Bumper Stickers Could Spell Trouble
Every concealed carry permit holder knows that the Second Amendment guarantees their right to keep and bear arms, but every now and then, the freedoms afforded by Second Amendment cross paths with rights provided by other constitutional amendments. One of those is the freedom of speech proviso in the First Amendment.
Everyone has heard the phrase that “freedom of speech does not give you the right to shout ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theater.”
The same thought process applies to many supporters of the Second Amendment who see no problem displaying their sentiments regarding trespassing and other transgressions on bumper stickers, window decals, and welcome mats.
But as harmless as these public notifications of your beliefs and/or rights may seem to you, they can quickly be used as weapons against you in a court of law. Author Steve Houseal explains the dangers of advertising your emotions in his article “Unforced Errors: Don’t Send the Wrong Message” at USConcealedCarry.com:
“Unless you’re very lucky, every aspect of your life will be examined with a microscope by a prosecutor looking for wrongdoing, an attorney looking for a lawsuit, or a reporter looking for a front-page story. Anti-gunners will look for any way to vilify you.” (Read more at USConcealedCarry.com)
In other words, if you have signs that read “Trespassers Will Be Shot, Survivors Will Be Shot Again” or “This Home Protected by Smith & Wesson,” you and your shooting buddies may think they serve a clever purpose. Yet if the day ever comes when an intruder invades your property and you are forced to use your weapon to defend yourself, you’ll wish those signs had never been posted.
It’s bad enough that investigators will be less likely to believe your version of the story, but the media will latch on to your signs and portray you as a trigger happy gun nut just waiting for an opportunity to pump a barrel full of lead into someone. Attorneys will go to great lengths to convince a judge or jury that your signs or bumper stickers mirror your own violent tendencies.
Most concealed carry permit holders are acutely aware of the increased responsibility that comes with owning a firearm and act accordingly. However, there are still those who cannot fathom that their words and actions continually convey a message that could jeopardize their freedom should they ever be involved in an encounter using deadly force.
The best course of action when carrying concealed is to use situational awareness to avoid any dangerous scenarios to begin with, while at the same time remaining quietly confident. As Teddy Roosevelt put it “Speak softly, but carry a big stick.”