TexasCHLforum.com

If I were you, I'd either go to the party unarmed or carry anyway. My thoughts on those two options are: A) She's not trying to deny you your "constitutional rights" or not "trust [you]", buddy, she just doesn't want the gun in her home. Or B) Go to the party armed and don't say anything. In this case, they'll only know you're carrying if you poorly conceal your handgun, if they pat you down, or if you have to use it; All three of those are not going to be good situations.

Or, if you must, don't go to the party. Me personally? I don't let people know that I'm carrying. You can tell who you like, but I think it's nobody's business but your own. Do you think that if your CHL was not (what I assume is) such a topic of discussion, this conflict may have been avoided?

Dan20703 wrote:I always carry but very few people know this fact (one close friend and my immediate family). I want it kept a secret so this type of issue never comes up.

I think that is the problem here. SOMEBODY let the cat out of the bag and now they can't get it back in. That is why you should carry a CONCEALED weapon. The fact that the friend's wife knew that LedJedi carried a gun generally means TO ME, that his carry status is NOT concealed. I bet everyone at the PTA knows too.

This thread answers a question for me that I was just about to ask on the forum. Some coworkers have expressed interest in getting their CHL and know that I shoot, but nothing more. I think that I'll keep it that way in order to avoid situations like this, but also because it is possible even for those with a CHL to have varying degrees of when it is "appropriate" to be armed.

yep, there certainly is a price you pay for disclosure.

My disclosure of my status is a personal one and i did think about it quite a bit before i let the world in general know.This is the first time it's really come to this point. If this is the price i pay for trying to educate those around me, then i'm happy to pay it.

i let the cat out of the bag and allow it to prance around the yard in full view.
That prancing (from another friend who is the same as I in this regard) is what got me a CHL in the first place. He told me about it and we talked at great length. I have since shared that belief with MANY other friends and have since gotten many folks to start thinking seriously about their safety and their personal rights. I wouldn't trade that for attendance at a pumpkin party for all the tea in china.

if you choose to keep your chl status and your personal beliefs on this topic to yourself i completely respect that, but dont think for a minute that i'm ashamed of my decision to go public with this to my friends and family.

edited the colored bit to correct it... that's what i get for posting to the forum and talking on the phone at the same time!

KFP wrote:Some coworkers have expressed interest in getting their CHL and know that I shoot, but nothing more. I think that I'll keep it that way ...

I keep a couple of business cards in my wallet from a CHL instructor that I just happen to know. If the subject comes up, I hand out a card.

Then again, my circle of acquaintances is pre-filtered to eliminate nosy people.

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:
Then again, my circle of acquaintances is pre-filtered to eliminate nosy people.

Exactly. But in this case I think LedJedi's friend committed a man-law violation by marrying outside the list of approved acquaintances.

My only comments on the main subject of this thread are a couple of cliches that won't do LedJedi any good:

• What they don't know won't hurt them.
• It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

These principles have served me well for decades. Perhaps they will do someone else some good.

- Jim

as well as everyone in my office. they know i dont carry here because it's a school, but because they know i'm CHL i've had 4-5 of them approach me privately and ask for more information. Two of them have already gotten theirs because i made it known.

if my office environment was different perhaps i wouldn't have disclosed that at work. Being open about this does open you to some risks. you have to evaluate that for yourself in your situation.

If i attended the PTA for my daughter they would know my stance on guns in school. As it happens, my daughter is home schooled.

keeping quite about an issue simply because it may make waves is not the way to change the thought processes of today's americans. Pointing out the error of their ways and educating them on the facts, is.

but again, a personal choice, and perhaps a personal crusade.

Lucky45 wrote:

Dan20703 wrote:I always carry but very few people know this fact (one close friend and my immediate family). I want it kept a secret so this type of issue never comes up.

I think that is the problem here. SOMEBODY let the cat out of the bag and now they can't get it back in. That is why you should carry a CONCEALED weapon. The fact that the friend's wife knew that LedJedi carried a gun generally means TO ME, that his carry status is NOT concealed. I bet everyone at the PTA knows too.

seamusTX wrote:My only comments on the main subject of this thread are a couple of cliches that won't do LedJedi any good:

• What they don't know won't hurt them.
• It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

These principles have served me well for decades. Perhaps they will do someone else some good.

- Jim

From an acquaintance maybe - but why do that to your friend. Also, the guy is his boss. Definitely don't want to do that to your boss.

Penn wrote:

seamusTX wrote:My only comments on the main subject of this thread are a couple of cliches that won't do LedJedi any good:

• What they don't know won't hurt them.
• It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

These principles have served me well for decades. Perhaps they will do someone else some good.

From an acquaintance maybe - but why do that to your friend. Also, the guy is his boss. Definitely don't want to do that to your boss.

I don't understand your question. Do what to a friend? Carry without informing him?

- Jim

My new mother-in-law knew I carried a gun (new wife told her). not that she (motherinlaw) cared that I did but she was not comfortable with guns. I respected her wishes. About 6 months being married to her daughter she mentioned in passing that she did not care anymore if I carried in her house.
I asked what changed her mind, she said that my wife and her had a conversation and shooting came up, my wife said she went shooting with me all the time. Her mother says I can't believe you shoot guns!!!
(here is the kicker) my wife replied "mom I was in the military for 6 years you think I have never shot a gun?????"

She said that changed her perception somehow, she knew guns were not bad but she did not realize that almost anyone could be armed almost any time and how common it is.

You make a good point, in my opinion. I never really thought about getting a CHL until two people I know mentioned it to me. It really got me thinking about it and helped me to know that it isn't just the "conspiracy theory" people that have CHL's. Since I have gotten my CHL I have been able to influence several people to the point that they now have/are getting their CHL's. But in order to do that I had to tell them about mine, the same way that I was told.

So, you either keep it completely to yourself and don't have to worry about people asking you to NOT carry, or you educate other people on the topic but run the risk that some may have a problem with it.

B I N G O.....

man, you said that better than me.

5111 wrote:So, you either keep it completely to yourself and don't have to worry about people asking you to NOT carry, or you educate other people on the topic but run the risk that some may have a problem with it.

A person has the right to prohibit concealed carry by guests in their own home for any reason . . . or no reason at all.

Their home, their rules.

Me . . . I would no longer visit them at their home; "friends" like that, who mistrust me on some level, I really don't need.

seamusTX wrote:

Penn wrote:

seamusTX wrote:My only comments on the main subject of this thread are a couple of cliches that won't do LedJedi any good:

• What they don't know won't hurt them.
• It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

These principles have served me well for decades. Perhaps they will do someone else some good.

From an acquaintance maybe - but why do that to your friend. Also, the guy is his boss. Definitely don't want to do that to your boss.

I don't understand your question. Do what to a friend? Carry without informing him?

- Jim

Sorry - I wasn't clear. It's not fair to your friendship to carry and then ask forgiveness from a friend if found out. I think it's disrespectful.