sticker on the glass, none of these precautions were taken and no one was there to enforce the "Sticker"!
What does this all mean?
We don't want you to bring your dangerous weapons in here because they scare us! In fact they scare us so bad that we don't want to know if you have a weapon and we wouldn't want to scare anyone by asking you if you have a weapon.
If were to put a scary security guard at the door and that scary equipment they use to check you for weapons; it may scare away the people who come here.
I can just imagine the grasseater who put that sticker on the door with a smile and a feeling of security and comfort that everything will be fine.
What does this mean? To most people your life is no more than the cost of a "sticker!"
Its your life!
I'm worth more than a sticker; even my wife agrees with that! I have never seen or herd of a sticker saving anyone's life and I choose not to rely on a sticker to protect my children and me.
Your personal security is up to you!

[NineseveN]

That's exactly the way I feel about it. Great post.

[Beltfed]

It is time to change Pennsylvania and if possible U.S. concealed carry law!
The concealed carry law should be amended to allow permit holders to carry in all places that do not provide armed security and weapon detecting equipment.
As the law stands permit holders may not carry in schools, post offices and various other facilities.

We’ve all entered a court house where an armed officer stands watch and a metal detector is used to check everyone for any weapons. If you are carrying anything like a knife of firearm you are directed to a lock box where you place these items and lock them up until you exit the premises. All doors are secure and no one may enter without being checked.
This is the only way an unarmed citizen can be assured, that they will be safe, to be unarmed. This type of security must be present in all buildings that wish to have citizens be unarmed. Only then can we be guarantied that we will be secure and safe.
In all the school shootings the perpetrators could have been possibly been stopped by an armed civilian.
On Wednesday October 1st 1997, Assistant Principal Joel Myrick chased Luke Woodham down outside the school, held him at bay with a .45-caliber automatic pistol he kept in his truck in the school parking lot. He forced Woodham to the ground and put his foot on the youth's neck. Had Assistant Myrick been able to carry his weapon in school he may have been able to stop the actions of Luke Woodham.
I do not want teachers or anyone to be mandated to carry a weapon. I do want all carry permit holders to be able to carry anywhere where appropriate security is not provided.
It is a right to be able to defend ones self but that right comes with tremendous responsibility and is a personal decision only the carrier can make.
I have a carry permit since I turned 21 and have never had to use my weapon in self-defense. I train with my weapons and seek training from professional trainers who are retired police and military. I am a NRA life member, NRA certified trainer and Range officer. I’m an instructor for Retired Marine Colonel John Farnam and take the right to carry very seriously. I encourage everyone who has a permit or is applying for carry permit, to seek training.
It’s your life to defend!

[lexington86]

Very nice posts, Beltfed. I can't agree with you more.

I turn 21 in exactly 41 days, and there's nothing I'm looking forward to more than going to the Courthouse and getting my LTCF.

[Emptymag]

Beltfed,

Great post.
Welcome to the forum.

At work I have lots of firearm related stuff on my desk/walls/monitor so it's no secret to anyone that I'm a gun owner.
I think I'll make a new poster that has the "no guns" symbol and a header that says:

To ease the minds of those
who fear guns and people
who own them,
I have posted this sign.
You should all feel
much safer now.

(I'm just a smart-a$$ that way. )

[Emptymag]

Here's the "sign".

I'll have to get a pic of it with my PAFOA stickers and other politically incorrect wall coverings!

[NineseveN]

Dude, that ROCKS hard! Mind if I print a few out?

[Kenshin]

Im so taking them onto campus today when i go to work...

[Joe Smith]

STANDING O!!

[Emptymag]

If you can get a clean copy from that, knock your socks off!

If you want a pfd file, PM me your E-mail and I'll send one out.

Glad you enjoyed it!