Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonknight
"Travis White, 19, who has ear and chin piercings, congratulated Brandon Trask, 21, on carrying openly for the first time that night. "Just wait until you get confronted by a cop," White said. "It'll make you feel brave."
This statement was in the first article that Cynthetiq posted and it turns me off of to open carry. No one, no matter how honorable their intentions are should have the need to feel brave when carrying a weapon, be it open or concealed. Carrying a gun should never make you feel brave, may be more secure in your self but brave is not a choice I would use. I just can't get the picture of some punk kid standing tall and "bravely" up to some one telling themselves "I'll do it, I'll shoot that guy." It just rubs me all wrong.
I am not against carrying a side arm it’s just the image that gave me is wrong. People need to realize the very real positive and negative affects this will have though. Yes you now have grater potential to protect your loved ones as well as yourself, but like some of the others said, you as the one who is openly carrying a gun put your self and your family at a greater risk. You make yourself target number 1 in the eyes of anyone willing to rob you still. This isn't the movies where the good guy always moves that one second faster then the bad guy and wins the shoot out. If some one is robbing you and see's your hand move one inch closer to the gun, there is a very real chance that you are dead and your screaming loved ones are next.
Also take into consideration an open shoot out where there are a couple people openly carrying. Some random looser goes and starts shooting for what ever self-righteous reason (may be they are protesting the open carry group that is a the pizza joint), now you 15 people shooting back at one guy, where not all of them are thinking about collateral damage.
I admit I prefer concealed carries because they don't put in the face of everyone around them that I am carrying a gun and I have the option to use it but not on will think I have the need to use it. Then again this is all just IMO and how I see it.
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I think I get what you're saying here and I agree. Carrying around a gun openly changes the dynamic of situations. Almost like having a TV camera present. People simply start acting differently.
Wonder how many people here that favor open carry have ever been in a situation where having a gun would be a benefit? I carried a gun for years, almost felt naked when I stopped. Simply not an option here in Mexico. Anyway in nearly 20 yrs, in a job that lead to daily confrontations, I never fired a shot at anything other then qualifying targets. Well and wild game, but don't think open carry during hunting season 50 miles from the nearest house apply to this conversation.