Don't tell everyone

[Jules]

I had a very helpful young man at my local auto parts store sell me some u joints. We were talking and he said he had turned 21 not long ago. I always tell every auto parts store clerk that they should sell beer in their store and they would make a killing. Long story short he tells me it would be nice, but he wouldn't be able to have any because he has a chl and has to walk a straight line. We finished up at that time and I told him if I ever decided to rob the place he would be the first one I would take out. As I was leaving I told him to join this forum, he just stared at me on the way out. Like this

Hopefully he stops telling everyone that he has a chl. Maybe some of y'all tell everyone that you carry, but I have a select few who know I carry.

[wgoforth]

Maybe I don't get it... but why would you encourage him and other car parts places to sell beer?? Is there really any shortage of places that sell it? There are different views on bringing up the CHl... some are more evangelistic about it and bring it up as a way to educate others about it. I don't, but I can see some merit and if that's what they want to do, more power to them. I think I would have praised him for saying he was trying to walk the strait and narrow....

[bat1]

I think his point is clear, NO ONE needs to know your are a CHL, he could have said, he want to walk a straight line without stating he has a CHL..
IF I have a room full of people know I would be carrying, then IF a BG was to come in, every one would LOOK at ME ... And that is the last thing you want. Keep it to your self..

BAT

[Mastodon]

I think his point is clear, NO ONE needs to know your are a CHL, he could have said, he want to walk a straight line without stating he has a CHL..
IF I have a room full of people know I would be carrying, then IF a BG was to come in, every one would LOOK at ME ... And that is the last thing you want. Keep it to your self..

BAT

Aye.
Concealed means...concealed.

[wgoforth]

I think his point is clear, NO ONE needs to know your are a CHL, he could have said, he want to walk a straight line without stating he has a CHL..
IF I have a room full of people know I would be carrying, then IF a BG was to come in, every one would LOOK at ME ... And that is the last thing you want. Keep it to your self..

BAT

I get that part... I was wondering on the beer aspect. As to not letting others know about CHL, if you have been on here a while, you will see people have different views on that. Some willingly use their CHL as a form of ID at the store or bank, while others would refuse to cash a check if they had to produce it. For a 21 yo, just having gotten it and understandably proud, I can see why he would be bug eyed at such a comment. Maybe just tell him "most CHL-ers believe concealed is concealed" rather than saying something that could have been taken the wrong way and could have gotten the law called out.

[Skaven]

I guess that would be normal for someone who is 21... When I was 21 (not all that long ago, but I have matured alot in the last couple of years) I would have done the same thing. Now I want to be the guy that so one suspects has a gun so I don't get tangled with when the poop hits the fan.

[wgoforth]

I guess that would be normal for someone who is 21... When I was 21 (not all that long ago, but I have matured alot in the last couple of years) I would have done the same thing. Now I want to be the guy that so one suspects has a gun so I don't get tangled with when the poop hits the fan.

Yup...thats the thing about a lot of this. We know what we know from age, wisdom and experience and assume that everyone knows instantly what we know, or that they couldn't have a different theory. I have learned to talk to them like I would have wanted to have been talked to at that age or like I want someone to talk to my son. Even now, if someone talked about taking me out first, I might just alert authorities. Remember, we conceal because we are individual and don't follow a pack... allow room for others to do the same. In fact, even now, if a bank asks for 2 forms of ID, I might whip out the CHL just for a laugh watching their face. Not like they are going to hold it up to everyone saying "Look what he has."
BTW, when you go to buy a gun at Academy, a gun shop, etc. They will ask if you have a CHL... should we say no in case other customers might hear? There has to be some logic applied here rather than a concrete "No one else should know."

[lonewolf]

To each his own....use your own best judgment. Regardless of who you may tell, bear in mind that they may tell others, no matter how close you are to that person. YMMV

[ctb5]

Well, if he's already selling joints right there in the store, then I guess a little beer won't make the situation that much worse.

Oh. U joints. Never mind...

[wgoforth]

[quote="ctb5"]Well, if he's already selling joints right there in the store, then I guess a little beer won't make the situation that much worse.

Oh. U joints. Never mind...[/quote

[The Annoyed Man]

Long story short he tells me it would be nice, but he wouldn't be able to have any because he has a chl and has to walk a straight line. We finished up at that time and I told him if I ever decided to rob the place he would be the first one I would take out. As I was leaving I told him to join this forum, he just stared at me on the way out. Like this

I don't think I would have been that harsh. I would have simply said, "Good for you. Everbody should get one. Now, until everybody does get one, stop telling people you don't know about your CHL.... ....and join TexasCHLForum.com."

[BrianSW99]

I don't think I would have been that harsh. I would have simply said, "Good for you. Everbody should get one. Now, until everybody does get one, stop telling people you don't know about your CHL.... ....and join TexasCHLForum.com."

I'm probably not as tight lipped about it as some here, but I certainly don't just volunteer it to people. I do talk about it with others I know who also have one or with people who approach me about the subject because they know I know something about guns.

I also understand the feeling of wanting to tell the world about it when you first get it. When i first got mine, I think I secretly wanted to get pulled over for something so I could show it to the officer (I've since had the opportunity to check that off the list). I think I would have just said something similar to what TAM said above.

[Skaven]

I guess that would be normal for someone who is 21... When I was 21 (not all that long ago, but I have matured alot in the last couple of years) I would have done the same thing. Now I want to be the guy that so one suspects has a gun so I don't get tangled with when the poop hits the fan.

Yup...thats the thing about a lot of this. We know what we know from age, wisdom and experience and assume that everyone knows instantly what we know, or that they couldn't have a different theory. I have learned to talk to them like I would have wanted to have been talked to at that age or like I want someone to talk to my son. Even now, if someone talked about taking me out first, I might just alert authorities. Remember, we conceal because we are individual and don't follow a pack... allow room for others to do the same. In fact, even now, if a bank asks for 2 forms of ID, I might whip out the CHL just for a laugh watching their face. Not like they are going to hold it up to everyone saying "Look what he has."
BTW, when you go to buy a gun at Academy, a gun shop, etc. They will ask if you have a CHL... should we say no in case other customers might hear? There has to be some logic applied here rather than a concrete "No one else should know."

I believe that if you have a CHL, they don't have to do a NCIS check. Not sure about that though.

[wgoforth]

I guess that would be normal for someone who is 21... When I was 21 (not all that long ago, but I have matured alot in the last couple of years) I would have done the same thing. Now I want to be the guy that so one suspects has a gun so I don't get tangled with when the poop hits the fan.

Yup...thats the thing about a lot of this. We know what we know from age, wisdom and experience and assume that everyone knows instantly what we know, or that they couldn't have a different theory. I have learned to talk to them like I would have wanted to have been talked to at that age or like I want someone to talk to my son. Even now, if someone talked about taking me out first, I might just alert authorities. Remember, we conceal because we are individual and don't follow a pack... allow room for others to do the same. In fact, even now, if a bank asks for 2 forms of ID, I might whip out the CHL just for a laugh watching their face. Not like they are going to hold it up to everyone saying "Look what he has."
BTW, when you go to buy a gun at Academy, a gun shop, etc. They will ask if you have a CHL... should we say no in case other customers might hear? There has to be some logic applied here rather than a concrete "No one else should know."

I believe that if you have a CHL, they don't have to do a NCIS check. Not sure about that though.

Correct...but I mean they will ask you and you present within earshot of other customers. My point is if we are so rigid that we don't want anyone else to know or hear, then we couldn't even do that.

[ScottDLS]

I'm not as circumspect as some about it. "Shall issue" in large states has been around for about 25 years. I don't make a big deal about it at work where we have a "policy" against carrying, but some of my coworkers who are friends know (that I have a TXCHL). It's legal, relatively common..what's the big deal?. I work for a big corporation...I don't make a point of bringing politics to work, but we likely have a population that reflects US as whole, running the gamut from the Brady types, to people who put NRA stickers on their pickups.

Once a few years ago I was teaching a technical training course in Canada for my company (and by the way... YES I had a work visa). My wallet was very thick with credit cards etc. and I put it on the desk at the front of the room at lunch while I was relaxing. The top of my "Texas Concealed Handgun License" was exposed, along with my TXDL and Amex. I wasn't wearing CHL badge or carrying it on a neck strap... Actually, I was wearing my company ID on neck strap in our Canada office.

Anyway a student taking the class noticed it and said... "What is a concealed handgun license?". I said... "Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't purposely showing that". I think it was like having a Platinum Amex, he just noticed... I had a polite discussion with him about the USA and how Texas is a shall issue state with some hoops to jump through. I asked him about handgun ownership in Canada and he said it was very rare and highly restricted. Obviously I wasn't carrying in another country where it was illegal.

If it comes up in conversation, so what? I don't wear it on my neck, but I don't cower in fear that someone might know. If (general) open carry were legal in Texas, I would probably do it on occasion. Why does having a CHL or carrying have to be something to be hidden? Am I "coming out of the closet" if the clerk at the store finds out (that I have CHL)?

I own some Title 2 (aka Class 3) firearms. I don't make a point out of telling everybody under the sun that I own a couple machine guns, but I shoot them at the range. A few people have asked... "How can I (legally) obtain them?" and I respectfully reply.

We're (CHL'ers) not clandestine service CIA officers, so I don't see what the big deal is.