Compliance Does Not Guarantee Safety – Why We Carry

By definition, criminals do not obey laws. They are breaking the law by committing an armed robbery. So the question is, do you trust the armed criminal in front of you to only take your stuff?

Compliance Does Not Guarantee Safety – Why We Carry Pistol Drill

If you’re ever discussed the concept of conceal carry or other forms of self defense with people who aren’t on the same page as you, you’ve no doubt heard the argument, “it’s just stuff, it’s not worth killing someone over.” In of itself, that’s a true statement. Killing someone over “just stuff” is not worth it. However, we have no guarantee that just giving away the stuff will guarantee your safety.

By definition, criminals do not obey laws. They are breaking the law by committing an armed robbery. So the question is, do you trust the armed criminal in front of you to only take your stuff?

Here are some examples of people complying, but were attacked anyways.

This criminal simply wanted this man’s wallet and phone. Even though the victim was desperately trying to give the attacker his stuff, he was repeatedly stabbed for not giving it fast enough.

Here’s an example of pure random violence for violence sake. Sometimes the mentally disturbed do not want items, they simply want to kill those around them. Simply giving them your stuff won’t protect you.

For our third example, here’s a good samaritan who saw someone in trouble, and went to her aid. He wasn’t even the initial target. However, the criminal decides he wants this second victim’s stuff and shoots him even though he was complying. The only reason that man is still alive is because of the gun’s failure to fire again.

Evil exists in this world. Not all criminals are satisfied with just your wallet.

Naturally, this begs another question.

Do firearms really help protect citizens?

Actually, yes. Many studies have shown that citizens using a firearm for self defense not only stop crime on a regular basis, but citizens who use a firearm for self defense are less likely to be hurt than citizens who use other self-protective strategies.

“Studies that directly assessed the effect of actual defensive uses of guns (i.e., incidents in which a gun was ‘used’ by the crime victim in the sense of attacking or threatening an offender) have found consistently lower injury rates among gun-using crime victims compared with victims who used other self-protective strategies.” –Priorities for research to reduce the threat of firearm related violence

This study is based on an analysis of just about every major study involving firearms in the US.

A gun is not a magical defense tool

Tools are just inanimate object. They are only as effective as the person wielding them. While firearms are very effective self defense tool, a firearm in of itself also does not guarantee safety.

If you choose to carry a firearm for self defense, it is important to train with your tool and become proficient.

Written by - always a student, sometimes a teacher.

I don't consider myself a competition shooter - I think of myself as a performance pistol shooter. I am all about performing at as high of a level as possible. Towards that end, I am obsessive about learning how to perform. I spend a lot of my life learning from the best across the entire firearms world and even into other areas of performance and other sports. I am a USPSA Carry Optics Grandmaster, currently working towards my second GM title in the Open division.

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