Misinformation and ignorence in North GA regarding open and concealed carry

So i went to my local VFW post today i concealed carry and open carry depending on where i am. For instance i may conceal carry at the mall where a sign is not posted. I open carry in some other areas such as Walmart or most other areas. I conceal carry at the VFW, so today one of the guys saw my Walther PPS' handle sticking out my pocket. He told me i could not have it in the bar. I told him for one i have permission from the owner of the establishment. For two the VFW would not be technically described as a bar because you have to bring your own alcohol and alcohol is not sold there. Also the primary mission of the VFW is to be charitable organization not a bar. So then another guy tells me i cannot carry in there and i say if it is making you uncomfortable i can take it out to the car. He tells me as well as the other guy that it makes neither of them uncomfortable they just do not want me to get in trouble. I asked them why and they said i am breaking the law. Then they tried to tell me Walmart is a place of public gathering and i cannot carry there or any place with alot of people. What scares me is one of the men tells me he used to be a cop and he "knows the law". With people spreading false information like this it confuses people and makes them scared to even carry for fear of being harassed. Then the guy tells me that if Gainesville police see me carrying openly they will find a reason to arrest me, "Maybe something will be wrong with your car" he says or "Maybe they will just make something up". Can anyone tell me if they have had any issues open carrying near the Gainesville area in north GA?

Respectfully,
-Chris

It so happens I OCed in Gainesville last week with no problems. I OCed in central GA (Perry) in front of 4 state patrol officers in a restaurant; they saw me and said nothing. Sounds like your friends are getting it wrong on purpose. I'd tactfully tell them they should go home and read the law for themselves. The internet makes it easy.

Thanks for the confirmation. I also have open carried without any issues. I do not understand why people feel the need to make stuff up like this.

Georgia struck out the "public gathering" clause years ago.

Chris,

I live in Gainesville, and OC every day at work, and around town (except a select few places where it would cost me business, or is against the law); I have had no such "incidents" with law enforcement. Your acquaintance is simply mis-informed.

Fabricator/Chris

Does anyone print out the wording and bring it with them? I think just letting some people read it would be enlightening, Including a lot of cops. I called Conyers police on their information line and they could not even answer the basics. This is one reason I don't go completely open carry. I do sometimes let my goods show a little or just have a shirt covering my side holster. If judges can't understand it properly how can anyone? Some of the laws are still vague and can be interpreted differently. I want to carry but not sure if I want to reeducate the world. Or be the face of the deterrent out there. I would be happy just being able to get the drop on a robber or mugger by surprise and properly defend. I dont think it's N Ga that's confused, I think it's everyone everywhere. We are also very inconsistent state to state. And Ga is filled with people from everywhere else. That equals a lot of confusion, a lot of unfounded gun fear and a lot of Yankees from the city thinking we're all gun nuts for wanting to be free, and not lemmings.

go over to www.georgiapacking.org and go to the gun laws tab and look up the off limits places iirc 16-11-127

"Then the guy tells me that if Gainesville police see me carrying openly they will find a reason to arrest me,"

100% false. OC'd there when passing through, just yesterday. Seen by and spoke to, 2 LEOs in getting some directions to a place we were looking for.
.45 Loud and proud, and fully exposed on right hip the entire time- not so much as a blink from either officer. Polite, courteous, helpful.

DougGa said:

I called Conyers police on their information line and they could not even answer the basics.

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:banghead: Don't ask the police for legal advice, don't ask them what laws really say.
As you've found out, they don't know. They have been known to make stuff up, usually expressing their opinions (often anti-citizen-rights), & occasionally arrest people for their opinions.

I want to carry but not sure if I want to reeducate the world.

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It's your choice, & that's something I consider a valid reason not to openly exercise your rights.
The repetitive questions & wrong assumptions can get tiring/annoying, & you can never, EVER, actually express annoyance or upset while armed.
OTOH, education is one of the reasons I do carry openly.
It doesn't always involve people asking questions.
IMHO I educate at least as much, if not more, while grocery shopping (with dozens of people potentially noticing me) than I do in having a conversation with one or two people @ a coffee shop.

And I have had the fun of explaining to a friend of mine (who happens to be a local cop) exactly how the WI "(legal) gun-free school zone" law actually works. Told him to go re-read it for himself, don't take my word for it.
(He was being very nice in telling me he thought there was a school across the street from where we were meeting one morning, so I shouldn't be carrying, & I explained that a) I was on private property & b) I'm pretty sure there's not a school there because I know there's a school about 1.5 blocks thataway associated with the synagogue he was pointing out.)

Or be the face of the deterrent out there. I would be happy just being able to get the drop on a robber or mugger by surprise and properly defend.

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Again, you decide what's right for you.
But consider:
Criminals admit they avoid people & places they even suspect are armed.
Drawing from OC is easier & faster than drawing from concealment.

Personally, I'd prefer to prevent an attack in the first place, rather than having to react to a crime in progress, being behind the curve. I don't want to hurt anyone, & reacting to an attack pretty much ensures that at least the criminal is going to get hurt (& maybe me too). Also, there's less chance of legal problems in warning off an attacker than in stopping him.

That being said, there will be (& have been) times when I've carried concealed because it was better in that situation. Generally, around people who would have kittens on top of conniption fits to see a gun or know I was armed. (Some of my family is more sensible than other parts of it.)

Quick Gun Carry Reference Guide

IF you have a GEORGIA WEAPON LICENSE, you can carry your handgun OPENLY or CONCEAL, LOADED or UNLOADED.

IF you have a GEORGIA FIREARM LICENSE/GEORGIA WEAPON LICENSE you can carry your handgun any where in the State of Georgia except the places listed below.

List of places off limit

1. Government buildings (Government building' means: The building in which a government entity is housed).
2. Courthouses
3. Jails
4. Place of worship
5. Mental health facilities
6. Nuclear facilities
7. Within 150ft of polling place
8. K-12 schools or school functions
9. Universities or school functions
10. Places prohibited by Federal Law (Example - Post Office, Federal Building).

If you have GFL/GWL

1. University/college vehicle carry OK while picking up, dropping off. You can leave your firearm in the parking lot of the University/college.
2. K-12 schools vehicle carry OK while picking up, dropping off. You can leave your firearm in the parking lot of K-12 schools.
3. Unsecured areas of Airport.
4. Parking lots of off-limits places carry OK.
5. Interstate rest area carry OK (if there is no government entity is housed).
6. Carry in the bars if the bar owner permits you.
7. County Park and City park carry OK.
8. State Park carry OK.
9. WMA carry OK.
10. National Park carry OK.

CAN NOT carry handgun any park or property own by Army Corp of Engineer.

Please visit : http://www.georgiapacking.org/law.php

Khondker said:

CAN NOT carry handgun any park or property own by Army Corp of Engineer.

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I had heard that this was being challenged, but I cannot remember the name of the case. Can anyone confirm or deny?

Brimstone Baritone said:

I had heard that this was being challenged, but I cannot remember the name of the case. Can anyone confirm or deny?

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Not necessarily a court case but:--

On May 12, Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) and Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) introduced H.R. 1865, the Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act, which is designed to protect the rights of gun owners on lands owned or managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.

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Google results re: HR 1965

That's exactly what I was trying to misremember. Thanks!

Why would any of this surprise anyone here? When people, who are carrying with a permit, don't know the laws & LEOs charged with upholding gun laws, don't themselves know what is legal & what isn't, then why should we expect the average "Joe on the street" to have any idea what is legal. None of my friends seemed to know what a GWL allowed me to do when I received it. My parents don't know, heck my wife, who hears me spouting off about this stuff ad nauseum, has no clue. All I can do is preach. Some will hear, others won't.

Gun laws are probably the least known & most mis-represented laws on the books. It has been that way for years & we will only make a small dent in it. The average citizen probably doesn't even know what the 2nd amendment actually says & does. Heck I have to keep correcting members of forums when they wrongly explain that the 2nd amendment "gives us the right to bare arms". No, the 2nd amendment protects our GOD GIVEN right to bare arms. The constitution gives us no rights. It takes away some rights for the good of the country & protects the others we were born with. Just saying

Thread title.

"Ignorance."

It's too much irony not to point it out....