Packing before CHL

[Skiprr]

All of my friends pack...CHL or not.

Please tell us who your friends are.

People packin' illegally deserve a Condition Orange. Those of us legally packin' need to be on alert.

Why? How are they any more dangerous because they dont have a pioece of plastic on them? They might be more qualified than a lot of chl's to handle a weapon. I dont like blanket statements like that.

Because carrying a handgun--outside of traveling laws--without that piece of plastic is flat-out illegal. Black and white.

Not sayin' I'm for or against the current law as an interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. But it is the law of the State of Texas.

Anybody who is not a peace officer or does not have a CHL decides to tuck a Glock in his Wranglers, he's absolutely outside the law.

I carry and I train regularly to protect myself from people who live outside the law. That's why I carry.

[nuparadigm]

He without sin cast the first stone. Be kind.

[Liberty]

If I felt that I were truly at some sort of elevated danger I would have carried, but also would have done everything I could to become legal. To imply that because someone does something illegal they are dishonest sounds slanderous to me. Does getting a speeding ticket reflect on ones reputation as an honest person.

I purchased a handgun and had to take it home before I had a CHL. Some have claimed that there is no provision in the law to allow me to do so. If I had to carry lots of money regularly and felt my life was in danger I would carry illegally until I had means to do it legally. Sometimes the law needs to be broken.

I believe one of the biggest problems in this country is that the good folks are 2 two law abiding in the 20th and 21st centurys. This nation was built on illegal acts and overthrowing the an unjust government. and continued to be built and by the rough and tumbled. At somepoint we, the good and honest, turned to sheep at let those in power dictate when wear and how we can pack. If we as group had stood up to the government we wouldn't be in the fix we are now with the governmet restrict us and the guns we are permited to own.

I've been pulled over a few times with the gun, but being an honest citizen, have never been searched. I haven't been pulled over in years anyway.

If you carried in an illegal manner, how do you figure you are an "honest citizen"?

Gains made by civilization aren't made by the law abiding.

Washington broke the law ansd was known for his honesty.
Martin Luther King broke the law. and his word anwas respected by all.
Jesus Christ broke the law and I believe he was pretty honest.

[HankB]

Unless a person has evil intent (he plans to "get" someone, commit a robbery, just show someone how tough he is, etc.) I don't see that breaking the law automatically puts one morally or ethically in the wrong, especially if it's a bad law and the violation doesn't harm others.

A person can still be an "honest citizen" if he breaks a bad law.

I also don't think it's particularly wise to admit to doing so on an open forum.

[Smokewagon]

OK, back to the original question.

Yes, I'm guilty of carrying without a CHL. Carried for 25 years going back and forth to work when I worked shift work. I had to drive alone on the highway nightly to get there. I was the only person in a large building after hours and it was a bad neighborhood. I had a couple of incidents where although I didn't use my gun, I was glad it was there. I always had a little paranoia about doing this.

When CHL became an option for me, I took advantage of it and have not looked back.

I don't suggest this for anyone else, but thats what I did.

[XDandy]

I am currently waiting to recieve my chl and will admit to carrying illegally in the past. I play in a band and we've been out late in some pretty bad parts of town all over the country and I've got a bag that I take everywhere with me. There have definitely been a few times that I've stuck my pistol in there to take along for the ride. I will say at this point though, I've realized there are other ways to defend myself other than "shoving a .40 up someone's ..." Whats between your ears is your most important weapon anyway. Being so close to getting my chl, its not worth it right now to break the law by carrying outside of my home or vehicle. I just stay out of the parts of town that I feel I would need to carry in. Whenever I get my plastic I'll be carrying anywhere and everywhere that's legal. And govnor, if I was in your situation, carrying around alot of cash in bad parts of town, I would probably carry a gun also. But there were definitely some "mall ninja" undertones in some of your posts and I think that's what's getting you in trouble with some of these guys.

[Venus Pax]

Personally, I think it's unwise to carry w/o a CHL, especially since we have that option available to us now.
I don't, however, think it makes someone dishonest. There are people on this forum that have carried long before we had the CHL. To my knowledge, these people have never robbed, raped, assaulted, murdered anyone. And some of them carried for decades before we had the CHL. Their desire was simply to protect themselves and/or their families. I think that's commendable.

There are aspects of our current CHL law that I have a problem with....
I don't think there should be any restrictions on where CHLers can carry (I can understand private property). I don't think that schools, courthouses, federal buildings, or any other place should be off-limits. I think we should be working to lift these restrictions.

Some people choose to carry in these places anyway. I don't have a problem with this, I just don't have the cajones to do it myself.

[Mike from Texas]

Well, I guess lump me in with all the other "thugs" on here.

I've had a gun in a vehicle with me at all times since I was 15 years old. I have had to pull it (but never use it) twice in my life and I'm darn glad I had it both times.

I got stopped for speeding (there I go being a "thug" again ) in Louisiana one night. My family & I were visiting relatives and I was driving faster than I should have been. I got pulled over did everything the officer asked me to do. When I handed him all my stuff, I had forgotten to get my vehicle registration out. We walked back up to my truck I got back in the driver's seat and he noticed my 9mm Ruger sitting in the door pocket. The conversation went something like this:

"Sir is this your weapon?"

"Yes Sir"

"Sir, is it loaded?"

"Yes sir it is, loaded and one in the chamber."

"Is it registered to you?"

"Yes Sir."

He picked the gun up and said, "I'm going to take this back to my car for both of our safety."

"OK"

He took the gun back to his car and ran all of my information. He came back to my truck a few minutes later and said "Well everything checks out."

"Yes Sir."

He closed the door to my truck, shined his light in my truck, saw my wife and 2 kids and said "Well I'm not going to write you a ticket but please slow it down."

"Yes Sir."

He then handed me my gun which he had removed the magazine and chambered round and said "Do me a favor and wait until you get down the road a bit before you reload."

"Yes Sir, thank you."

Could that have turned out much worse? ABSOLUTELY. I think the fact that I had a clean driving record, the gun was registered to me and the fact that my family was in the vehicle all played a factor in his handling of the situation. I truly believe that had I been alone in my vehicle that night things would have been MUCH different. Did that stop me from keeping a gun in my vehicle? NO WAY. I've been stopped a few times since then and have never been asked or had my vehicle searched. I believe that most of it has to do with how you present yourself and treat the officer if you are stopped. I never actually carried a gun on my person until I got my CHL.

[Seburiel]

Though I will not go as far as TXI and accuse govnr of being a militiaman, I will say that, in my opinion, there was a little something 'hinky' about his coming on the forum and blatantly asking the members if they have ever committed a crime. That smacks of trolling at the very least.
[Edited to add] I'm not suggesting that govnr is a troll, I am simply suggesting that the topic is very off-putting.

[pbandjelly]

aaaaaaaaaaaaah, my brain hurts. thank the gods that I wasn't on here last night

anywho, here's a solution, carry a shotgun. keep it in yer truuuuuhk, and if'n your culturally diverse associations give you any flak, well, you've got a boomstick.

Gov, I think the deal is, you've presented yourself in a negative manner. The whole "I drink a gallon of JD with my buddies and shoot at the lake" thing, started it, then it was, "I use'ta do the coke." and then, "I's wants all the M4's in teh wurlds."
individually, most of those things aren't that big of a deal, but collectively, and in the "Yeah, this is what I dunn, so whut of it??? HUH?!" manner, you have presented yourself in not the most positive light.

right or wrong, there is a lot to be said about perception, even if that perception is wrong.
all I'm saying before my brain dribbles out of my ears.....

[NguyenVanDon]

He without sin cast the first stone. Be kind.

I think Jesus also admonished, "go forth, and sin NO MORE".

And he asked the question..................

You are a Firearms expert leave the Bible stuff to me

ROFL

[Crossfire]

Allright, NguyenVanDon, I'm pretty laid back about most things.

But, really, I don't think your avatar is appropriate. Interesting, but not appropriate. Could you, please, take care of that?

[kw5kw]

With which militia group do you associate, sympathize, support, ...whatever?

Man, give me a break. Whether you believe it or not there are a lot of people out there packing without a CHL. They don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to do so, which I am not. Just go on and search everyone you stop. I'm sure every once in a while you'll find something. Meanwhile look up the laws on reasonable search and seizure.

I fear that you are right govnor for there are many, many a 'honest' citizen out there that are behind on taxes or child support but otherwise honest and therefore can't qualify.

I also fear that there are many honest persons out there that don't wish put their names on a list, but would qualify otherwise.

[txinvestigator]

With which militia group do you associate, sympathize, support, ...whatever?

Man, give me a break. Whether you believe it or not there are a lot of people out there packing without a CHL. They don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to do so, which I am not. Just go on and search everyone you stop. I'm sure every once in a while you'll find something. Meanwhile look up the laws on reasonable search and seizure.

I fear that you are right govnor for there are many, many a 'honest' citizen out there that are behind on taxes or child support but otherwise honest and therefore can't qualify.

I also fear that there are many honest persons out there that don't wish put their names on a list, but would qualify otherwise.

You don't get excluded if you are "behind". You have to be finally determined ti be delinquent. Much different.

And who decides what laws are "bad laws". If you are subjective in your willingness to obey the law, then you are not a law abiding citizen, nor ethical.

Thieves think theft laws are bad laws, tax evaders think tax laws are bad laws, and on and on.

People can try to justify their actions all they want, but that does not legitimize it.

[kw5kw]

Allright, NguyenVanDon, I'm pretty laid back about most things.

But, really, I don't think your avatar is appropriate. Interesting, but not appropriate. Could you, please, take care of that?