I think anyone who owns a retail business has to be worried about being robbed at some point. Even if the chances are statistically low of it happening, it still looms large in business owners’ minds. It’s something to be concerned about.

In Thomasville, NC, it’s really looming large following a violent jewelry store robbery where one witness was shot by the suspects.

Now, a local concealed carry instructor is doing what he can to help.

Sam Rabon is a local concealed carry license instructor. After the robbery Rabon posted on Facebook that he will give a free class to business owners who want to carry a handgun.

“If it comforts them to know that they have the concealed carry permit and carry their gun, I wanted to give them that opportunity,” Rabon said.

Rabon says he’s also doing it because he’s seen a lot of misinformation about gun use on social media and hopes the class will educate people.

“It is a very complicated issue when you use a gun and use a gun for self-defense,” Rabon said. “It’s not simple. It’s not always cut and dry.”

Rabon told us he’s received an overwhelming response.

I’m sure he did.

While anti-gun zealots like to claim guns make us less safe, the law-abiding armed citizen has been shown time and time again to be one of the most effective countermeasures against crime there are.

Rabon, by making his offer, may actually do more to combat crime in his community than any number of gun buyback programs, anti-crime marches, or anything else that basically makes people feel like they’re making a difference without actually doing a thing. Rabon’s offer, and the fact that many are taking him up on it, means the thieves who pulled this know that there’s a much better chance their next job may be their last.

These are dangerous, violent criminals. They’re not going to stop because of candlelight vigils or because someone is offering them a grocery store gift card for their firearm. It’ll take someone with a gun to make them stop.

By making his offer, Rabon is helping to boost the number of people with guns that might be in a position to stop this crew. That means the mere thought of facing an armed citizen has to be taken into consideration for these guys, and that means the risk is much higher. The more armed citizens, the greater that risk, and they know it.

While a firearm is no guarantee that you won’t be the victim of a crime, it is something criminals think about. Make no mistake, they do not want to be staring down the business end of someone’s concealed carry weapon because they picked the wrong target.

Rabon’s offer is very generous, and I sincerely hope every business in Thomasville, NC takes advantage of either it or a similar class. I hope every business owner starts carrying. I hope all the customers do too.

Enough of that, and we’ll see just who is right about whether more guns make us safer or not. I already know the answer though.