Thank you MLeake and Departed for also pointing out that a lot of law enforcement are actually against any new gun control.
I didn't think that the OP was trying to promote the "rush in and be a hero" train of thought... I actually took it to be somewhat the opposite in a way, of more being helpful to others in various ways to put forward a normal view of the majority of ccw holders. I was actually thinking of this topic this morning when I got up for some reason...I will go ahead and 'spit it out' if you will, what I was thinking, instead of trying to polish it up. So forgive me if I come across unpolished about it.
Going back to (shortened):
Quote:
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Originally Posted by OP
Service to Others
Volunteerism
Good Citizenship
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I would say for some who are inclined, to try to work together at the grass roots level, and do some basic community involvement. No, I am NOT saying to go out and be confrontational about "
your rights" but more about looking around your community and finding small projects that need to be done, but never seem to get done, and use the grass roots group you are with as a firearm owner to step forward and do these various projects. Some folks want to push the ownership and ccw issue to the forefront, but with this I would suggest, letting it be a secondary issue, but connected. It could be about various things:
Maybe your "Welcome to <City Name>" sign is all grown up, and since spring is coming, volunteer yourself and a few of your firearm owner friends, to go clean up around it, and put some flowers/mulch out before or after your next range trip with your friends.
Or perhaps there is a cemetery near you that is grown up. Why not speak to the person responsible for it, and say something like, "hey, I've got a group of friends, and we do a lot of things together similar to this, but we are also firearm owners or hunters, etc. Would you mind if we pitch in and come over Saturday and clean the cemetery up before we head to the range? Btw, if you like, join us afterwards too."
Perhaps, when you and some friends have a day at the range to shoot, why not also try to keep a few hours free after/before, to do good things around the community. A week or 2 later, why not invite whom you may encounter doing whatever to the range with you, and to help out with the next project as well?
Trying to do community involvement like the above, and being "normal" while doing it, can help give the grass roots group(s) a good image. I would avoid certain talks about "protecting others" etc since, its not the point of the ccw, which is for protecting oneself. Vanya quoted a good thread also on that subject.
To bring it to an end, I would say to try to do things that are helpful, and keep others thinking "wasn't that nice of those guys to do?" Perhaps the next thought they would have would be "I may actually take them up on the offer of going to the range with them in a week or two."
I will think on it more though. If some of you would like me to share those thoughts I will...