Saw a "gangsta" OCing today

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Driving off of 260th st toward 16th Ave S in the Kent/Des Moines area today. Saw a guy walking down the side of the street sporting some serious "gangsta" gear. Was wearing a red bandana wrapped around his mouth/lower part of his face, a red t shirt that hung past his knees, with gang related tagged text on the front of the shirt. His pants waistline was literally piled up on his knees, at the end of his shirt. Had the "limp" walk and everything going on. To top it off, he was carrying what appeared to be some kind of Glock handgun in a *gasp*.. yes.. holster.

I thought.. damn.. I'm all for open carry and what not, but when you're going around dressing and and appearing like that, then it just looks like you're asking for some kind of trouble. I don't know what kind of person would honestly have said that they wouldn't have been uncomfortable about that situation.

Now, on the flip side, even though he appeared in that fashion, the fact that he was OCing lead my to believe he was a law abiding citizen, because I doubt anyone who is illegally possessing a firearm is going to OC it the way he did.

Still seemed a little off.

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Cant judge a book by the cover. I always been one to look at the body language, and how they interact with people to make my first impressions. I know clothing can bethat first feeling sometimes, but the real trick it giving it a minute to observe their behavior/interaction. that (at least for me) is what gathers the "first impression. I do realise that a "books cover" all to often is gonna be first.

just my thoughts

Bat

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ive been worried about this happening ever since i learned about the legalities of OC! that a gangster, that "is not a felon", could work the laws about RAS, ID checks, 4 A protection, to be out there, acting enforcer and/or chief intimidator, with garanteed immunity. now its his right to dress like an idiot! even if he isarmed!

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I have been worried about this too. I have yet to meet a person who dresses and acts like that who is a decent person. That he is OCing tells me that he likelyhas no felonies on his record(or he is just really gutsy). It defiantly does not tell me that he is a law abiding citizen. I hate to judge a book like a cover but I have been around these kinds of people all my life and every preconception that I made when I saw one proved itself correct in the first 30 seconds of conversation with that person. I hope I am wrong but this seems a little scary to me.

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sempercarry wrote:

I have been worried about this too. I have yet to meet a person who dresses and acts like that who is a decent person. That he is OCing tells me that he likelyhas no felonies on his record(or he is just really gutsy). It defiantly does not tell me that he is a law abiding citizen. I hate to judge a book like a cover but I have been around these kinds of people all my life and every preconception that I made when I saw one proved itself correct in the first 30 seconds of conversation with that person. I hope I am wrong but this seems a little scary to me.

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Why worry? Why is it scary?

Don't you guys rememember these shibboleths:

There has never been a case of an OCer committing a crime.

A criminal would not open carry.

So, the guy wears funny clothes. But clothes don't make the man.

The fellow described in the OP has a gun. He's OCing it. He is presumed to be a law abiding citizen.

He is our guy.....he is one of us....he is our brother....

The OP should have nodded to him his approval....of a brother armed.

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HankT wrote:

sempercarry wrote:

I have been worried about this too. I have yet to meet a person who dresses and acts like that who is a decent person. That he is OCing tells me that he likelyhas no felonies on his record(or he is just really gutsy). It defiantly does not tell me that he is a law abiding citizen. I hate to judge a book like a cover but I have been around these kinds of people all my life and every preconception that I made when I saw one proved itself correct in the first 30 seconds of conversation with that person. I hope I am wrong but this seems a little scary to me.

Click to expand...

Why worry? Why is it scary?

Don't you guys rememember these shibboleths:

There has never been a case of an OCer committing a crime.

A criminal would not open carry.

So, the guy wears funny clothes. But clothes don't make the man.

The fellow described in the OP has a gun. He's OCing it. He is presumed to be a law abiding citizen.

He is our guy.....he is one of us....he is our brother....

The OP should have nodded to him his approval....of a brother armed.

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I'm afraid I have to disagree with you there HankT he is not my brother just because he open carries a pistol, the same way a guy wearing the same pants that I do is also not my brother. Unfortunately first impressions are accurate most of the time, this guy would most likely be a member of one of the blood's gangs here in Washington although can't know for sure since Aaron1124 doesn't even say he lives in this state.

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I'm going to catch @#$% for saying this among other things, but us questioning whether or not it's politically or socially smart to do so may get us called "traitors to the cause" and other very wry statements. :what: See some of the asshattery in the General Discussion Threads.

When I know that open carry can be done by a professional looking business man, a man in a kilt, or a "gangsta dress" type without issue, we know we've won the legal battle fully.

I personally would have went up to him and ask him some questions as an open carrier myself. I'm willing to bet he would have been as calm and rational as the person asking the question. Getting mouthy or generally being an ass with people in general as some of the folks have "delt with" will get a person popped with an RCW 9.41.270 violation.

As for the folks that have a problem with the manner of dress: deal with it. If you don't pay for his clothing, then he won't listen to you. He's going to say a variant either one of two things: "Well, that's your opinion" or a short curt "Go @#$k yourself". Both are equally valid in this particular circumstance.

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I am going to agree with Grey. It's human nature to profile to some extent. But you can't judge a book by its cover. Personally if I ran into this guy I would have talked to him we have something in common. We like guns. Give him a pamphlet, invite him to a meet. Then I could judge whether he is someone I like by his own personal reactions to me.

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Very well said Grey. As for people who have never met a decent person who dresses like that, try looking at some of the kids in high school that are college bound. That style of clothing is no longer just "gangsta" dress.

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The great thing about freedom is that you can have your own opinion as long as it doesn't tread on someone elses liberty.

I hate that kind of clothing so I don't wear it. But if that's what that dude likes then so be it. From the short description he appeared to be OC'ing lawfully so good for him. If he was a criminal he wouldn't have his firearm in a holster.

We continue to want others to get rid of their preconceptions about "us". It's more than a bit hypocritical if we can't try and get rid of our own preconceptions as well.

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edit. wrong thread.

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If I see an Italian looking man wearing a suit, OCing, should I assume he's in the Mafia?

:shock:

What about a Russian guy with tattoos?

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I'd be more concerned with his behavior than his attire. If he really is a criminal, he probably wouldn't want to call attention to himself by open carrying. Let's treat him the way we would want to be treated.

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Bader wrote:

If I see an Italian looking man wearing a suit, OCing, should I assume he's in the Mafia?

:shock:

What about a Russian guy with tattoos?

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Or a Russian guy with tattoos wearing an Italian suit talking on a Japanese cell phone while eating a taco!!!

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You should have suggested that he get a drop leg holster so that he could at least reach his weapon if it was ever needed, plus it wouldnt fall off with his pants when he took flight mode because it was out of reach.:uhoh:

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tat2ed_guy wrote:

You should have suggested that he get a drop leg holster so that he could at least reach his weapon if it was ever needed, plus it wouldnt fall off with his pants when he took flight mode because it was out of reach.:uhoh:

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I'm guessing if his pants were around his knees that, by virtue of his dress, he had a drop leg holster. :lol:

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And the reason I could see his gun is because even though his shirt hung to his knees, he part of his shirt tucked in under his gun, so it would show. Not sure what kind of holster it was, but it was attached to his boxers and had some sort of belt attachment on it. I really don't know how his pants were keeping from falling all of the way down though. I've often wondered that about people who wear pants like that.

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joeroket wrote:

Very well said Grey. As for people who have never met a decent person who dresses like that, try looking at some of the kids in high school that are college bound. That style of clothing is no longer just "gangsta" dress.

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Where do you think I got these notions from.....My time in high school and college. Just because you want an education doesn't make you a moral person. Thishas beenconstant issue for me so I began to take a scientific approach to talking to people who were dressed and actedlike this and eventually recorded the results and wrote a paper. I would always find a way to slip in a few predetermined moralquestions and I can't remember a single one who didn't call me a dumb ass or some variant for returning a wallet full of money. I also can't remember one who didn't have several "hoes or bitches" or who didn't think it was a bad thing to beat someone into a coma for "snitching" or who had a respect for the law. "F$%K the police" I think was term most of them used. And the kicker was that if they could get away with it, would they commit violent crimes like murder and rape.....take a guess.I wish I could find the psych paper I wrote on this subject incollege but I have changed computers so much that I don't think I can find it. I also wish that this this is not how it is.....but I have become to educated on the subject to think otherwise. Not reading a book by the cover is the good regurgitated school boy answer until you realize that some covers have a big red stop sign that says "stop snitchin" (a shirt that pretty much identifies its wearer as a criminal)on it.

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:cuss:

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gsx1138 wrote:

Bader wrote:

If I see an Italian looking man wearing a suit, OCing, should I assume he's in the Mafia?

:shock:

What about a Russian guy with tattoos?

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Or a Russian guy with tattoos wearing an Italian suit talking on a Japanese cell phone while eating a taco!!!

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:what:

You see them too?