I hope the day never comes when any of you need to protect yourself.
I've used a gun three times in my life to protect myself and my family. Twice with a pistol overseas (in Panama) and once with a shotgun during a home break in here in the States.
I wouldn't have the pleasure of reading these posts had I not been armed on those occasions. Three times in the span of over 55 years is a miniscule percentage. But had I not been armed and ready at those times, that tiny percentage would have been deadly.
I jumped through the hoops to get my CCL years ago. So the government knows all about me, has my finger prints and I'm all registered in their data base. I rarely carry because I stay clear of dangerous places. I only carry when I travel or when I'm not 100% knowledgeable of my surroundings. In my state, you can't carry in a bar. In addition, you cannot drink or be under the influence if you're carrying. I'm real comfortable with that. I'm concerned about bars being taken off the list. I'd stay out of a bar if I knew people were packing. I'd be shocked if that restriction went away in my state.