The Open Carry Argument

[88GT]

So no one can vote then? How about speak?

For future reference, Steve is an OC advocate. Any post in this thread bashing OC/OCers should be read in purple.

 

[protias]

For future reference, Steve is an OC advocate. Any post in this thread bashing OC/OCers should be read in purple.

Well, that would be helpful to know before hand!

 

[SteveM4A1]

Well, that would be helpful to know before hand!

I apologize. Sometimes I just can't stop myself.

 

[88GT]

Well, that would be helpful to know before hand!

Yeah, there are a few of us who like to use stealth purple.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

"Stealth Purple". I love it and will use it with permission.

 

[88GT]

"Stealth Purple". I love it and will use it with permission.

Go ahead. I'm putting it in the public domain for free use.

 

[femurphy77]

Well I for one am happy to read reverend whatsis editorial. Until that moment I never knew oc'ing was brandishing. Now A'm Skeered!

 

[cmr13]

Apparently, Cleveland.com wanted to get both sides of the issue covered. Here the Reverends take. Same publication date as the Ohio Cary dude.

Brandishing guns creates fear and erodes our peace: the Rev. David Hill | cleveland.com

It was pointed out in the comments but I noticed this: "All this fuss is not about hunting or target shooting; it is about carrying guns in public as a means of self-defense. Which raises the question: what are these folks so afraid of? Statistically, they place themselves at far greater risk simply getting behind the wheel of a car than anything they are likely to encounter at a Starbucks or Target store.

That's problem with fear – it's often irrational. It's also contagious. While the gun advocates were visiting one of our playgrounds some local Oberlin residents, clearly not anticipating armed people in the park, arrived with their kids. After gathering together to discuss the matter they left because they felt the park was not safe for their children. Their fears were not unfounded. A fully loaded ammunition cartridge was left unattended on a picnic bench and would have remained there if a local resident had not brought it to the attention of the gun advocates as they were departing for home."

Yet this guy has an irrational fear of law abiding citizens carrying guns.

OH NO A FULLY LOADED AMMUNITION CARTRIDGE! What does that even mean? If it was a "fully loaded ammunition cartridge" that was fully loaded with powder then it would probably be an overpressure risk. Maybe that's what he was talking about.

 

[abuckle]

I carry concealed personally, 1. my behavior is judged (good or bad) and I am sure I can leave the "gun carrying people" a bad name somehow because of something, ex. a person thinks I pulled out in front of them and all of the sudden all gun carrying people are crazy, when that person sees me get out of my car and go into the store. 2. Whether I want it or not I become a target in some capacity, of people's ridicule, a crime, or something else. 3. people who are robbing can get desperate or are strung out and may not think much about level of crime, so much as they think survival themselves. What I mean is they want to survive, that may be why they are robbing in the first place. If they are threatened at all by a gun carrying citizen, they may not abort, rather go into a further state of survival and begin shooting you first. But this is just a theory and I have seen plenty of videos that would disagree with me.

 

[protias]

So what you are saying is, you didn't read the article?

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

So what you are saying is, you didn't read the article?

 

[abuckle]

HAHA well I did, but still not convinced his line of thinking was a for me. He made some assumptions that you would not be a target with open carry. I would like to see more evidence before I agreed and committed to the practice myself.

 

[Rhoadmar]

HAHA well I did, but still not convinced his line of thinking was a for me. He made some assumptions that you would not be a target with open carry. I would like to see more evidence before I agreed and committed to the practice myself.

Does your average criminal look for hard or easy targets? If my gun is hidden, which type of target do I resemble ?

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

HAHA well I did, but still not convinced his line of thinking was a for me. He made some assumptions that you would not be a target with open carry. I would like to see more evidence before I agreed and committed to the practice myself.

How can anyone provide evidence of someone not being targeted? You have to show evidence that someone was targeted.

 

[88GT]

HAHA well I did, but still not convinced his line of thinking was a for me. He made some assumptions that you would not be a target with open carry. I would like to see more evidence before I agreed and committed to the practice myself.

The oodles of OCers who post here on a regular basis about where they carried isn't enough evidence?

Or perhaps the lack of stories wherein OCers were shot (at) despite having no other connection to the crime other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Just what the hell are you looking for if reality isn't enough?

 

[MikeDVB]

HAHA well I did, but still not convinced his line of thinking was a for me. He made some assumptions that you would not be a target with open carry. I would like to see more evidence before I agreed and committed to the practice myself.

 

[cbhausen]

DISCLAIMER: I CARRY OPENLY. DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!

I did find a news story about an OC getting his gun stolen, here it is:

Guy with the gun robbed of his gun, because he had one. Was the robber afraid? Don't think so. - YouTube

Instances like this (and OCers being targeted) are so rare I'll continue to "take my chances". I'm absolutely certain many more violent crimes are prevented (in an undocumentable way) by OCing and I would say my odds of my OCing thwarting a potential violent attack FAR outweigh my odds of being targeted or having my sidearm stolen.

To each his own, though. JUST CARRY!

 

[SteveM4A1]

DISCLAIMER: I CARRY OPENLY. DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!

I did find a news story about an OC getting his gun stolen, here it is:

Guy with the gun robbed of his gun, because he had one. Was the robber afraid? Don't think so. - YouTube

Instances like this (and OCers being targeted) are so rare I'll continue to "take my chances". I'm absolutely certain many more violent crimes are prevented (in an undocumentable way) by OCing and I would say my odds of my OCing thwarting a potential violent attack FAR outweigh my odds of being targeted or having my sidearm stolen.

To each his own, though. JUST CARRY!

This one has been discussed on here before, and one of the LEOs on here has had some instances of OCers being robbed as well. Were they targeted specifically for OC? Maybe. Probably. I don't know. I do know situational awareness could have prevented most, if not all, of the incidents I have heard of. Personally, when I am in situations where I think my SA will be unsatisfactory, I conceal.

 

[ATM]

Years ago, when that story broke, there were several attempts to follow up for more investigation details, police reports, etc. but it was a dead end with nothing further to be found.

Many wrote it off as just a possible staged attempt to get concealed carry passed in Wisconsin (only open carry was allowed at the time). I guess it worked.

If he really did get robbed at gunpoint despite being visibly armed, there is still no reason to believe he was targeted specifically for that fact.

 

[cbhausen]

Furthermore, CCers have had their weapons taken in armed robberies too. Good SA is the best deterrent. Fighting your way out from OC or CC once someone has the drop on you will most likely not end well for the intended victim. As always, there are examples of this working out for the GG (like when the BG tried to rob a cop at a gas pump and the cop drew and shot him in the face).