Welcome back to this week’s edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week we talked about the importance of ammo versus buying accessories. If you happened to miss that, be sure to click the link to check it out here. This week is a rather interesting topic I’ve somewhat touched on but have not dove into like we will today. I recently received an email on my social media about someone who was recently charged in their state for displaying a firearm in a road rage situation. He sent me a very long message about how unfair the situation was but he made some fairly large mistakes. I think this is a fantastic situation to look closer at some of the dangers of carrying concealed.
Behaviors When Concealing A Firearm
For some of my long-time readers, this section will be somewhat of a review. When people start concealing a handgun, they oftentimes start to have this feeling of invincibility and it’s the completely wrong way to be. When you start to carry a concealed firearm, you should start to immediately be as passive as humanly possible. Check your ego at the door and your main goal should be de-escalation instead of escalation in certain situations. This includes road rage events, verbal altercations at night time or anything in a social event.
Some believe they are even tougher with a firearm when it should never be the first option. Having a firearm on your person should make you respect the added power you have with a firearm rather than rely on that first thing in a situation. Having a firearm should give you a sense of responsibility and force you to be the best version of yourself that you can possibly be in public. Looking at the way you act in public regularly and then elevating yourself to behave like a better version of yourself when carrying a firearm should be your highest priority. Here’s a specific example I got in my inbox this week from a subscriber about the wrong actions.
Real World Examples
The gentleman who reached out is a New Jersey resident. He described being in traffic at a railroad crossing and the person was upset they weren’t moving. Apparently, the person behind the gentleman pulled up beside him and in fear the gentleman who wrote me drew his pistol because his wife and daughter were in the vehicle. The police report also said the gentleman mouthed stay the [email protected]#% there which isn’t a defensive move. The person who pulled up next to this man ended up seeing him draw his firearm and called the police out of fear.
Now the man has been charged with displaying a firearm and has a trial date. In the message to me, he expressed strong frustration with the way New Jersey is treating him like a criminal but is he really the victim in this? There are a few rather big mistakes the gentleman made that could be valuable lessons for all of us.
Who’s The Aggressor?
My biggest problem with this story is the fact both parties were the aggressor. Both of these people were escalating each other rather than the man with the firearm trying to de-escalate. Drawing your firearm at the first sign of trouble is probably the biggest problem here. Drawing your firearm should be the absolute last choice and not the first. Drawing your pistol and mouthing a curse word in an aggressive fashion is just about one of the worst things you can do with a handgun.
It completely makes you the undisputed aggressor and as a result, he is getting charged with a crime. At the moment you may think you’re doing the right thing, but it’s always a good check to ask yourself if your actions can get you in trouble. This man only had his concealed carry license for three years and had this happen. If you carry a gun you should never be the aggressor, period, end of story.
Passive Is Key
In situations like this where road rage or people are becoming increasingly aggressive, you need to be passive to the point where the aggressor laughs and calls you weak. He won’t ever have a clue how much danger he was in and that’s the absolute best way to be. If you have the power to take someone’s life with a firearm, you should also be alright with the fact you have to act like a wimp in an aggressive situation. I may sound like a broken record, but the man I talked about earlier is probably going to jail as a result of his poor choices. I hope this stays in some of your heads and you remember this if you ever get into a dangerous situation.
Overall Thoughts
Being the bigger person and running away may not be the easiest thing for some of you. Pride is a powerful thing and can make us do some pretty stupid things that may seem logical in the heat of the moment. It’s important to see the big picture during dangerous situations. Self-defense situations are only justified when there’s a clear and present threat to your life or immediate danger to an individual around you. It’s vital to keep that in mind when you leave your house every day with a gun strapped to your hip.
Let me know what you guys think about this example and the idea of being passive. Do you agree or do you think there’s a better way to act? Let me know in the comments below. If you have questions about carrying concealed or firearms in general, don’t hesitate to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you guys next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.
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