The idea is to have a gun when you need it . I carry every where legal to do so. It is a life style. I only fly when nessary for work seldom and a weapon is in the truck i drive to the airport waiting for me. I have crossed many states and been into Canada many times armed all trips. In all but one to Canada with a gun . Five other trips to Canada at least two guns were with me. I have traveled up and down the east coast also armed . I know I have been thru. states that would frown on such but I don't do things that draw attention. I don't frequent places where the police would feel a need to watch. I don't dress like or act like i have a gun. Truth be known I have carried a knife that in many states would be illegal as to length anyway. Been doing that since middle school.
As for the rape victom it might depend on her neighborhood .
Bottom line if you want to tote in many cases you can be creative , like a 20 ga. 870 for sporting clays can go about anywhere . Call ahead for a shooting time at a club near where you go. Then cancel if you don't care to shoot you still have a weapon !
I would just like to add that while I understand why you carry places where you may not be legally allowed and I cant tell you whats right for you,becuase your situation as is each of ours is unique,that's something I think each of us should carefully consider the ramifications vs possible benefits of.
The benefits are that you may need it and it may save your life. Thats a pretty big benefit.
The drawback is that you may get caught,and you may end up in a big and very expensive legal mess and perhaps even lose your carry permit in those places where you now CAN carry legally.
The question then comes up,how likely is it that you will need it. The answer is that its very remote. The next question is,how likely is it that the police will catch you. Thats somewhat remote too,but I think in many cases its actually a bigger risk than needing it,at least it is for me,most of the time. If I were going someplace like Chicago,or to some of the places down on the border I might make a different calculation. What I personally recommend is not to think of it as a lifestyle thing you must do all the time. Take each situation into account. Whats the risk vs benefit. The chance of me being caught carrying in a post office is remote. The chance of needing it is even more remote (yes,there was a rash of disgruntled employees years ago). The penalties can be severe as it no longer is just a citation like a traffic ticket (actually,here,they CANNOT take your permit away for only a single infraction of carrying where you should not,but that might not be true with a federal firearms charge on your record) Its probably not a good idea. I dont go to the post office that much anyway,so its quite likely that I will never have a problem there my entire life. On the other hand,you cant have them in Churches. If I were going to a Church for some reason (I'm not religious at all,so I cant imagine why I would,but you never know) the possibility of needing a gun varies depending on where it is. If its in a bad neighborhood,it could be a considerable risk. The drawback is,if I'm caught I will be given a fine,and told not to do that again,and maybe warned if I do it again my permit will be revoked,but they cant revoke it for one infraction. Its also very unlikely I will be caught. I'm probably going to carry it there.
In other states,there is something additional at issue. Gun politics. As more and more states go "shall issue" or even permitless like Arizona,it becomes harder and harder for the gun control people to make their wide eyed, arguments that if permits are issue "the streets will run red". Instead of the argument that it would "turn into dodge city" ,the argument becomes Ohio,and Utah,and Colorado and Nevada and most of the other states do it and its fine and there are very very few problems and vastly more benefits than drawbacks. Any time someone from out of state with an out of state permit is caught in for instance,California with a concealed handgun,they just made it harder for the people that live there. The argument then becomes "See how you cant trust these nut cases who think they have to carry a gun everywhere. They wont follow the law in California because ,like most criminals they feel and entitlement to their criminal behavior. If we give out permits,we are just enabling more of the same." It creates the impression that we CANT be trusted to follow the law. We need to create the impression that we CAN be trusted and keep hammering home the message that those of us who have permits are the ones who CHOOSE to follow the law and the ones to worry about are the criminals who will carry guns anyway,wont get permits,and choose,by the very nature of what they are,to NOT follow the law.
As it sits now,we are actually winning this fight. In fact, if most states have concealed carry and there is a vast body of evidence to suggest that there are few problems with it. Whats happening,slowly is that we are changing the anti-gun culture in this country. Once it comes to the day when I can walk into a restaurant in a big city in California (its already like that in some places) with an openly displayed gun and the only looks I get are people checking out my awesome Elk grips and the only questions I get are where I got them, we HAVE one and most of the gun control laws will fall. The day might even come when the supreme court steps in and decides its protected under the second amendment. Remember,they consider this a balancing act where they have to balance the protections of the second amendment against the rights of the states to regulate arms to protect the public. At the far extreme,they are not going to allow me to have a nuclear tipped medium range ballistic missile parked on truck on my drive way. On the other hand,I have the right to have a handgun in my home for self defense. If it can be shown that carry permits are not causing problems in all the states where they are issued,its not much of a stretch that some future court may decide that carrying a gun for self defense does not just apply to your home,but to your person,wherever you may be. Ill step down from my soap box now.
