First and foremost, I want to state, for the record, I am a supporter of the 2d Amendment and a proponent of open and concealed carry, both in Virginia and the United States.
In order to argue my position, I would like to arbitrarily classify law-abiding citizens into one of two groups. The first are the "anti-carries", the second, the "pro-carries", and each will be referred to as such. Further, I recognize that there will be a blending of these groups in real life, but I wish to examine the extremes, not the middle.
-- The anti-carries: law-abiding citizens who feel there are no good reasons to carry a weapon in any circumstance, that the very act of carrying suggests less-than-lawful intentions.
-- The pro-carries: law-abiding citizens who understand and accept the duties and responsibilities accorded law-abiding citizens within the scope of the 2d Amendment and federal, state, and local gun laws and ordinances and wish to offer a defense against a threat.
The third group within this argument will be classified as "criminals." I know that, technically, a citizen is not considered a criminal until charged with and convicted of a crime, but it makes it easier to present my argument if I call them criminals rather than "ill-intentioned persons."
For this argument, I think it can be stipulated that a criminal who might utilize a weapon of any sort to gain their desired outcomes will not be too worried about current gun laws within their decision making process. Recognizing this, the anti-carry/pro-carry debate can be stated simply as this:
-- The anti-carry citizen is not concerned about any threat, at best never being involved in such a situation, or at worst, anticipating and expecting support and protection from duly deputized law enforcement personnel from federal, state, and/or local sources.
-- The pro-carry citizen is concerned about being prepared to respond to any threat, at best never being involved in such a situation, or at worst, as a law-abiding citizen given specific authority and being permitted to carry a handgun, has the privilege of offering a defense against a threat without the need for, or the anticipation and expectation of, support and protection from duly deputized law enforcement personnel from federal, state, and/or local sources.
It is an unfortunate fact for both the law-abiding anti-carry and pro-carry citizen that at the moment duly deputized law enforcement personnel are most needed, that is, at the very moment that the threat is acknowledged, law enforcement officers will probably not be there; further, they will not be able to respond to that citizen's need for some period of time, due to the inherent time lag in the E911 system.
Law-abiding, anti-carry citizens are not worried about these things, only about ANYONE who carries, since anyone who carries MUST have ill intentions.
Law-abiding, pro-carry citizens recognize these shortcomings and plan accordingly. They read, understand, and participate in the laws and ordinances regarding open and concealed carry of handguns, and in particular, appreciate the trust that the State and it's laws have placed in them with the issuance of their concealed carry permit. They trust their own judgment and decision-making processes and the privilege of offering a defense against a threat.
There may also be an emotional component involved. A law-abiding, anti-carry citizen may not be knowledgeable, experienced or trained in the operation and maintenance of firearms, or perhaps they have been a victim of violence or criminal activity or known someone who has, and is reluctant to consider the need to carry and offer a defense as real. In the case of a law-abiding, pro-carry citizen, their knowledge, experience or training allows them to be more amenable to doing so, and even then, being pro-carry does not mean "does carry!"
Ultimately, it is a matter of courses of action considered, and of choices made, by both the law-abiding anti-carry and pro-carry citizen.
The motto of the State of Virginia is "Semper Paratus", which is Latin for "Always Ready." It seems appropriate in this case.
