Occupied Deutschland wrote:Atlanticatia wrote:Not going to lie, my first reaction would be to leave somewhere if I saw someone open carrying. I'd feel uncomfortable. I've never seen anyone do it around here though. (NJ)
But like, those people who bring military style weapons (and any kind of firearm in general) into Wal-Mart? I'd be out of there in a second if I saw that.
I do think that if people are going to open carry they shouldn't bring them into public places like stores where people might not want to be around that. Just out of courtesy to other people. You don't need to bring your AK-47 to the local grocery store. Standing in a grocery aisle next to someone who's armed to the teeth isn't exactly an experience I want to have.
Oh sure, I never liked the folks who carried long-arms into stores (barring situations in hunting season where the other option was leaving it in a vehicle unattended which falls under 'extenuating circumstances'), even the protests that do such I'd object to (go to a state park or something, not Wal-Mart or Target). That said, I've seen enough people carrying pistols into stores where I live (often because, again, the other option is leaving them in the vehicle which isn't a good idea) that it doesn't bother me, and I'd consider a fright of such without any other factors as a bit ridiculous, but to each their own.
Different states, different cultures. Where I live when I open-carried (due to me letting my CCL lapse for a while) the most common reaction was someone inquiring what I was carrying and making small-talk on the subject. The most negative it ever got was someone incredulously asking me 'What do you think you need a gun for?' to which my 'Nothing right now, I just carry it everywhere because I do a lot of work out in the woods.' was a perfectly satisfactory answer.
I can see how the action gets tamped down somewhat and perceived as less normal or necessary by living in a city that isn't within twenty miles of national forest or state forest lands.Ripoll wrote:I completely agree with personally speaking, it's bad enough being in the same store with people who dress improperly, but being in a room with armed strangers? The only armed people I'm comfortable with are the Coast Guard, National Guard, local police departments, state police departments, and the Secret Service.
I don't know, judging by some of the police I've dealt with, I'm decidedly uncomfortable with them having firearms compared to some of the strangers I see carrying. (This is mainly a rhetorical headstand of your point, and primarily sarcastic/ironic)
It's also confusing in many states because CCL licenses are shall-issue much of the time and you'll never have the warning of knowing they have a firearm. In some ways I'd say open-carrying is a bit more friendly to those who are uncomfortable with firearms precisely because it lets you know and warns you who your (somewhat irrational and I'd say prejudiced and unfair) concerns should be focused on. Though that argument over concealed versus open I go back and forth on on a very situational basis.
Yeah, I agree that things are probably different depending where you live. I live in a very densely populated area and there aren't really any areas near me where you'd go hunting etc. Openly carrying a gun into a store in NYC would probably get you kicked out of the store or the police called (if you're even able to get a permit). Whereas open carrying a gun in, say, a rural area of Montana might be a bit different.
In general, though, I just feel uncomfortable around guns. I've only shot one once when I did Boy Scouts when I was, like, ten years old. They just make me kind of uneasy.
