If You’re Going To Open Carry, Don’t Be A Prick
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 5 months ago
Readers know that I not only open carry (sometimes) because I hate the feel of concealed carry and find it highly uncomfortable, but also because I believe we need to normalize this behavior. As I’ve said before, I believe that opposition to open carry is about shaming gun owners. I’ve also observed that “there is no prima facie reason that open carry cannot be legitimately for the reason of making a statement or for education purposes.” I believe in open carry “For the peace, good and dignity of the country and the welfare of its people.”
If you do not choose to open carry for whatever reason, I’m okay with that. I’m also okay with a gun carrier not feeling comfortable with doing something in an attempt to normalize acceptance. I’m okay with these things as long as concealed carriers are okay with my choices and don’t criticize me for mine. I do not open carry all of the time, but when I do, I expect acceptance from the gun community. No, I demand acceptance from the gun community.
This all stipulates that open carriers don’t act like a jerk. I was with an open carrier tonight waiting in a fast food line (I ended up getting a chicken salad), and he acted like a prick. He was resting his hand on his firearm much of the time. You’re as much of a goober if you touch your weapon as a cop is. Get your damn hand off your gun.
He was dressed poorly and sloppily. He then proceeded to act like a prick to the lady behind the counter about something, said hey to no one and offered no greetings, and as he sat with his family after he got his food, he blurted out obnoxious comments to his children wanting to know where they were going and what they were doing in a manner that everyone could hear him. His poor daughter was simply going to the drink fountain.
If you openly carry, you are an ambassador for our cause. Don’t be an ass. Please. Just stay home. Dress appropriately, be nice, be respectful, observe proper rules (don’t play with your gun), and don’t leave retention straps hanging down from your holster. Work on your holster to make it look like a gentleman is carrying a gun.
Do more than just look like a gentleman. Become a gentleman. Or stay home.
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On July 20, 2018 at 1:08 am, Ned said:
How unfortunate that some need that advice.
On July 20, 2018 at 6:19 am, Inquiring Minds said:
The concept and meaning of “gentleman” is lost on most today, under the bombardment of PC Police, rank selfishness and feminism. A resurgence of civil and polite behavior would go a long ways towards easing the tensions in society.
However, I do not dare to hope for this, as progressives make a point to “confront” anything they perceive as “incorrect” in the most aggressive way possible. This evokes like response from many in the opposition.
Thus a downward spiral in discourse, behavior & attitude that is displayed in so many ways.
The common ground and values we have shared as a country are systematically being destroyed as people are moving more and more to opposite sides of the spectrum.
On July 20, 2018 at 8:01 am, SGT.BAG said:
Unfortunately in this day and age if you choose to carry you will have to put up with alot more crap than if you were unarmed. The majority of courts will gladly view you as the aggressor since you chose to arm yourself in advance.
On July 20, 2018 at 10:10 am, Roger D said:
A right not exercise will be eventually lost. It’s that simple.
My take: The second amendment supports concealed carry. But open carry supports the second amendment. BIG difference.
On July 20, 2018 at 10:13 am, Andrew said:
Around Ohio, “open carry” is legal, but can draw attention from the LE if one is obnoxious.
Or if one has obnoxious “gun haters” they happen to land in the vicinity of.
A lot of the time the 911 dispatcher will remind folk that unless there’s actual criminal activity, “open carry” is legal.
But not always, and in many cases officers are sent.
I’ve personally not openly carried, except for on private property, but that’s my preference.
Maybe someday if I get a better holster for something or other.
The “Serpa” which came with a Glock I traded for isn’t what I would consider a holster, much less anything I’d “openly carry”.
And…
Funny, how many people don’t notice.
On July 20, 2018 at 10:25 am, DWEEZIL THE WEASEL said:
Tactically, I believe open carry is dangerous. Human nature being what it is, we all tend to become complacent. If you see someone walking down the street texting, or if you watch someone in the Wal-Mart parking lot loading items in their trunk, their attention is focused elsewhere. If you are going to advertise, then your head better be on a swivel.
When I was a Peace Officer, I watched training films which surveilled convicts in the yard at Folsom practicing disarming techniques. An inherent flaw in the Beretta model 92 was brought to light when a LASO Deputy Sheriff was instantly disarmed by a perp who shoved the slide out of battery and then plucked it off the frame.
It would not take much for a swift, determined kid to bump into the pictured dog-walker and unsnap and grab. I always carry and I carry concealed. And, my head is constantly on a swivel. It drives my wife nuts when we are together out in public. But, she gets it.
On July 20, 2018 at 10:42 am, Gryphon said:
While Virginia is a “Shall Issue” state for CC ‘permits’, I don’t believe in paying for permission to exercise My Rights. Open Carry is ‘legal’, so the rare Times I feel a need to have a Gun, (Work-Related, given the Locations) I Want potential troublemakers to Know I’m Armed; twice, I have clearly noticed the aggressive approach of someone, who rapidly changed Direction the Instant they Noticed the Holstered .45.
In this Area, Open Carry is just common enough that most people don’t pay attention to it, and the Sheriff’s Dispatcher is good at sorting out the occasional Snowflake’s Panic Call to 911… But the more Northern Counties in the State (on the fringes of the ‘Swamp’) have a Habit of sending four or more po-Lice ‘officers’ to Harass the Open Carrier.
Regardless of the Jurisdiction, Open Carry MUST be done in a Responsible Manner for it not to become an ‘issue’ for the leftists to use Against Us, and even I would see resting a Hand on the Holster as being ‘Aggressive’, since the po-Lice in a nearby County do this all the Time.
On July 20, 2018 at 10:44 am, Whitewolf said:
WEASEL ………. Look at picture of dog walker again. She is wearing a level 3 holster, no ” unsnap” would work
On July 20, 2018 at 11:12 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Dweezil.
Tactical advantages or disadvantages of open carry …
Clearly not the subject of this post.
On July 20, 2018 at 11:38 am, Fred said:
I’m beginning to go in circles: “The best way is the old way, the way of our LORD. How do we win on gun control? One new shooter at a time. Find them, teach them the four rules, take them shooting, stress safety, get to know them, be their friend, and encourage them in their self defense journey. It’s called evangelism.”
You can’t outsource this to the NRA. And the gun stores are as bad as the Churches just sitting there waiting for somebody to come through the door and then selling something, ANYTHING. If you’re clean cut and well manured it’s your job to find and teach new shooters but you have to know yourself. If your’re easy going and avuncular or grandfatherly then that works too. Look, the gun range is at least 5 times funner than the ‘anti gun range’ (h/t Uncle). It should be easy, if we would just do it.
Not everybody is a good ambassador of firearms and not everybody who is well knowledgeable and experienced in firearms is right for outreach to young people. We have a serious lack of evangelism. For all the complaints about millennials they are actually curious and interested in firearms. How does CA put it; ‘If you won’t teach them, the leftists will.’ or some such. If’n one was serious about it you could even be training your own team and, everyone you work with will be one less person likely to be shooting at YOU, or at least since they now know you, they will hesitate. (Ps say hi to your neighbors, be friendly, same applies).
I’m not exactly sure what to do about the crude and ungentlemanly types. Maybe we need a four (or more) rules of outreach?
1. If you’re an asshole, look like an asshole, talk like a drunken sailor or the like, you are not right for the job. Go blow shit up, but please don’t scare the newbies.
2. Be well manured, friendly, SMILE, don’t intimidate.
3. Take a basic sales course or something if you have to but honestly,it’s better if you love guns so that will come through in casual conversation.
4. Gently broach the subject by talking about the beginning of your own self defense journey and invite them to the range.
5. Stress safety, stress that the range has lot’s of qualified professionals on hand that teach, SMILE. Tell them about the specific safety factors at your local range; you watch a helpful video first, you rent guns that are tested and known to be safe, the staff are prior police and NRA certified, etc.
6. Don’t talk about rights, or constitutions, or militias or commies or any other propaganda, SMILE.
7. Be the exact opposite of what they are lied to about. Be safe, friendly, safe, helpful, safe, courteous, safe, conscientious, safe, and if you have to go have a freakin’ frappuccino latte soy milk espresso (that’s a thing, right?) then do it with a SMILE.
8. Make sure they hit the target and know how to do it consistently the FIRST TIME you take them. This is critical, it’s no fun to fail and you risk them giving up because they think that they can’t do it.
9. Pay for everything on the first trip. Firearms can be expensive, so like any good drug dealer, hide this factor the first time, heh.
10. Modify, refine, repeat.
But I already know that very few if anybody here is going to do this. It’s much easier to blab and blab with no end about how somebody ELSE is the problem. Are they? If it was easy it wouldn’t be called outreach it would be called sitting around whining on the interwebz. And with that, I’m behind on my yearly quota of newbies myself.
On July 20, 2018 at 12:29 pm, Red said:
Comment by Dweezil reminded me of when i was a kid working on a club remodeling job. One of the “house rules” I noticed and asked about was the dress code of sleeveless shirts not allowed. It was explained to me that “showing your guns” was usually provocative to the other of the reproducing age males. I like the idea of carrying like a gentleman but overall for me in public i choose to be as discreet as possible, I don’t want the attention of some boob that will want to pick a fight or create a youtube moment. With the prevalence of attention starved 15 minute famer hopefuls i would be concerned about drawing attention. Similar to the abuse that fur wearing folk sometimes experience around PETA types.
On July 20, 2018 at 1:15 pm, D.A.O. said:
RE: West Virginia, the rot creeps in even here. I urge fellow citizens to be vigilant and pro-active with their God-given gun rights, as there ARE efforts to limit and violate your rights here in the Mountain State.
Be wary particularly of Morgantown; my uncle (walking to the grocery store at the time) was simply carrying a cell phone (an larger and older model, black, trac phone type) and a “concern citizen’s” call to LE resulted in my uncle being forced to stop and questioned by two police officers (one of whom DID have his hand on his gun, BTW…). Uncle wasn’t even armed (an increasingly bad choice around Morgantown, which is going straight to s***). I did not hear the 911 call of course, but it’s obvious that no crime was reported. Other counties appear to be safe (for now, see above) for open carry BUT at least Monongalia County (home to the cancer of WVU) can be hostile based on personal experience.
IMHO it is especially important for those open-carrying (100% our God given right) to be mindful of manners, since the enemy is trying to deny us this right even in unexpected places. Thanks and God Bless.
On July 20, 2018 at 1:33 pm, Sean said:
A gentleman is one who makes everyone in the room with them, comfortable. Oafish behavior is it’s own reward. Not everyone who carries concealed or openly will be the epitome of gentlemanly behavior, as all who don’t carry have their regrettable examples. Help where you can, if needed, and asked for. One can’t reform and rehabilitate the world, but the best leadership is shown by example. I was only able to produce tough, disciplined, soldiers in the Army, because I made them WANT to be that way. Some people you just can’t reach.
On July 20, 2018 at 1:55 pm, John Hardin said:
> Do more than just look like a gentleman. Become a gentleman. Or stay home.
I would think that should apply *whether or not* you’re open-carrying…
On July 20, 2018 at 2:10 pm, Joel said:
How unfortunate that some need that advice.
How very true.
On July 20, 2018 at 4:55 pm, MacHam said:
If Washington anti gun initiative 1639 makes it to the ballot and it will pass if it does . Then it becomes a crime to open carry in Washington State . It is all about ” Community Health” and if you carry the Community Health authorities can and will take all your firearms..
On July 20, 2018 at 5:22 pm, John Hardin said:
@MacHam: could you cite the portion of I-1639 that does that? Thanks!
On July 20, 2018 at 6:20 pm, scott s. said:
It looks like that initiative would preclude open carry of semiautomatic assault rifles by persons 18-21 except on “real property under his or her control”. Meanwhile, it also defines “semi-automatic assault rifle” as any semi-auto rifle.
On July 20, 2018 at 7:41 pm, James said:
“If You’re Going To Open Carry, Don’t Be A Prick”,well sure.
I say take it a step further,whether you carry a gun or not how about just not being a prick?
On July 20, 2018 at 8:38 pm, Adam Baum said:
I support carrying any damn way you please, including open and concealed simultaneously. Also, bring back duelling.
On July 21, 2018 at 7:00 am, Huayno said:
Re: Roger D’s comment: “My take: The second amendment supports concealed carry. But open carry supports the second amendment….”
Easily the most common sense and easily understood explanation of the mutual support of the 2nd Amendment and concealed carry.
On July 21, 2018 at 12:47 pm, Unclezip said:
“Don’t frighten the horses…”
~Miss Manners
On July 21, 2018 at 3:59 pm, moe mensale said:
@MacHam,
There’s no restrictions on open carry in I-1639 with the possible exception of people 18-20 years old only allowed to open carry “semi-automatic assault rifles” (whatever the hell that means) on their own property. To make a nebulous statement that “open carry will be a crime” is very misleading. Open carry of what? Handguns? Rifles? Only certain handguns or rifles? Under what conditions? Words have specific meanings. There’s a lot of crap in I-1639 but your comment was disingenuous. Here’s the actual initiative.
https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/finaltext_1531.pdf
On July 21, 2018 at 5:32 pm, Steve said:
Whitewolf: You may be right about the holster- my eyes are not good enough to make that determination. BUT, the first thing that jumped out at me was the fact that she had the leash looped around her strong-side wrist. Pretty tough to react, if need be . . .
Whitewolf said:
WEASEL ………. Look at picture of dog walker again. She is wearing a level 3 holster, no ” unsnap” would work
On July 22, 2018 at 8:57 am, russeh said:
I don’t open carry (for tactical reasons, as another has already chimed in, and I’m sure, will continue to chime in about).
But there is absolutely no argument about whether it should be “allowed” or not. There should never be a discussion over “allowing” a right.
The author is wise to note the issues that go along with openly showing the world where you keep your gun, and good on him. I wish more people who open carry thought the same way.
On July 22, 2018 at 1:42 pm, Harry Steele said:
How about just getting it OUT of your head that YOU have the right to tell me what or how to do something, whether it bothers you or not….. Well, I suppose you do have that right (as do I) but I have the right to ignore your wants as you have the same right to ignore my wants and preferances…… But my POINT IS: I can do whatever the hell I want however the hell I want to do it, and it is NONE OF YOUR EFFING BUSINESS, simple as that…. Getting on your high horse and telling others how to do or not do something THEY HAVE THE MOTHERF-EFFING RIGHT to do however the hell they want to do it is assinine, and just shows how prejudiced you are… and how LITTLE you actually know about RIGHTS….
On July 22, 2018 at 2:08 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Harry,
I see from your IP address that you aren’t the individual to whom I addressed this post. I’m still waiting for him.
When you read this post you must carefully discern between rights and responsibilities. Yes, this guy had a right to be a prick. He had a responsibility to ne a gentleman.
He chose to be a prick. He wasn’t a gentleman, and thus he chose to be a poor ambassador for our cause.
See the difference? I know it’s hard, but do try to pay attention.
On July 22, 2018 at 2:53 pm, Fred Altum said:
I live in NW Tennessee, rural community and pistols openly carried are pretty common. I prefer to carry openly simply because it’s more comfortable for me. I’m an older man, my dad taught me how to be a respectful man.
I carry a 3” Kimber 1911 most times, but I love carrying my Springfield 5” in a gorgeous Dragon Leatherworks handmade holster.
I’m slender, hiding a 45 just doesn’t work for my frame. All my leather is full retention.
When I need to conceal for social reasons I tuck a Sig P238 into a IWB slide.
On July 22, 2018 at 4:54 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Fred Altum,
Here in N.C. it’s routine as well.