Conceal And Carry

I normally don’t write about guns or politics because this isn’t what my blog is about, but something happened last week that I was very uncomfortable with and I need to write about it.

Last week when I walked into Kohl’s I was shocked to see the butt of a guy’s gun sticking out of the back waistband of his jeans.  I didn’t feel comfortable nor did I want to stay in the store, but I was looking for things for the new house and I didn’t have the time to come back later.

I’m not a gun person nor have I ever been.  I was taught to respect guns.  My dad hunted deer.  He had two rifles and a pistol in a locked gun cabinet in our basement when I was growing up.  He didn’t touch his guns except for to get ready for deer hunting.  My three siblings and I never touched that cabinet or those guns.  They were my dad’s and they were totally off limits.  I mean, break your arm if you touched them, off limits.  I’ve never been involved in any lifestyle where I have needed to have a gun.  I have never shot a gun, been to a range or anything like that.  I have heard of the NRA, but I don’t know who they represent, what they believe in or anything about them.  Yes, I am very naive when it comes to guns.

The guy in Kohl’s was a big, burly guy.  Probably weighed 250 and was about 5″9.  He could have easily taken care of himself  (without a gun) if anyone was messing with him.  Why he had to show everyone he had a gun I don’t know.  Maybe it was arrogance.  Personally, I don’t see anyone reason to have a gun while you are shopping in Kohl’s.  There were maybe 35 people in the store and that’s counting the employees.  I think it was totally uncalled for.

I don’t know why this bothered me so much.  Maybe it was because he could shoot me for any reason and I could possibly die on the floor.   Or that he could have shot anyone in the store for that matter and I would have had to witness it.  Maybe it was because he put me in a situation that I was uncomfortable with and I was a little pissed off.

I don’t care if someone conceals a gun that they are carrying and they are in the same building as I am.  A coworker asked me, Wouldn’t you rather know?  No, I wouldn’t. I feel better if I don’t know about it.  I feel if they are concealing it they are following the rules and are hopefully respectful people and would only use it if they had to.  I understand that this isn’t always the case.

I feel if you’re name is on the blackboard in the sky and it’s you’re turn to die you are going to die.  No matter if someone has a gun or not.

I can see having a gun in your home to protect yourself from an intruder.  I can see carrying a gun if you live in a big city and have to drive thru a bad part of it every day.

When I checked out, I spoke to a member of management about the guy with the gun and knowing that someone had a gun in their store was a very uncomfortable shopping experience for me.  She thanked me for saying something and went to talk to security.

On my way out I forgot to look whether or not Kohl’s had a “No Firearms Allowed” sign post on the front doors of the store.  Usually stores do.

I truly believe if you don’t have a specific use for a gun then you shouldn’t have it or carry it — plain and simple.