“For the past few years, there has been a ton of dialogue about guns and police in the media. CNN says that, on average, there are roughly 9 guns for every 10 people in the United States. In the same article, it also states 2 out of 5 Americans own a gun or have a gun in their household.
Now, as a Canadian, I don’t really understand the whole appeal of American gun culture, but I’m also not here to debate whether it’s right or wrong. I’m just saying, it’s no secret that America has a love affair with its firearms.
The number of guns floating around American society can make it really hard to be a cop. We’ve all heard stories about a police officer killing an unarmed victim because it looked like the person was reaching for a gun. Thankfully, this is not one of those stories.
This story, posted to the Love What Matters Facebook page in July of 2016, describes how Matt Powers was stopped in his car by police while carrying a loaded and concealed handgun.
The Altoona Department police officer told Powers that his registration had expired and asked for his driver’s license, insurance, and registration. But with his hands still gripped tight on the wheel, Powers tells him:
“For your safety and mine sir I would like to inform you that I am a legally armed citizen. I have a concealed carry permit in my wallet. I don’t want to get my registration and insurance card because I have my pistol in the same compartment as my documents.”
“The pistol is in the small compartment under the cup holder. Please be careful, there is a round in the chamber, the thumb safety is on, and there’s an extra magazine with it.”
Powers tells the officer that he would like him to take possession of the gun and would be willing to wait outside the vehicle while he does so. He also offers to let the officer search him to see that he does not have any other weapons on him.
In the end, what could have been a very precarious situation, ended up going very well, but Powers says there is a moral to this story.
“The moral of the story”, he writes. “It’s about everyone’s safety.
“It’s about respect.
“When you treat people with civility, you get treated with civility.”
And in times like these, that’s a moral worth remembering.
https://www.facebook.com/lovewhatreallymatters/photos/a.710462625642805.1073741828.691679627521105/1189703501052046/?type=3&theater
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