Pinhead

This guy is not a violent person in any way. We're not worried about him, we're worried about the people he associated with before getting caught. He's between arrest and trial right now. There has been a handful of dealers busted in the past few weeks since he was arrested. Whether or not he has anything to do with these busts is beyond me. But, the fact that he was nailed, charged with 4 felonies, and then somehow got out until his trial seems odd for a low-level distributor like him. Now, if a handful of people at my work all thought the same thing before having a conversation about it, there's a good possibility that others will think it as well. He SEEMS like a snitch... he has all the markers, his case is one that would reward him for handing the cops a list of names.I'm debating on speaking to my boss again. The chance that any violence will occur is basically unlikely. But, as an everyday concealed-carrier, my philosophy is to never leave the house without it. It's that one time that you leave it at home that not only violates the idea of carry itself, but it could very well be the time you actually need it. Daily, my weapon is locked in my vehicle during work-hours. This poses a few problems of it's own. For one, it's not in my possession and it could be stolen. And second, what good is a loaded firearm for protection if it's not within reach.As for the contractual end of things, I actually do feel that bringing a loaded firearm into someone's dwelling without their knowledge is isn't a terribly big deal, but then again, who am I to make light of someone's rules. I wouldn't want anyone parking their car in my yard and pissing on my front steps, so if I expect people to respect my property, I need to reciprocate that universally.Back to the original point of my response though, I don't feel that there is a heightened need to carry, but I do see this situation as a reminder of why I do. Thanks for your input, I greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for the input. What you're saying makes perfect sense, honestly. I have thought about that. Unfortunately, for the past 8 years I have had stable good-paying employment. Most people I know have not been able to keep a job for more than 6 months due to the economy. I've achieved a decent amount of stability here.I know I have choices... but there's obviously a reason I don't want to leave. I'm debating on bringing it up to him again. I just don't think they see him as a threat of any kind. It's unfortunate that they don't share the fears of everyone here. I know I could just leave and go somewhere else, but the impact on my family could be terrible. If I bring it up again, I feel I'd be beating a dead horse. This is where I'm stuck. I've debated printing out a bunch of news articles of local crime and incidents involving drug-related shootings. I could try and sway him before I bring up the self-defense part of the conversation.He's an easy going person and has always leaned toward my advice in a business sense and treats me very respectfully. This incident is the first time he's acted as though my opinion isn't worth a damn. I have a feeling it's fear to be honest. He really didn't want to get into what CAN happen, only what he thinks CAN'T happen.

Recently, a co-worker of mine was arrested, charged with 4 felonies and a pile of lesser charges, and released on bail. His situation is one involving multiple drug charges. I do want to state that I do not agree with the terms of his arrest, nor do I feel that he did anything wrong. But, being as the state sees his actions as a crime, and that he was also involved with others who were also committing crimes, for the sake of argument, I will refer to him as a criminal. People who commit drug related crimes are often involved with people who many of us would find undesirable to associate with. I'm not going to bother to further clarify my feelings on his character of that of his circle of friends. I don't trust him, or them. Period.So now that he somehow, amazingly made it out of jail, albeit temporarily at this point, there are a few of us here at my work that feel unsafe around him. We're not really worried about him personally, but more so the people he associated with. He somehow made bail of $250,000 cash. We are sure he didn't have the money. And we know there is no one out there who footed a quarter-million dollars just to get him out of lock-up. So, the common assumption is that he is helping the authorities locate and arrest other dealers and suppliers. This, in turn, will create a very hostile response from former associates of his.Our employer has decided to allow him to return to work. Obviously, it's his business and he can hire who he wants. But, he has introduced a person into our working environment who may bring danger to all of us. Upon voicing the concerns of myself, and others I had spoken to, to the vice-president, I was reassured that nothing will happen here. He stated that we have daylight and the deterrence of CCTV cameras all over the premises, on our side. He went as far as to say that were were perfectly safe due the fact that "no one is dumb enough to come after him here". His reassurances obviously did nothing to quell my fears, nor the concerns of others I have spoken to.In reality, our employer has placed us in a potentially dangerous situation. If someone would come looking for him, find him here, and attempt to commit violence in retaliation for his possible involvement in snitching on others, the employees here are now between him and his assailants. Most of us arrive when it's still dark in the morning. So my boss' statement about having daylight on our side means nothing to me. As for the cameras, well desperate people do things that get caught on camera constantly. There are reality television shows based on an hour's worth of footage of "stupid criminals" doing things that were caught on tape. The cameras don't seem like much of a safety net when were dealing with desperate people attempting to quiet a former associate who may very well be leading authorities to them. Their freedom is at stake. Not only their physical freedom, but their tax-free, constant flow of illegal drug money that supports their lifestyle is at stake.The employee handbook states that weapons of any kind, including but not limited to firearms and ammunition, are not permitted on the property. As an employee I worry that carrying my pistol during work would get me fired and jeopardize my family's well being and financial security. As a libertarian I feel the ethical pull of property rights and a philosophical need to follow the rules of the property owner, As a realist I feel threatened by the presence of someone who has made possible enemies with desperate drug dealers.When I acquired my concealed carry license a few years back, I asked the vice-president, of the company I work for, if he had a problem with me keeping my pistol locked in my vehicle during my shift. He stated that it was no issue, and asked if I would keep it quiet as to scare any of the other employees. After this new situation, I have chosen to carry my weapon without asking for permission. I feel that if I inquire about carrying my pistol, I will bring attention to the situation, cause a rift between my employer and I, and possibly damage our working relationship. Our employers (father and son) are not gun guys in any way. They feel relatively safe as they go about their days. They don't have a problem with guns, but they don't quite understand the need for them in a self-defense situation.My issue here is purely ethical... do my rights to self defense supersede their rights to private property? Am I in the wrong for violating their rules? Are they wrong for violating my right to defense? Any input is greatly appreciated.