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People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 11:26 am
by Lynyrd
I have several friends and neighbors who have their CHL/LTC, and many who do not. In the last two weeks I have been approached by two different couples who are now expressing an interest in getting their license. One couple is in their 60's, and the other is in their 40's. I have never shot with either of them, but they have seen me wearing a gun on occasion when we were at the same back yard BBQ, fish fry, etc. This led to a few conversations about guns, and they know I carry every day. And that's why when they decided to pursue getting their license, they started asking me questions.

I find it curious that these people are now interested in the licensing process and seriously considering getting their LTC. I've known them for many years and they never expressed an interest before, but they also never expressed any anti gun sentiments either. I have been to their homes and carried openly with nothing but smiles and relaxed conversation.

My question to the forum members is this. Have any of you noticed a new interest from people you know in acquiring their LTC?

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 11:50 am
by RPBrown
I have noticed and suspect it is because of the changing times we now live in.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 11:51 am
by oljames3
Lynyrd wrote:I have several friends and neighbors who have their CHL/LTC, and many who do not. In the last two weeks I have been approached by two different couples who are now expressing an interest in getting their license. One couple is in their 60's, and the other is in their 40's. I have never shot with either of them, but they have seen me wearing a gun on occasion when we were at the same back yard BBQ, fish fry, etc. This led to a few conversations about guns, and they know I carry every day. And that's why when they decided to pursue getting their license, they started asking me questions.

I find it curious that these people are now interested in the licensing process and seriously considering getting their LTC. I've known them for many years and they never expressed an interest before, but they also never expressed any anti gun sentiments either. I have been to their homes and carried openly with nothing but smiles and relaxed conversation.

My question to the forum members is this. Have any of you noticed a new interest from people you know in acquiring their LTC?
One of my coworkers, with whom I have discussed carrying, passed his LTC class 11/11/17 and has applied for his license.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:23 pm
by Lynyrd
RPBrown wrote:I have noticed and suspect it is because of the changing times we now live in.
I tend to agree. People are waking up to the need for self defense, now more than ever.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:25 pm
by longhorn86
Lynyrd wrote:
RPBrown wrote:I have noticed and suspect it is because of the changing times we now live in.
I tend to agree. People are waking up to the need for self defense, now more than ever.

:iagree: I would suspect that the lower fee could have something to do with it as well.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:06 pm
by allisji
There has definitely been an uptick in interest following the shooting in Sutherland Springs, especially in churches. Lots of people are talking about it. Very few in my church know that I carry, but I've overheard several conversations about concealed carry in the days since that horrific event. My wife ratted me out in front of our praise band last week.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:18 pm
by Middle Age Russ
Each of us has a different decision matrix because of past experiences, differences in aptitude and critical thinking skills. Because of these differences each of us who have come to the lifestyle decision to carry a sidearm arrived at that decision because of different stimuli / inputs. With today's 24/7 news cycle, we are inundated with reports of tragedies and atrocities even though statistics can show that in aggregate we are somewhat less likely to be victims of violent crime than we were a few years ago. From this ever-increasing and never-ending cycle of gloom and doom, there is plenty of fodder for people to decide that they are best suited to see to their own defense / protection, regardless of what stimulus is required to get to this decision.

Most of us seem to recognize some common truths which informed our decision matrices at some point. We understand that WE are our own first responders (since we are already there and hopefully able to act). We understand that other "first" responders are most likely NOT going to be present when we'd like them to be. We understand that having more options on the force scale -- including firearms carried on our persons - is better than having fewer, and that there may come a time when we desperately NEED the deadly force option of a readily accessible firearm. We understand that evil exists in this world and is incarnate in some humans who may walk among us at any time. We understand that self-defense is not as much about the odds as it is about the stakes. Any given "if it bleeds, it leads" news item may resonate with a member of the audience on one or more of these truths, and that may be the extra data point that audience member needs to move another step through their decision matrix to a choice.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:25 pm
by BBYC
I think the lower fee and open carry both contribute. In one camp you have people where $100 makes a big difference. In another camp you have people who see "normal people" carrying and that plants the seed in their mind.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:44 pm
by RoyGBiv
As people wake up to the fact that they are not safe anywhere, including at church, where they don't assume personal responsibility for their own safety, we'll see our ranks grow.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 1:51 pm
by Lynyrd
longhorn86 wrote:
Lynyrd wrote:
RPBrown wrote:I have noticed and suspect it is because of the changing times we now live in.
I tend to agree. People are waking up to the need for self defense, now more than ever.

:iagree: I would suspect that the lower fee could have something to do with it as well.
You are definitely right about the fee. And although my friends could well afford the old fee, that new lower fee is just one less deterrent that keeps them from making the decision.

Re: People Newly Interested in Getting Licensed

Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:10 pm
by troglodyte
I expected to see a lot of interest after the fee went down. I have not seen that in my classes. I think the present administration depressed the "need". If Hillary would have been elected I think we'd still be seeing higher interest. Now with the Sutherland Springs tragedy there has been an uptick. I had several in class last weekend that said it was the deciding factor.