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Public gatherings of open carriers?

mlr

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
Messages
50
Location
, ,
After the open carry law passed I started seeing folks on a number of gun forums saying that they would like to organize a public show of numbers in different cities around the State. While I personally do not agree with this approach when used solely to show others that you can do might do more harm than good many others disagree with me. Don't get me wrong. If a government agency in the State makes it clear with either threats or actions then a show of force would be called for. That would be a legitimate and necessary response to an illegal act. That is not what this post is about.

While I agree with the need for public awareness campaigns we must be careful to not associate ourselves with those who only wish to rub someones nose in the fact that we can do something and they can't stop us type actions. As I said earlier I would be against a large group of armed citizens walking in force up and down busy streets for no other reason than because they can. Or to show others that we won.

Instead of the Shock and Awe approach some our side want to use I would like to see a more gradual non threatening approach.

A get together at some underused park to do some trash pickup. Maybe a cookout or picnic when done. I specify an underused park because going to a busy one would scare some of the young children that through no fault of their own are taught that guns are evil and will hurt them. Scaring those you wish to convert is not a good idea.

Pick out some rural or semi-rural county road to pick up trash. One with moderate traffic so that rubberneckers would not create a traffic hazard that might endanger us or other drivers. Also a semi-rural county blacktop would probably carry more folks from that rural background who are more acceptable to seeing firearms. The ones appalled or outraged by them would not be in the huge majority there.

There are plenty more things we can do that would not cause a large outcry from the general public. We can as some believe get up in their face. Or, we can just slowly become the norm. In my opinion this is how to win.

Michael
 

mlr

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
Messages
50
Location
, ,
You should look at OKOCA. We are attempting to organize OC supporters to conduct just such activities in an effort to prevent radicals from damaging the image of OC'ers across the state.

www.facebook.com/opencarryok

And hopefully soon

www.okoca.org (this is still under development)

I am a paid member of the opencarryok group. The facebook format is new to me and difficult for me to navigate. I made this post in reaction to posts on different forums where one side says to stay low and don't make waves and the other side says we need to be bold with public showing of our numbers.

This post was to inquire how those not on the polar opposite sides might feel about a middle of the road approach.

Michael
 

Springfield Smitty

Regular Member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
296
Location
OKC, OK (Heading back to MI very soon - thank good
Michael,

Thank you for your support of OKOCA. We are trying to keep our gatherings posted on here as well as Facebook because we realize that not everyone has a Facebook account. Hopefully our website will be active soon and that will be an easier place for people to find information. Please tell your friends and family about OKOCA so that we can get their support as well and hold the types of gatherings you mentioned. It's not that we're trying to dominate all OC gatherings throughout the state, but it is important that we organize the OC supporters so that we can point things in the right direction and prevent the extremists from causing problems. That's not to say that we won't be aggressive when needed; but that we want to make sure it's done properly.
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
I think it is very important to make OC "normal". The way you make it "normal" is you get people together, who conduct themselves with decorum, and show the general public that OC without a uniform and a badge is not anything that should be feared.

I OC every time we go off the property, and most of the times we are on our own property. The only time my carry is covered is when I wear a coat because of the weather. I have been doing so since 1970. That is when we made WA our permanent residence.

In all that time I have had one, two word conversation with a Sheriff's Deputy while loading my camper in a grocery store parking lot. Him "hunting? me "yep", end of conversation. (oh yes, after we moved, the local CoP asked when we were going to join their local gun club, I told him we usually just shoot on our property) I was asked once why so few OC'd here (verse Montana), but there are people here that OC all the time (like myself), he just had never seen any others. He was new to the state. The general public does not even notice...that is "Normalized", that is what annual picnics and camp-outs do, that is what meet and greets do..carry on.
 
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Springfield Smitty

Regular Member
Joined
May 22, 2009
Messages
296
Location
OKC, OK (Heading back to MI very soon - thank good
Exactly, Herman. We had a lot of success with normalizing OC in Michigan. It's like you say, most people don't even notice it. They walk around in their own little bubble and are none the wiser. Non-carriers just don't have the situational awareness that we do. I'm excited for the folks here in Oklahoma to see just how much of a non-issue it is going to be for them - even with the preliminary negative reactions that some are having to OC.

Just like you said though, it needs to be done properly and organized in the beginning. I say that because there will be a little more attention drawn to it here in Oklahoma since it is a new concept for most of the citizenry here. Nonetheless, I think people will be surprised at just how smoothly it goes when performed properly.
 

hermannr

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
2,327
Location
Okanogan Highland
You guys enjoy, I might even come visit my buddy in Tulsa next year, who knows. I think your OK organization is starting out on teh right foot. Try to get the 911 system to understand that OC is legal so the MWAG calls get stopped before they ever start, and the population is educated...especially those that call MWAG.

I remember a thread where SVG (WA forum) stated he over heard a call to 911 on himself at the DOL office. The caller says "I'm at the MT Vernon DOL and there is a man with a gun here" Then he hears "no, it is in a holster and he is just waiting" then "But he has a gun!" You can fill in the other side of the conversation.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Having a major public event is normal LAC doing what they have every right to do and in a responsible manner. Will it generate attention in the beginning? Probably and what is the difficulty with that? By and large IMO you will generate more support than criticism - the public just isn't drinking the Kool-Aid any more.

As an example, take a look at a recent picnic in Salem, Va. - the county commissioners did everything they could to say guns were not legal in parks. Actually, we did rub their noses in it just a bit.:lol:

Begin at post #23 - well over 100 people
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...cnic-7-14-12-4PM-9PM-Green-Hill-Park-Salem-VA
 

Pistol Packin' Honey

Regular Member
Joined
May 10, 2012
Messages
12
Location
Tulsa
Public gathering in Tulsa

We are planning a trash pick-up here in Tulsa. Looking at September 22nd as the date, Woodward Park as the location. Still not clear on a time just yet.

We will let you all know ASAP when it's nailed down.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
We are planning a trash pick-up here in Tulsa. Looking at September 22nd as the date, Woodward Park as the location. Still not clear on a time just yet.

We will let you all know ASAP when it's nailed down.

Start a new thread and get a stickie for the asking. Please make sure the date is in the title. :D
 

okiephlyer

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
423
Location
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Any word on when you might have a forum on okoca.org. The people at oklahomashooters tend to be rabidly anti OC, , boomershooters is more competition, and here at ocdo things are pretty good, but it would be nice to have a site to call our own. I don't facebook any more, so this is my way to keep up.
 

hrdware

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
740
Location
Moore, OK
Any word on when you might have a forum on okoca.org. The people at oklahomashooters tend to be rabidly anti OC, , boomershooters is more competition, and here at ocdo things are pretty good, but it would be nice to have a site to call our own. I don't facebook any more, so this is my way to keep up.

The website is up. http://OKOCA.org however we have asked and been given permission to use the Oklahoma Forum on OCDO as our forum.

A few reasons for doing this are: It already exists, no extra maintenance headaches for us to run it. Nothing worse than running a forum full of crickets (look at the H&H forum). We get input from people from other states.

If we get a sudden explosion of members and the posts start overwhelming OCDO then we can look at running an OKOCA forum as well, but at this point, we have decided to just use this one.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
The website is up. http://OKOCA.org however we have asked and been given permission to use the Oklahoma Forum on OCDO as our forum.

A few reasons for doing this are: It already exists, no extra maintenance headaches for us to run it. Nothing worse than running a forum full of crickets (look at the H&H forum). We get input from people from other states.

If we get a sudden explosion of members and the posts start overwhelming OCDO then we can look at running an OKOCA forum as well, but at this point, we have decided to just use this one.

Doing it this way also allows others to follow what is happening in OK w/o having to log on to a separate site - much more convenient. :rolleyes:
 
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