GUNS/RLTD The anti-gun nuts are not going to like this

[Troke]

http://www.saysuncle.com/2009/08/10/open-carry-4/

I’ve been critical of open carry sorts in the past. Not because I don’t think their cause is good but, rather, it does have some tactical disadvantages and some of the proponents seem a bit too in your face about it. Anyway, I recently stopped to grab some milk at a convenience store in West Knoxville. I neglected to put my shirt over my Glock 30 and went the store. I was carrying four gallons of milk when I realized my weapon was exposed. Then I went to Walmart a few weeks later and I apparently had reached up on the top shelf to get something and my shirt came up over the gun again. And I didn’t notice for a while. Saw it and covered it. But I’d been up and down several aisles. So, do doubt, I was made.

And a funny thing happened: nothing. Not a single person in either crowded store freaked out or said anything. Not a word. Not even employees.

 

[Troke]

Or this

http://smallestminority.blogspot.com/2009/08/open-carry-public-panic.html

Long ago another blogger (I won't link to it now, but you can search this site if you'd like) said about citizens carrying firearms:

"...I just...I just blink my eyes in amazement everytime this crops up - actually watching people feel the need to carry a concealed weapon in public...

If I were to take a live, armed weapon and carry it on my person, in public, it would eat away at my sanity just as if it were emitting lethal radiation. To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent...."

Tonight I had dinner with about thirty people at a packed Golden Corral restaurant in Phoenix.

And almost every one of us was open carrying. About half of us (me included) were toting 1911s. At least another third were carrying revolvers of various types, from Single-Action Army models to modern Smith & Wessons. Then there were a smattering of the various plastic-fantastic pistols - Glocks, Springfield XDs, etc.

There was no public panic. Lots of children running about the place. (I damn near stepped on the cutest little girl - so much for my situational awareness in a crowded restaurant! She came around me like John Force at the WinterNationals, only without the blast of nitromethane exhaust to warn me.) Lots of families. No one got shot at the salad bar. No one was winged at the dessert buffet. There were no duels over the last popcorn shrimp. No wild-west shootouts over the last parking space.

No one ran screaming from the restaurant in fear. No one (to our knowledge) complained about all the armed people in the place. The police were not summoned. The FBI did not put in an appearance.

And nobody robbed the place either. (Can you imagine what an epic failure of the victim-selection process that would have been?) All in all, it was a pleasant meal with good company - all members of The Gun Counter. And me. I'm not a member, but I got an invite anyway. It was a much bigger turnout that I expected.

In my last Travels with Troke, I mentioned being in a Cabela's pistol dept to find more women than men, all looking at light revolvers suitable for a purse. First time I ever saw that. I wonder if the Brady Bunch noticed that the earth has shifted under their very feet.

 

[Joe America]

At a resent SOCAL Sheriffs CCW class, the head honcho of San Berdo county said, that there has only been something like 2 or 3 incidents within the last 10 years, with ccw holders that were not justified.
Said they are glad to have us out there.

I know, not open carry, but this is SOCAL, not Arizona.
Any carry is better than nothing...

 

[Sebastian]

Many years ago I went to a scifi con called weapons con - everyone was required to carry a weapon even if it were only a paper cutout of a knofe.

About three hundred people were there everything from mac-10s to gurka knives.

The only person who looked at all dangerous was a local cop who had been detailed to the event - the poor twit kept clutching his pistol grip in a reaction more palovian than any thing else.

We were all lucky the statest twit mangaged to control himself than anything else - no one else was a threat at all.

 

[Troke]

"...We were all lucky the statest twit mangaged to control himself than anything else - no one else was a threat at all..."

Sci-Fi? Heh, maybe he was recognizing people who should not have been allowed on the street without adult supervision, let alone any sort of weapon.

 

[Ravekid]

I wonder if the Brady Bunch noticed that the earth has shifted under their very feet.

They have. This past weekend, an anti-gun group here in Indy/Indiana called Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence had a public meeting, then a private/registration only dinner. Their invited guest speaker was Paul Helmke, the Brandy Bunch's current president and former Republican mayor of Ft. Wayne, IN. As soon as this made news on the Indiana gun owners forum, a protest was planned. Though turnout was light with less than two days notice, the media interviewed people from both sides. The thing is, Helmke actually went up to the pro-gun protesters and engaged them in debate. He didn't try to run and hide or anything.

Now, when the debate started, some of the pro-gun folks asked questions, and the person representing the Indiana group seemed rabidly anti-gun. They said Helmke acted exactly like a politician in the way he worded his responses. The mere fact that Helmke walked right into the lion's den tells me that he knows things are changing. Not only that, the meeting had a very small turnout, and the vast majority of attendees were old folks worried about crime.

Years back I looked up the people who made up their board of directors or whatever. The Indiana group is nothing more than a collection of the same old far left/progressive/communist/socialist types and most usually live in a very elitist, rich area of the city. In fact, the one time I saw them with a table at a "peace summit" (read: Leftist convention), I think it was two older women, and I mean two women who looked to be in their 70s.

 

[Double_A]

"...We were all lucky the statest twit mangaged to control himself than anything else - no one else was a threat at all..."

Sci-Fi? Heh, maybe he was recognizing people who should not have been allowed on the street without adult supervision, let alone any sort of weapon.

Ouch.

Guess your cup of tea is something more snooty eh? lol

 

[Grantbo]

www.opencarry.com

 

[RCSAR]

To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent..

I carry something far more deadly than a firearm.
Its called a brain. Don't panic, I only try and use it for good.

 

[Volleyball Granny]

On my way to lunch today, I listened to a radio program about guns (baseball was on the other station and I didn't want to listen to music). The host of the show said that everyone should open-carry where it is legal--this is important...he said, "Constitutional rights not exercised are Constitutional rights lost."

Wow...that short statement certainly made me think.

 

[Red Baron]

Troke said:

And nobody robbed the place either. (Can you imagine what an epic failure of the victim-selection process that would have been?)

 

[Wise Owl]

Well it's still summertime up here in Maine and the state if FULL of those leftist, greenies from Taxachusetts....
I generally carry in the winter when I walk the dog but summer time it might shock a lot of these poor folks. But, I am walking a 95lb Malamute also, sooooo.....
I am sorta armed.....
But it "is" an open carry state and I feel the need that it soon will be common practice for the locals.

 

[Thunderbird]

To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent..

I carry something far more deadly than a firearm.
Its called a brain. Don't panic, I only try and use it for good.

The mayor of Milwaukee probaly thought so too. He was dialing 911 to summon the cops to interven in a beating. The guy promptly beat the crap out of the mayor with a pipe.
Guess any one with a brain would have minded his own business.

 

[Firebird]

I was in the sporting goods store one day and there was a guy open carrying just browsing through the aisles. He was very polite and courteous and no one seemed put out at all that he was carrying. He wasn't a cop I don't think, they usually have a badge hooked to the belt too.

 

[RCSAR]

Thunderbird, I never said I did not carry. My point was even without a firearm I'm still armed.

It was a reply to the comment made that said
"To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent...."
I'm in Texas and and most of the folks I hang with carry.

Anyone remember the commercial where they shot a Bic pen out of a rifle and then wrote with it when it was stuck in the wood? We are surrounded with deadly weapons other than guns 99% of the day.

 

[Vector]

Who was it that once said..."an armed society is a polite society..."....?

 

[Thunderbird]

Sorry, I am` in Illinois the mayor in Wi, the only non carry states. I'm a little frustrated in that I see too much head in the sand, maybe it will go away.

 

[OddOne]

Who was it that once said..."an armed society is a polite society..."....?

Robert A. Heinlein.

 

[Troke]

Once read an article claiming to show why original Arizonan's tended to be quiet and polite, while original New Yorker's tended to be loud, pushy and impolite.

In da old days, pushiness in Arizona got you a bullet in the guts. In NY, it got you to the head of the line.

Heh.

 

[AzProtector]

Thunderbird, I never said I did not carry. My point was even without a firearm I'm still armed.

It was a reply to the comment made that said
"To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent...."
I'm in Texas and and most of the folks I hang with carry.

Anyone remember the commercial where they shot a Bic pen out of a rifle and then wrote with it when it was stuck in the wood? We are surrounded with deadly weapons other than guns 99% of the day.

I wish we could OC....

 

[mistaken1]

http://smallestminority.blogspot.com/2009/08/open-carry-public-panic.html

Long ago another blogger (I won't link to it now, but you can search this site if you'd like) said about citizens carrying firearms:

"...I just...I just blink my eyes in amazement everytime this crops up - actually watching people feel the need to carry a concealed weapon in public...

If I were to take a live, armed weapon and carry it on my person, in public, it would eat away at my sanity just as if it were emitting lethal radiation. To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent...."

I wonder why the writer of this comment wants to "to possibly kill...a child. A homeless person. An innocent...." It is a good thing that people like this do not own or carry guns in public.

 

[Copter Doctor]

Here, in Knoxville, and immediate areas, we are in the debate about 'packing' in Parks, resturants, and bars. Signs are appearing: No weapons allowed. I don't go there to shop/eat. Gun free zones aren't safe. Guns in resturants and bars. Well, if you have a CCW, you know you are NEVER allowed to drink while packing. Not supposed to, anyway. Permit holders are very safe. Problem is disinformation, missinformation, and a misperception by sheeple who cannot tell the difference between the wolf and the sheep dog. Both have teeth!

 

[Warthog]

http://www.saysuncle.com/2009/08/10/open-carry-4/

I’ve been critical of open carry sorts in the past. Not because I don’t think their cause is good but, rather, it does have some tactical disadvantages and some of the proponents seem a bit too in your face about it. Anyway, I recently stopped to grab some milk at a convenience store in West Knoxville. I neglected to put my shirt over my Glock 30 and went the store. I was carrying four gallons of milk when I realized my weapon was exposed. Then I went to Walmart a few weeks later and I apparently had reached up on the top shelf to get something and my shirt came up over the gun again. And I didn’t notice for a while. Saw it and covered it. But I’d been up and down several aisles. So, do doubt, I was made.

And a funny thing happened: nothing. Not a single person in either crowded store freaked out or said anything. Not a word. Not even employees.

Sounds like it's time to try a pocket holster.

 

[peekaboo]

Once read an article claiming to show why original Arizonan's tended to be quiet and polite, while original New Yorker's tended to be loud, pushy and impolite.

In da old days, pushiness in Arizona got you a bullet in the guts. In NY, it got you to the head of the line.

Heh.

In the little town I live near in S .AZ. there is a little cafe where all the regular counter critters open carry. It is not uncommon to see 10-15 guys setting at the counter with their guns and more in the dinning room.

It is also common for tourist to come in there, turn around and leave when they see them. More then once the tourists have complained, they wanted the men and their guns removed because it made them uncomfortable.

The men stay and the tourist leave.

 

[Sebastian]

"...We were all lucky the statest twit mangaged to control himself than anything else - no one else was a threat at all..."

Sci-Fi? Heh, maybe he was recognizing people who should not have been allowed on the street without adult supervision, let alone any sort of weapon.

Is that is your interpretation of three hundred peaceful armed human beings and one twitching unformed threat to the peace?