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Approached by an LEO's Mom!

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Yes, it's true! I was sitting at Starbucks on the corner of Garden of the God's Rd. and Centennial this morning, around 11:30, while enjoying a cup of coffee with a friend of mine with whom I'd just spent a couple hours hiking through Palmer Park.

Lo and behold! A kind lady about my age from the table next to me stepped up and said, "Excuse me, my son's a cop, and I'm just wondering what the laws are about your carrying a firearm. I'm not anti-gun or anything. It's just that I don't know. Do you need a permit?"

I thought, "Wow! What an opportunity!" I put on my editor's hat and condensed a little more than two years and 4,000+ posts here on OCDO, and said, "No Ma'am, no permit is required in the State of Colorado for Open Carry. You must be 18 years of age and free of a disqualifying issue, such as a felony or mental condition. In fact, 43 states in our Union allow open carry, and only 15 of those require a permit."

She then asked, "What about concealed carry?" to which I replied, "For concealed the same basics apply, except that you do need a permit and you must be 21 years of age."

Sharp as a tack she observed, "Why the additional scrutiny? Is concealed carry more insidious?"

I thought about that one for a moment and said, "I believe it stems from the late 1800's, following President Lincoln's assassination. Back then, everyone OC'd, and only a few were allowed to CC."

She closed with, "Thank you! I'd never heard anyone explain it so well! I'd much rather see someone carrying out in the open than catch a glimpse of it tucked behind a jacket or in their waistband, as you never know what they're up to! When a person is carrying openly, they're the last person I worry about misusing a firearm!"

"I'm with you on that, Ma'am!" I replied, as she smiled and walked away.

Ok, now really - whose mother or wife here on OCDO was she, really? She must have been a plant! :lol:


Interestingly enough, my friend, who knows I carry, spoke up and said, "I didn't even notice you were carrying! Shows you how observant I am. Sheesh!"
 
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Kingfish

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
1,276
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
She closed with, "Thank you! I'd never heard anyone explain it so well! I'd much rather see someone carrying out in the open than catch a glimpse of it tucked behind a jacket or in their waistband, as you never know what they're up to! When a person is carrying openly, they're the last person I worry about misusing a firearm!"
And this is one of the major reasons I OC.
 

rushcreek2

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
909
Location
Colorado Springs. CO
Once again - the societal presumption that only "COPS" can legally openly carry a handgun.

Hollywood - thank you sooooo much for your decades of brainwashing.

A real eye-opening glimpse into the mind of the "average citizen" .
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Once again - the societal presumption that only "COPS" can legally openly carry a handgun.

Hollywood - thank you sooooo much for your decades of brainwashing

Howdy Rushcreek!
Don't forget the other part of that process...
That the only other people who carry guns are bad guys as they perform their various miscreancies!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Howdy Pardner!
Terrific story you posted. Got a real good chance to help another citizen understand the reality of open carry.
Good on you!

I should have posted an incident I had when visiting a local Chinese restaurant recently and had a most pleasant chat with an older couple who asked whether someone could simply carry open, as I was doing. Evidently, the older gentleman, a long time military veteran, would dearly love to open carry his own sidearm, so he was real interested in learning that it is okay in Colorado (with the exception of the PR of C&C Denver, natch!)

Anyhow, that story would be old news after a couple of weeks, so guess we'll just enjoy your thread here and remember that we are all ambassadors for open carry. We have an affect on people. Let's all strive to make it a positive one, as you did so well in your encounter.

Kudos to you pard!
Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

protias

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
7,308
Location
SE, WI
since9, I would rep you for that post if OCDO had rep points! Fantastic articulation of the law and history. :D
 

Beau

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
672
Location
East of Aurora, Colorado, USA
Excellent encounter and excellent answers to her questions. I'm sure she will relay the conversation to her son. I wonder what his response will be? Hopefully he doesn't steer her in the wrong direction and turn her next encounter with an armed citizen into a MWAG or WWAG call.
 
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