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this very large number represents the number of times Americans have used firearms to thwart crimes and defend themselves over the past year.
That is just the ones "reported" so to speak.
NOT included in that number is the time about 8 years ago when I was on a business trip to a large Southern city and two thugs tried to mug me. My .9mm Browning convinced them to seek another, more willing victim. In this case it was unlikely that they would have done more than steal my stuff.
It also does not include the time about three years ago when a young man from Georgia visiting my state took issue when, in an effort to avoid a collision, I beeped my horn when he ran a stop sign. When he looked up from drawing his weapon he was looking down the barrel of my favorite carry, a .45 Colt. Without a doubt he was going to shoot me, I simply out drew him. He drove away with no fear in his eyes at all, but a look of disgust that I "beat him to the draw".
NOTE: There was much more to this encounter, with him yelling, cursing, etc. Time and space prohibits details.

None of the miscreants mentioned above knew that I was armed (since I have NO desire to shoot anyone, I don’t advertise or threaten), but all got the message to move on. In both cases not a word was spoken by me (I was looking for a way out), No shots were fired, no one was hurt.

Anytime someone says that we should eliminate firearms, its like saying to me “I wish you were dead.” My carry practices absolutely saved my life.

The existence of concealed carry laws has another effect too, to create doubt in the mind of the predator. The knowledge his prey "might" be armed tends to make them hesitate. Several years ago the route to my night job took me through a bad part of town, driving a Jeep with a bikini top and door skins (S. Florida). The low lifes would congregate at a corner where poor lighting and heavy bushes gave them a covered approach to drivers waiting at the light. On this night three decided to make the attempt, two walking away down the street and crossing over to approach on the passenger side from the rear and the decoy coming to the driver's side with some ploy about the time or a cigarette. All it took to discourage them was to make a production of flipping open the console and sticking my hand inside as if grasping a weapon. End of stalk, decoy, and story. Everyone muttered a bit and went back to the bushes to sit on the milk crates and return to sucking down the 40 ouncers and passing the pipe while waiting on easier prey. W/o CCW in Florida I doubt they would have been so easily deterred. Thank you Marion Hammer!

skepsel