• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

OC Sends a Message

protector84

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
624
Location
Arizona, U.S.
imported post

While I generally OC because it is more comfortable, a quicker draw, and a deterrant to crime, I have also realized that it sends a "message" to people as well. While my original goal is not to "brandish" or "intimidate" people, in some cases I have realized that an openly-carried handgun is essentially a "behavior moderation tool." I am frankly quite sick of how on a day-to-daybasis I keep having to put up with disorderly behavior from grown adults in public places and while most people would say "such is life" or "you are not going to have it perfect" I disagree with such an outlook. We are supposed to be a nation of laws where people behave in a law-abiding and civilized manner. Unfortunately, we have become a nation of endless coddling, no discipline, and blind acceptance of everyone regardless of whether merit is there or not.

I consider myself a civilized person as I am generally respectful to people. I try not to tie up lines, I hold doors for people, smile and say "Hi" if someone is looking my direction, move out of people's way, pick up something for someone if they dropped it, and other common courtesy techniques. At the same time, I have noticed that OC acts as a "filter" towards other people's behavior. If other people are generally acting in a civilized manner, they won't care that I'm armed, many won't even notice or give it a second thought if they do, and if anything there would be a positive response to it. People who are uncivilized who for instance, can't control their kids, are excessively loud and obnoxious, bounce around or otherwise act disorderly in public, and other "ghetto"-type crap behavior tend to get very nervous around me OCing and likely see it as brandishing and a form of intimidation. Some here may disagree with me when I say this but my response is that towards those types of people, it IS intimidation. This society needs a level of discipline that is almost completely absent and unfortunately in many ways the only way to get the message acrossis the conscious reminder of deadly force. Ask yourself how many ghetto-type gang-bangers would continue to act up at a 7-11 if suddenly a couple of military vehicles pull up and about ten Marines enter. There is a reason for this. A civilized person simply knows better how to act. A person who behaves like an animal only understands the use of force and punishment. People who act like animals understand what pistols, shotguns, and rifles imply and behave accordingly.

We pride ourselves in this country of the "freedom to associate." Likewise, you have the freedom NOT to associate and the right to be left alone. I'll give a couple of examples here. I had a disturbing incident in my apartment where I was taking an afternoon nap when I hear someone banging on my walls aggressively. Next thing I know kids are beating at my windows, throwing things at my walls, and in one case a kid climbed over the back fence and was trespassing on my back patio. I yelled at the kids and they continued to come back and repeat this type of behavior. At the same time, I can see a number of parents far off in the distance watching and clearly having no concern over their children's criminal behavior. So I strapped on a pistol openly, came outside and began yelling at the kids to cut the crap out or there will be hell to pay. In an angry manner, I walked around the grounds picking up the trash they threw and took it out to the waste dumpsters. I continued to shoot the parents nasty looks not knowing which kids belonged to which parents. After revolving around my apartment three or four times blatantly armed and with the deliberate attempt to make sure everyone knew that not only I was armed but really pissed off, I finally went back inside. All the snot-nosed kids ran probably crying to their mommies and the upset parents decided to bring them inside and in essence I cleared about 20-30 total people out of the area.

Now let's re-evaluate the situation. Suppose I came out unarmed and confronted the parents directly. Considering that these people are social garbage or they wouldn't allow this behavior in the first place, the parents would likely behave as bad if not worse than their own children. I have confronted adults before who in turn have gotten in my face, threatened me, and behaved in the typical "ghetto" fashion of "I'll kick your a$$." I have learned that some people are so bankrupt culturally that honestly the only way to send a message is by being an armed citizen. People may think they are "tough" and they may or may not speak English but the presence of firearms is a language that just about everyone understands. Granted, the intent was not to "terrorize" the children or "put fear" into the parents because after all it is not like I amgoing to shoot someone for interrupting my sleep. However, it does speak the language that I refuse to put up with other people's crap especially when it is directed directly towards me.

The second example has to do with convenience stores late at night (or anytime actually). I have noticed how I can go into a store carrying concealed and you will have kids running around screaming, homeless bums bothering people for handouts, and wannabe gang-bangers jiving, bouncing around in the line, using filthy language, and staring people down. However, when I am in the establishment OCing, for some interesting reason all of the kids are well-behaved, the parents have full control over them, the bums are rather quickly leaving the premises, and the gang-bangers are acting suprisingly civilized and the amount of people loitering about immediately goes to ZERO.

People may cry "I don't want to go back to the Old West" but the truth is that the Old West in certain degrees was far more civilized. People knew how to act and they acted right. Likewise, while I deep down don't really want to go around trying to intimidate people, I have realized that I have the human and constitutional right to be left alone and should not and will not put up with grown adults refusing to conduct themselves in a civilized orderly fashion. Enough said.
 

bugly

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
310
Location
Taco-Ma, Washington, USA
imported post

...funny how people change when there is the perceived threat of deadly force, isn't it?
I don't carry to intimidate, but it does have a calming effect on even the "worst of the worst" in society. Some of the "gang-bangers" even seem a bit more tame when their piddly sideways-held 9mm is met with a steadily held .45 in the hand of a well trained marksman.
(BTW, don't flame me for the 9mm remark, it's an inside joke with a friend of mine)
Kudos to you, somehow I think a message was sent and delivered that day...
 

giaking70

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
Messages
105
Location
San Diego, CA, ,
imported post

bugly wrote:
...funny how people change when there is the perceived threat of deadly force, isn't it?
I don't carry to intimidate, but it does have a calming effect on even the "worst of the worst" in society. Some of the "gang-bangers" even seem a bit more tame when their piddly sideways-held 9mm is met with a steadily held .45 in the hand of a well trained marksman.
(BTW, don't flame me for the 9mm remark, it's an inside joke with a friend of mine)
Kudos to you, somehow I think a message was sent and delivered that day...
yeah I don't carry to intimidate either but for some odd reason, people do seem to go silent and are on their best behavior just like the OP said. I walked into a 7-11 here and was over in the cold sodas section and I hear all these foul mouthed gang-banger types standing near the checkout counter talking how tough they are and how they would beat so and so's ass if they looked at em. Here I come walking up and they "try" to stare me down but end up staring down at my gun on my hip and all of a sudden they go quiet. I asked them if they were gonna kick my ass since I looked at them. They left the store.

Or even better, I like it when I was at the mall where the Walmart is here and I was walking up towards the front door of the store and there are these gang-banger types again, all hanging out and up to no good as usual. I come walking up and they are all foul mouthing each other and folks that are walking by, eye-balling them and one of them spots me walking up and see's my gun on my right hip. He asked me in his lame ass ghetto talk "Eh man, what kinda gun you got?" I politely told him...."A real one".
 

No1

Banned
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
114
Location
, , Zimbabwe
imported post

"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." Heinlein, Beyond this Horizon

An openly armed society is an openly polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his trash talk with action. No1
 

Doug Huffman

Banned
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
9,180
Location
Washington Island, across Death's Door, Wisconsin,
imported post

giaking70 wrote:
I asked them if they were gonna kick my ass since I looked at them. They left the store.
Arguably gave up common law self-defense; first, be innocent of instigation.

The elements of common law self-defense are four; be innocent of instigation, use sufficient force only to deliver oneself from evil, be in reasonable fear of harm, attempt to withdraw.
 

SouthernBoy

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
5,837
Location
Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
imported post

protector84 wrote:
While I generally OC because it is more comfortable, a quicker draw, and a deterrant to crime, I have also realized that it sends a "message" to people as well. While my original goal is not to "brandish" or "intimidate" people, in some cases I have realized that an openly-carried handgun is essentially a "behavior moderation tool." I am frankly quite sick of how on a day-to-daybasis I keep having to put up with disorderly behavior from grown adults in public places and while most people would say "such is life" or "you are not going to have it perfect" I disagree with such an outlook. We are supposed to be a nation of laws where people behave in a law-abiding and civilized manner. Unfortunately, we have become a nation of endless coddling, no discipline, and blind acceptance of everyone regardless of whether merit is there or not.

I consider myself a civilized person as I am generally respectful to people. I try not to tie up lines, I hold doors for people, smile and say "Hi" if someone is looking my direction, move out of people's way, pick up something for someone if they dropped it, and other common courtesy techniques. At the same time, I have noticed that OC acts as a "filter" towards other people's behavior. If other people are generally acting in a civilized manner, they won't care that I'm armed, many won't even notice or give it a second thought if they do, and if anything there would be a positive response to it. People who are uncivilized who for instance, can't control their kids, are excessively loud and obnoxious, bounce around or otherwise act disorderly in public, and other "ghetto"-type crap behavior tend to get very nervous around me OCing and likely see it as brandishing and a form of intimidation. Some here may disagree with me when I say this but my response is that towards those types of people, it IS intimidation. This society needs a level of discipline that is almost completely absent and unfortunately in many ways the only way to get the message acrossis the conscious reminder of deadly force. Ask yourself how many ghetto-type gang-bangers would continue to act up at a 7-11 if suddenly a couple of military vehicles pull up and about ten Marines enter. There is a reason for this. A civilized person simply knows better how to act. A person who behaves like an animal only understands the use of force and punishment. People who act like animals understand what pistols, shotguns, and rifles imply and behave accordingly.

We pride ourselves in this country of the "freedom to associate." Likewise, you have the freedom NOT to associate and the right to be left alone. I'll give a couple of examples here. I had a disturbing incident in my apartment where I was taking an afternoon nap when I hear someone banging on my walls aggressively. Next thing I know kids are beating at my windows, throwing things at my walls, and in one case a kid climbed over the back fence and was trespassing on my back patio. I yelled at the kids and they continued to come back and repeat this type of behavior. At the same time, I can see a number of parents far off in the distance watching and clearly having no concern over their children's criminal behavior. So I strapped on a pistol openly, came outside and began yelling at the kids to cut the crap out or there will be hell to pay. In an angry manner, I walked around the grounds picking up the trash they threw and took it out to the waste dumpsters. I continued to shoot the parents nasty looks not knowing which kids belonged to which parents. After revolving around my apartment three or four times blatantly armed and with the deliberate attempt to make sure everyone knew that not only I was armed but really pissed off, I finally went back inside. All the snot-nosed kids ran probably crying to their mommies and the upset parents decided to bring them inside and in essence I cleared about 20-30 total people out of the area.

Now let's re-evaluate the situation. Suppose I came out unarmed and confronted the parents directly. Considering that these people are social garbage or they wouldn't allow this behavior in the first place, the parents would likely behave as bad if not worse than their own children. I have confronted adults before who in turn have gotten in my face, threatened me, and behaved in the typical "ghetto" fashion of "I'll kick your a$$." I have learned that some people are so bankrupt culturally that honestly the only way to send a message is by being an armed citizen. People may think they are "tough" and they may or may not speak English but the presence of firearms is a language that just about everyone understands. Granted, the intent was not to "terrorize" the children or "put fear" into the parents because after all it is not like I amgoing to shoot someone for interrupting my sleep. However, it does speak the language that I refuse to put up with other people's crap especially when it is directed directly towards me.

The second example has to do with convenience stores late at night (or anytime actually). I have noticed how I can go into a store carrying concealed and you will have kids running around screaming, homeless bums bothering people for handouts, and wannabe gang-bangers jiving, bouncing around in the line, using filthy language, and staring people down. However, when I am in the establishment OCing, for some interesting reason all of the kids are well-behaved, the parents have full control over them, the bums are rather quickly leaving the premises, and the gang-bangers are acting suprisingly civilized and the amount of people loitering about immediately goes to ZERO.

People may cry "I don't want to go back to the Old West" but the truth is that the Old West in certain degrees was far more civilized. People knew how to act and they acted right. Likewise, while I deep down don't really want to go around trying to intimidate people, I have realized that I have the human and constitutional right to be left alone and should not and will not put up with grown adults refusing to conduct themselves in a civilized orderly fashion. Enough said.
I will raise a beer or a glass of sherry to you today, sir. You and I think a lot alike in this regard. The lack of civility as you have described in this country is not an accident. It is the result of deliberate actions taken by sinister people over the last 60+ years. Now we are reaping what we have allowed to be sown.

This is not by accident or chance.
 

PT 24/7

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Messages
24
Location
Swansboro, North Carolina, USA
imported post

protector84 wrote:
While I generally OC because it is more comfortable, a quicker draw, and a deterrant to crime, I have also realized that it sends a "message" to people as well. While my original goal is not to "brandish" or "intimidate" people, in some cases I have realized that an openly-carried handgun is essentially a "behavior moderation tool." I am frankly quite sick of how on a day-to-daybasis I keep having to put up with disorderly behavior from grown adults in public places and while most people would say "such is life" or "you are not going to have it perfect" I disagree with such an outlook. We are supposed to be a nation of laws where people behave in a law-abiding and civilized manner. Unfortunately, we have become a nation of endless coddling, no discipline, and blind acceptance of everyone regardless of whether merit is there or not.

I consider myself a civilized person as I am generally respectful to people. I try not to tie up lines, I hold doors for people, smile and say "Hi" if someone is looking my direction, move out of people's way, pick up something for someone if they dropped it, and other common courtesy techniques. At the same time, I have noticed that OC acts as a "filter" towards other people's behavior. If other people are generally acting in a civilized manner, they won't care that I'm armed, many won't even notice or give it a second thought if they do, and if anything there would be a positive response to it. People who are uncivilized who for instance, can't control their kids, are excessively loud and obnoxious, bounce around or otherwise act disorderly in public, and other "ghetto"-type crap behavior tend to get very nervous around me OCing and likely see it as brandishing and a form of intimidation. Some here may disagree with me when I say this but my response is that towards those types of people, it IS intimidation. This society needs a level of discipline that is almost completely absent and unfortunately in many ways the only way to get the message acrossis the conscious reminder of deadly force. Ask yourself how many ghetto-type gang-bangers would continue to act up at a 7-11 if suddenly a couple of military vehicles pull up and about ten Marines enter. There is a reason for this. A civilized person simply knows better how to act. A person who behaves like an animal only understands the use of force and punishment. People who act like animals understand what pistols, shotguns, and rifles imply and behave accordingly.

We pride ourselves in this country of the "freedom to associate." Likewise, you have the freedom NOT to associate and the right to be left alone. I'll give a couple of examples here. I had a disturbing incident in my apartment where I was taking an afternoon nap when I hear someone banging on my walls aggressively. Next thing I know kids are beating at my windows, throwing things at my walls, and in one case a kid climbed over the back fence and was trespassing on my back patio. I yelled at the kids and they continued to come back and repeat this type of behavior. At the same time, I can see a number of parents far off in the distance watching and clearly having no concern over their children's criminal behavior. So I strapped on a pistol openly, came outside and began yelling at the kids to cut the crap out or there will be hell to pay. In an angry manner, I walked around the grounds picking up the trash they threw and took it out to the waste dumpsters. I continued to shoot the parents nasty looks not knowing which kids belonged to which parents. After revolving around my apartment three or four times blatantly armed and with the deliberate attempt to make sure everyone knew that not only I was armed but really pissed off, I finally went back inside. All the snot-nosed kids ran probably crying to their mommies and the upset parents decided to bring them inside and in essence I cleared about 20-30 total people out of the area.

Now let's re-evaluate the situation. Suppose I came out unarmed and confronted the parents directly. Considering that these people are social garbage or they wouldn't allow this behavior in the first place, the parents would likely behave as bad if not worse than their own children. I have confronted adults before who in turn have gotten in my face, threatened me, and behaved in the typical "ghetto" fashion of "I'll kick your a$$." I have learned that some people are so bankrupt culturally that honestly the only way to send a message is by being an armed citizen. People may think they are "tough" and they may or may not speak English but the presence of firearms is a language that just about everyone understands. Granted, the intent was not to "terrorize" the children or "put fear" into the parents because after all it is not like I amgoing to shoot someone for interrupting my sleep. However, it does speak the language that I refuse to put up with other people's crap especially when it is directed directly towards me.

The second example has to do with convenience stores late at night (or anytime actually). I have noticed how I can go into a store carrying concealed and you will have kids running around screaming, homeless bums bothering people for handouts, and wannabe gang-bangers jiving, bouncing around in the line, using filthy language, and staring people down. However, when I am in the establishment OCing, for some interesting reason all of the kids are well-behaved, the parents have full control over them, the bums are rather quickly leaving the premises, and the gang-bangers are acting suprisingly civilized and the amount of people loitering about immediately goes to ZERO.

People may cry "I don't want to go back to the Old West" but the truth is that the Old West in certain degrees was far more civilized. People knew how to act and they acted right. Likewise, while I deep down don't really want to go around trying to intimidate people, I have realized that I have the human and constitutional right to be left alone and should not and will not put up with grown adults refusing to conduct themselves in a civilized orderly fashion. Enough said.
Ditto!!!!!
 

XD-GEM

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Messages
722
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
imported post

No1 wrote:
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." Heinlein, Beyond this Horizon

An openly armed society is an openly polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his trash talk with action. No1

As an aside to this thread - welcome to our member from Zimbabwe!

To the main topic - I wish more people realized the truth of these statements.
 

IxionDeece

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
240
Location
Troy, Ohio, United States
imported post

Tho I do enjoy my freedoms, and completely agree with protector on this. I wish we could have the same civilized people without them acting civilized just cause "someone with a gun" is anywhere in sight. If you know what I mean. I just hope I didn't word that wrong.
 

Task Force 16

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
2,615
Location
Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
imported post

protector84 wrote:
People may cry "I don't want to go back to the Old West" but the truth is that the Old West in certain degrees was far more civilized.
There were many thing about the "old west" that were better than today.

It was not only a more polite and curtious society, but a more self-reliant, self-motivated, and resourceful society.

RE-adopting the "SPIRIT" of the old west would be the best thing this country could do.
 

protector84

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
624
Location
Arizona, U.S.
imported post

Additionally, I have noticed since I have begun OCing that I can't even remember the last time a homeless person approached me for handouts. It must have been awhile ago. I remember it was getting to the point where I was harrassed by them daily to the point of having to raise my voice at some of them. Somehow I don't think that OCing + less vagrants in the vicinity is a mere coincidence.

As an answer to IxionDeece, I also wish that people would be civilized or learn proper behavior without the need for firearms to be in the equation. However, here is what I have noticed. Decent law-abiding people are for the most part hesitant and even outright afraid to confront what many of us consider to be "social garbage." That main fear is that the confrontation will lead to violence. This is why wannabe gang-banger types at convenience stores endlessly stare "normal" people down and won't look away. They know that people are intimidated by them and will ignore them to avoid a fight. Another example is with say a family with screaming kids. People are afraid of typical "ghetto" behavior where say a man yells at the parents "to control their kids" then the father may get up in the person's face and say, "What you gonna do about it man? You want me to kick your a$$." I have observed that the more civilized person demonstrates superiority through proper social decorum whereas the uncivilized person demonstrates superiority through the threat of violence, hence the "tough guy" phenomenon.

Hence, this is why "an armed society is a police society." When the uncivilized person sees an armed civilized person, they know that that the civilized person is not afraid to confront them and at the same time they know that the civilized person cannot be intimidated either. This generally leaves the uncivilized person with either the option of leaving the area or acting in a more appropriate fashion. This is proof also that the low-lifes we have to deal with in society actually DO know proper social decorum as they will show it when they absolutely have to but CHOOSE to pollute the environment with their lack of morals whenever possible.
 

modificationvt

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
39
Location
Burlington, ,
imported post

most of my OCing is done when I am on my bicycle, and when I am not OCing I will constantly be getting cut off, people sqeazing me between them and parked cars, trash being thrown at me, and even people opening their car doors as they pass me. when OCing on my bike I get the f*cking road to my self.
 

XD40coyote

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2007
Messages
706
Location
woman stuck in Maryland, ,
imported post

Why can't the "garbage people" just act civilized all the time if they can do it when an OCer is around? I guess it is true that people who act like animals only recognize force. No other way to get them to understand I guess. At least they still have human reasoning. If you were dealing with real animals such as raccoons or foxes, you could shoot a dozen and another dozen will roam in and be annoying and knocking trash cans over ( raccoons) and eating your chickens. Though after a while you will thin them out enough that the few left will likley be eating from natural food sources LOL. Hmm overpopulated animals and nuisance problems, hmm...
 

Task Force 16

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
2,615
Location
Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
imported post

XD40coyote wrote:
Why can't the "garbage people" just act civilized all the time if they can do it when an OCer is around? I guess it is true that people who act like animals only recognize force. No other way to get them to understand I guess. At least they still have human reasoning. If you were dealing with real animals such as raccoons or foxes, you could shoot a dozen and another dozen will roam in and be annoying and knocking trash cans over ( raccoons) and eating your chickens. Though after a while you will thin them out enough that the few left will likley be eating from natural food sources LOL. Hmm overpopulated animals and nuisance problems, hmm...

Some folks are just desten to behave poorly no matter what.

The worlds bulging population is the prime contributor to all of mankinds social ills. Liberal ideology makes things even worse.
 

JDriver1.8t

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
678
Location
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
imported post

I live in a condo, and am the secretary of the HOA. I'm also the head of the security committee for the property. I do monthly building inspections for the exterior lights, fire extinguishers, vandalism, illegal parking, and many other things.

My friend and I are getting back from a friends house when a car pulls up into the handicapped spot slashed line area, right beside the actual handicapped spot. They procede to get out and have a conversation that was half curse words.

I then tell them that they can't park there, and if they don't move the vehicle, it will be towed. At this point the Alpha Male syndrom kicked inand both guys pushed their shoulders back and stood up a bit taller. At this point they started walking closer to me and asking if I was the one that would call the tow company.

As they get closer (20 feet or so) they notice the G23 on my side. They very quickly inform me that they didn't realize they couldn't park there and that they would move it. I told them to have a nice evening.

My friend and I go inside my place and he just starts laughing. The cause of his laughter is how fast they guys attitudes changed once they saw that I was armed.

An armed society is a polite society.
 

Task Force 16

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
2,615
Location
Lobelville, Tennessee, USA
imported post

JDriver1.8t wrote:
I live in a condo, and am the secretary of the HOA. I'm also the head of the security committee for the property. I do monthly building inspections for the exterior lights, fire extinguishers, vandalism, illegal parking, and many other things.

My friend and I are getting back from a friends house when a car pulls up into the handicapped spot slashed line area, right beside the actual handicapped spot. They procede to get out and have a conversation that was half curse words.

I then tell them that they can't park there, and if they don't move the vehicle, it will be towed. At this point the Alpha Male syndrom kicked inand both guys pushed their shoulders back and stood up a bit taller. At this point they started walking closer to me and asking if I was the one that would call the tow company.

As they get closer (20 feet or so) they notice the G23 on my side. They very quickly inform me that they didn't realize they couldn't park there and that they would move it. I told them to have a nice evening.

My friend and I go inside my place and he just starts laughing. The cause of his laughter is how fast they guys attitudes changed once they saw that I was armed.

An armed society is a police society.
You mean "polite" society, right?
 
Top