Why Moms Should Concealed Carry

I know what you’re thinking: here we go. A message from a rabid pro-weapons proponent. This isn’t like that! For years I sided with my friends, fellow moms who were opposed to having guns in  their homes. As a group, we didn’t support gun ownership. We hated guns. We could not imagine ourselves ever carrying a firearm.

How quickly perceptions can change. Last week a friend had a scary experience. She drove a long distance to and from work and frequently made her return trip in the dark. She was pro-gun but also belonged to that “it will never happen to me” group. So, she had put off buying a handgun. 

Her excuses were typical. It takes time I don’t have to decide on the right weapon, choose suitable gear, and become qualified to concealed carry competently. If she was going to  be a gun owner she wanted to be a responsible one.

She also did not want to purchase a weapon and leave it locked up in a safe where it was little use to her.

This story is for you:

A friend of mine experienced quite a scary situation a few weeks back. Although she is pro gun, she has been putting off obtaining her concealed carry permit. She admitted that, “As much as I know about how quickly things can go bad, I guess there was still that, ‘It won’t really happen to me’ mindset.” Nevertheless, the worst-case scenario could have happened to her and to her two oldest children, and she had no form of protection…other than to call for help and to attempt to drive away.

Here’s what happened, in her own words:

“When I drove up in our family van, right in front of the house where our piano lessons take place, I noticed two men walking in my direction. I’m not the kind of person who freaks out easily, but in that part of town, knowing what I know about that area, I definitely watch more closely than I might otherwise. The two guys saw me and acted spooked; they turned on their heels and went back the opposite direction. Warning flags went off in my head. After walking a few yards, the men stopped, looked back at me, said something to each other, and started heading back in my direction. Red flags went up at that moment. I made sure the doors were locked, I put the car in drive, and I got ready to speed off if I had to. But I didn’t want to act out of fear for no reason.

“As they approached, the men split up, with one walking right next to the passenger side and the other cutting in front of the van, walking right by my side (almost as if he were coming up to my window). No doubt, they noticed my little ones in the van. They both kept walking, and I kept my eyes on them the whole time. At the time, I was on my cell phone, giving my location to a friend, in case I didn’t have the ability to call 911. I then tried calling the lady who lives there, and I noticed that the guys had started walking back toward me. I called the police and gave them a description of where I was, but I drove off when I saw the men coming back my way. I circled the block, hoping a police officer would be coming soon. When I got back to the house, the guys were gone, but the police were still nowhere to be seen. The lady came out and took the kids inside, and I sat and watched and waited. It probably took about 10 minutes for the police to get to me. In those minutes, anything and everything could have happened.

“This situation could happen anywhere—to anyone. We are finding safety in fewer and fewer places. It is a disease that has to be fought back against! I’m still a bit shaken up from this incident. But I did take the time to explain to the kids that part of what keeps us safe is keeping our heads up, looking around, and paying attention to what people around us are doing. If we see something out of the ordinary, there might be something wrong going on or going to happen.

“I also take the time to teach our children about gun safety. They know what guns are and why people carry them, but this situation was an eye opener for them, too. They understand that guns can kill and that we only use them when we intend to do so…and that is only for hunting or for protecting ourselves…or for stopping others who intend to cause harm.

“Of course, we do have a handgun, but it’s too big for me. My husband and I have talked about getting one just for me, but now we are serious about it. And I have applied for my concealed carry permit.

“I sincerely believe that owning a gun and carrying it on you or with you AND knowing what you are doing with it is going to do far more for you than just waiting around for the police. They can only get somewhere so fast and can only do so much. They are not superheroes. We have to be proactive in our own safety.”