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This^^^ Just because you have the right to do something does not mean you should do it.
Spoken like a true statist. This^^^
Well then why not just give up all of your civil rights? According to your logic exercising any particular one of them is something you shouldn't do. Or do we only get to exercise rights that only you approve of? Who appointed you arbiter of the Bill of Rights?
Just because you have the right to post your opinions on this board does not mean you should do it. After all you might offend someone. Right?
I will just keep repeating it, the only panty wetters I see are the scared crapless who are too afraid to go out in public because somebody maybe LAWFULLY carrying a gun. If the world is that scary to you, stay home.
Former New Yorker also. Lived in Florida for 10 years. Open carry has consistently been voted down there. I have lived in PA now for over a year which I understand from my NRA husband is also an open carry state, but I have yet to see people open carrying anywhere except for HUNTERS in their Orange jackets and hats during hunting season. I live in a fairly rural area across the road from State Game Lands.
I have yet to see anyone here open carrying in supermarkets, restaurants, etc. My guess is that it might be LEGAL, but is probably frowned upon by the general public here, unlike in other states like Texas.
Former New Yorker also. Lived in Florida for 10 years. Open carry has consistently been voted down there. I have lived in PA now for over a year which I understand from my NRA husband is also an open carry state, but I have yet to see people open carrying anywhere except for HUNTERS in their Orange jackets and hats during hunting season. I live in a fairly rural area across the road from State Game Lands.
I have yet to see anyone here open carrying in supermarkets, restaurants, etc. My guess is that it might be LEGAL, but is probably frowned upon by the general public here, unlike in other states like Texas.
Well what happened in Texas is what this thread is all about. Texas of all places.
Just yesterday while we went shopping there were two individuals who were openly carrying a sidearm. One was a husband with his wife, the other with his young daughter. At least here in Arizona, no one got all bent outta' shape over it. I've seen people openly carrying in restaurants, parks, the downtown shopping districts and just about anywhere that's not officially posted. It's a non issue at least out here. Oh there may be tourists, and newcomers that aren't familiar with Arizona's gun laws that might be taken back by it. But to my knowledge nothing has happened here like what has happened in Texas.
As for me I never go about my daily business openly carrying a sidearm. I don't want anyone to know that I am armed. If someone were to go on a shooting rampage more than likely the first person they might take out is a visibly armed individual. Why take a chance and become that first target? Not only that I've stood behind people who are openly carrying their sidearms and thought of how easy it would be for me to grab their gun and shoot them with it or anybody else for that matter.
However if open carry were illegal, anyone who LAWFULLY carries a concealed weapon could be arrested and prosecuted if by accident their sidearm was exposed to the general public. A gust of wind blowing their shirt open, getting out of a vehicle, bending down to pick up a fallen item, any number of things that were unintentional. My wife and I often go out into the desert where it can be hotter than hell. Often times I'll open carry while out there. Sometimes I may have to stop for fuel and will get out of my truck to fuel up, or just pull over to the side of the highway to clean the bugs off my windshield, my sidearm exposed. I could be technically arrested for that too. Where it's ONLY LAWFUL TO CARRY CONCEALED means just that, CONCEALED.
Well what happened in Texas is what this thread is all about. Texas of all places.
Just yesterday while we went shopping there were two individuals who were openly carrying a sidearm. One was a husband with his wife, the other with his young daughter. At least here in Arizona, no one got all bent outta' shape over it. I've seen people openly carrying in restaurants, parks, the downtown shopping districts and just about anywhere that's not officially posted. It's a non issue at least out here. Oh there may be tourists, and newcomers that aren't familiar with Arizona's gun laws that might be taken back by it. But to my knowledge nothing has happened here like what has happened in Texas.
As for me I never go about my daily business openly carrying a sidearm. I don't want anyone to know that I am armed. If someone were to go on a shooting rampage more than likely the first person they might take out is a visibly armed individual. Why take a chance and become that first target? Not only that I've stood behind people who are openly carrying their sidearms and thought of how easy it would be for me to grab their gun and shoot them with it or anybody else for that matter.
However if open carry were illegal, anyone who LAWFULLY carries a concealed weapon could be arrested and prosecuted if by accident their sidearm was exposed to the general public. A gust of wind blowing their shirt open, getting out of a vehicle, bending down to pick up a fallen item, any number of things that were unintentional. My wife and I often go out into the desert where it can be hotter than hell. Often times I'll open carry while out there. Sometimes I may have to stop for fuel and will get out of my truck to fuel up, or just pull over to the side of the highway to clean the bugs off my windshield, my sidearm exposed. I could be technically arrested for that too. Where it's ONLY LAWFUL TO CARRY CONCEALED means just that, CONCEALED.
The bolded is commonsense why you shouldn't open carry most times. If you want to carry, get off your fat butt and get a CC license.
The bolded is commonsense why you shouldn't open carry most times. If you want to carry, get off your fat butt and get a CC license.
I am not against Open Carry, however, I don't do it unless in the deep woods where nobody else is around. Like the other poster, I don't want to be a target. That being said in some states it is either very difficult, or somewhat expensive to get a concealed carry permit. In one state I lived, it only cost about $20, and only required passing the background check. In another state it cost me about $500 in fees, including the requirement to take a gun safety course even after being a gun owner, and licensed carrier in another state for over 20 years.
So, these requirement are often seen as an "infringement", and they certainly can be that to someone who can't afford the expensive fees for a permit.
unless you are a law abiding citizen living in arizona, then you dont have to get a CCW permit, since we have constitutional carry here.
Same here. I see at least one person open carrying about every day here. I probably just don't notice most of them. I have open carried a couple times, it is not for me. But since it is legal, I have no problem with others doing it.
Back to the original post and the T-shirt, yes, the guy may have had a legal right to wear such a shirt.
And yes, the Constitution does protect a very broad range of speech, some of which is blatantly offensive.
But just because you can doesn't mean you should.
My conclusion is that the guy had the right to wear the shirt, and therefore, there was no violation of law.
However, it was a pretty douchey and tacky thing to be wearing to a park, "law-abiding" or not.
He gets no pass whatsoever from people thinking that he lacks class for wearing this to a park, and there's a good chance he was doing it to get that reaction, just to be contrarian.
The bolded is commonsense why you shouldn't open carry most times. If you want to carry, get off your fat butt and get a CC license.
First of all I don't have a fat butt. I had a CC license when I lived in New York and obtained one in Arizona even though one is not required by law to carry open or concealed. Arizona is a "Constitutional Carry" state that doesn't consider the 2nd Amendment as a privilege to be granted at the discretion of some faceless bureaucrat.
Arizona has a "shall issue" permit system. As such you can't be turned down as long as you meet all the legal requirements as listed on Form 4473 pass a safety course and qualify on the shooting range. Of course there is a more extensive background check and you are fingerprinted. There really isn't any reason to not get one as the handguns are not registered with any governmental agencies as they were in New York.
With a permit you don't have to go through the NICS check whenever you buy a firearm and it has reciprocity with 37 other states. You can also enter establishments that serve alcohol providing you don't consume any alcoholic beverages, not even a beer. Just about every restaurant serves alcoholic beverages. Without a CC license and you get caught carrying a gun in those establishments you could be arrested whether you're drinking alcoholic beverages or not. About the only way you can enter them legally is to summon help in a dire emergency.
There are though a lot of people that don't trust the government including yours truly. For some that reason alone is why they haven't gotten a CC license. I can't say I blame them. I had to put my own misgivings aside as the benefits of having a CC license out weigh those misgivings. However it's none of my business to tell someone whether they should get a CC license or not especially when it's not required by our state law.
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I had a CC license when I lived in New York and obtained one in Arizona even though one is not required by law to carry open or concealed. Arizona is a "Constitutional Carry" state that doesn't consider the 2nd Amendment as a privilege to be granted at the discretion of some faceless bureaucrat.
