imported post
Holy cow, what a thread. I first saw it and thought, "...hey, this might be good." HA, I can't believe I almost fell for it. It's the same old thing. A guy that thinks he's right and the world is wrong and he wants to make sure everyone knows it. Is there an app for that?
ixtow, reading your basis for OC, I saw one thing clearly from the beginning. You want to intimidate people around you by putting your gun in their face, figuratively speaking. You want to use your gun as your 1st line of defense. That's dangerous, both in practice and as a way of thinking. That kind of thinking is as much a threat, or more, that true anti-gun folks. It give anti's an example of they perceive to be the dangerous, "Hollywood" attitude of gun owners when in fact, it's likely the minority voice, although the loudest voice screaming in their ears.
I'm 100% supportive of open carry and hope that the next session here in Texas it'll make more headway. But I'm not blind to the fact that OC or CC or firearms in general are NOT what protect people. They are a tool, 1 of many tools for defense when needed. A last resort at that.
In your scenario, you've left out the #1, simple 1st line if defense that will reduce you and your families chance of being a victim to almost 0. Awareness. Educating yourself, your kids, your whole family about what criminals don't like in their victims is key. Scanning crowds making passive eye contact is a major red flag to the bad guy with his sights set on you. It's something a 3 yr old kid can do.
Like it or not, OCing in most cases, like your mall example, will cause more problems than I want to deal with. I shouldn't feel that way but it's the cold hard truth; you can't control other peoples emotions or actions.
I don't wear my wallet on my sleeve, or my keys hanging off my belt and I don't need to hang my gun out in the open for no other reason that as a deterrent either. It's a tool that I need to be close and ready when and if I need it. If that means "deep cover" or open with a jacket hanging over or the rare case it could mean completly open, it doesn't matter, but I don't need to use it to intimidate people from labeling me as a victim. A split second of eye contact stops things you never knew were in the works just fine.
Also, if you have a hard time drawing a concealed weapon, you aren't practicing enough or you're not using the right gear. Sure, open and in tactical speed gear would a split second quicker, but that split second isn't going to make the difference you're trying to convince people it will. You won't convince me that 2.1 seconds vs. anything faster will make the difference in keeping your child from being snatched. And if it does, you didn't do your job in the seconds prior.
Hollywood cowboys with loud mouths will only hurt open carry efforts.
FYI, I have no intention of debating this here. But from most of the replies, there is no debating the subject, only arguing whos got the biggest...I mean, that one is right and the other is wrong.
