Author: Joe Hironaka
Joe Hironaka discusses realistic options and consequences of carrying a weapon in public.
Many factors need to be taken into considertion before stepping out of your front door armed. Which weapon will you carry? Are you doing so lawfully? Are you trained to use your chosen weapon? If so, would you use that weapon to inflict deadly force if needed? And, do you know the legal ramifications of your actions? All of this and more must be thought before you enter into the public domain with a weapon of any sort.
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about carrying a weapon is a gun. But, there are many choices available if the law has taken this option from you. As practitioners of Kali, all of us are at varying levels of proficiency with knives and sticks. There are all kinds of knives on the market that are legal to carry and are great for self defense. I personally, like the Spyderco, but anything you can quickly draw into play with one hand will do. Stay away from the switchblades and daggers, as these will only get you into trouble. Besides, I can get my Spyderco out just as quick as any switchblade. As for sticks, you don’t need to carry a full sized baston with you. The Kubotan is one way to go. Guro Ted himself put out a video on the “Pocket Stick” as a very potent means of self-defense. As far as that goes, it isn’t a bad idea to have a full size Maglite in your car. With a little practice it can be used like a baston, not to mention its obvious use.
If your weapon of choice is a gun, this opens up a whole other can of worms. I’m going to assume that you are doing so legally because I don not want to advocate breaking the law. That said, a major consideration with a gun is concealment. You haven’t seen a commotion until someone sees your gun in public. A friend of mine was minding his own business watching a movieat the loval theater when a police officer stuck a gun in his ribs and asked hime to step outside. Apparently someone had seen the gun in his waistband when he sat down and had called 911. He showed the officer his own badge and the situation was taken care of. But, the whole thing could have been avoided with a little more attention to detail. Also it seems that comfort is at an inverse proportion to concealability. That is to say, the harder it is to see, the bigger the pain in the ass it is to carry. However, I never go anywhere without my gun (and yes, I do so legally). Many of my friends from work (I’m a Federal Agent) do not like the discomfort and say, “I only carry my gun if I’m going somewhere that I think I might need it.” My thinking is that if it is a place I think I might need my gun, I am not going there. However, I would rather carry my gun and not need it than the other way around.
Now, you have chosen your weapon, it is within the confines of the law, are you ready to enter the public domain. Or are you? Training, without it you are a danger to yourself and others. With a knife or a stick, you are more of a danger to yourself without training because you could be disarmed and have the weapon used against you. But, a gun has the added factor of stray bullets hitting innocent bystanders. This is witnessed on the local news every day with the current popularity of drive by shootings. Training with a gun doesn’t just mean target practice (although it is a large part of it), but when and when not to shoot. And not just from a legal standpoint but from a moral one as well. Finally, could you take another person’s life? Before you arm yourself you have to look deep within yourself and answer this question. Because trying to live with it afterwards can be a terrible thing if you are not prepared.
The right to defend ourselves was bestowed upon all of us by God. But, along with that right come responsibilties. Those responsibilites are dictated to us from the laws of our society and our God. So before you decide to carry a weapon of any sort, think long and hard. Are you truly ready to do so?