[snowrip]

Read my post again: If the circumstances do not warrant carrying a weapon, open-carry is just a massage for your ego... particularly when it comes to a peaceful demonstration where hundreds of people are present.

Open-carry defeats the purpose of carrying a weapon in a largely peaceful urban environment; namely, the element of surprise if a confrontation arises. If you’re openly carrying your rifle or pistol when the bank robbery or classroom shooting goes down, you’re just going to be the first person who takes one in the chest.

[Man50D]

If the circumstances do not warrant carrying a weapon, open-carry is just a massage for your ego...

If is the operative word. As we have seen over the last several years a seemingly unwarranted situation in which to carry a gun can change in an instant, without warning, to a fully warranted situation if some madman suddenly opens fire.

Open-carry defeats the purpose of carrying a weapon in a largely peaceful urban environment; namely, the element of surprise if a confrontation arises.

People legally carry an open weapon will send a visual message to anyone illegally carrying a weapon for nefarious purposes that he or she will also be in harms way because people will return fire.

If you’re openly carrying your rifle or pistol when the bank robbery or classroom shooting goes down, you’re just going to be the first person who takes one in the chest.

A bank robber will think twice before shooting if he or she spots someone or some people carrying weapons. The same would apply to classroom setting if the students are of age to carry weapons(college or adult education classes) otherwise the example is irrelevant since the students would be underage to carry a weapon.