Open Carry (Houston, Dallas, Howe: crimes, law, racist)

[Cowboybootnut]

Excuse me for jumping in the Houston thread, but I don't see this topic in the Dallas thread yet.

I have a CCL, I feel comfortable carrying like that. I would feel less comfortable openly carrying a weapon. I would feel like I would be the first target shot at. I don’t want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but if I am, I want the element of surprise on my side.

[Grunn]

My own take as an alien not allowed to bear arms in my own country is that your permissive gun laws are a freedom you should appreciate.

Concealed carry is a great idea, however the idea of widespread open carry also has it's benefits. If it became commonplace then the arguments against it wilt. The deterrent effect would be multiplied as well, what criminal would consider attacking a place where he faces a myriad of potential armed opponents? A mad dog perhaps but open carry would solve more problems than it presents. This coming from an individual from a country where we aren't even allowed to restrain an attacker in our own home using our bare hands!

[Hayato]

I think Open Carry only make sense if the gun can only be fired by the owner (new technology). Looking at people around me I think I can take their guns from them

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by Hayato

I think Open Carry only make sense if the gun can only be fired by the owner (new technology). Looking at people around me I think I can take their guns from them

That's an excellent way to get shot in the liver by a 90 lb. weakling...

The old proverb about "bringing a knife (or in this case fists) to a gunfight" is based in sound logic.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Grunn

My own take as an alien not allowed to bear arms in my own country is that your permissive gun laws are a freedom you should appreciate.

Concealed carry is a great idea, however the idea of widespread open carry also has it's benefits. If it became commonplace then the arguments against it wilt. The deterrent effect would be multiplied as well, what criminal would consider attacking a place where he faces a myriad of potential armed opponents? A mad dog perhaps but open carry would solve more problems than it presents. This coming from an individual from a country where we aren't even allowed to restrain an attacker in our own home using our bare hands!

Great post, Grunn. And excellent points, and even more powerful because they come from someone who has truly lived the other side of it!

David1 wrote: No, I don't think it's a good idea here or anywhere else. Didn't we move beyond the wild wild west?

With all due respect, this oft-heard preface "didn't we move beyond (whatever it was we were supposed to have moved beyond)" makes a great sound-byte, but never seems to get clarification as to exactly how things are better before we "moved beyond" it!

Do you mean people being allowed to carry guns for self-defense? Well, seems like the criminal element amongst us never got beyond it, sure enough!

Personally, I think it is high time the law-abiding citizen can "move BACK"

[Hayato]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

That's an excellent way to get shot in the liver by a 90 lb. weakling...

The old proverb about "bringing a knife (or in this case fists) to a gunfight" is based in sound logic.

I think you missed my point. It's only a *fight* if both characters are aware of what about to happen.
How about 2 thugs against a OC old man with his wife? Wait. How about they kick him in the face first.

[ditchoc]

I CC and in NC I am allowed to OC. I have considered open carrying more often. In part because my favorite pistol is big enough to make it difficult to conceal, unless I wear a fairly heavy coat.

I think the big difference in the visual is the gun being holstered or in some ones hand. Holstered, not scary. In the hand, scary. Transition time from one to the other, minimal.

A lot of people just see it as scary reguardless.

[Dopo]

I’m 100% for open carry
what’s the point of letting people carry weapons if they get in trouble for showing them?

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by Dopo

I’m 100% for open carry
what’s the point of letting people carry weapons if they get in trouble for showing them?

There is a school of thought that says that open carry is more likely to result in the carrier being shot first, or the bad guys will just come up behind the carrier and grab the pistol. I am more in favor of concealed carry, since it doesn't make you a target and doesn't scare the hoplophobes.

[Mescalero]

When I lived in Arizona, people could wear their firearms in public. I just remember taking my son to the movie one time and there's Joe Blow, wearing his gun on his belt, to the movies.

Remember Aurora, CO?

Granted there's been hundreds of thousands of movie showings before and since that didn't involve a shooting.