open carry protestors

[Trigger Mike]

obviously i approve of firearms. What I question is the wisdom to attend these BLM protest marches carrying a firearm to promote open carry. In Dallas we saw an example of why it is not a good idea. Once the thug started shooting those carrying firearms were seen leaving the scene and some anti gun groups posted it shows that a weapon being there did not stop the shooting, thus turned our argument against us. others carrying rifles on their back reported to the police it was not them as they were afraid of becoming suspects. Just because we can openly carry does not mean that we should. Why expose ourselves to trouble by attending someone else's protest march. We add to the security problem as police focus on us instead of the real problems and miss things like the shooter in Dallas. Police get numb to seeing legitimate citizens openly carrying so when a thug does it, he gets missed.

 

 

I am not saying someone does not have a right to do it, I am saying it is not smart to do it. Besides, even police officers are encouraged to not wear parts of their uniform when off duty for fear they will stand out to a criminal and be targeted first. why make ourselves a target when we can keep it hidden from view and be ready to help if need be?

[Rye Miles #13621]

Ohio is an open carry state, it's going to be interesting to see what happens at the RNC convention. The Black Panthers are planning on coming and open carrying and so are the Hell's Angels along with a couple Ohio gun rights groups!

 

Stay tuned…………………….

[flat iron mike]

I guess I just don't get the logic of open carry.

Most lawful people reach a point in their lives when physical abilities are no longer on their side in a bad, possibly life threating,

situation. It is then , that the element of surprise can be the trump card that swings the end game to their favor.

I'm all for ccw on a law abiding, practiced individual.

Why antagonize a nut job that may be near by.

 

Just saying, IMHO

 

Flat Iron Mike

[Tell Sackett SASS 18436]

Well, let's see.....

Just because we have the RIGHT to say what we want doesn't mean we should.

Right, Trigger Mike? Seems to be your logic.

 

If you don't exercise your rights, you won't have them.

On second thought, maybe we don't have them anymore.

[Alpo]

Let me add something.

 

"...What I question is the wisdom to attend these BLM protest marches..."

 

That seems to be where you should have stopped.

 

If you are not one of those "protesters" (rioters/looters), WHY IN THE HELL ARE YOU THERE?

 

Carying or not carrying, openly or concealed, don't matter.

 

If you ain't one of them, what are you doing there?

[Shootin' Shu]

Cleveland is going to be ground zero next week for every nut job/group out there. The best place in the world not to be.

[Cat Brules]

 

I think a people should do what they think is best.

 

That doesn't always work out well for them, but they have to live and learn just like we did.

 

Cat Brules

[Buffalo Douglas]

I do support open carry. I think doing it at a BLM or similar protest as some sort of counter-protest is probably in bad taste, and in my opinion would incite more tension than is already present. I fully support those who have their own open carry walks, and I wouldn't fault someone who did carry at one of these events, but I personally would not do either. It's just too much attention. I regularly exercise my right to carry, but carry concealed. I don't want to cause anyone who isn't a gun person to be alarmed, and I don't particularly want to let anyone know what/where I am carrying.

 

I suppose that on the other hand, regularly open carrying would reduce the shock of seeing guns on people who aren't police. It's just not my cup of tea. At least not at this point in my life.

[Utah Bob #35998]

Cleveland is going to be ground zero next week for every nut job/group out there. The best place in the world not to be.

+1

[SlicLee SASS #16638 Life]

IMO the more people that carry guns openly the sooner everyone will get used to seeing guns again.

If you want to hide yours, its OK with me, but not mine.

[Seldom Seen #16162]

We are having a hot, wet, humid summer. Yesterday the temperatures was in the 90's with the heat index 106 degrees.

 

Hot, wet, humid weather means for dressing in lighter clothing.Generally this means carrying a smaller, less powerful gun for concealment.

 

Tempers are shorter during hot weather. Folks argue more and get angier quicker. This means it is more likely I will need a gun than when it is cold.

 

I am a honest man. Why should I have to hide exercising my right to carry just because someone may take offense?

 

What makes you think folks open carrying in Dallas made it any worse? Reports by the anti-gun media?

 

I am upgrading to carrying a full size high capacity 9mm. Rather than trying to conceal it and trying to overcome a slower draw with Open Carry it is convenient, comfortable and easier to draw.

 

What is the point of having a right if you do not exercise it?

 

What proof do you have that folks that are Open Carrying are targeted first by criminals?

[Rye Miles #13621]

We are having a hot, wet, humid summer. Yesterday the temperatures was in the 90's with the heat index 106 degrees.

 

Hot, wet, humid weather means for dressing in lighter clothing.Generally this means carrying a smaller, less powerful gun for concealment.

 

Tempers are shorter during hot weather. Folks argue more and get angier quicker. This means it is more likely I will need a gun than when it is cold.

 

I am a honest man. Why should I have to hide exercising my right to carry just because someone may take offense?

 

What makes you think folks open carrying in Dallas made it any worse? Reports by the anti-gun media?

 

I am upgrading to carrying a full size high capacity 9mm. Rather than trying to conceal it and trying to overcome a slower draw with Open Carry it is convenient, comfortable and easier to draw.

 

What is the point of having a right if you do not exercise it?

 

What proof do you have that folks that are Open Carrying are targeted first by criminals?

Good point Seldom, I have NEVER seen a report that anyone with a open carry was targeted by criminals. NEVER! I support open carry but I choose not to, I'd rather conceal my firearm but I do cherish the right that I have to choose!

[Pit Bull Tex]

I carry a 45 all the time.I never go out of my house with out a 45.I never open carry and will never open carry.I hope I never have to use my pistol again but will if needed.I have had my CCL from the first time it was offered in Texas.I carry one of two Colt 45s 1911s.

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838]

Open carry passed in Texas because it was an offense if the wind blew open your coat and someone saw your firearm. Or if a slight outline was visible under your shirt. I carry a Colt Commander 45 ACP when ever I go out but its concealed. I prefer no one knows I am armed. Why someone would want to openly display a firearm is beyond me but that's their right, just not for me. Im glad open carry passed in Texas because its windy in the panhandle and in summer a t-shirt doesn't always conceal everything.

I buy X-large t-shirts for that reason. and I only weight 170# at 5'10".

To each his own....

[Al OVERA, SASS#26238 Life]

When I was in the military (long ago) we were taught to take out the greatest threat first (machine gunners) than concentrate on the rest. IMHO, an open carried (displayed) handgun is the greatest threat to an assailant, thus the first target.

I do support open carry, just choose not to for the above reason.

Al

[Yul Lose]

It used to be legal to openly carry a firearm in Commiefornia.........it had to be unloaded though, huh!!! So a bunch of folks decided to start protesting Commiefornia gun laws by carrying unloaded guns in public in large groups and in busy public places to excercise their 2nd Amendment rights. Well the liberals and leftists and Marxists and other progressives got so scared of people in public with unloaded guns that they got the liberal, leftist, Marxist, progressives that control all of Commiefornia government to ban the open carry of unloaded guns.

 

So some of you folks in the free states might wonder and have said on occasion "Vote them out". but unfortunately the liberals and leftists and Marxists and progressives that run Commiefornia have made it so easy to get handouts of government money (taxpayers money) that people who depend on the free money will vote all of those politicians back into office so that they can continue to gorge on the free money.

 

There is a happy ending to this story however.....uh no there's not!!!

[Subdeacon Joe]

Good point Seldom, I have NEVER seen a report that anyone with a open carry was targeted by criminals. NEVER! I support open carry but I choose not to, I'd rather conceal my firearm but I do cherish the right that I have to choose!

 

 

Just like they don't target cops, right?

 

 

Unless the person has a rifle or shotgun, or has a western rig on, most likely very few people will notice.

[Lead Monger]

When I was in the military (long ago) we were taught to take out the greatest threat first (machine gunners) than concentrate on the rest. IMHO, an open carried (displayed) handgun is the greatest threat to an assailant, thus the first target.

I do support open carry, just choose not to for the above reason.

Al

agree big time.

If I was a bad guy the first shot I'd fire would be at the person I saw armed. Why make yourself a target?

[Matthew Duncan]

Both open carry and concealed carry have their place. It depends on the circumstance.

 

We still have the right to wear ski mask. You can wear one on the top of your head or pulled down over your face. Both methods have there places. If you Walk into a bank with the ski mask over your face the rest of your day may not go as you had planned.

[Dantankerous]

I have personally see open carry DE-escalate a potentially bad situation. Twice.

 

I have yet to personally see open carry create a bad situation.

 

Sure, there are examples on the media, few and far between, involving folks who perhaps OC'd at the wrong place at the wrong time (Dallas recently... what were the odds?) but personal experience (I only OC at cowboy matches ) has not shown to be a problem starter. Maybe it's just where I live?

[Blackwater 53393]

Most criminals and potential criminals are cowards!! The sight of an armed individual gives most of them the fantods! This is according to research done in prisons across the nation. It takes a truly hardened and confident individual to attack an armed citizen. You never know if the guy carrying the gun has his bark on or not!!

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

If a person wants to open carry - no prob, their choice their RIGHT!

 

As a supporter of our 2nd Amendment right it's discouraging to see those that support only CCW disparage Open Carry citizens. We must support ALL factions of our 2nd Amendment regardless of 'tactical' reasons or whatever.

 

GG ~

[Czexican Dave]

My Texas handgun carry permit class instructor is the chief-of-police of a nearby town. He says he always carries, but open only when in uniform, and always concealed when in street clothes. Their department's philosophy is that if you are the only person openly armed in a business or gathering, you are likely going to be the one who takes the bad guy's first round to the back of your head.

 

I have the right to open carry. I support the right to open carry (hopefully along with a measure of common sense.) I have scores of friends and family with carry permits, but I have yet to see a single person open carry, except on TV. I almost always carry, but no one knows, and that's the way I prefer it.

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

If a person wants to open carry - no prob, their choice their RIGHT!

 

As a supporter of our 2nd Amendment right it's discouraging to see those that support only CCW disparage Open Carry citizens. We must support ALL factions of our 2nd Amendment regardless of 'tactical' reasons or whatever.

 

GG ~

+1

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

Their department's philosophy is that if you are the only person openly armed in a business or gathering, you are likely going to be the one who takes the bad guy's first round to the back of your head.

 

 

Is their any data to support this?

What data supports that an openly armed person would/may likely deter a criminals intentions?

[Dantankerous]

The police department's policy might be more common sense than not. I would be reasonably certain that their department's policy is not based on faulty logic. And I would not want to be the first one to take that round in the back of my head to start building data.

[Colonel Dan, SASS #24025]

If a person wants to open carry - no prob, their choice their RIGHT!

 

As a supporter of our 2nd Amendment right it's discouraging to see those that support only CCW disparage Open Carry citizens. We must support ALL factions of our 2nd Amendment regardless of 'tactical' reasons or whatever.

 

GG ~

 

+1

 

Good perspective GG

[Rye Miles #13621]

Hey guess what folks, NOTHING happened in Cleveland at the RNC!!!!

 

News flash: Open carry law abiding citizens didn't cause any trouble!!

 

All the reports of chaos in the streets were wrong! I'm proud of my hometown and the police who did a GREAT JOB with security!

 

Cavs won the NBA Championship, The Indians are in first place in the Central division and the RNC went off smoothly and safely!

 

Yes it's true…….CLEVELAND ROCKS!!