Is constitutional carry a safe idea? Shouldn’t some training be necessary to allow people to carry a gun out into the public square? I live in AZ, a constitutional carry state, and I will certainly take advantage of that, but will train like hell. I suppose the “bad guys” aren’t going to be getting a carry permit regardless, so making a permit required wouldn’t do anything to stop crime. Just curious on others opinions on constitutional carry. I like it insofar as it doesn’t require you to pay for access to your rights (though you need to pay for guns regardless, so in a way you already are paying for access to your rights).
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@Liam Would “necessary” training then be a requirement to have access to your right to carry concealed, or carry at all? Then you would need some card, or proof, that you have taken said training?
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I don’t feel that “Required Training” is a bad idea. Maine has a required class to get the permit which was fine with me. We are a constitutional carry state, which is also acceptable, but how many people are carrying a gun who really shouldn’t be, for lack of training or knowledge of laws. Then again they probably carried regardless of the laws.
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Liam, I live in a “shall issue” state, and even though they charge for the background checks, the law doesn’t require an NRA children’s gun safety class or even a hunter’s course. (Although, people of a given age range Are required to take that Hunter’s Safety class before receiving their license to Hunt. At least we know there is a chance the animals might not suffer when humans come to kill them, hey?)
So, we are left to what the Community can bring to the situation. In that, each of us has to decide just how much exposure in our own lives we can afford to live with. Some people go the NRA route and discover a larger community of fellow defensive carriers, hunters, and gun aficionados. There is a lot of good information about weapon safety and knowledge on how to use the tools for various sports and legal self-defense.
That you are here indicates the concerns are a bit more immediate about what happens when defense is required. And you are becoming aware of the big chunk of responsibility that puts on your shoulders.
That you see the pitfalls of people exercising their constitutional right brings your very astute observation. WE, the Community, have to find ways to make it clear that everyone who chooses to own and carry a weapon can find help learning to use it without concern about being berated for wanting to be safer, be able to protect their family, or just to be able to teach their children how to be safe around such potentially dangerous tools. Somehow, we need to let novices know we’re there for them and are happy to teach them the way they’d want to be able to teach others. I don’t know if that means walking around with signs on our backs, or if it’s just being who we are and being receptive to when others ask questions about how we do what we do. In the more active sense we could learn to be professional teachers and hang a shingle out. But, as you see, it’s a complex subject. Thanks for asking!
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I live in a constitutional carry state - Missouri - and I’m a HUGE fan. we aren’t seeing rampant shootings and blood in the streets as a result of going to constitutional carry - the dire predictions have no basis in actual fact.
I’m very much in favor of training. What I am not in favor of is government mandated training. I don’t believe in mandatory training to exercise any God given, inalienable rights.
Citizenship itself carries responsibility, exercising your rights has an obligation attached, unwritten though it is. Many people don’t do all they should to uphold their responsibilities, around rights or anything else. Careless exercise of one’s rights should have consequences if it results in unnecessary harm to others.
That said, my right is my right. Full stop. It is not my right only if I jump through hoops, get training, fill out a form, get approval of some official. It is my right without permission, without qualification.
I may not use my rights to deprive others of their rights except in extraordinary circumstances, and usually only once they’ve abdicated their own responsibility (such as trying to harm other people).
No government or regulatory body should be allowed to require anything more of me than the responsible USE of my rights in not inappropriately violating others’. If they require ANYthing of me in order to ACCESS my rights, that is infringement.
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Should we be required to have training to exercise our first amendment rights?
Look, I’m not anti-training in the least. I believe everyone should get training. I am however very much against government mandated training.
The government should not be mandating anything with regards to our rights. Period.
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but a lack of training in regards to our 1st Amendment rights wouldn’t potentially hurt someone
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i agree with everything you said, especially the last part. if you’re responsible with your rights and respect others’ rights, you’ll be fine. if you hurt someone while exercising your rights, you’ll suffer consequences. i like that.
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Are you sure? How many people have been driven to suicide by mental/emotional bullying?
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Not entirely true. If you look at the rhetoric politicians are using and some of violent acts that have been fueled by that rhetoric. There is a very strong case that words can in fact lead to people being hurt or killed.
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i agree with you and Sheepdog. just trying to get you and myself to question our beliefs.
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there are some related threads running - you might want to read some of the conversation here, it’s been pretty interesting:
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■■■■, should have looked first. sorry and thank you zee 
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I understand that and am always open to listening to opposing view point. But there are some things I’ve made up my mind on and not gonna change. That being said tho I am open to hearing all sides of an issue in a respectful way
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@Liam, no worries at all 
the various threads all take different angles and aspects, so there’s plenty to dig into 
It’s been pretty interesting and I’ve found my thinking being challenged a lot - some of it hasn’t moved, but some things have. And I’m finding I’m a lot clearer about what I believe and how to articulate it.
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You won’t find anyone here disagreeing that people should get as much training as they can. The problem comes from government mandated training. All of a sudden any informal training, even conducted by instructors is null and void. By mandating training you are actually putting it out of reach financially for some people and that is a bad thing.
When I took my CPL course I was barely able to set aside enough money for it, the ammo and the cost of the license. I do not believe that the one “official” course I’ve taken is enough. I’m now looking in to more official training and the costs are still prohibitive even though my family is doing better financially now. I’m looking at stocking up on ammo and things i need to take a course, and then later saving up for one. Add in government mandates and now things get even messier.
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that’s what im trying to do: figure out my beliefs. listening to others’ and sharing my own so far has been helping out
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i get that completely. it being so expensive would make it hard, and how much training would be considered enough to take a gun out? who decides that?
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