This article was published at The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor on Friday, February 26, 2016:
Gun-maker Taurus International calls it The Judge “because of the number of judges who carry it into the courtroom for their protection.” Lance Toland calls it a “hand cannon”; perfect as a gift to his employees once they obtain their concealed carry permits.
Six months ago Toland, the owner of a high-end aviation insurance agency in Metro Atlanta, had a heart-to-heart conversation with his long-time employee Mary Brannon, who was about to retire. Brannon is also an nra instructor and has been carrying a sidearm to work for 30 years. But, asked Toland, “Who's going to protect the office? If I'm not here and Mary's gone, what are the other ladies going to do?”
His decision was easy: everyone must get their concealed carry permit. And everyone who applies for a job must already have their permit. Toland explained that not only has each prospective employee already passed a background check, but “It's also a measure of an individual's attitude towards responsible gun ownership and being a steward of our Second Amendment rights.”
There were no complaints, and within a few weeks every one of Toland's 12 employees, mostly women, had the permit. And every one of them received a brand new shiny Judge. Toland said only one of them had one question: one of the ladies asked if it was available in pink.
No. But it came with rules. They had to take training to maintain their skill-at-arms, and they had to commit to using the firearm if necessary, but only if necessary. As one of Toland's agents, Andrea Van Buren, said: “As long as they are willing to get the training, become an expert … if you pull it out, you have to be willing to use it.”
Every day Toland drives by a building where, in 1998, a female insurance agent, sitting alone and unarmed at her desk, was murdered. Every day Toland remembers his uncle, a retired World War II veteran, who was murdered in the same town where he has his administrative offices. The day he was murdered was the one day that his uncle decided not to carry.
Forbes magazine considers Atlanta the sixth most violent city in American, just slightly behind Detroit, which sports a two-in-every-hundred chance of a citizen being attacked every year.
Not everyone is cheering Toland's decision, as he explained:
It's controversial to some people. They like to bring up story after story of gun violence. But a responsible, level-headed, law-abiding citizen with proper training can safely carry a firearm to protect themselves and others….
If they have a weapons permit, they're very responsible. It's a safer workplace. Everyone is essentially backing everyone else up….
This is a group of very, very professional women, well-educated, pilots….
Toland is getting high-fives from his corporate clients for making this decision, one of whom is Donald Trump.
As citizens' understanding of the Second Amendment continues to increase, so will decisions like Toland's become commonplace.
Sources:
WSBTV.com: Business owner requiring all employees to be armed
Huffington Post: Why This Georgia Business Owner Requires All His Employees To Carry Guns
The Daily Beast: The Insurance Office Where Everyone Is Armed
TAURUS JUDGE 4510TKR-3SS REVOLVER (Taurus website on The Judge)
Forbes: Atlanta #6 in Forbes' 10 Most Dangerous Cities 1433 per 100,000
Lance Toland Associates website
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