Every Stupid Objection In The Book To Open Carry
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 7 months ago
Editorial from low state South Carolina where the southern liberals live.
There’s probably nothing we can say at this point to convince S.C. senators who don’t already realize that it’s a bad idea to let concealed-weapon carriers start carrying their guns on their hips.
After all, they’ve heard all the arguments against it, and still they voted more than 2-to-1 last week to bypass committee and put a House-passed open-carry bill at the top of their agenda for debate as early as Tuesday.
They’ve heard from people who say they would feel threatened if they encountered someone wearing a gun, even if that person does nothing (other than wearing the gun) to threaten them. And from those who argued that having those guns visible puts everybody on edge, increasing the risk that disagreements will escalate into deadly violence.
They’ve heard from police who warn that it’ll be even tougher to distinguish the bad guys from the good guns in active-shooter situations. And more commonly, they’ll be placed in a legally precarious situation when citizens call to complain about someone walking around their neighborhood with a holstered gun — because that’s not a crime, and legally speaking, they have no more justification for questioning someone walking down the street with a gun than someone walking down the street without a gun. (Retired SLED Chief Robert Stewart warned that the bill could get a lot of permit holders killed, because carrying a handgun openly would make them target No. 1 if they were present when a crime was being committed.)
Read the rest. A veritable catalog of stupidity. None of that has ever happened in open carry states. Ask me how I know.
Feel threatened. As if rights are subject to how it makes people feel when they are exercised, a standard never applied to street preachers.
Tough on cops. As if cops won’t be able to tell perpetrators from people defending themselves, or can’t slow down enough to understand what and who they’re shooting at.
Target #1. Oooo … such dramatic language. “Get a lot of permit holders killed.” Not one, not a few, but a LOT. Get a LOT of permit holders killed. That’s what he said. Those are his words, not mine. I just want to make sure you aren’t ascribing his stupid words to me. Besides, whether a man wishes to openly carry and be target #1 is his own business, not yours. Because freedom. This bill doesn’t force anyone to do anything he doesn’t choose to.
But you know the general gist of their position when you read the caption under the top photo: “No one has presented a good reason to allow anyone other than police to carry guns openly.”
Because cops, and special rights, and you’re not special, you see.
To which I respond, “No one has presented a good reason to allow you to tell me what to do.”
On May 4, 2021 at 7:08 am, Glypto Dropem said:
Believe it or not, open carry has always been legal in Kommiecticut by default because it has never been prohibited by law. I carry concaled except for a very few circumstances, like hiking in the woods, on my property, or at the range. While legal to stroll through a shopping center open carrying, you will get arrested, guns and permit confiscated, go to court spending hundreds or more in legal fees, to have all charges dropped and property returned. The good thing about open carry though is if a breeze catches your clothing or your gun prints and someone sees it and calls the cops, you will go through everything I listed above, but in the end get off.
On May 4, 2021 at 9:46 am, Bill Sullivan said:
I moved from Connecticut to NC 3 years ago. A few years back there was a case where some woman called the cops because she saw a guy with a holstered pistol. The cop came, and told her it was perfectly legal. She freaked out, and got arrested for disturbing the peace. I could be wrong, but I think it was in Glastonbury, Ct. And a funny thing about Ct. You are required to carry your permit when carrying a handgun, but you are not required to show the permit to police.
On May 4, 2021 at 10:20 am, Blackjack said:
“To which I respond, “No one has presented a good reason to allow you to tell me what to do.””
Efin A
On May 4, 2021 at 12:39 pm, 41mag said:
AZ resident here.
I open carry plenty. Cops don’t bother me. I have little kids with me when I do.
Maybe cops are the problem, and this is really a test to prove who are the idiots in police forces that need to be fired.
On May 4, 2021 at 12:44 pm, 41mag said:
Oh, and just to add:
The argument that open carrying makes you the #1 target for criminals is also stupid. The plethora of self defense videos shows perps have an immediate change of mind when a defensive response happens to their criminal act. You don’t look like an easy target. Open carrying doesn’t make you look like food to be eaten
On May 4, 2021 at 1:40 pm, Matt said:
I’m in Texas. One morning I go to my regular rotation spot for breakfast tacos. Hilarious moment when I saw an idiot freak out out over the Mexican guy open carrying his 1911 and a black cowboy with a Glock-in an essentially redneck restaurant run by Mexicans. I told her it was legal and no big deal. Then I told her everyone else was carrying concealed. She spluttered, got her order and left.
I just shook my head and asked for the checks for the two gents. I got my order, paid for theirs and gave them a thumbs up when I headed out.
“No one has presented a good reason to allow you to tell me what to do” – I’m going to borrow that succinct statement from you Mr. Smith.
On May 4, 2021 at 6:02 pm, DDS said:
Borrowing from a T-shirt going around:
“No one needs to open carry.”
“Well, no one need a whiny little bitch, either yet here you are!”
On May 4, 2021 at 7:37 pm, Ohio Guy said:
Free men don’t need permission to carry a pistolie. Ohio Guy
On May 5, 2021 at 8:41 am, Longbow said:
The same arguments were used against “permitted” concealed carry also.
I live in Montana. Until this year, effective in another month, it was unlawful to carry concealed inside a city limit, without a permission slip. Why? The argument was, “It’s a danger to Law Imposement Officers! Cops won’t know the good ones from the bad ones!”.
So, I can wear my side arm openly or concealed OUTSIDE the city limits, and that is just fine and dandy. If I cross over that imaginary line, suddenly, I’m a “danger to Law Imposement”. Real quick like, I must step back over that imaginary line on the ground so every cop in the city can FEEL better!
Hogwash! Twaddle!
Here’s a clue… The “good ones” are behaving peacefully, minding their own business, harming no one, and committing no crime. The bad ones are getting into other people’s business, harming others, damaging or stealing property. Simple, huh?
A Free Man exercising his Natural, God given and Constitutionally secured rights, is NOT a threat to you, unless you are a Narcissistic Control Freak. In that case, you should be institutionalized, and never be allowed to hold public office.
On May 5, 2021 at 10:57 am, blake said:
I took a look at the editorial and for people who are supposed to understand plain English, because they write for a living, the meaning of the words in the Second Amendment clearly escapes them.
Or, the writers are just disingenuous hacks.
On May 5, 2021 at 11:00 am, blake said:
@41 mag, funniest story I read about AZ, a couple of families were out eating in a restaurant in AZ, the men were armed, and a couple of people freaked out and started berating the guys who were carrying, telling them they were “frightening” the other guests in the restaurant.
Yeah, people were so frightened by open carry, they confronted the guys with the guns.
On May 5, 2021 at 7:17 pm, June J said:
Texas Senate passed “Permitless carry” bill earlier this evening. Now it goes to committee for reconciliation of differences between House and Senate versions. Governor has said he will sign it if it gets to his desk
On May 5, 2021 at 7:58 pm, GWB said:
They’ve heard from people who say they would feel threatened if they encountered someone wearing a gun, even if that person does nothing (other than wearing the gun) to threaten them.
Oh my! Not the “I’m an unreasonable fool and therefore you should give up your rights” argument! I read that sentence and thought, “Surely this is a pro-open carry piece, because just writing that sentence out the asininity of the person in fear is on open, abject display.” But, nope. *smdh*
On May 5, 2021 at 8:07 pm, GWB said:
a legally precarious situation when citizens call to complain about someone walking around their neighborhood with a holstered gun — because that’s not a crime
Why is it legally precarious? “Yes, ma’am, I understand you’re scared. But it’s not against the law and I’m going to have ask you to stop harassing the 911 dispatch like this. If you don’t like it, there are several other places where you could move to, or you can just ignore it. Have a good day.” There’s nothing precarious about that at all.
legally speaking, they have no more justification for questioning someone walking down the street with a gun than someone walking down the street without a gun
Yes. Absolutely right! And? Because the cop doesn’t have a right to stop and “question” me about anything unless I’m acting suspiciously or look like I’m about to be or in the commission of a crime or match the description of a perpetrator. He can stop me and talk to me and I’ll be a good polite citizen. He can even ask me what I’m doing going about my day and such. (Of course, I don’t have to answer him.) But he doesn’t have any authority to stop me because I’m practicing a right without infringing on others.
That editorial is … how did you put it? Ah yes, “A veritable catalog of stupidity.” Indeed.