Depressing conversation with my Dad

[Fairfield_Glock]

I made the mistake of showing my LTCF to my Dad. Here is a sample of the conversation that followed:

Dad: "Why the hell do you want to carry a gun around?"

Me: "I just like to be prepared for life threatening situations."

Dad: "Why don't you just avoid dangerous areas instead of carrying a deadly weapon around?"

Me: "Well, every place is a dangerous area in the right situation. Who would have imagined getting gunned down in class at Virginia Tech?"

Dad: "But why carry a loaded gun around due to the remote chance of getting attacked?"

Me: "Why not? Bad things happen to good people that mind their own business. I would rather be prepared."

Dad: "Yeah but if you blow somebody away in self defense then you're dealing with legal shit and lawsuits for years."

Me: "So what's the alternative Dad? Let myself get killed? Watch an innocent person get murdered or robbed?"

Dad: "So what if some crazy person sees your gun and takes it?"

Me: "They can't take it if they don't know I'm carrying it."

Dad: "But why do you want to go through the hassle of carrying a gun around with you?"

Me: "It isn't that hard Dad. I load the pistol, thread my holster onto the belt and put the gun in the holster. It says at my side in the holster. No extra trouble."

Dad: "But then you'll get harassed by the cops for having a weapon."

Me: "Well yeah, the cops can harass me. But since I'm obeying all the laws, there isn't much they can do to convict me of any crime."

Dad: "Do you really want to shoot somebody?"

Me: "No Dad. If I did want to shoot a person, I shouldn't be carrying a weapon in the first place. I hope that I never have to shoot a human being. I hope I never have to point a gun at a human being. I do not look forward to it."

Dad: "I just don't see why you feel so unsafe that you need to carry a gun around Gettysburg."

Me: "I don't feel threatened, but I choose to carry a tool just in case. 20 years ago, there was very little gang activity and violent crime in Lancaster. Now it's a different story. What is wrong with just being prepared?"

Dad: "You're more likely to hurt yourself or your wife by carrying that gun."

Me: "Well, since I have studied proper gun handling and I don't wave the barrel around the odds are against that."

Dad: "What if you shoot at a criminal and you miss and hit another person?"

Me: "You know I might not always shoot. There are too many damn circumstances that influence my decision to shoot or not to shoot."


This went on for a while but you get the idea.

[uniballin]

Sounds like my mom.

Only thing you can do is carry for a while and maybe it will begin to "normalize" for him.

My mom used to bug me when I went out the door with it OWB... "you're going to get shot by the police" was usually the last thing I heard before I walked out the door, but now she doesn't say anything.

[Curmudgeon]

Wait... I must have missed the part where you hit him.

Seriously, I think you handled that conversation really well. Although the old boy was throwing every "anti" talking point at you he could muster, it seems you stayed the course and respond with well-reasoned answers.

I'm hoping he percolates on your answers for a while. You might soon find him in your corner.

[Pyrotek85]

Dad: "Why don't you just avoid dangerous areas instead of carrying a deadly weapon around?"

Lol

'Why do you bother wearing a seat belt? Why don't you just avoid getting into a car accident in the first place?'

I think part of the problem is that not everyone wants to accept that they don't have complete control of what happens to them, despite taking necessary precautions.

[Belasarius]

I had a similiar but shorter conversation with an old friend on Facebook a couple of weeks ago after I posted pictures of the Gettysburg OC event we had. I was kind of kicking myself for linking the pictures on my page although up until now my group of 40 odd friends has not commented on any of the crazy right-wing shit I do and I haven't felt the need to comment on any of the crazy moon-bat shit some of my oldest friends do. The only question he asked me in a PM was, "Why do you have to carry a gun in a national park?" Of course it took me an hour to craft the perfectly argued, linked, and footnoted reply with all the history, law, and stats. He made some comment about a moose stomping some Japanese tourist in a National Park so I'm pretty sure I've overturned the convictions of a lifetime and we've gained another life-long gunowner and supporter of liberty.

[knight0334]

Hit yourself in the nuts, maybe he'll feel it vicariously.

[Emptymag]

Ask him why he has homeowners insurance.

Does he think that Godzilla will step on it?
Is he expecting arson?
Why not just rent instead if he's worried about losing the house?

[Smalls]

Can I come OC at your house?

[Ross11988]

Lol

'Why do you bother wearing a seat belt? Why don't you just avoid getting into a car accident in the first place?'

Lol I'm going to remember that one

[PocketProtector]

Ask him why he has homeowners insurance.

Does he think that Godzilla will step on it?
Is he expecting arson?
Why not just rent instead if he's worried about losing the house?

Exactly, turn it around and ask him the questions, takes you off the defensive