Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

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Agent99
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Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by Agent99 »

Please forgive me for the controversial topic I am going to introduce. The thing is, this is the only forum I have ever come upon with participants from various communities, states and countries with a common love of St. John. I value your opinion and would love the opinion from someone outside Massachusetts. It has been a while since I've posted. I mostly lurk now and check in more often if I have a trip in the pipeline. I sell real estate in the area north of Boston.

Here is my question. I am thinking about applying for a gun license. Never had one, never hunted. 99% of the time my business is conducted in traditionally safe neighborhoods. I take the normal precautions when meeting new clients at properties. Now my business is creeping closer to the city_ sometimes an empty warehouse or vacant property. The gun (gang) violence there is real. I admit to being concerned that the government may decide to restrict my right to defend myself.

If you, your wife, daughter, son or loved one was going to show property in an area that had growing gun violence would you get a license to carry? I think I will.
Last edited by Agent99 on Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bevm
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by bevm »

I think it's an individual's decision and no one else's. I will add that you need to take a gun safety course and learn how to shoot it prior to carrying it.
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Agent99
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by Agent99 »

Absolutely agree Bev. We are already signed up for the course.
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lprof
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by lprof »

bevm wrote:I think it's an individual's decision and no one else's. I will add that you need to take a gun safety course and learn how to shoot it prior to carrying it.
Agree with bevm... adding that I think one must feel confident and comfortable with his skills and the gun, in order to safely carry it.
... no longer a stranger to paradise
mindehankins
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by mindehankins »

I personally would not, but that's because I know myself. If you believe you will have the presence of mind to anticipate the moment you'll need it, and ability to reach it and use it, then you should consider it. I know that in my hands, it would be a weapon against me. I would find a friend who I DID trust, to accompany me to these properties, and would be likely to choose a friend who was armed and had experience in these situations.
I don't think you have anything at all to lose, taking the course and seeing what you discover?
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shoemak38
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by shoemak38 »

mindehankins wrote:I personally would not, but that's because I know myself. If you believe you will have the presence of mind to anticipate the moment you'll need it, and ability to reach it and use it, then you should consider it.
well said and what I believe is the biggest question you need to ask yourself

good luck with your choose
jimg20
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by jimg20 »

Everyone who I have spoken to (military and law enfocement) about this has told me that there is a big difference between shooting at a target and shooting at a live human being. I doubt that any gun safety of carry permit course will prepare us for that. We have been taught to avoid hurting other people. The bad guys, on the other hand, have no such reservations. Perhaps the knowledge that you have the gun will cause them to back off or seek out an easier target.

I own guns and I have thought about getting the permit. At this point I have not done so.

JIM
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Marcia (Mrs. Pete)
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by Marcia (Mrs. Pete) »

Is pepper spray an option?
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P-600
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by P-600 »

I used to sell real estate North of Boston also and at that time I also wanted to get a gun/pepper spray permit (which I believe fall under the same permit in Mass). It is scary going into empty houses alone, at night and women in the Real Estate Business need to protect themselves. One of our colleagues was murdered at an empty house in a well to do neighborhood. If you don't feel safe you should protect yourself however you want.
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Agent99
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by Agent99 »

Thanks very much for the feedback. We have decided to go forward- carefully and cautiously. My husband was in the military so has some training but as I mentioned we are both going to take the courses available in safety and training. It would be a rare case where I'd feel the need for something stronger than pepper spray but I want the option.
amy5233
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by amy5233 »

These answers reflect what I love about St. John lovin' people. We are tolerant and reasonable! I love the answers here and couldn't have said it better even if I tried.
My heart belongs on St John!
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waterguy
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by waterguy »

I have a CCL I don't carry all the time. I've been around guns all my life. Take the course but don't forget that you have to practice regulary to stay any good with it. I'm at the range weekly not just to shoot my hand guns but I'm a coach for the WI state Highpower rifle team. I have found females are easier to coach because they listen. So you shouldn't have any problem with the training.
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by PA Girl »

I was raised in area, and in a family, with a strong gun culture. Most of my family members hunt and we have friends that are avid gun collectors and enjoy going to the range to shoot.

Training and spending time at a range is excellent advice. If you have never fired a gun before, you will be in for an interesting experience.

Some questions you might want to consider before you purchase an handgun -

Can you properly secure it in your home and on your body? It seems like most of the gun "accidents" occur because someone other than the owner had access to a gun. (theft, unsecured gun kept in a drawer, etc.)

I was always taught to never point a gun at anything you didn't intend to shoot. If you found yourself in the worst situation, could you follow through?

What type of threat do you see yourself encountering? You mentioned gang violence. Do gangs target real estate professionals? If so, will you be up against a group of people? (heck, trained police are often out gunned) Or are you worried about a single person targeting you because you might appear to be an easy victim for physical assault or robbery?

I don't expect you to answer these questions on the forum, I offer them up for consideration. I am considering purchasing a pistol and am asking myself the same questions. I don't intend to carry it for protection but for wild animal "management" as we spend a lot of time in isolated wooded areas.
Agent99
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by Agent99 »

Thanks again, I really appreciate the valuable feedback.
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verjoy
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Re: Please keep an open mind and heart and opine

Post by verjoy »

My husband and I received concealed carry courses from our son as a gift. I probably would not have done it otherwise, even though I was affected by a workplace shooting incident 15 years before. Back then, I was wishing I had a weapon available at work in case it happened again. No one was injured in that incident, and the person who did it was normally very polite and friendly. But he went off his meds and voices in his head were telling him to shoot up our office. Why he didn't come in the door and blow us all away, we don't know.

The Black Ops school is about a half mile from our house. We went to the range and practiced before the class but I was still nervous handling weapons. In our state, you must take an 8 hour course in gun safety and procedures and then go to the range and pass the hand-gun accuracy test. I was the only woman in the class and a senior citizen to boot but the instructor was very patient with me and let me take as long as I needed to shoot the required number of rounds from both revolver and semi-automatic. We had to fire 70 rounds through each type of pistol, so it was tiring, but the instructor's encouraging comments- "good shooting"- and my husband's help reloading the magazines helped me keep going.

There are gun purses that you can buy with locking zippers to the holster compartment. I have several, and my Ruger LCP is so small and light that I hardly notice the extra bulk. If I think I might be in an uncomfortable situation (such as staying in inner-city), I can unlock the zipper so that the weapon is easily accessible. You could also carry in a belt holster and cover it with a vest or jacket. We have gun-safes for both of our cars, so that we can secure them in the car if we can't carry in an establishment.

Hope this little bit of info helps with your decision.
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