Concealed Carry...as a nurse?

Nurses Activism

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  1. Do you have a concealed carry license?

    • 148
      Yes, although it stays in the car/home while at work.
    • 68
      Yes, it is always on me no matter where I am.
    • 104
      No, I do not see the need.

227 members have participated

With the current news over gun control and gun rights legislation being pushed through Congress as a result of the tragedies of Aurora, CO, Newtown, CT and the others like them, the thought of concealed carry among healthcare workers has got my attention peaked. Recently, another Allnurses member started a thread (up to 22 pages presently) about what nurses can do as a result of these horrific events.

This post is not meant to reflect my personal stance on this issue, although I can inform that I am not a CCL holder (however interested), nor is it meant to be a bashing session from either side, but I am interested in seeing how many individuals have their concealed carry license, and if they carry while they are at work (and, yes I am well aware of the legal stance healthcare facilities take as being gun free zones)?

I, also, am aware of some of our members being both nurses and current/former law enforcement officers, so what is your take on this issue?

Specializes in Wilderness Medicine, ICU, Adult Ed..
Simple...just like healthcare has become a retail business, the gun-crazed people of the good ol' USA are scared (Of what I cannot seem to figure out???)

O.K. If there is no reason to "be afraid," why do you object to people owning fire arms? After all, there is no reason to be afraid of anyone.

I dare to say that most of the people that use the "I need it for self defense" card have never even lived in a high crime area or ever been a victim of crime!

You are right. Most people will not ever be victims of violent crime, even though there are 300 million guns in the United States. If guns cause crime, how can that be so? However, I do not want to quibble, I would rather compromise, so how about this: Since the fact that most people are not victims of violent crime, and do not live in high crime areas (your argument against gun ownership) let's use that as the criteria for allowing gun ownership. People who have been victims or live in a high crime area may carry guns, those who do not, may not carry them.

Deal?

Specializes in Wilderness Medicine, ICU, Adult Ed..
Get rid of the guns, and you won't have to work so hard to defend yourself?? Oh, yes, I get it. "But scary home invader, I'm a good person, I believe in peace and social justice, don't hurt me, hurt my gun-toting redneck racist neighbor." Yeah, that will work.

What you suggest does not go far enough, Monkeybug. Since guns cause increased crime rates, all unarmed people should post large signs in front of their homes and businesses announcing "The occupants of this (home or business) are unarmed. There is not a single weapon of any kind in this place." Since preventing people from owning guns prevents crime, those gun free homes will be completely safe.

See how well simplistic thinking solves problems? Now that we have solved that one, let's move on to a serious issue: the critical need to prevent anaphylactic shock by banning antibiotics.

As I make this comment, the LAPD is searching for a police officer that murdered one officer and wounded two other officers. In their search for this highly trained former officer of the law, the LAPD shot up a truck that resembled the vehicle owned by the perp. In the truck they shot up were two women delivering newspapers. One was shot in the hand, the other in the back. Government protection at work and no consequences.

I will always donate to and support the NRA. I cannot tell you the multitude of Doctors who are members of the NRA and carry every day while saving lives. I would advise any one who has never held a gun, shot one, handled one or smelled one, to do so and see if you feel like a murderous villain afterwards.

WARNING: Guns are fun and very addictive and you will join the NRA which happens to be the oldest civil right organization in the USA.

Owning a gun is requires supreme responsibility, it provides a sense of true freedom, no where else in the world can you do this, no where else in the world is it recognized that protecting your self and family comes from GOD, not government.

Enjoy and stay free.

Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day:

is just one (

It is cases like these that exemplify the need for high capacity magazines as the defender needs it; and the 2nd amendment doesn't go into weapon types or # of bullets.

There's news every single day of law abinding, U.S. citizens, excersisng their 2nd amendment rights to bear arms in ways which protect themselves and their family.

What the news media doesn't tell you is that almost all mass murders to date are in gun free zones. Chicago has the toughest gun laws in the U.S.; and yet, the most murders.

As shared, owning a gun involves a lot of responsibility. No one should be forced to own or carry; but those who don't believe in ever owning or carrying, should not try to limit those who do.

Thank you.

To add to what you said CountyRat, and to repeat what I said before, linking your country's low crime rates with low gun availability is misleading too.

How Switzerland Developed a Gun Culture That Works | TIME.com

If you read my post I do state that my theory is that our much lower rates of gun-related deaths is the result of several factors. A restricted access to guns as well as social factors and perhaps other variables probably have a bearing on this issue. I am well aware that correlation does not necessarily equate causation and there may indeed be confounding factors present.

You mention Switzerland. If you research the statistics for gun-related deaths in Switzerland you might be surprised to see that they rank quite high compared to other European countries. The statistics I found puts Switzerland in third place out of the thirty-four European countries listed. (The statistics I found are from 2009-2011 and have some flaws. For example the numbers from Greece were from 1994, they didn't seem to have access to more recent stats. Also, Europe has forty-five countries so some are obviously missing from the list. Although, even if one were to place all eleven missing countries on that list above Switzerland, the Swiss would still be in the top half).

Switzerland definitely fares well when compared to the number of gun-related deaths in the US but not so much so when compared to its' neighbors. Is Switzerland an example of a success story? I'll let you be the judge of that.

I find this thread a bit depressing considering the fact that nurses are educated to look at the world through their scientific, evidence-based glasses.

I suspect that emotions are clouding rational thinking in some cases. There is anecdotal "evidence" and cherry-picking galore present in this thread. We are all affected by cognitive biases such as confirmation bias. We favor information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs.

Critical thinking entails (among other things) being aware of one's biases.

Specializes in Emergency.

O.K. If there is no reason to "be afraid," why do you object to people owning fire arms? After all, there is no reason to be afraid of anyone.

I dare to say that most of the people that use the "I need it for self defense" card have never even lived in a high crime area or ever been a victim of crime!

You are right. Most people will not ever be victims of violent crime, even though there are 300 million guns in the United States. If guns cause crime, how can that be so? However, I do not want to quibble, I would rather compromise, so how about this: Since the fact that most people are not victims of violent crime, and do not live in high crime areas (your argument against gun ownership) let's use that as the criteria for allowing gun ownership. People who have been victims or live in a high crime area may carry guns, those who do not, may not carry them.

Deal?

I cannot for the life of me see where I was intimating against gun ownership in my post??? I was in fact talking about addressing the issues surrounding gun violence. I also did not say that guns cause crime???You might have read a little too much "into" my post. I am against the propaganda and fear that is mongered by "organizations" such as fox news and the NRA...remember your basic statistics course and you will feel a little better.

Specializes in Emergency.
As I make this comment, the LAPD is searching for a police officer that murdered one officer and wounded two other officers. In their search for this highly trained former officer of the law, the LAPD shot up a truck that resembled the vehicle owned by the perp. In the truck they shot up were two women delivering newspapers. One was shot in the hand, the other in the back. Government protection at work and no consequences.

I will always donate to and support the NRA. I cannot tell you the multitude of Doctors who are members of the NRA and carry every day while saving lives. I would advise any one who has never held a gun, shot one, handled one or smelled one, to do so and see if you feel like a murderous villain afterwards.

WARNING: Guns are fun and very addictive and you will join the NRA which happens to be the oldest civil right organization in the USA.

Owning a gun is requires supreme responsibility, it provides a sense of true freedom, no where else in the world can you do this, no where else in the world is it recognized that protecting your self and family comes from GOD, not government.

Enjoy and stay free.

Interesting when "God" is brought into the discussion? If you truly read the bible, there isn't much room for freedom...lots of slavery and the subjugation of women...oh yeah and lots of killing in the name of thou' shalt not kill?! Curious

Specializes in Med-Surg.

People who want to kill, harm, subjugate or enslave are going to do so regardless of their reasons. Unfortunately, historically, religion has been the most respected and thus best excuse to give others for your poor behavior.

Today's religion? PC crud.

And please malamud...unless you include MSNBC in your list of propaganda pimps, quit the mud slinging tactics. Very unbecoming.

That is not to say that I think Fox or others are all-knowing. But lets just say that as much as FoxNews is obviously right wing, the rest of the media is pretty darn obviously left leaning (with some leaning so far they have simply fallen over). The days of the impartial reporter are LONG over my friend.

Specializes in Emergency.
People who want to kill, harm, subjugate or enslave are going to do so regardless of their reasons. Unfortunately, historically, religion has been the most respected and thus best excuse to give others for your poor behavior.

Today's religion? PC crud.

And please malamud...unless you include MSNBC in your list of propaganda pimps, quit the mud slinging tactics. Very unbecoming.

That is not to say that I think Fox or others are all-knowing. But lets just say that as much as FoxNews is obviously right wing, the rest of the media is pretty darn obviously left leaning (with some leaning so far they have simply fallen over). The days of the impartial reporter are LONG over my friend.

Even as I would tend to disagree with you on most things it seems...I would have to agree with you here.

Specializes in Emergency.
More guns will never be a solution to the gun problem.

Finally...A simple, intelligent statement that gets to the truth of the entire conundrum!

Specializes in Emergency.
Guns are not a problem. Criminals are problems, and sometimes a gun in the hands of a law abiding person is the only way to prevent the use of a gun by a criminal.

"The unarmed man can only flee from evil. And evil is never overcome by fleeing from it."

Jeff Cooper (1920-2006)

"If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism.

Thomas Sowell (b. 1930)

"Though defensive violence will always be a sad necessity in the eyes of men of principle, it would be still more unfortunate if wrongdoers should dominate just men."

St. Augustine (A.D. 354-430)

Have we really degraded this far? Is the bar set this low? It reminds me of our health care system...No I should say "sick" care system...prevention is the only solution. To be complacent and accepting of these norms is a perfect argument for a "all of mankind lobotomy" for what use is our cognitive, rational mind if we succumb to such garbage.

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