Open carry of firearms tends to… well, it tends to start debates that– if held in person– would probably end up with the participants in the burn ward of the local hospital. (“It’s evil.” “No it’s not.” “It reminds people of the Wild West!” “Is that so bad?” “You’ve watched too many Westerns, you imbecile!” “Fill your hands, you son of a…”)
However, the real world is a tad different.
For instance, Linoge met a Canuck, and had a nice, rational, discussion:
One of the favorite memes of the anti-rights advocates of America (and, probably, the world) is that firearms, in and of themselves, frighten people, and their presence will chill conversation, and cause other people to give you a very wide berth.
Obviously, this is true for certain particularly-irrational individuals, but this is far from the universal constant the anti-rights advocates would have you to believe.
Today, while headed down to Atlanta, we stopped off at the Steak and Shake in Cleveland, Tennessee. I was openly carrying, as I have taken to always doing when not at work and not in the house, and stepped inside the restroom to wash my hands and such before perusing the menu. The facilities at this particular establishment are not terribly well laid out, and while I was washing my hands at one sink, I was blocking the paper towel dispenser for the other gentleman who had just finished using the other sink. I apologized, and did my best to scoot out of the way, and while he was drying his hands, he asked, “Is that real?” while gesturing at my side.
[...]
Did the presence of my firearm “chill conversations”? Hardly. It inspired a conversation I would not have had otherwise, and it facilitated an exchange of information that likewise would not have otherwise occurred – one party came out of the conversation with the knowledge of the rights we can enjoy, freely and peaceably, here in the States, and the other came out with the understanding of how oppressed our neighbors to the north really are.
And Robb flashes some people (easy to do with no pants) at a Dunkin’ Donuts:
I was in Dunkin Donuts this morning getting some coffee and munchkins when I reached back to get my wallet. Apparently, my shirt had snagged on my holster and viola… I had a negligent Open Carry.
[...]
Here I am in Florida, where OC is illegal and somehow in a room full of people, only one noticed the pistol on my hip. There were no screams of horror, no mad panic rush to escape, and (most thankfully for me) no calls to the Po-Po for ‘Man with a gun’.
Still, I need to be a hell of a lot more careful.
Where is the reaction? There was supposed to be a hysterical reaction! I mean, people openly carrying and flashing guns in public! What is this, the Wild West? I mean, according to gun control advocates, the reaction should’ve been something like this:
Maybe (just maybe) people aren’t evacuating stores (or their bowels) at the sight of a gun because it’s not the gun they’re afraid of? (You know, most adults aren’t afraid of objects…) Also, why is it that a private citizen carrying a sidearm openly (supposedly) causes mass panic, while a police officer doesn’t?
Bob S.
5 Apr 10 at 2:56 PM
Dixie,
I can speak to why a civilian is supposed to panic people while Cops don’t — I have been told it is because the LEOs are trained and we aren’t.
Yep.
Never mind the basic requirements for proficiency are very similar. Never mind that re-qualification is done annually or less in some cases.
Never mind that some of us practice and train more then LEOs.
Never mind that natural proficiency, skill or ability may suffice.
None of that matter because LEOs are trained.
Dixie
5 Apr 10 at 3:48 PM
“None of that matter because LEOs are trained.”
I train more often (and more vigorously) with my backup .380 than my local PD does with their sidearm. If they’re “trained,” what does that make me?
Bob S.
5 Apr 10 at 9:38 PM
A liar according to many of the antis that I’ve talked to
Sorry but that is the party line and they are sticking to it.
Besides you are just training to kill, not to know when to defuse a situation (as if we can’t figure that out),or when to use or not a firearm (again as if we can’t figure that out) or you don’t know the laws (many gun owners know the laws better then the LEOs).
I’ve posted several times on the proficiency qualifications for the Texas Basic LEO proficiency and the Texas CHL proficiency.
They are darn near identical.
But try to pin an anti down about what training is needed and see where that gets you.
If you really want to make them blow their stack, suggest if training is so important that we teach it in elementary and high school.
Dixie
5 Apr 10 at 11:20 PM
Besides you are just training to kill, not to know when to defuse a situation…
“You can say ‘stop’ or ‘alto’ or use any other word you think will work, but I’ve found that a large bore muzzle pointed at someone’s head is pretty much the universal language.” — Clint Smith
Linoge
5 Apr 10 at 10:11 PM
*snickers* Ok, that video is awesome.
In other news, you must be intent on overinflating my ego or something, what with all of the links and whatnot – thanks, though.
Something tells me that the “ZOMG, people with GUNZ!” mentality propagandized by the anti-rights advocates is nothing more than another example of their continuous fearmongering for the sake of fearmongering – just like “blood in the streets”, a rational person can see through the fallacy in a heartbeat, but it makes for great publicity/news briefs. And, just like “BITS”, it somehow never quite seems to come true.
I mean, for God’s sake, a Canadian did not even had a problem with me openly carrying – how much more of a bubble-pop do you need?
Dixie
5 Apr 10 at 11:23 PM
In other news, you must be intent on overinflating my ego or something, what with all of the links and whatnot – thanks, though.
(Shrug) I try to do all my writing in themes, which usually ends up with me using a lot of links from one person. (chuckle) And I figured the Canadian story would end up with you handcuffed, on the ground, with Mr. Canuck wailing “that’s him, the bad man WITH A GUN!” I was pleasantly surprised.