Open carry encounter

[Birds Away]

I don't think we help ourselves when we refer to those who disagree with us as stupid, idiotic, or addled, and/or assume that they think we are evil. Many of the people who disagree with us are highly intelligent; they either are working with incomplete information, or they have the same information but draw different conclusions than we do. Maybe their minds can be changed, maybe not. However, treating them with disdain, either overtly or through tone of voice or body language, is guaranteed to destroy any chance of having a meaningful dialogue with them.

Stop and think about the logic at work here. To me this is very telling of the anti-gun crowd and how they think. You see a man carrying a deadly weapon and there is a question in your mind as to whether or not he is doing so legally and is "ok". This is where the logic train jumps the tracks. Your response is to confront said gentleman? Really? This is the same line of thinking that brings up "gun free zones". The mere fact that something is illegal will make it absolutely impossible to happen. How else can you describe such thinking other than "stupid, idiotic or addled"? If anything I give the OP credit for patience in the face of such idiocy.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I am human and I get annoyed from time to time, as do most folks. I was particularly annoyed by the way that Mr. Concerned Citizen approached me regarding my carrying of a firearm. His tact (or lack thereof) influenced my response, and I was quite snarky with the man. Could I have whipped out my badge and told him that everything was "OK"? Sure, but that isn't really the point. The guy didn't ask me any logical questions, and opened with "are you OK". It sounded like he was worried that I was not "OK" for God only knows what reasons. I don't owe random strangers any sort of explanations for my behavior, so long as it is within the law. Had Mr. Concerned Citizen changed his demeanor and altered his opening question to something like "do you have a license for that" then perhaps I would have had a different response. I won't be bullied by busybodies and as I said above, I don't owe Joe Schmoe any sort of explanation for perfectly normal (and legal) actions.

I wasn't there, I don't know you, and what I'm about to say is not a criticism of you, VU...but it's possible you've been in the big city too long. I'll illustrate by a boring story that happened to me. After living in Bloomington for a number of years we decided to buy a place in the country outside of Mitchell. I know bloomington isn't a "big city" but with all the college students around, non-Hoosiers that live there, and the larger population, it feels a lot more like one than Mitchell. So one day, shortly after moving, I had to go by the local hardware store to pickup a drill bit extension for a repair I needed to do. As I was checking out, the cashier and I exchanged pleasantries and as she picked up that drill bit extension, she started asking about it: what it was; what you did with it; how; etc. my initial reaction was it was none of her business and just ring the **** thing up! But then it dawned on me, she was just being friendly--a little nosy, yeah--but friendly. Which was quite different from "get your **** and get out" attitude I was accustomed to. Once I thought about it a second and remembered this friendliness quality was one of the reasons I wanted to move back to a small town, I slowed down and explained the purpose of that tool and we had a pleasant little chat.

 

[Dead Duck]

I wasn't there, I don't know you, and what I'm about to say is not a criticism of you, VU...but it's possible you've been in the big city too long. I'll illustrate by a boring story that happened to me. After living in Bloomington for a number of years we decided to buy a place in the country outside of Mitchell. I know bloomington isn't a "big city" but with all the college students around, non-Hoosiers that live there, and the larger population, it feels a lot more like one than Mitchell. So one day, shortly after moving, I had to go by the local hardware store to pickup a drill bit extension for a repair I needed to do. As I was checking out, the cashier and I exchanged pleasantries and as she picked up that drill bit extension, she started asking about it: what it was; what you did with it; how; etc. my initial reaction was it was none of her business and just ring the **** thing up! But then it dawned on me, she was just being friendly--a little nosy, yeah--but friendly. Which was quite different from "get your **** and get out" attitude I was accustomed to. Once I thought about it a second and remembered this friendliness quality was one of the reasons I wanted to move back to a small town, I slowed down and explained the purpose of that tool and we had a pleasant little chat.

Boy - She was really interested in your Drill Bit Extension .

Did you show her how it works?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Boy - She was really interested in your Drill Bit Extension .

Did you show her how it works?

Naaa...I kept my bit in my pants---------pocket.

 

[rhino]

I just thought of something re: people who have some kind of problem with people carrying guns as they choose who observe someone with a gun in a holster who isn't doing anything wrong. If you think they might be someone who will do something bad, the last thing you ought to do is approach them in a belligerent manner and challenge their behavior. If you're so threatened by the presence of their visible, holstered weapon, how can you possibly benefit from challenging them? If you think they won't do anything to harm you (which is implicit in challenging them), why challenge them?

So, yet another level of stupid is added.

rhino out!

 

[Kirk Freeman]

If you think they won't do anything to harm you (which is implicit in challenging them), why challenge them?

Heckler's veto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[iChokePeople]

I just thought of something re: people who have some kind of problem with people carrying guns as they choose who observe someone with a gun in a holster who isn't doing anything wrong. If you think they might be someone who will do something bad, the last thing you ought to do is approach them in a belligerent manner and challenge their behavior. If you're so threatened by the presence of their visible, holstered weapon, how can you possibly benefit from challenging them? If you think they won't do anything to harm you (which is implicit in challenging them), why challenge them?

So, yet another level of stupid is added.

rhino out!

+1. I thought it was just me.

 

[MTC]

Heckler's veto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Exactly.

 

[ScouT6a]

Also remember, just because the other guy approaches you acting like an ass clown, you don't know what he is carrying, his level of training or his level of crazy.
The old Murphy's law comes to mind. Professional soldiers are predictable but the world is full of amateurs.

 

[Dirtebiker]

I wasn't there, I don't know you, and what I'm about to say is not a criticism of you, VU...but it's possible you've been in the big city too long. I'll illustrate by a boring story that happened to me. After living in Bloomington for a number of years we decided to buy a place in the country outside of Mitchell. I know bloomington isn't a "big city" but with all the college students around, non-Hoosiers that live there, and the larger population, it feels a lot more like one than Mitchell. So one day, shortly after moving, I had to go by the local hardware store to pickup a drill bit extension for a repair I needed to do. As I was checking out, the cashier and I exchanged pleasantries and as she picked up that drill bit extension, she started asking about it: what it was; what you did with it; how; etc. my initial reaction was it was none of her business and just ring the **** thing up! But then it dawned on me, she was just being friendly--a little nosy, yeah--but friendly. Which was quite different from "get your **** and get out" attitude I was accustomed to. Once I thought about it a second and remembered this friendliness quality was one of the reasons I wanted to move back to a small town, I slowed down and explained the purpose of that tool and we had a pleasant little chat.

What if the cashier asked if you were "ok" to use the tool?

 

[jbombelli]

I just thought of something re: people who have some kind of problem with people carrying guns as they choose who observe someone with a gun in a holster who isn't doing anything wrong. If you think they might be someone who will do something bad, the last thing you ought to do is approach them in a belligerent manner and challenge their behavior. If you're so threatened by the presence of their visible, holstered weapon, how can you possibly benefit from challenging them? If you think they won't do anything to harm you (which is implicit in challenging them), why challenge them?

So, yet another level of stupid is added.

rhino out!

+1. I thought it was just me.

Nope. It's not just you guys. I find myself amazed at the amount of stupidity in "hey... I'm going to go be a **** to the guy with a gun."

 

[churchmouse]

+1. I thought it was just me.

I got pointed out for saying it was stupid and idiotic. Which I still see it as such. I can see this nut job in my mind.....I know people like this. They are about half a bubble off of plumb upstairs. No amount of rational thought will sway them in their mindset.

 

[nakinate]

It reminds me of an OC story someone posted on here where a Target employee was following them around the store. They finally were confronted and the employee said the OCer was scaring her. Who the heck follows around an armed threat and then confronts them? People are dumb.

 

[Bunnykid68]

It reminds me of an OC story someone posted on here where a Target employee was following them around the store. They finally were confronted and the employee said the OCer was scaring her. Who the heck follows around an armed threat and then confronts them? People are dumb.

I always follow things that scare me, have to keep an eye them. Up all night once trying to follow the bogeyman.

 

[nakinate]

I always follow things that scare me, have to keep an eye them. Up all night once trying to follow the bogeyman.

Well rabbits are easily scared, and they tend to freeze up when they feel threatened...so this makes perfect sense.

 

[MikeDVB]

I always follow things that scare me, have to keep an eye them. Up all night once trying to follow the bogeyman.

The bogeyman huh? Most are scared of the boogeyman but I can see why you would follow the bogeyman.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

What if the cashier asked if you were "ok" to use the tool?

I'm just offering another possible view here. Sometimes people don't necessarily frame their questions in the best manner. It just occured to me, the guy may have just being more curious than accusatory or confrontational. I realize it's entirely possible he was just being a nosey jerk too.

 

[MikeDVB]

I'm just offering another possible view here. Sometimes people don't necessarily frame their questions in the best manner. It just occured to me, the guy may have just being more curious than accusatory or confrontational. I realize it's entirely possible he was just being a nosey jerk too.

Are you sure you're ok to be posting here on INGO? I mean... Are you sure?



lol

 

[Bunnykid68]

Well rabbits are easily scared, and they tend to freeze up when they feel threatened...so this makes perfect sense.

 

[iChokePeople]

For the record, either I misunderstood my pointy-nosed friend, or some of you did. Not really sure which, at this point... But MY point was that I don't get the school of thought that says you avoid something that makes you nervous. I'm not talking abject horror like one might legitimately feel in the presence of clowns, of course, but about seeing someone doing something that makes me believe they're going to be a problem. Some here take the position that being "frightened"(/nervous/concerned/etc) about someone acting in a way that gets MY little voice talking is incongruent with following, watching, approaching, or engaging (hopefully just in conversation) the person.

i read rhino's post as quoting someone else taking that "why would someone confront an armed person" idea and pointing out its flaws... But maybe I misread him. For me, though, I look at it totally differently. Different strokes, I suppose.