Why Carry? An educational encounter from this past week.

[trevor]

Rush Rush Rush, another school and work day. Just like every workday, I was taking the girls (7 and 9) to school this past week. It was 7:20 am, we were running almost on time. Driving past other cars with people going to work, slowing at the crosswalks where the college kids bunch up,  etc.

I was driving on Delaware avenue in Newark when I noticed something odd behind a short brick wall near the academic mall. Out of the corner of my eye, there was something wrong. It looked like there was a girl on the ground, on her back, behind the short wall. Was there was someone on top of her? I wasn't sure, so I checked my rearview and side mirrors as I passed. Yes, I realized, there was a male, early 20's,  top of her, facing down. They both appeared clothed, but she was on the ground, and the guy was on top of her. They were pelvis to pelvis.  "are you serious?"?

I had to get the kids to school, but as a parent, I couldn't let what might be an attack, in broad daylight, go on without doing something.

I carefully pulled over, two wheels  up on the sidewalk about a half block down. Turned on the flashers. I  grabbed my keys, locked the doors, and walked back briskly.

As I was about 50 yards away, a woman exited her car. She told me that she had seen it too, that she had just called the police. Once I was within 15 yards, they (the 'couple') became aware of the 2 middle aged adults approaching them. They both moved a bit. He partially rolled off of her. They did both have their (disheveled) clothes on. I kept approaching.

As I closed, they then both expressed what I can only describe as annoyance! Apparently this was a tryst, at 7:20 am, broad daylight, in public,  behind a wall on the mall, they were locked pelvises and making out!

I was relieved it wasn't an attack scene, and amazed that they would be seriously making out in the middle of the mall. I turned away, and started to return to my car.  As I was walking back, I began to wonder what might have happened had it been an actual rape. I'm 46, and work at a desk. I take medicine for hypertension. I'm not the formidable person I might have been in my youth. As I approached what may have been a determined rapist or robber,  I had no weapon. Not much parity. I'm no match for an aggressive 25 year old. I realized I had acted, but was unprepared to defend myself! I felt like an genius!

What was I thinking?

This made me think, why do I want to carry?

I want to carry because I'm no longer 25, and I have a wife and 2 wonderful kids who deserve a father. Unable to defend myself, I would have lost the fight had the 25 year old been a serious aggressor and wanted to take me out.  

Earlier this summer, I also would have lost. If I had arrived come home earlier on the day our house was burglarized...If I had surprised the 19 year old busily stealing our things...I would have lost.

Why do I want to carry a concealed deadly weapon? I wouldn't say I want to. I would say it's a responsibility I feel. It's a responsibility  I feel because we live in this world, not in an idealized one.

I don't want to carry because of any great love of weapons, or any ego trip. I want to carry because I have people who depend on me to keep them safe. People who need to be there for them as well.

That's why I want to Carry...because I'm a dad who loves his kids.

[Moosie]

WOW!  Trevor, all I can say is THANK YOU for stopping.  Do you know how many people would have called it into 911 and kept driving because they didnt want to get involved?!  Yes, this is why I carry too.  No, not the witness (or victim) of anything so gross, but because I don't want to be the one crouched on the floor as a gunman decides he going to play God that day for me or for anyone else.  I don't want to be unprepared because someone else has stopped taking their meds and is suddenly armed and delusional. 

I saw my fair share of ugliness when I was in Iraq just cleaning up the feces left behind from the Gulf War.  The US is far more ugly than what I saw there (save the rotting camel on the side of the road for 4 months). 

Trevor, thank you again for deciding to do something about a situation that could have been very ugly for you or for the girl on the ground.  I hope the girl finds more worth in herself someday than to be humping behind a brick sign at 7:20 in the morning. 

Stay safe and always be prepared. 

Moosie aka Rebecca

[fdegree]

Forgive me if this is offensive, or if I misunderstood the scenario.

First, I would like to say how thankful I am that you stopped with the intention to help the young lady.  If that had been my daughter, I hope someone would stop and help her too.  That is a very admirable act.

Now for my thoughts on why it may have been a bad decision:
I realize you stopped only a 1/2 block away, and you locked the doors...but you left your children in the car with no protection.  Anything can happen, at any time, and so very quickly...locked doors will not stop someone that is determined to do harm.  What if the situation had been what you thought it was...an actual rape?  Could the situation have escalated?  Would you have been tied up with the situation even longer than you were?  It wouldn't take any time for someone to break the window of your car, take at least one of your children and drive off...a matter of seconds.  I realize the chances of this are very slim, but unfortunately, these kinds of things happen.

I think I would have stayed with my children, called 911 and watched what proceeded from a distance.  The safety of my child comes before anyone else.

While I admire your actions, I do question your decision.

Mine is simply another perspective to ponder...no disrespect, nor offense, meant.