I interrupted a drug deal outside an ol' girlfriend's place in Montreal many years back. The gun was a .25 Beretta or a .32, don't know which. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. Even if I had been carrying, there's no way I could have accessed a weapon in time to be able to 'do' anything (in this case, anyone). Guns by definition are offensive weapons. I smiled, said I didn't see shit and walked back up about seven steps into her house--which I'd just left. Had a real eerie feeling along my spine. Longest seven steps I ever took.

Guns can escalate situations that would never have got to that point without the gun being there. The old 'rule' about never pointing a firearm at anything you don't intend to kill is a good rule. Most people do not have 'what it takes' (a good thing imo) to actually kill someone. Subsequently, don't carry, because if you are not prepared to pull the trigger you'll end up being shot with your own weapon. That's the way I see it. Not looking for arguments or sermons.