Posted on 06/02/2011 6:40:19 AM PDT by marktwain
If I’m carrying a gun, no one else needs to know about it. Living in an open carry state—within a proverbial stone’s throw of DC—has reinforced this belief. There are just too many stories of OC’ers being harassed. I don’t have time to be held up by local law enforcement called in by a gun-shy ignoramus. Spending the weekend in TN changed my perspective . . .
With all the moving between venues, changing clothing and gear was impractical. As TN’s an Open Carry (OC) state, most of us carried openly while moving through hotels, gas stations and restaurants on our way to and from events. No one called the cops and no one even gave us a second look. To be honest, it was refreshing to see people treat openly carried firearms as if they were “no big thang.” Which got me thinking . . .
How many of us would actually choose to open carry if your state allowed it, and in what situation would you most likely choose to do so? I know a lot of people view OC as the equivalent of a wearing a T-shirt that says “Shoot Me First,” but wouldn’t that cease to be an issue if OC reached critical mass?
I’m sure
Ah, I see.
I’m Pro Weapon Carry Permits
Permit? Why should I need to have a permit?
Is there some part of "...Shall Not Be Infringed" that you have trouble understanding?
I remember when Tennessee Carry Laws were being originated and debated and in all truth open carry was not the intention of law makers.
Open carry was not the INTENTION of the law? Really?
I'll ask again, is there some part of "...Shall Not Be Infringed" that you have trouble understanding?
Not a bad idea. Thank you for the suggestion.
I’d open carry. More need to open carry to set an example that it’s our right. Hiding, or being afraid to keep our rights out in the open only emboldens those who think to take away those rights. Being afraid of being “harassed” or “inconvenienced” is the problem in too much of America today. Not being bold enough to speak out about our rights en mass is part of why we have lost many of our freedoms. I say more should open carry and make sure that anyone who does get harassed does not “stand alone” but is surrounded by, and actively supported by, other law abiding citizens and not left alone to deal with the law by themselves. If we keep hiding behind CC for fear of being harassed we lose.
In Virginia, it depends on where you work.
I grew up in the Kensington neighborhood of inner city Philly. I attended inner schools and while in graduate school I traveled the subways daily from the North Broadway area of Philly to the West Philly area neighborhood where I lived at the time.
There is nothing quite like having a group of inner city teens invade a subway station or subway car with no possible exit, or walk in large packs down a neighborhood pavement. Chris Matthew's “tingle up the leg” doesn't even begin to describe the feeling. Having mature men and women openly carrying, for all to see, would **definitely** make everyone far far far more polite and mannerly!
>>I choose not to open-carry. I can do anything I want with my weapons right now, except take them to work with me.<<
Do have to pass through a metal detector on you way into work?
I saw #80
“No, I work on a military base and personal weapons are prohibited.”
It is impossible to live in a religiously, culturally, or politically neutral vacuum.
Open carry has political consequences. Concealed carry has political consequences. Gun-free has political consequences. There is no neutral zone. Each decision has political consequences. If taken far enough these decisions have cultural and religious consequences as well.
By the way...There is no such thing as a religiously, politically, or culturally neutral education either. ( Yes, I know this is unrelated to the thread.) Nearly everything sentient beings say, do, or even think, has non-neutral political, cultural, and religious consequences.
“Common sense about the guy with the gun is what is lacking. The absolute hysteria in many circles because someone has a gun is the lack of “common sense”. As you are aware when many people see a man with a gun the first thing they do is call a man with a gun. How “common sense” is that? mad_as_he$$ “
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There is no tactical advantage to open carry and I can see no other advantage to open carry in public other than fueling ones’ inflated ego that most doing so I encounter possess. Look at me! Look what I got!!!!!
It is for sure that you are not going to educate anyone other than yourself when you do encounter a problem. The attention you will have drawn to yourself will have actually created a situation that you could have avoided by using common sense and carrying concealed.
As for the publics “lack of common sense” about someone with a gun is ridiculous. They have just as much right to be concerned about someone who displays a weapon because to them it’s a public safety concern and they have no idea of your intention or understand what the rationale of your open carry is about. It is your right and/or privilege to carry a weapon, why not be considerate and use common sense and not upset the sheep? What can you possibly gain by creating a situation that could have been avoided?? It is just that I’ll show them because I can? Why not just yell FIRE! in a crowded theater? Does two parties having rights about an opposing issue make it any better? So why not avoid the controverserial side and carry without being conspicuous to avoid problems?
There are places where you can “open carry” but not carry concealed. What then?
Yes. I have. And will again. I am still of the opinion that projecting strength works better as a deterrent than projecting weakness.
More "there will be blood in the streets" type arguments.
It doesn't work that way. Someone peaceably open carrying a firearm is no more of a threat than your average person walking down the street.
Mr. Thuglife Wanna-be carrying his "gat" tucked into his waistband under his track suit is more of a threat and is carrying concealed.
The public was TAUGHT to treat "man with gun" as a threat, regardless of his actions. They can be taught otherwise.
Just takes the guts to stand up for our Rights...
Being a Second Amendment activist, I open carry a lot more than I used to, and have found the general public pretty much neutral about it. Most of the time it just leads to discussions with fellow gun owners I bump into.
Although LEO's initially had to get a couple lawsuits thrown at them to realize an armed citizen is not the problem. Since then, they have been fairly supportive and OC is becoming a little more common in my area.
Then you're not thinking clearly.
The first time I encountered open carry (in Kentucky), it surprised me, I'll admit. We were in a cafe in the court house square of a small Kentucky town. A gentleman sitting at the counter was open carry.
Aside from the surprise -- I'm from Texas, we don't see that down here -- my first thought was: Nobody is going to try to stick up the joint with one of diners displaying a .38.
The gentleman appeared well known and respected in the community. Hardly the stuff of threats.
Seems to me he had established "tactical advantage" against any intruder...and faithfully represented a properly armed citizen -- no "inflated ego" visible.
I suggest you dial down the "sensitivity" on your "gun detector".
No...
Are you aware of specific instances or are you simply perpetuating hysteria?
Open carry would eliminate silly ass harassment if someone sees or sees the print of your concealed weapon.
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