Needless to say, the environment in today’s world is becoming more and more chaotic, more and more dangerous, and more and more lawless, which is why more and more Americans have purchased firearms to protect themselves and their families.
Regarding the protection issue, many Americans are carrying a concealed firearm with them. Some states mandate a CCW license, which stands for “Concealed Carry Weapon.” Other states allow “Open Carry,” which allows a person to carry a firearm without a permit.
As of 2021 there have been 21.52 million concealed weapon permits issued in the United States.
How many total individuals carrying a firearm with or without a CCW license is unknown.
Personal safety and protection is, of course, an American right established by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Whether a person desires to carry a firearm or not is a personal choice, but there are considerations which need to be addressed. Protecting one’s self and family is at the top of the list but beyond that the answer can become foggy.
In consideration of using a firearm, one retired Orange County Sheriff and CCW instructor offers this cautionary advice based on his decades of service in law enforcement …
Every bullet exiting a gun has a lawyer’s name on it.
In simpler terms, there may well be legal consequences in using a firearm, which can be extremely problematic, especially financially. Therefore, be wise, judicious and use caution if and when you choose to protect yourself using a firearm.
If you are involved in a general situation (say, some bad guy is robbing a store and you are in the environment), the sheriff said it would be wise to simply “be a good witness” rather than attempting to play the part of a hero who tries to save the day. He goes on to say that the personal use of one’s firearm should be primarily relegated to one’s personal protection and that of one’s family. Any other situation using a firearm could, not necessarily will, create havoc in the life of the person trying to be a hero. No matter what the firearm situation is, the “hero” may be involved in some degree of litigation, which could become costly. Ramifications could be worse.
Again, the Sheriff’s Caution is to remember that “Every bullet exiting a gun has a lawyer’s name on it.” The sheriff’s personal advice is to “be a good witness” and not get involved in some event that doesn’t concern you specifically because if you do, it could create multiple problems in multiple ways. Therefore, the bottom line of using a firearm is: Think before you take action because the action you take could be more than it’s worth.