Posted on 03/01/2012 4:29:47 AM PST by marktwain
A bill in the Utah Legislature raised a debate over whether firearms should be visible in public. The HB49 Substitute would prohibit local municipalities from enacting or enforcing ordinances against carrying firearms, visible or concealed, without permission from the state Legislature.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clinton, is quoted in a story from the Jan. 30 issue of The Salt Lake Tribune defending HB49. Ray said the intent of the bill was to clarify which situations deserve disorderly conduct charges.
"Just because I'm carrying the gun, they can't give me a disorderly conduct (charge)," Ray said. "If I'm acting in a threatening way, they certainly can."
We disagree with this perception. If a person carrying a firearm acts in a threatening way, police are likely to shoot rather than arrest the carrier. In January, police shot and killed a 15-year-old student brandishing what they later learned was an air gun made to resemble a more lethal weapon.
Perhaps a law-abiding citizen is well within his or her rights to openly carry a firearm, but considering recent news events it would be unwise. Virginia Tech and Chardon High School, in Ohio, are the most recent of several campus shootings that have happened in the U.S. Campus communities are becoming more wary of campus shooting warning signs. A person carrying an easily visible firearm on campus could prompt action from not only police, but faculty, staff or students who resolved to take action at the first potential sign of danger.
The Second Amendment is a constitutional right, but rights should only be exercised with responsibility and the proper education. Anything with the potential to end lives, whether it be a vehicle, a drug or a firearm, should be treated with every possible precaution. If the sight of a firearm has the potential to cause panic, it's best to leave it out of sight.
Some argue open carry has a deterring effect on crime, and we admit the appeal of openly carrying a firearm makes more sense in a dark alley, but it seems to us a firearm would be less of a deterrent on a busy university campus already patrolled by police.
Perhaps that is the plan.
Obtuse, ignorant arguments by libtard hoplophobes that are completly refuted by Arizona, Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont, and the open carry states.
“Open carry” is our right accordting to Article 2 of the Constitution. None-the-less, the police will hassle you EVERY TIME they find you carrying. It has been done in numerous states all over this country.
I have about had it with the damn liberals and news media who keep pushing anti-gun issues. I have never shot at or killed anyone so leave me the hell alone.
I don't mean to be a 'party pooper', but just want to toss out my opinion (for what it's worth), on OPEN carry.
I've been carrying CONCEALED legally since the first month my state made it legal, which was sometime in the 90's. While OPEN carry could in some cases be a determent to crime, I would personally feel uncomfortable carrying OPEN. Would be leary of being double-teamed by a couple of a$$holes coming up behind me, or even passing me, for that matter....one grabbing my arms and one grabbing my handgun. Would not want to have it tied down or looped down just to make it a little less grab-proof by a bad guy, while making it hard for me to draw quickly.
COPY AND PASTE FROM MY POST ON THE SAME SUBJECT ON SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011 FOLLOWS. FIGURED IT WAS WORTH REPEATING.
Buy ammo. And, do it correctly.....I have a few friends who still don't get it, ie: when I ask, "how much ammo do you have on hand?" I get a few answers of : Got plenty, plus 14 guns in the closet. Have 3 or 4 boxes of 12 ga, a couple for my kids .410, couple of boxes each for my 6 rifles, and a bunch of partial boxes for all my hand guns. I tell them that's fine if they can stay in the house and shoot out the windows, B-U-T if they need to run outside and shoot from behind the car or garage, they may find themselves in the do-do. One can only carry a couple of long guns (of different calibers) and a couple of handguns while on the run, along with their ammo. You shoot up those 3 - 20 round boxes of .30/06, 4 boxes of 7mm, 3 boxes of .45 ACP and you no longer have 3 guns....just 3 clubs.
Designate one shotgun, one rifle and one handgun as your primary "social unrest" home defense weapons and load up on the ammo for them. Having 20 guns doesn't do you any good if all you have is a few rounds for each. Kinda hard to watch out the FRONT living room window where the armed looters are moving around and dig through the BACK bedroom closet for more ammo. ("I KNOW I have at least a half box of .270 somewhere from last deer season......where the hell is it ???").
If you can't afford lots of expensive high caliber ammo, get a few bricks of .22 ammo. 300 rounds flying out that window from your .22 rifle and pistol may not drop a 250 lb man, but a wound in the arm with a .22 will slow him down, take him off the attack and put HIM on defense. Plus, with a bucket of .22 ammo, your wife and kid can easily load one gun while you shot the other.
Don't forget magazines / clips. It's great that you have 1 EXTRA mag that came with your favorite deer rifle, B-U-T a total of 2 mags with only 5 rounds each isn't going to last long until you hear "click" and stop shooting to reload them. If you can't get oversize mags, get a sack full of the "regular" ones.
AND, as noted by another FREEPER after my post; Ensure you have slings on your long guns, so you will have at least one hand free when on the move. If you don't want to "mess up the looks" of your beautiful 375 H & H Magnum with swivels and sling, at least have some precut lengths of small size rope or strapping handy to use for an 'emergency' sling. You can always tie it around the stock and forearm (or barrel) and throw it over your shoulder. It doesn't have to be 'pretty', just a temporary jerry-rig that could save your life.
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