WHY I CARRY OPENLY

[cedartop]

Okay, I don't usually. Just thought I would link to this article as I have always liked Cope. Hope this hasn't been posted already.

WHY I CARRY OPENLY

So, here we are in an age where carrying a gun has become increasingly both necessary and socially unacceptable. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Or maybe it should be "frowned on if you do and DEAD if you don't". Some of us are so eager to please others or at least reluctant to offend them, that we either don't carry at all (unless we're with a certain group of friends) or are paranoid about someone seeing it or finding out about it. Carrying concealed or openly is, for the most part, purely a personal decision but I would like to try to clear the water a bit for those that are struggling with this decision.

I carry both openly and concealed, depending on the circumstances. Openly about 99.975% of the time and concealed for those few times when I think it would be prudent. I am not against carrying concealed (CC), I just don't usually see the point in it where I live. When I go to some larger cities or areas where I am in close proximity to hordes of people that I don't know, I may carry concealed. When I go to the theater, I conceal. Not because it’s law but because it’s common sense.

see the rest. THE SHOOTING BENCH!: WHY I CARRY OPENLY

 

[Bunnykid68]

That looks very similar to this https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...lf_defense/71996-the_open_carry_argument.html

 

[88GT]

Okay, I don't usually. Just thought I would link to this article as I have always liked Cope. Hope this hasn't been posted already.

WHY I CARRY OPENLY

So, here we are in an age where carrying a gun has become increasingly both necessary and socially unacceptable. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Or maybe it should be "frowned on if you do and DEAD if you don't". Some of us are so eager to please others or at least reluctant to offend them, that we either don't carry at all (unless we're with a certain group of friends) or are paranoid about someone seeing it or finding out about it. Carrying concealed or openly is, for the most part, purely a personal decision but I would like to try to clear the water a bit for those that are struggling with this decision.

I carry both openly and concealed, depending on the circumstances. Openly about 99.975% of the time and concealed for those few times when I think it would be prudent. I am not against carrying concealed (CC), I just don't usually see the point in it where I live. When I go to some larger cities or areas where I am in close proximity to hordes of people that I don't know, I may carry concealed. When I go to the theater, I conceal. Not because it’s law but because it’s common sense.

see the rest. THE SHOOTING BENCH!: WHY I CARRY OPENLY

Correction: because it's the prudent thing to do when I don't want to risk/deal with a particular set of consequences for carrying openly.

There is no common sense issue to it. It all boils down to consequences, opportunity costs, and risk aversion.

 

[CPT Nervous]

I'm not getting why it would ever be common sense to conceal. -1

 

[cedartop]

I'm not getting why it would ever be common sense to conceal. -1

Ha ha, tough crowd.

 

[ATM]

For the record, his "common sense" reason for concealing in a movie theater is explained later in the essay as he resides in a state that anti-gun signage has the weight of law and if a place doesn't like it, they post a sign.

...Our CCW law states, as most do, that if a business or individual puts up a sign saying "No Guns" that means no guns, openly or concealed, permit or not. So, if we walk in someplace that is NOT posted and try to force our right to carry on them, all they have to do is put up a sign and your right to carry is gone without changing the law. At least in that particular place. THAT's why I don't open carry in the theater.

However, this one seemed familiar and is a dupe: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry_issues_and_self_defense/11237-why_i_open_carry.html

(A very well written dupe, and a breath of fresh air to reread again after several years.)

 

[cedartop]

Sorry about the dupe. I saw that the date on his blog post was 10 June 2013 and assumed it was new.

 

[ATM]

The original thread turned into quite the OC/CC debate


...shocker, huh?

 

[CPT Nervous]

Did anyone hear that the Lifetime carry permit is going away? My Brink's firearms instructor told me that today...

 

[aaron580]

I conceal carry when I am at my jobs, just because I conceal so well that I never need to get into a discussion about it (though both jobs are pro 2A). the other times, I OC.

 

[griffin]

Sorry about the dupe. I saw that the date on his blog post was 10 June 2013 and assumed it was new.

??? It's not a dupe, just somewhat similar. Unless I'm missing something.

 

[88GT]

For the record, his "common sense" reason for concealing in a movie theater is explained later in the essay as he resides in a state that anti-gun signage has the weight of law and if a place doesn't like it, they post a sign.



However, this one seemed familiar and is a dupe: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry_issues_and_self_defense/11237-why_i_open_carry.html

(A very well written dupe, and a breath of fresh air to reread again after several years.)

Would he then be saying that it's common sense to violate the law?

Still seems more accurate to say that it's about consequence avoidance and not common sense. Different person with different priorities might see and weigh the options differently. Is one employing less common sense than the other?

Am I arguing semantics? Yes, yes, I am. But I really, really dislike the association of "common sense" with carrying firearms in anything other than safety issues because it implies that a decision made in opposition to the prevailing "common sense" choice lacks common sense. I'm not a big fan of false dilemmas.

 

[ATM]

Would he then be saying that it's common sense to violate the law?

Still seems more accurate to say that it's about consequence avoidance and not common sense. Different person with different priorities might see and weigh the options differently. Is one employing less common sense than the other?

Am I arguing semantics? Yes, yes, I am. But I really, really dislike the association of "common sense" with carrying firearms in anything other than safety issues because it implies that a decision made in opposition to the prevailing "common sense" choice lacks common sense. I'm not a big fan of false dilemmas.

I agree with your point on poor choice of terms in that case and in general usage.

??? It's not a dupe, just somewhat similar. Unless I'm missing something.

The link I posted is an actual duplicate.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

here we are in an age where carrying a gun has become increasingly both necessary and socially unacceptable.

Increasingly necessary? Crime is dropping like a stone in all categories.

Socially unacceptable? More and more states, even Illinois, permit carrying of handguns. More and more states have gone from permit system to constitutional carry or deregulated their permits/licenses.

What evidence do you cite that carrying a gun is socially unacceptable?

 

[92ThoStro]

Increasingly necessary? Crime is dropping like a stone in all categories.

Socially unacceptable? More and more states, even Illinois, permit carrying of handguns. More and more states have gone from permit system to constitutional carry or deregulated their permits/licenses.

What evidence do you cite that carrying a gun is socially unacceptable?

I can count the instances people have relayed to me that carrying is socially unacceptable on one hand. And 3 out of 4 of them were only carrying openly, they were fine with CC...lol

 

[ATM]

It was originally written in 2006 if that makes any difference.

 

[CathyInBlue]

The original thread turned into quite the OC/CC debate


...shocker, huh?

A thread on concealed carry or open carry turned into a OC vs. CC debate flame war? That can't ever happen on INGO. I think you're lying.

 

[Spike_351]

Increasingly necessary? Crime is dropping like a stone in all categories.

Socially unacceptable? More and more states, even Illinois, permit carrying of handguns. More and more states have gone from permit system to constitutional carry or deregulated their permits/licenses.

What evidence do you cite that carrying a gun is socially unacceptable?

ah hah! Good one Kirk, instead of turning into an oc/cc debate we have a debate on the actual nessecity of carrying. I love it! I am proud of INGO .......tagged for interest

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Happy to help.

 

[Aaron1776]

For the life of me I'll never understand why people think that OC or CC is the "best" way to carry.

It really boils down to circumstances and what you're comfortable with.

OC= faster on the draw, conversation starter, and getting Americans used to seeing guns again

CC= not tipping your hand (especially in large, crowded areas), not making others uncomfortable, and avoiding confrontation with stupid store managers.

What you do will be 100% dictated by your preferences and circumstances.

I personally don't OC as much as I used to because I don't like tipping my hand to violent criminals of Indianapolis, but I don't condem those that do. I also have been known to OC and have quite the conversation starters with curious folks. Especially in red states, people are more interested in talking with you about it and learning than starting arguments.

I'm just happy that you have a gun on you. Why does anyone else care how you do it?