Not a good idea to carry with a Philly LTCF?

[Possum]

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, but I haven't posted in a while. DS (Dear Spouse) and I have lived in Philly for ages and have each had a PA LTCF for more than 10 years. Never any problems (knock wood), but we feel better carrying where permitted.

With more and more news coverage of how "anti carry" and "anti self defense" the Philly police are, we're beginning to question our decision to carry. What if I did have to defend my life using my firearm? I had the first twangs of doubt after seeing what Gerald Ung was put through. Now, after seeing Seth Williams in a hoodie to protest the "assassination" of that kid in Florida (by a man who hasn't been charged with anything yet, but who has been convicted in the press), I'm really having second thoughts. It makes me feel like I'd never get a fair shake if I did have to legally defend myself.

Would I be better off carrying Mace? I've never wondered about this before, but I'm not in a position to possibly lose my job because I have to spend time in jail after legally defending myself, and I SURE can't afford a few hundred thousand dollars to fight an illegal prosecution. How do people feel about this? (And how do ordinary people like Ung, without massive capital in a house or business to remortgage, afford the defense?)

I'd appreciate opinions.
Pat

[RHGregory3]

Pat,

If you don't carry, they win. A life sentence is worth the ability to defend yourself, if that is what it lands me in the event I ever had to shoot someone I highly prefer the cell to a myriad of potential horror stories that become possible if I am without a weapon.

In fact, being afraid of the consequences is rediculous. It's like having a weapon in such a situation yet saying "Nevermind, just go ahead and kill me" (or wife, kids, whatever you hold dear)

Screw that. Don't allow the antis into intimidating you into not carrying.


When the fear of legal repercussion outweighs the fear of being accosted, you REALLY know we have become a society where to defend yourself legally becomes criminal, and if your an ACTUAL criminal and your robbery goes awry, al and the boys will make sure you are remembered or as the defenseless teen who was misunderstood, and racially assassinated by an evil white gun owner.

Flame on guys.

[ByblosHex]

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, but I haven't posted in a while. DS (Dear Spouse) and I have lived in Philly for ages and have each had a PA LTCF for more than 10 years. Never any problems (knock wood), but we feel better carrying where permitted.

With more and more news coverage of how "anti carry" and "anti self defense" the Philly police are, we're beginning to question our decision to carry. What if I did have to defend my life using my firearm? I had the first twangs of doubt after seeing what Gerald Ung was put through. Now, after seeing Seth Williams in a hoodie to protest the "assassination" of that kid in Florida (by a man who hasn't been charged with anything yet, but who has been convicted in the press), I'm really having second thoughts. It makes me feel like I'd never get a fair shake if I did have to legally defend myself.

Would I be better off carrying Mace? I've never wondered about this before, but I'm not in a position to possibly lose my job because I have to spend time in jail after legally defending myself, and I SURE can't afford a few hundred thousand dollars to fight an illegal prosecution. How do people feel about this? (And how do ordinary people like Ung, without massive capital in a house or business to remortgage, afford the defense?)

I'd appreciate opinions.
Pat

Don't be fooled by the media. Successful use of firearms in self defense is much more common than the mass media makes it out to be. If you surrender your right to bear arms based on their lies, they win.
You would not be better off carrying mace instead of firearms, but carrying it as an addition isn't a bad idea. Remember though, the legislation protects the citizen's ownership, possession and justified use of firearms specifically.
If mace was effective in all situations then law enforcement officers would carry only mace. The fact remains sometimes it's life or death.
The situation and media explosion with the Florida case is by far the exception and by no means is that the rule or what you should expect in a similar case. In most self defense situations I have read about the defender is not arrested or charged exactly like Zimmerman's case except without the media mutation of the situation.
Again, the media's portrayal of the use of firearms in self defense is a far-cry from reality and your reaction is exactly the reaction they're going for.

[51158]

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, but I haven't posted in a while. DS (Dear Spouse) and I have lived in Philly for ages and have each had a PA LTCF for more than 10 years. Never any problems (knock wood), but we feel better carrying where permitted.

With more and more news coverage of how "anti carry" and "anti self defense" the Philly police are, we're beginning to question our decision to carry. What if I did have to defend my life using my firearm? I had the first twangs of doubt after seeing what Gerald Ung was put through. Now, after seeing Seth Williams in a hoodie to protest the "assassination" of that kid in Florida (by a man who hasn't been charged with anything yet, but who has been convicted in the press), I'm really having second thoughts. It makes me feel like I'd never get a fair shake if I did have to legally defend myself.

Would I be better off carrying Mace? I've never wondered about this before, but I'm not in a position to possibly lose my job because I have to spend time in jail after legally defending myself, and I SURE can't afford a few hundred thousand dollars to fight an illegal prosecution. How do people feel about this? (And how do ordinary people like Ung, without massive capital in a house or business to remortgage, afford the defense?)

I'd appreciate opinions.
Pat

as far as seth williams in a hoody, he's nothing but a political whore. He's probly gearing up to run for mayor. you know appease the majority.

Your looking for opinions, everybody's circumstances are different. Me? I've been carrying since philly issued(15years). I moved out about a year after I finally got a ltcf.

I will only advise in one aspect.
If you and you wife go out, protect her with everything at your disposal.

My body has been beat-up, that is why I carry. i'd be lucky if i could run 10 steps, that's why I carry. I'm 6'4 250 pounds. I never gave it a second thought about being able to take care of myself. then i got feeling old.I always had a hand gun with me, but not on me. now I put my boots on then belt with holster&gun.

When i was younger I felt I didn't need that edge, now I do..

Just be able to take care of your wife if both of you go out, Think about it, What is her safety worth?

Hope this helps. I don't think you'll get a definitive answer on something like this

[soberbyker]

I'd rather be tried by twelve, than carried by six.

.

[Kodiak]

I came back to Philly in late '99 after I was discharged from the Marines....a few months later I bought my first handgun...then I went an got my first LTCF.

Here it is 13 years later and I havent stopped carrying...the only downside is going to renew every 5 years (still waiting on my current renewal)...other then that I wont stop carrying regardless of how demonized law abiding gun owners get.

[mpan72]

Just on a legal standpoint, is mace even legal in Philly?

You are the only one who can make the decision on whether to continue to carry. I have my opinion and it is that no matter the outcome of any self defense situation I feel that it is in my best interest to carry.




(Please don't give up the ability to defend your people and yourself.)

[98valkyrie]

I'd rather be tried by twelve, than carried by six.

.

Agree Totally!!!

[FUNDAMENTALS]

We all only come this way once, I am determined not to have my life cut
short by the violent intentions of another.

[Maryland_Shooter]

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, but I haven't posted in a while. DS (Dear Spouse) and I have lived in Philly for ages and have each had a PA LTCF for more than 10 years. Never any problems (knock wood), but we feel better carrying where permitted.

With more and more news coverage of how "anti carry" and "anti self defense" the Philly police are, we're beginning to question our decision to carry. What if I did have to defend my life using my firearm? I had the first twangs of doubt after seeing what Gerald Ung was put through. Now, after seeing Seth Williams in a hoodie to protest the "assassination" of that kid in Florida (by a man who hasn't been charged with anything yet, but who has been convicted in the press), I'm really having second thoughts. It makes me feel like I'd never get a fair shake if I did have to legally defend myself.

Would I be better off carrying Mace? I've never wondered about this before, but I'm not in a position to possibly lose my job because I have to spend time in jail after legally defending myself, and I SURE can't afford a few hundred thousand dollars to fight an illegal prosecution. How do people feel about this? (And how do ordinary people like Ung, without massive capital in a house or business to remortgage, afford the defense?)

I'd appreciate opinions.
Pat

OK, my life-policy as it were.

There is no free lunch.

All choices carry with them a price. Each person decides which price he or she can best afford, makes the choice and doesn't second guess it.

You walk up to a dice table and put 1K on the pass line, don't cry to me about it IF you lose.

Likewise if you decide NOT to carry and it results in you or a loved one dead, you made your choice, you pay the price.

Litigation results in say 100K - OK, that's a known price. You can measure it.

The loss of life - I am not sure how you price that out at all.

On top of that, it's like a big freakin' roulette wheel. Maybe next guy is a convicted child molester, just escaped a half-way house and killed a 85 year old woman for her car and cash.

You just can't predict the circumstances.