... Most active shooters just like the Islamic terrorist are not afraid of being killed. They begin their killing spree with the intent on dieing. They have one thing on their mind and that is to kill as many people as they can. Someone with a gun on is not going to change their mind but rather will tell them, "Shoot me first so that I can not stop you".QUOTE]
I don't disagree with the above statement, necessarily. Only the implication that such an event is the main reason any of us carry. Or even in the top 10 for most of us.
If most "active shooters" are not afraid of being killed, why do they typically attack those least likely to defend themselves? I'm talking about Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc. A look at the North Hollywood shootout points to "active shooters" who clearly planned to out-gun any potential adversary. And even at Fort Hood - the shooter clearly knew that military personel are not permitted to be armed while on base. My final example is also the most recent - the scumbag in Washington State that killed 4 cops. What if he'd known (or at least suspected) that a significant percentage of the civilians in that coffee shop were carrying?
There is no magic answer. Open-carry, Concealed-carry and No-carry are the options. Each of us makes our decision based on his or her own priorities and experiences. Now that I have my permit, I find myself CCing more that OCing. However, that often only means an untucked shirt over the exact same rig I use to OC. Other times it means a tuckable IWB rig.
Why do I carry? Pick your cliche. "When seconds count, the police are minutes away". "I carry a gun because a cop would be too heavy." We've all heard them all.
The basic gist for me is pretty simple: if I need it, I have it.