OC promotion

imported post

I am vey new to OC.

My new paradigm is to walk into a store or whatever, OC, particularly locally owned establishments, and introduce myself in some way, and ask the owners/managers/clerks name. Let them know I live nearby and am just a guy buying whatever.

I have strong feelings that lack of community causes a lot of fear and suspicion on many levels, including OC.

Just my attempt. I will let y'all know how it works out.

imported post

Let me be honest with you...your suggestion sounds strange to me, add a gun on your hip and I would wonder what the hell you were really going to do.

In our society we all operate within a fairly rigid set of normal actions depending upon time and place. Some things just seem strange. As an open carry advocate we want to appear as normal as the next guy.

My suggestion is that you go about life the same way you would if you were not carrying a firearm.

imported post

Riverrat, I agree with Renegade on this. I'm as new as you to OC, though I have been doing it since day one when I was introduced to this site. I've meet you at the OC breakfasts and I have explained to my son that it's no ones business and have made it kind of game with him to see who notices or says anything. If someone notices and says something then deal with it at that point. Don't go out your way to inform people, cause you then run the chance of "Oh you'll have to leave, we don't allow those here".

imported post

The sub-title of your post (which you can't see from within the thread)has the most impact.. "be friendly". Remember.. and armed society is a polite society.

Like the others suggested.. don't cause outrageous attention to yourself. But if you walk into a store and blurt out to the clerk.. "Hey? Where's the bbq sauce??!!?" You could have gone up and said.. "Excuse me please, Can you direct me to the BBQ Sauce?.. Thanks very much!"

Have I ever flipped the bird at another driver or blown my horn.. You bet.. I am guessing we all have.. But.. when I am armed.. anyone in the world can cut me off and I let all the people that want to merge in front of me and I am more plentiful with the THANK YOU friendly waves.

I always want to position myself in the best possible light in case anything were to ever go down. It is also why I carry a Digital Recorder when I OC.

If people ask questions about my firearm.. I answer them truthfully and without sarcasm (if you can believe that).. and then I hand them a small stack of my OPEN CARRY INFO CARDS.


Ed

imported post

I concur that pointedly "making yourself known" as an OCer might not be without some negatives, sort of like asking for permission. IMO - the best way to gain "community acceptance" is to be a regular/repeat customer. People develope a higher acceptance level of stangers (unkown factor) when they cease to be strangers - they have past experiences from which to draw.

We have seen this acceptance level elevated were we have had repeat breakfasts and dinners. We make new friends every day by smiling. Smiling or just nodding generally begets a pleasant response. I sometimes touch the bill of my cap as a mini-salute. I always look at people directly - eye contact.

If it works for you and generates no negative responses, who am I to criticize. We each use our own personalities to the (hopefully) best benefit. Right Skid?

Yata hey

imported post

Grapeshot wrote:

If it works for you and generates no negative responses, who am I to criticize. We each use our own personalities to the (hopefully) best benefit. Right Skid?

Click to expand...

Once you learn to fake sincerity, the rest is downhill. I am so proud I signed up for a Humility course. Travel to exciting places, meet new people, and kill them. (USMC Recruiter's pitch, 1966). All words I try to live by.

Seriously, being a repeat customer who projects no threat but rather politeness is probably the best way to go. Not only gets you the OK in one place, but a good reference for the next place, too. Ask Grapeshot how it works in overcoming resistance.

stay safe.

skidmark

imported post

skidmark wrote:

snip.....
Seriously, being a repeat customer who projects no threat but rather politeness is probably the best way to go. Not only gets you the OK in one place, but a good reference for the next place, too. Ask Grapeshot how it works in overcoming resistance.

Click to expand...

Sometimes the wheels of progress turn very s l o w l y but they do turn better with a little grease.

Yata hey

imported post

Grapeshot wrote:

Right Skid?

Click to expand...

skidmark wrote:

Ask Grapeshot how it works in overcoming resistance.

Click to expand...

You two should get a room.

imported post

Do you feel left out Ed? Not by accident I assure you, though we include most everybody in most of our conversations.

In this case, Skidmark alludes to something with which I am not ready to go public. I want all of my ducks in a very straight row first if I decide to do so. Time will tell.

Yata hey