Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: Perd Hapley on January 05, 2016, 05:05:21 PM

Title: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 05, 2016, 05:05:21 PM
I'm of the mind that when you're being attacked for something, that is exactly the time to flaunt it, and let people know you're not going anywhere. Add to that the fact that the gun control frenzy of the past several months is just getting really old. All of the same myths and lies and non-solutions to non-problems, and then President Fast&Furious (D-Chicago) had to shoot the big mouth off about the gun laws in my state. So I'm going to quit concealing my sidearm for the next little while. Just to let the Luddites know that guns exist, people carry them safely, and people may as well get used to it.

Maybe more of us should do the same. I know it's not for everyone, and some of you are more concerned about the element of surprise. I won't tell you what to do.

FWIW, when I carry openly, I like to use a thumb-break holster, and keep my hands out of my pockets. And situational awareness is always important.

So that's where I am.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: dogmush on January 05, 2016, 05:19:08 PM
I have stopped concealing my side arm.  VA kind of pissed me off on the reciprocity thing, so I'm not even waiting til Feb 1.  So far no drama.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: MechAg94 on January 05, 2016, 05:25:08 PM
Concealed carry is what I am used to and all my good holsters are IWB.  At least I don't have to worry about my shirt hanging up on my pistol.

I agree with your point about flaunting something when getting attacked.  If you support it and want it, there is no reason to crawfish and apologize.  That is part of why I love having Trump in the Republican presidential race. 
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: dogmush on January 05, 2016, 05:26:58 PM
If you support it and want it, there is no reason to crawfish and apologize. 

Auto-correct or colloquialism I am unfamiliar with?

I kind like the visual....
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: RoadKingLarry on January 05, 2016, 05:42:30 PM
Colloquialism.
A crawfish moves by scurrying backwards when threatened.
Hence, if you crawfish you are backing away from a fight.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: dogmush on January 05, 2016, 05:46:40 PM
Awesome.  I'm adding that to the repertoire.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Battle Monkey of Zardoz on January 05, 2016, 06:11:51 PM
While I do not OC, and probably will never do so, I don't look down or judge those who do.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: lee n. field on January 05, 2016, 06:18:21 PM
I'm of the mind that when you're being attacked for something, that is exactly the time to flaunt it, and let people know you're not going anywhere. Add to that the fact that the gun control frenzy of the past several months is just getting really old. All of the same myths and lies and non-solutions to non-problems, and then President Fast&Furious (D-Chicago) had to shoot the big mouth off about the gun laws in my state. So I'm going to quit concealing my sidearm for the next little while. Just to let the Luddites know that guns exist, people carry them safely, and people may as well get used to it.

Maybe more of us should do the same. I know it's not for everyone, and some of you are more concerned about the element of surprise. I won't tell you what to do.

FWIW, when I carry openly, I like to use a thumb-break holster, and keep my hands out of my pockets. And situational awareness is always important.

So that's where I am.

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.fastcompany.net%2Fmultisite_files%2Ffastcompany%2Fimagecache%2Finline-large%2Finline%2F2013%2F11%2F3021307-inline-fb-thumbsup-printpackaging.jpg&hash=ca7e6f05fbdb03bb548faa7f06996dc1ef7d5d98)
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: MechAg94 on January 05, 2016, 09:48:48 PM
Awesome.  I'm adding that to the repertoire.
I have spent my entire life in Central Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast.  Crawfish are common anywhere you get a decent amount of water, or just occasional water sometimes.  As kids, we used to try to catch them after big rains or when small streams dry up.  I guess that verb is in common use down here.

Do lobster move the same way?  No experience with them beyond the tank at seafood joints. 
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 05, 2016, 10:52:17 PM
I don't know the range of crawdads, but we had them in east central Missouri, when I was a kid.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Jocassee on January 05, 2016, 11:41:21 PM
To me, nothing says competence like a nice pistol in a nice rig, carried openly. Carry on, Fistful.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Scout26 on January 06, 2016, 12:13:36 AM
I always OC were legal.   Simply because I hate having it jammed into my side.  It should be carried openly as G-d and JMB (PBUH) intended.

Maybe it is making a political statement, but I've always seen it as letting people know that we are out there carrying, and it's a Good Thing tm.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: HeroHog on January 06, 2016, 12:45:28 AM
I do both, depends on where I'm going and what I'm doing.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 06, 2016, 12:57:50 AM
FWIW, I'll conceal when I'm in a church service. For one thing, church is about One higher than our earthly politics. For another, I'm not sure I want to know what happens when the guy collecting the offering has a big gat hanging there at eye level to the folks in the pews.  =)
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Scout26 on January 06, 2016, 01:08:36 AM
You should pull it out and waggle it at the folks.  Might help them to open their wallets a little wider...
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: BobR on January 06, 2016, 01:09:30 AM
I OC probably 95%+ of the time. If I have to put on a coat I go concealed until the coat comes off. I carry a 1911 in a Serpa CQC. Most people never see it. If going somewhere fancy for dinner or somewhere my wife really wants to go and OC may be a problem I will conceal it or carry a J frame in my pocket.

bob
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Strings on January 06, 2016, 01:56:28 AM
I simply carry. If I'm wearing something that covers the pistol, it's "concealed". If I'm just in a shirt, it's "open"

Don't really think much about it beyond that
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: MechAg94 on January 06, 2016, 09:21:49 AM
FWIW, I'll conceal when I'm in a church service. For one thing, church is about One higher than our earthly politics. For another, I'm not sure I want to know what happens when the guy collecting the offering has a big gat hanging there at eye level to the folks in the pews.  =)
My boss goes to a Cowboy Church.  He said he wore his single action revolver in a Western holster last Sunday.  I thought it sounded appropriate.  He said no one noticed until he was asked to stand up an give a closing prayer or something like that.  He thinks more attendees will be doing the same in the future. 
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: roo_ster on January 06, 2016, 09:59:34 AM
You should pull it out and waggle it at the folks.  Might help them to open their wallets a little wider...

I'll bring that up at the next board of trustees meeting.  We are always looking for more ways to fund physical plant projects.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: grampster on January 06, 2016, 10:27:29 AM
I'm not a fan of OC.  Though I don't object to it, particularly for the reason in the OP.  Even science confirms that OC should happen.  "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  I tell the whiners that.  The more liberals whine about "common sense gun laws" the more free men will oppose that nonsense. 

I always carry concealed.  We're in Florida till spring, and I think Florida does not allow OC.  I'll have to check.  When we get home to Michigan, I may consider OC as a statement, though I'm not really into that.   Mostly what I do is try and reason with folks about why are they frightened by CC.  If you don't know someone is carrying, why are you afraid?  Then I usually tell them that wherever they go, there is a fair chance that someone has a concealed weapon on their person nearby, and how many gun battles have you seen in your lifetime.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 06, 2016, 01:23:47 PM
You should pull it out and waggle it at the folks.  Might help them to open their wallets a little wider...

It might also encourage serious consideration of one's readiness for the hereafter.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: dogmush on January 09, 2016, 06:43:08 PM
Addendum to this thread.

I needed some rye flour today, and the Food Lion doesn't carry it.  So I swung into Whole Foods on my errand trip......While OCing.


HOLY.......*expletive deleted*it.........

No one (that I know of) called the cops, and no employee asked me to leave.  But I did get a couple people following me around the store talking loudly about the evils of guns.  I said "excuse me" to a lady that I reached past and she said "OK, Don't Shoot!", a dude with dyed blue hair in skinny jeans, flannel shirt, pea coat, and (hand to gods) a cashmere scarf openly questioned my masculinity, and my personal favorite, a young lady actually hissed and bared her teeth at me. :laugh:


And they were out of rye flour, so I still can't make the loaf of bread I want.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: HeroHog on January 09, 2016, 07:22:32 PM
Not real freakin bright are they?
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: lee n. field on January 09, 2016, 07:32:29 PM
Quote
No one (that I know of) called the cops, and no employee asked me to leave.  But I did get a couple people following me around the store talking loudly about the evils of guns.  I said "excuse me" to a lady that I reached past and she said "OK, Don't Shoot!", a dude with dyed blue hair in skinny jeans, flannel shirt, pea coat, and (hand to gods) a cashmere scarf openly questioned my masculinity, and my personal favorite, a young lady actually hissed and bared her teeth at me. laugh

 :rofl:

Bait them gently.  Just smile and wave, and move on.

Quote
Not real freakin bright are they?

"If gun owners were as dangerous as they say we are...."
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Perd Hapley on January 09, 2016, 08:16:21 PM
Dogmush - my flippin' hero.  :rofl: The Whole Foods in my area are posted, so I don't go there.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: dogmush on January 09, 2016, 08:18:58 PM
I was polite and honestly bemused the whole time.  I kept expecting a manager or something to come up, but the employees were perfectly friendly.
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Ben on January 09, 2016, 08:21:20 PM
Ha ha! I've always wondered what the reaction would be in a Whole Foods or similar. The best I've ever been able to do is wear an NRA t-shirt into the Santa Barbara Trader Joes when I lived there. All I ever got was a couple of dirty looks.

 I think you should make a list of all the hippie places in Newport News and pay them all a little visit.  >:D =D
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: seeker_two on January 09, 2016, 10:31:12 PM
Although Texas has OC now, I haven't OCd yet. To do so, I would have to tuck in my shirt outside of my (nonpermissive school district) workplace. And I'm just not ready to make that kind of sacrifice to exercise my Second Amendment rights.....
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: zxcvbob on January 09, 2016, 10:42:39 PM
I was polite and honestly bemused the whole time.  I kept expecting a manager or something to come up, but the employees were perfectly friendly.

You sound disappointed.  :lol:
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: HeroHog on January 09, 2016, 10:45:41 PM
Ya weren't properly strapped

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fherohog.com%2Fimages%2Fguns%2Fstraped.jpg&hash=529c5268fdb506b855db9c168261797cdfd696a0)
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: seeker_two on January 09, 2016, 11:14:59 PM
Ya weren't properly strapped

(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fherohog.com%2Fimages%2Fguns%2Fstraped.jpg&hash=529c5268fdb506b855db9c168261797cdfd696a0)

The NAA revolver just puts the whole thing over the top....
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: Strings on January 10, 2016, 11:57:25 PM
I've only ever had a "bad" interaction once: at a fairly liberal coffee shop, I was asked if I would take my gun outside since I was "making other patrons nervous". Guy was actually quite receptive to me just untucking my shirt to cover the pistol

The fact I and a couple others had actually hung around one night when the barrista was getting threatening phone calls might have helped
Title: Re: Open Carry as political statement
Post by: HeroHog on January 11, 2016, 12:12:02 AM
My worst incident was when I was escorted out of an unposted hospital by a gaggle of cops and it wasn't an issue at all. They were nice, polite and apologetic and understood the law and my rights. They were called and told to ask me to take my gun to my car as it was "against hospital policy." End of story.