Quotes of the Day: Clear Thinker Edition

Concealed pistol permits up 43 percent in Wash

SEABECK, Wash. -- In Julian Piercy's mind, the small bulge in his shirt near his lower back is a way of "leveling a situation."

The clip that he fastens to his waist band before leaving the house isn't just another accessory. It gives him an option, he said, when all others are off the table and a life is on the line.

When he feels the pressure of metal on his back, it gives him confidence that he has a chance of protecting those he cares about most.

"As a parent, I am the first line of defense for my children," he said. "Not the police."

[...]

"The gun doesn't make me invincible, smarter, or tougher than anyone else," he said. "It's merely there as a tool."

No need to worry about the gun making him smarter. This guy's already got more brains than most.

And, stop me if you've heard this one before.

But do concealed pistol holders actually make society safer, a kind of armed public service?

Mark Duncan, deputy police chief on Bainbridge Island, said that's a difficult question to answer. An easier question for him is whether they make society more dangerous. His answer is no.

"The cases of someone misusing their concealed pistol license are virtually unheard of," he said.

No shit.

(link via Say Uncle)