When only cops have guns, it's called a "police state".

I keep getting a lot of questions from my friends about why I carry a gun. I carry openly sometimes, meaning people can see it, and other times I carry concealed, meaning at least 80 percent of the gun is concealed. The reason I carry a gun is for my own personal safety. I have 4 years of experience with many different firearms in the Marine Corps and many years of handling them as a civilian. I question you back Why do you not carry a fire arm, or at least keep one in your home. Here are some of my favorite quotes from some men that I greatly respect.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government" -Thomas Jefferson

"The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that's good" -George Washington

"The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed." -Alexander Hamilton

"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest." -Mahatma Gandhi

Men trained in arms from their infancy, and animated by the love of liberty, will afford neither a cheap or easy conquest. -From the Declaration of the Continental Congress, July 1775.

"As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives [only] moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun, therefore, be the constant companion to your walks." -Thomas Jefferson (in a letter to his nephew)

"Taking my gun away because I might shoot someone is like cutting my tongue out because I might yell `Fire!' in a crowded theater." -Peter Venetoklis

Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defence? Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defence be the *real* object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands? -Patrick Henry

And finally my favorite

"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." -Thomas Jefferson.

When you see someone carrying a gun openly they are not the ones that you should be worried about. I, as many gun owners now do, even have different kinds of rounds (bullets) that I keep in my gun for different settings. One round has a plastic tip and is full of tiny beads. This prevents it from penetrating sheet rock and hitting unintended targets in the next room. The most common one I carry around is the hollow point. In the same fashion it is designed to break up quickly on contact reducing the possibilities of hitting things behind your target. I also go to the shooting range at least once a month to practice with my pistols.It's very possible that the safest place wherever you go in town is right next to me.

The other myth that I wanted to dispel is that having some guns is illegal in Oregon. I assure you that no guns are illegal in Oregon period. There are certain requirements to own things like short barreled shotguns, machine guns, cane guns and other odd weapons, but none are illegal. Also there are very few places that a firearms cannot be carried. Airports, Federal buildings, courthouses and posted private property is pretty much it. That means yes I do legally carry my gun into my bank, church and school. Any private property can be carried on if it is unmarked at the entrance. Of course if you are asked to leave you must.

So if a bank manager came out and asked me to leave I would, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be on the phone with corporate headquarters complaining of their practices. It has to be marked on the door.