Was what I hear coming from a man sitting in a chair to my right. I am standing in my buddies wine shop catching up and just b.s.ing and seeing there are people tasting wines I figure it is safer to show I am carrying because of the whole "alcohol being consumed on premise" law. Well, one of the patrons is sitting in a captains chair to my right and I am standing talking with someone about golfing later on that week when I hear, "Excuse me....... why do YOU need to carry a gun?" I simply reply I don't NEED to carry a gun I chose to carry a gun. Mainly because it is a constitutional right and because I like the idea of being responsible for my own personal safety.

I ask, "Are you a Virginia resident? Do you own a gun? You know you are allowed to open carry in this state? He says, he is a resident but police are there to keep people safe. By this point the conversation has drawn the attention of the other 5 or 6 people in the store. 1 of them is the owner (a friend who knows I carry at all times) 1 is my girlfriend, 2 are a couple that we know, 1 (gerard) is a new guy that I have been talking with for hours, 1 is the before mentioned man in the chair.The guy I had been talking with for a while (gerard) just told a story about road rage where a teenager gave him the finger then followed him home at which time his friends showed up and proceeded to smash in his car. I quickly referenced the story and asked the man in the chair, "what if the weapon of choice was a gun and not bats? A car full of people just followed you home and proceeded to threaten you and your property, are you going to ask them to wait for the police to come before they turn their attack on you?

Everyone agreed and waited to see what "man in the chair's" response would be.......... he said with that many crazy people in the world maybe he too should carry a gun. I then explained about all the training facilities that offer gun safety in the area and great shops to check out if and when he decided to purchase a weapon. This was my first time with the question and I think I handled it well. I realized that being educated on state laws helps greatly. Not only is it a neccessity if you carry (in my opinion) but it can drastically improve the credibility of your arguement.

I find that the people who ask that question, do not want to hear a rationale argument. They are already closed minded to the subject, and that they could care less that you are going above and beyond the normal citizen to ensure your safety, and possibly theirs. They just want to "argue" for the sake of it..

So I usually tell them to piss into the wind.

In general, I'd say CHLs and progun folk at wine tasting events are about as popular as a working prostitute at a church picnic.  

Folks like the "man in the chair" are generally not looking for an answer or debate, they are just posing a question to spout their opinion publicly.  A polite answer and moving on is generally all I offer.

Those who like wine AND guns are not as rare as one would think.  Not 50% of the crowd, but better than 10% in most cases.  But, when I go to a wine tasting, we talk about the wine, not guns (and preferably not politics), even with fellow gun owners.  And when we go to the gun range or gun store, we talk about guns and shooting, not about wine

Right place...right conversation.

And for the record, I enjoy good quality beer as well...so I don't really fit the 'wine snob' label.

Because it's too much trouble to carry a cop everywhere I go

FIrst thing that went through my mind, "Because cops are too heavy."

by no means am i a wine snob. I used to only drink liquor and beer. However, in this area of Virginia it is not uncommon for progun people to also be wine drinkers. There is a fascinating mix of "old time Virginia sofistication" and new out of towner money. I am really neither so for networking purposes wine shops and wine tastings do better than beer pong tournaments (though I love them as well).

For the record I was NOT at a wine tasting, i was in my friends wine shop and some people happened to be tasting wines.

I carry in case someone needs to get shot..

Let me get this straight.  You were asked by a skeptic why you "need" a gun and by the end of the conversation the skeptic states that maybe he should get his own gun and carry it?  YES, YOU DID IT RIGHT!!!!

It's true that much of the time these people will not listen to reason, but this was one of the rare and beautiful times where you have at least planted a seed and may have actually won a convert.  This is cause for rejoicing!

Well played.  Calm, rational rebuttal.

Bonus points for not Blading at 45, shouting 'you will not take my lovely Napa Cabernet'

.

"Do you wear your seatbelt every time you get in your car?"

While I understand your feelings 100% the original post is EXACTLY why you should always try to explain in a calm and friendly way why you carry when asked. By giving a short or curt response you just give them the reinforcement to their argument.

For every anti that you sway over there are several others that they can help convert.

When a friend and I use to work a car wash together our boss hated guns and he knew my friend carried
he always questioned us about guns and the point of them and it started a whirlwind we always argued about
it then he told my friend he couldn't carry at work any more and then my friend told him to fuck off and quiet. LOL

well played

CCW at a car wash!



 

quit

Nice job OP.  Be glad, that's typically never the outcome of that subject.   I typically go with because my forefathers fought/died to protect my right to be able to.

Ideally the only time anyone will ever know I have a gun is if I have to draw it for some reason or another. Aside from a few close friends/close family members I don't think anyone needs to know.


If I ever get the question I have a simple response. Because it's my right, and I feel like exercising that right.

You haven't seen some of those hoodlums that come through the car wash.

Ive found that dental/ health/ any type of insurance not required works well in these type of situations too.

example.

Why do you carry a gun?
The same reason I have health/ whatever insurance, just in case.

Hey... being asked "why do you carry a gun?" is nuttin'....

Try being asked umpteen times... "Why do you own a gun...?"

Agreed!

I have and i love arguing the case. 'Gets me going'.

“For life, liberty and Little Lizzie.”

9/10 times i conceal. However, like I mentioned i was in a place where people were drinking alcohol so I didnt want to take any chances with the law. Thanks for all the feedback and responses. I may not have swayed someone, but at least i engaged in a worth while conversation.

Interesting.  Sounds like you did a good job of informing and educating.  Good on ya.

I don't answer that question...................people around me don't see my weapons.  Fortunately I am not in a state like yours where you basically HAVE to open carry in some places.

You did good though, OP.

Because a crowbar is too unwieldy.

It's a cold dark world.

I bring my own damn heat.

When seconds count the cops are only minutes away! Not a slam on cops just a fact of life and possibly death, preferably not mine!

"I could, but I won't.  Can you tell me why you beat your wife?".

In VA you have to show your gun when you're in a wine shop?  I know that in some states there is a duty to inform police, but I've never heard of the duty to inform the party store owner law .

Because when seconds count, the police are minutes away.

Because police are NOT required to protect me!

Because a gypsy woman once told me I would be killed by a jealous husband... and while philandering is not one of my sins, she did NOT specify that he would be jealous of ME.

Yes indeed! Kudos to the OP!

Hypothetically...



Let's have a race.  



I try to shoot you and you try to call the police.  Anyone want to place odds?  



Now, the important part is to make sure to use the "hypothetically" in the beginning of what would normally be a simple declarative statement.




You did so much better than I would have.  I got asked that question by a police officer last time I was pulled over for a no seatbelt tax.  Did not win me brownie points.

Reminds of a story at a cigar shop. I was in there with my friends, I had my CCW for 2 days, and I went to the shop and I was carrying. The new business partner was carrying also, and people were walking in and he was talking about how he bought a glock30 because thats what special forces carry, and that he bought it because it was the safest pistol out there. (not a glock or not debate) well a lady from the check cashing store saw the glock and asked why he needed it. his response "In case you our your family decide to rob me, so I can shot you(his finger on the trigger the whole time, and his 4th shot of vodka in the other hand)" I didn't know what to say I froze. I finally said look ma'am let me explain something to you. And I told her about our laws. And the right to carry, and I explained why someone would carry. She was intrigued... 1 week later I got a call from my CCW instructor thanking me for the 18 family members that signed up for his class. Needless to say it was her whole 21+ family signed up to get one...

Yeah, it's a VA law.  Places where alcohol is served, if I remember correctly, you can't conceal.  But you can OC.

I dont let public know I carry a weapon

its a big no no in my book

As far as why I carry HG its my right  ( I dont bother argueing with adumb ass)

after 20+yrs its apart of my body

cant leave the house without it


what happen to the good days

when I could pack a HG almost any place in the state of IN.
banks/court house/Bar

Yeah...................one of the many reasons I don't OC is because my answer to the question the OP was asked would be........................."FUCK OFF".  I'm not the best emissary for the cause.

avatar ?

can you tell me about it?

why is the kid flipping the bird

I do like it

THIS! and one more time.. THIS!

we need to change the "gun owner" stereotype... that "cold dead hands" line does not help us at all...

Thank you sir.

Don't remember where it came from..............I picked it up somewhere on the internet a while back.  Always like it.  When it came time to be a Team Member, I just threw it up there.

I like to think of it as an angry soccer hooligan........................that's something that always amused me.  The attitude in the pic does embody my personality, to some extent.  

Why do I carry, a handgun?


Are you execpting trouble?
NO!  IF I WAS, I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT A LONG GUN!!!


BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE!
That is my stander answer.


PITA45

I once had someone ask why I was carrying...

My answer was: "I'm to cheap to hire someone else to carry it for me, just so they could hand it to me when I need it. But there have been a few times when I wish I had hired someone to carry my spare rifle."

I like to think he is flip the bird at the Middle East that are anti USA

No one has ever asked me in my 20+yrs of CCW

Now I have had Family that ask why I carry every single time I go out?

Better to have it and not need it

Than need it and not have it!

And if you will excuse me I'm late for my anger management class.

Only if they need to be shot...No anger, just some people need to be shot.

Because guns are cool.




That's my stock response.

I could be wrong... but I wanna say it came out of a Yankee's / Red Sox Baseball game...



+1 on the great pic BTW



 

+1; brain are like parachutes - they are intended to be 'open'