The Seven Secrets of Concealed Carry - Secret Number Four

Secret #4: Become A Peacemaker Without Ego

Carrying a firearm means giving up the luxury to be angry. If you carry a sidearm, you have to consider the results of your actions and reactions a whole lot more carefully than if you don’t. What are you getting in return? You’re getting the ability to defend your life and the lives of your loved ones on the worst day of your lives. People want to know what changes they will need to make in their lives when they decide to carry a gun for self-protection. The answer I usually give out isn’t about new clothing or new equipment, it’s about a new attitude. Specifically, you can’t get angry when you carry a gun. Ever. Let me say that again in another way: Carrying a gun means giving up your right to be angry at the actions of others, no matter how unbelievably stupid those actions may have been. An example. A friend of mine was cut off in traffic. Words were exchanged, and both cars pulled over to the side of the road. Both drivers exited their vehicles in an angry, fighting mood, however, my friend walked out of his car with his gun in hand. After determining the other driver was unarmed and was backing down, my friend drove off, believing the incident to be over. The other driver called the cops, claiming my friend had pulled a gun on him, which, in reality, is sorta what happened, even though the gun was never pointed in the direction of the other driver. My friend had a long legal journey that only recently came to an end with a satisfactory (but not exculpatory) conclusion. What if he had just walked away and not stoked the fires of anger? What if he gave up his “right” to express his anger at that @#$! who just cut him off at traffic? Would he have had to worry about that other driver being armed? Would he have faced a mountain of legal bills and the possible loss of his right of armed self-defense? Probably not. His problems didn’t start with drawing his gun, they started with his reaction to a relatively minor event, and snowballed downhill from there. Carrying a firearm means giving up the luxury of being angry. If you carry a sidearm, you have to consider the results of your actions and reactions a whole lot more carefully than if you don’t.   Secret #3: Know How to Operate Your Defensive Firearm and Train With It Regularly Secret #2: Don't Make A Lifetime Commitment To The First Gun You Carry Secret #1: Make the Commitment to Carry Whenever and Wherever You Can