The last entry here, on “in your face” open carry versus concealed carry or discreet open carry, caught interest with a three-digit comment count. I also raised some new issues I hadn’t discussed here previously.
Basic truth, folks: economic rhetoric has never fed the hungry, and Second Amendment rhetoric has never armed the helpless.
The gains the gun owners’ civil rights movement have made can be attributed to decades of legal scholarship, working within the system, and reforming anti-gun laws which largely trace back to anti-black bias in the antebellum and Reconstruction-era south, anti-immigrant bias in the industrialized north, and culture war at multiple levels.
Gun-banners will never convert most who read this blog, and we who support a responsibly armed citizenry will never win over the Pelosis and Bloombergs of the world. The battleground lies with the vast majority of people who are in the middle on this polarized issue. I am old enough to remember when Massachusetts and California each held a referendum on whether possession of handguns should be banned in their states. Neither state had a majority of gun owners in the voting pool, but in each case our side won the referendum, because “the people on the fence” didn’t want to go that far.
Doing things that alarm those people in the middle will do nothing to help the pro-gun side. Fear is the key ingredient that creates hatred. Doing things that put the general public in fear will cause more people to hate us, and anyone who seriously thinks flaunting rifles around schools in cities and suburbs will somehow acclimate the public to an acceptance of armed citizens is simply delusional.
Please, don’t compare the heavily armed guy who video-records himself confronting police to Rosa Parks on a segregated bus. Ms. Parks did not put anyone in fear of their lives. Don’t tell me that “a right not exercised is a right denied,” when we’ve seen confrontational open carry result in stricter laws in California, and hamper the responsible open carry movement in Texas much more recently.
This blog post, like the most recent one, grew from a fellow prancing around a school with a visible rifle and handgun. Even gun experts will tell you that handguns are carried holstered, in case they’re needed for a life-threatening emergency, while long guns are traditionally carried only when their immediate use is anticipated. For us, that’s hunting, response to an already identified emergency (think “Rodney King riots”), or a target shooting range. To the general public, that image instantly calls to mind Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Newtown. When an otherwise obviously smart and articulate poster says the officer confronting such a person with hand on service pistol is the one being provocative, I can only say “Wow…just…wow.”
Some open carry advocates hope for test cases to go to courts and validate their cause. I wouldn’t be betting on that outcome. When someone’s behavior is sufficiently frightening that the school in question goes to lockdown, I don’t expect the courts to say that’s just fine. Depending on the jurisdiction, the mood of the court, and the mood of the prosecution, some of the cards on the table may include “disturbing the peace,” “trespass after warning,” and “going armed to the terror of the public.”
But, the people who want to traipse around schools with visible military rifles and camcorders will have had their fifteen minutes of YouTube “fame.”
On this discussion thread, a poster by the username of “usagi” said it better than I: “Open carry of long guns to advocate for 2A rights is exactly the same as blowing smoke directly in people’s faces for smoker’s rights.”
Mas, just have to point out that Rosa Parks did threaten peoples lives. In fact she and other black and white civil rights protestors so threatened folks that some were murdered, beaten and at the least the focus of enormous anger. You bet that black folk wanting to eat lunch at counter scared the bejesus out of white folk.
Thank You for the follow-up to the earlier blog! Having seen the video and read the comments submitted, the “in your face” aptly addresses the reality – many quite normal citizens are simply afraid of or alarmed by firearms! As the population becomes even more urban in nature, experience and or familiarity with firearms learned in the rural environment is lost. A positive introduction has proven quite successful.
We need less of the “bravado” culture and more responsible pursuit in educating and in engaging adults & youth in the “shooting sports”. While the media focuses on the former, the reality of a positive growth in the latter speaks volumes. Self Defense is not the only aspect of gun ownership; not by far. It is a byproduct!
We have buffoons on both sides of the discussion / issues!
“When someone’s behavior is sufficiently frightening that the school in question goes to lockdown, I don’t expect the courts to say that’s just fine.”
To be fair, it doesn’t take much to put a school on lockdown these days. For example:
http://www.whio.com/news/news/crime-law/dayton-school-put-on-lockdown-after-fight/nkWRZ/
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/mar/16/schools-lockdown-after-4-people-run-woods-following-chase/293546/
http://www.jrn.com/kgun9/news/Rincon-High-School-on-lockdown-296112431.html
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/mar/11/lakeview-middle-school-lockdown/292715/
Back in December, there was one school that went on lockdown because a student received a text with a picture of a gun: http://www.ammoland.com/2014/12/ohio-school-lockdown-for-picture-of-gun-text/#axzz3UZd7XH8S
Last year, a school was placed on lockdown because a car backfired: http://www.kwwl.com/story/24695997/2014/02/11/car-backfire-leads-to-brief-school-lockdown-in-hopatcong
If we base what is or is not acceptable on what would cause a school administrator to place a school on lockdown, then we might as well turn in all our guns, repeal the 2nd Amendment, and outlaw pop tarts. School administrators have a tendency to overreact at the slightest provocation, real or imagined.
Long Island Mike – her PRESENCE threatened people’s WAY of life. What followed was our usual American nightmare – where frustrated people, who believe they have no other options, take out their frustrations on innocents – any way they can.
Mike, can you cite some sources for this? I’d be interested in learning more about this. I have never heard such a thing (of course that could be the mediocre public school system’s fault).
I reside about 85 miles from The Peoples Republic of Madison WI, birthplace of the Perpetually Offended Left and the My Way Highway. Open carry, whether right or wrong, in support of or in the face of whatever viewpoint, is for lack of a better word, dumb. Unless you are prepared to automatically execute counter-surveillance routines EVERY time you open carry, at some point a bad guy is going to know where you live and that you (obviously) have guns. I try my best to practice situational awareness but I am sometimes complacent or unfocused. I don’t think I could justify the risk of open carry in terms of the potential of losing my concealed carry anonymity.
I live in Texas, where we have finally gotten our representatives to hold a vote to eliminate the reconstruction era, unconstitutional law forbidding open carry of a handgun.
In an effort to draw attention to this problem we have had literally hundreds of open carry demonstrations around the state. Any political movement will always have a nutcase who will do something provocative, however the vast majority of protests were peaceful and not intimidating.
I fully expect the legislators to approve a bill and send it to the governor who will in turn sign the bill.
I have had a CCW in Texas over 15 years and carry daily. When the open carry law is passed, I will still carry concealed but will be pleased that our government has agreed not to interfere with our rights as a citizen of this State and the United States.
Open carry seems to be most an issue near schools. One needs to be careful about unintentionally promoting fear as a dubious form of respect through open carry, especially with a visibly long-range weapon. What goes around invariably comes around. If people think someone is negligently scaring them, negative consequences will arise. The path to Hell is always paved with good intentions.
Holster security for handguns is important, but in open carry around people one really, really wants a grab-free rig, plus a ready, hidden, one-hand, second tool. Counter-surveillance in OC may not always be necessary, but spherical awareness is essential. My policy is never to move backward without looking first. Open carry has a place, though, especially in those cases where deterrence makes a positive statement.
Thank God for patient police officers. How many people have that much forbearance?
I agree with you 100% on this issue Mas!
“Fear is a key ingredient that creates hatred” applies to so many front page problems in America today.
Provocative open carry is performed by stupid people, people of shallow and linear thought. people who cannot define, nor promote civil rights. people who have little else to offer the world other than their self-centered wish for momentary (in) fame. Remember I said it. Only stupid people carry openly in a provocative way/environment.
Don – PA….my words were imprecise I can see…I did mean to convey that Parks threatened “a lifestyle” and culture. That the bigoted attitudes and “lifestyle” retaliated out to enormous fear. To the point of hysteria. They lashed out in terrible anger and people died as a result. NOT that Rosa Parks threatened anyone directly with physical violence….Did I explain myself better this time ?
Jason From MI…if I didn’t confuse you and you are in fact interested in a pretty turbulent time in America here are two books that might shed some light on that time for you…There are a ton of books on the subject from both the leftists and and modern conservatives.
Juan Williams wrote an excellent chronology of the events. Though a liberal I believe it to be a fair accounting of the time.
“Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965”
The other book is rarely referenced but it too gives a perspective on things. Warning the author, Robert F. Williams (no relation to Juan), was an out and out Communist. But he was a player in the early days of the civil rights movement.
“Negroes with guns”
The comment that gun control comes from suppression of the blacks is interesting. I have thought about it. My whole life I know of no black men or women that carried a weapon in my presence other than black law enforcement officers, police or deputy sheriff type folks. The only other one was a friend of mine who was black and was an FBI agent stationed in New Orleans. I grew up about forty miles north of the Red River right on I35. And I have lived within 100 miles north of the red in south central Oklahoma all my life. I have worked in Arkansas, Ohio and Oklahoma and the same is true everywhere: only black people I ever saw with a gun was a LEO. Never saw a black hunter in Colorado, Wyoming either. Never thought about that before. Maybe you are right about what you said.
Yes, Michael – you can go to the head of the class now.
I said it near the end of that (123 responses!) torrent of commentary and I’ll say it here…the firearms in this case were just props in this attention whore’s little dickumentary, and it really pisses me off that he and others like him hijack a cause dear to me to cloak themselves in the force-field protections of the Second Amendment. It’s unstable wackjobs that create a perceived threat (guns don’t kill/threaten, people do…sound familiar?)
Did this prick strut his stuff with a couple of broadswords at battle-ready? No, he’d have been tasered, cuffed, and stuffed before he took ten steps and nobody would have noticed or cared except maybe to say “wow, what a nutball.”. He knows that a fair minority of 2A supporters see ANY criticism of ANY firearms activity as sacrosanct, and that he could twist the words and intent of the Framers, and trigger the emotional response of some gunnies to enable uncivilized and unpolite behavior and get his moment of twisted limelight by simply carrying a particular tool. Truth is, he’s just an asshole making asses out of a lot of intelligent people who should know better than to allow their treasured rights to be used in the bad, selfish, harmful drama play that this really was.
Does anyone believe that gay rights would be where they are today, if gay couples had refrained from offending the mainstream?
I have no carry a rifle open in limited circumstances such as walking around if on rural roads, heavily wooded areas, private properties of course, having a camp rifle at camp when your in the woods camping, in a boat while boating for self defense these days I am absolutely good with that, hunting of course.
Note all these are very case specific not designed to spook or frighten kids and innocents. NOT IN SCHOOLS with all past shootings,, NOT IN McDonald’s or WALMARTS. You need to thinking all the time while carrying open, how to respect others, how not to frighten people, you want to be the good guy.
Meaning to say I have nothing against opening carryinging of a rifle but;
I have to agree with Mass on this one. We are about to get open carry in Texas. I have had a CCW since they were instituted and carry daily but I do not intend to open carry. However, with that said I will feel more at ease with concealed carry and will not bother with a covering garment when checking the mail or putting out the trash.
The gains the gun owners’ civil rights movement have made can be attributed to decades of legal scholarship, working within the system, and reforming anti-gun laws which largely trace back to anti-black bias in the antebellum and Reconstruction-era south, anti-immigrant bias in the industrialized north, and culture war at multiple levels.
I can’t dispute the above. Each of those were and are vital. However, none of them would have made much headway, or any difference, had we not introduced people to shooting.
From the tens of thousands of NRA, Hunter Ed, 4-H, Boy Scout, and summer camp instructors, to all the gun owners who simply said, “Sure, I’ll take you to the range” and range folks who made visitors welcome, we got millions of new shooters. This is truly our “gun-rights inoculation” program, and provides the most important defense against gun control. Informed voters.
For example: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/gun-industrys-helping-hand-triggers-a-surge-in-college-shooting-clubs/2015/03/14/6bc31f4e-c8cd-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html
In the previous article a reader said that Arkansas is an “open carry” state. I read as many statutes associated with carrying handguns as I could find, I found nothing authorizing open carry in Arkansas. I emailed the state designated firearms safety instructor I went to when I renewed my CC license. He said he gets all updates on laws regarding handguns in Arkansas. He has received nothing that suggests open carry is legal in Arkansas. If folks carry an exposed weapon they may be arrested. If I am wrong I’d rather err on the side of cover my ass. :))
Once again you’ve hit the nail squarely on the head, Mas. Provocative open carry alienates the silent majority that typically supports the 2nd Amendment. An intelligent gun owner is not aggressive or rude.
What still bothers me is the distinction being made between “provocative” and “discrete” open carry when said open carry does not involve the carrying of long guns but solely the open carry of holstered handguns. There seems to me to be a common type of behavior at play that has nothing to do with the open carry of handguns but is instead the “dress-up” costume wearing of a small number of those who open carry – much like the same “dress up” costume wearing of a small number of those who carry concealed.
Wearing body armor (inside or outside of clothing) and the use of drop-leg holsters seems to be the major (but not only) “dress up” behavior that brinngs open carriers a bad name, closely followed by openly carrying holstered handgun versions of what are usually considered long guns – pistol ARs and AKs as well as the occassional holstered AOW short-barrel shotgun. The concealed carrry crowd has its own favorite forms of “dress up” that usually take the form of “shoot me first” vests and “the pants of 1000 pockets” tactical clothing and concommitant battel-rattle load-out of EDC gear. (While I agree that it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it I think some of the EDC excess can be compared to hauling around a blender because one never knows when they will desire a smoothie and its better ….
The problem seems to be that usually what Mas is calling “discrete” open carry gets lumped in with the “provocative” open carry. At the same time those who espouse the “tactical uniform” worn to conceal their holstered handgun are not being pointed out as being in any way provocative – even though the fact that they are carrying concealed is being broadcast for everyone to notice. It is that difference that, I think, makes open carriers feel as if the entire concealed carry camp is hypocritical in its dislike of open carrying.
Rather than defining the difference as being between “discrete” and “provocative” I often think the divide should be between “going about your everday business without calling special attention to yourself” and “wearing a clown suit”.
stay safe.
Anyone who doesn’t believe what fear will do need only look at the over reaction ( in the USA ) to the recent Ebola outbreak. Just as there is a time and place for open carry there are also any places where common sense should dictate that it is not in anyone’s best interest. Of course common sense has gone the way of good manners. On those occasions where I elect to not carry concealed, due to heat etc. I suspect that handgun carried at my beltline is probably not as threating as a gun as a western style rig hanging low on the hip.
The anti-cop attitude displayed by some open carry activists makes for strange bedfellows. I wonder what effect this demonstration will have on the lawmakers in the building in the background, who are on the verge of passing open carry in Texas? Hopefully none.
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/03/gun-group-loosely-affiliated-with-black-panther-party-marches-at-the-capitol.html/
Interesting article. With a fair view of thoughts from different angles. An intelligent argument/debate should always cover all aspects of the argument otherwise you sound stupid and narrow minded.
That being said, as a European, who lives in TX and had never really seen firearms until I moved to the US 20 yrs ago I can see different view points some valid, some biased and some just naïve. I have a CHL, competitively shoot, train weekly, professionally teach self protection with LE/Military and civilian members of the public in all aspects of self defense.
Many firearm owners do not have sufficient training, or have never trained outside of owning “guns” who are convinced that they have a right to own/carry etc….which is true. But I can’t help but feel that open carrying has many other possibilities……..It has the: Hey look at me I’m cool, label; It has the it’s my right to open carry, so I will, label; it has the I’m a tough guy, label; it has the mess with me you’re going down, label.
You can fill in your own here ” …………..” label.
Carrying rifles down the street claiming it’s your right ( it is ) doesn’t mean you should do it. Moreover, it does anger people and pi$$ them off. It puts everyone on edge, makes them nervous and scares children. Yes it makes people look at you and perhaps you like the attention, but not knowing your mental state at that moment makes me want to prepare to draw based on your movements or take you down and call LE. Based on the fact that you are a stranger to me ( yes a stranger ) and I don’t trust what your intentions are with that rifle.
For me, carrying concealed is by far a better way from a self defense standpoint. How many of the above people ( all who have valid points ) have trained with your firearm concealed and then undergone stress training? That is, grappling to keep your firearm from being taken from you, while standing, leaning against the counter ( I have seen a few CHL people doing this ), attempting to pull your firearm whilst being punched to ground, sitting etc…..
I digress…..Education as to why you open carry or conceal carry is so important, perhaps more so now, than ever.
First, open carry is allowed on your property, second, longarms, like Texas, are exempt from the criminal law regarding concealed carry.
Relevant Ark. Code
The statute on Carrying a Weapon may be found at Arkansas Code Annotated 5-73-120:
(a) A person commits the offense of carrying a weapon if he or she possesses a handgun, knife, or club on or about his or her person, in a vehicle occupied by him or her, or otherwise readily available for use with a purpose to employ the handgun, knife, or club as a weapon against a person.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) “Club” means any instrument that is specially designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious physical injury or death by striking, including a blackjack, billie, and sap;
(2) “Handgun” means any firearm with a barrel length of less than twelve inches (12”) that is designed, made, or adapted to be fired with one (1) hand; and
(3)(A) “Knife” means any bladed hand instrument that is capable of inflicting serious physical injury or death by cutting or stabbing.
(B) “Knife” includes a dirk, sword or spear in a cane, razor, ice pick, throwing star, switchblade, and butterfly knife.
(c) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that at the time of the act of carrying a weapon:
(1) The person is in his or her own dwelling, place of business, or on property in which he or she has a possessory or proprietary interest;
(2) The person is a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or member of the armed forces acting in the course and scope of his or her official duties;
(3) The person is assisting a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or member of the armed forces acting in the course and scope of his or her official duties pursuant to the direction or request of the law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or member of the armed forces;
(4) The person is carrying a weapon when upon a journey, unless the journey is through a commercial airport when presenting at the security checkpoint in the airport or is in the person’s checked baggage and is not a lawfully declared weapon;
(5) The person is a licensed security guard acting in the course and scope of his or her duties;
(6) The person is hunting game with a handgun that may be hunted with a handgun under rules and regulations of the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission or is en route to or from a hunting area for the purpose of hunting game with a handgun;
(7) The person is a certified law enforcement officer; or
(8) The person is in a motor vehicle and the person has a license to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to § 5-73-301 et seq.
(d)(1) Any person who carries a weapon into an establishment that sells alcoholic beverages is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both.
(2) Otherwise, carrying a weapon is a Class A misdemeanor.
No licenses are needed for longarms in Arkansas so thus it is exempt from . The statute would seem to exempt handguns with a barrel longer than 12 inches as well.
Act 746 of 2013 can be interpreted to allow open carry due to changes in the journey language above but this language has not been as far as I can tell been tested in court.
See Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_Arkansas
Jerry Miculek summed this up very well in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGslzXxDhEU.
The right to open carry should certainly be left alone. If I want to, I should be legally permitted to.
But I should realize the responsibility that I am taking onto myself when I choose to not be discreet. I would guess that less than half of the people that choose to open carry have any training or equipment to adequately secure a firearm.
I keep mine concealed. “Maybe I just like vests.” –Jerry Miculek
Licensed Open Carry passed the Texas Senate with a vote of 20 to 11. Next it has to be voted by the House. The Gov has already promised to sign it.
David beat me to it (2 comments above as I’m writing this). I like Jerry Miculek’s take on it, too.
I wouldn’t open-carry a long gun during my day-to-day life. It’s impractical, ungainly, and unnecessary unless your career demands it (which very few do; mine certainly doesn’t – tech support).
OC’ing a long gun to a rally, however, is a special case; a special occasion, if you will. Even so, I prefer to leave the AR at home and carry my scoped bolt-action rifle or my pump shotgun.
That said, even on the special occasions, if you’re OC’ing a long gun and NOT expecting to use it immediately, keep it slung on your back, and keep your hands off it except to avoid muzzling/bumping others with it. Across your back with hands off is the closest long-gun proxy there is to a visible, holstered handgun.
OC’ing a long gun on a chest-mounted rig (at the “low ready”) – like we see so many “open carry in your face” idiots doing – is the equivalent of “open-carrying” a handgun in your hand, in a firing grip. It’s a posture that screams, “I expect trouble, maybe from you, and I will respond.” Even at an OC rally, it’s unacceptable and it does nothing to further our cause.
It seems to me these Open Carry folks could do all the same marches with a full-sized Cardboard picture of their favorite rifle. Instead of the real thing. That way it’s all about their free Speech rights, and no one needs to worry about poor gun handling. It would turn there message from fear me, to wow there are a lot of folks who feel strongly about this issue.
Completely DISagree. I will not be renewing my subscription.
User “usagi” has not made a valid point either but instead has demonstrated a straw man fallacy.
Smoking is not a Constitutionally protected right. Open carrying a long gun properly does not negatively effect the health of others. Open carrying a AR-15 does not induce an asthma attack in child the way second-hand smoke can.
Whether we’re talking about eating or exercising our right to keep and bear arms, moderation is key. At the risk of oversimplifying the issues, open carry is akin to having that second slice of pie for dessert.
Discretion is indeed the better part of valor.
I would point out that there is Open Carry, of Fully Automatic firearms, by the Teachers in Israeli classrooms, and the only ones offended by it, may be the Terrorists that will get shot by those Teachers, if they try to kill the Israeli school children.
In our Public schools, where God, Duty, Honor, Country, and Moral Standards, are no longer taught, but they teach that being Gay, Lesbian, or Trans-Gender, are merely alternate life styles, I can’t see where much of anything would affront, offend, frighten either the Teacher, nor the Students?
Great posts – I especially like Kevin’s suggestion to have the OC folks use cardboard pictures! While I suspect some are using us to feed their egomania, I sincerely pray they are the smallest minority. Also, that they realize they are hurting us ALL far more than they are helping ANYONE. In other words, sacrifice your ego for the greater good, gentlemen.
Here is another fine specimen of American manhood just exercising his legal rights. I’ll bet he would love the fellowship of the “in your face” open carry activists. About as likely to make friends for their cause as he is for his own.
http://www.wbtv.com/story/28530671/police-say-naked-man-standing-in-doorway-is-not-breaking-law-neighbors-fed-up
Just kidding. He probably doesn’t give a darn if anybody does what he’s doing or not, just getting the same results as the guy in the open-carry/school video.
I remember a day when the men of the community wouldn’t bother the police with such as this. They would take care of this type of problem themselves.
VERY GOOD POST THANK YOU
Remasculated: I received your message that you marked “not for publication,” and have respected your wishes and not yet put it here. While I would be happy to discuss the matter with you one on one, since it began here I see no reason not to continue it here.
If you agree, with your permission, I’ll be happy to post it here and respond.
Cordially,
Mas
Excellent post. Thanks Mas
I can’t help but think about the encounter with a Texas game warden (he was too professional to call a rabbit sheriff) my friend and I had while hunting hogs down on the Richland WMA a few years ago. Here we are toting big-bore ARs with plenty of extra mags, plus sidearms and mags for those, as well as some decent knives, but he seemed pretty darn cool with it all, armed as he was with a Beretta, IIRC. We had a great chat and after he checked our licenses, we went our separate ways quite peaceably…while I know it wasn’t in the middle of downtown Dallas with lots of non-toters standing around pointing with jaws agape, I do wish we were in simpler times and such displays were the norm and not exceptions.
Randall – I suspect there are other reasons for your cancellation – you are merely choosing this to justify it. Mas’ reference to the original post by usagi is metaphorical.
Dennis – where DO you get these articles? The “naked man link” reminded me of a perv we had many years ago in the town where I grew up. He used to mow his lawn naked, albeit behind a high fence. You had to walk right up to the fence to see if he was TOTALLY naked, which was a running joke – “how did you KNOW he was naked?” Small town suburbia in the ’50’s!
For me, as a CHL holder, open carry is something I’d primarily do in open spaces. Put me in Big Bend National Park (please!) and I’d open carry a handgun to deal with an aggressive mountain lion or bear. Otherwise, I’d generally prefer to have two-legged predators ignorant of my armed status.
Don-Pa, Mostly from two sites. One that Mas mentioned several threads back……http://theconservativetreehouse.com/ and another I ran across on a Google search once………..http://weaselzippers.us/
Both have their own commentary, but have links to the original stories, allowing one to analyze for themselves the tone and veracity of the story. Many of their posts are true events never mentioned in the mainstream media, because they tend to conflict with their narrative.
Mas,
One of the things I learned from your Mag-40 course was the following: open carry laws are useful for the legal and responsible concealed carrier, because they prevent an armed citizen who poses no threat to the public from being labeled a felon if a gust of wind blows his/her coat in such a manner that the gun is innocently, and momentarily, displayed.
Otherwise, I believe that open carry is more likely to generate a 911 call about “man with a gun” than anything else.
The open carry discussion also varies widely by state and location. AZ has long had a history of legal open carry, well before CCW was even considered. While rare, it was not unusual. In most of the state it might not draw more interest from LE than a discussion of what type of holster, caliber is best etc. I know in the larger cities it would of gotten you hassled and possibly arrested by the police. In recent years the laws have been tightened up so harrassment by LEO is much less likely. In my home town and surrounding area you will see people openly carrying. Some are cowboys, prospectors or desert rats just in from the boonies. Others are nicely dressed ranchers in town for business, others just because they choose to. A couple of years ago the local WALMART was locked down as the police were looking for a possible criminal with a knife in the parking lot or store (incident started on a public bus). People were lined up waiting to leave and half a dozen or so were carrying openly. The police didn’t bother them at all. The only open carry of a long-arm I have noticed is going into or out from the gun shops.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:
Before you carry, determine WHY you are carrying, and then make it appropriate to your goals.
You’re carrying for personal protection? Well then, which is faster, easier to defend with angainst a sudden onslaught at close range: A holstered pistol convienent to grab and able to be manipulated one handed? Or a slung or hanging long gun? Its not a really tough question.
You’re carrying to influence policy and drive an agenda? Which will further your agenda more: A sedate, ordinary outfit, unremarkable to the general public, that hints at someone calm, organized and well off – carrying a holstered handgun in a manner that it seems as utilitarian as a cell phone? Or a camo clad weekend warrior, or someone looking like and inner city gang punk, carrying a AR-15 or AKM in a “tacticool” ready sling?
You’re on your way hunting, target shooting, ect.? Which is considered normal where you physicly are: An unloaded, cased long gun, a rifle / shotgun openly carried unloaded until you are in the field, or a firearm that looks at home in a war zone, carried loaded and at the ready?
You’re carrying “because you can” and “rights not exercised are lost”? See above – because we are still at the point of convincing the masses, so your only three real options are above.
100% with Mas on this one. As a Texas resident, those rapid OCer’s are doing a lot more harm than good. They are an insult to responsible gun owners and are only succeeding in making us all look like nutjobs. I’ve often wondered if at least some of them aren’t working with the anti’s for just that purpose
While I support the Second Amendment, own firearms, and have a CCW permit, I seriously question why anyone would wish to conduct “in your face” open carry, especially if the intent is to intimidate others who disagree with them. This tactic, in my opinion, eventually may cause many non-gun owners who support the right to bear arms to become frightened and back pernicious gun laws. Apparently the open-carry troglodytes aren’t clued into this potential backlash, which has happened as Mr. Ayoob’s article describes. Really smart, guys.
Mas, I agree whole heartedly. Now, I feel those who carry rifles into a wal mart, are in fact more anti-gun. All a small group has to do is, go out purchase a military style rifle, and parade around in public, telling those who would listen we’re for the 2nd amendment. If they can’t beat us through other means. They go out and scare the public. Using our rights against us.
Open carry drops crime rates. Cops don’t like it since it makes them look even more unnecessary. Ayoob is an ex-cop.
One of his arguments is that you conceal to surprise the bad guy. But if the bad guy sees an open carried gun, he will not even try. Just like a person will pet a friendly dog, and will not pet a dog baring his teeth. So his advice is to encourage the attack on yourself by making yourself look vulnerable.
This is a cop trying to keep the crime rate up and protect his craft from obsolescence.
Comments are closed.