Finally got around to seeing the film “Death Proof” by Quentin Tarantino this evening.  Great piece of work with great atmosphere.  I think it also has one of my favorite in-movie conversations.  It goes something like this:

Lee: You carry a gun?
Kim: Uh-Huh.
Lee: Do you have a license to carry it?
Kim: Yeah, when I became a secret service agent, they gave me a license.
Lee: Oh, I didn’t know you were… Ok. I didn’t say it. Stop looking at me. I didn’t say it. God! Did you know Kim carried a gun?
Abernathy: Yes. Yeah. Do I approve? No. Do I know? Yes.
Kim: I don’t know what futuristic utopia you live in, but in the world I live in, a bitch need a gun.
Abernathy: You can’t get around the fact that people who carry guns, tend to get shot more than people who don’t.
Kim: And you can’t get around the fact that if I go down to the laundry room in my building at midnight enough times, I might get my ass raped!
Lee: Don’t do your laundry at midnight.
Kim: Fuck that! I wanna do my laundry whenever the fuck I want to do my laundry.
Abernathy: There are other things you can carry other then a gun. Pepper spray.
Kim: Uh, muthafucka tryin to rape me, I don’t want to give him a skin rash. I wanna shot that nigga down!
Abernathy: How about a knife at least.
Kim: Yeah, you know what happens to muthafuckas who carry knives. They get shot! Look, if I ever become a famous actress, I won’t carry a gun. I’ll hire me a dude dirt nigga and he’ll carry the gun, and when shit goes down, I’ll sit back and laugh, but until that day, it’s wild west muthafucka!

For a while now I’ve wondered why I don’t see more movies that feature characters who carry a concealed firearm for personal protection in everyday life.

Most movies feature people who have guns as part of their career, or “arm up” just to deal with a situation.  And too many feature heroes who knock out an armed bad-guy, only to leave the gun laying on the ground.

Considering that 39 states are “shall issue”, you’d think it’d become more common in movies and TV shows.  Unfortunately, most of these shows are filmed in “may issue” or “no issue” population centers that are behind the times when it comes to recognizing the liberties of their citizens.

Interestingly, though the “Kim” character doesn’t carry legally, it would have been possible in Kentucky, the setting for her part of the movie.  I also like how the dialog describe the way wealthy or famous anti-gunners deal with the situation – they hire armed security.

For those of us unable to afford private armed security, concealed carry of a firearm is a reasonable option – because a police officer is too heavy.