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Does it make you fell big?

Sc0tt

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
315
Location
Asheboro, NC
I was at the sheetz in Raleigh on thornoton rd today. I went back to my car to get my wallett when I and the man next to me had this conversation:

[Just a FYI, I was between jobs wearing a goverment hoodie and ball cap]

Man: does it make you feel big carrying it like that?

Me: Excuse me?

Man: Does it make you fell big or a bad ass or somthing to carry your gun out in the open like that. You know you really need to cover that thing up your scaring the kids.

Me: Sir if I scarted your kids Im sorry but im simply carrying for my own protection And I cant cover it up becuase I dont have a CHP

Man: You didnt scare my kids your just trying to be a bad ass carrying that thing out in the open thats not an enviroment that the children in the store should be exsposed to, There should be laws against that sort of thing keeping you people from walking around toting what ever you want right out in the open.

[at this point I realize the conversation is going no where]

Me: Well look. I served in the millitary to fight for my constituinal right to carry my firearms however I like, If I was a cop we wouldnt be having this conversation so cut the double standard crap, ive heard enough. Im sorry your offended but maybe if you wernt so closed minded your brain was sufficating you could see the big picture here.

Man: (Various insults and apperantly he knows my mother's sexual inquires quite well)

Me: Ok well you can go play in traffic for all I care this conversation is over

Man: [Drives off yelling that hes calling the police]


Now, I know that I most defintily could of handeled this better but I was tierd and in no mood to deal with this
 
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aosailor

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
228
Location
Hampton, AR
Slow clap ensues.......

I'm all for being extra polite and smiling bigger when I OC, but I'm not for letting people bully me because of it. If people were as truly scared of our guns as they always claim to be, then they would run and scream every time we walk by them. But what do they do? they confront us, chastise us and even threaten us!
 

abechira

New member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
23
Location
Los Angeles County
I don't Open Carry. I choose NOT to. It is my right not to or to do. As far as the next time someone approaches you and is aggressive towards you expressing your right to OC then you can tell him that there are people out there that do not OC who do support you in every way to OC and that ignorance of the big picture is in no way shape or form allows him/her to berate, shun, or threaten you for your God given or otherwise rights. This individual has issues with himself and his perception of reality and was trying to force his will upon you!!! Good for you for being civil.:banana:
 

sultan62

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
1,311
Location
Clayton, NC
I'd also recommend polite, to a point. Your encounter definitely passed this point, and you were more polite than I would've been.
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
I wouldn't have even dignified his question with an answer, except maybe to hand him an OC card, or a VCDL card and gone on my way.

ISTM by engaging people who seem irritated (not just curious), you give them rope which can help hang you if they do anything (read:lie).

Glad nothing came of it. Stay safe. :)
 

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
aosailor said:
If people were as truly scared of our guns as they always claim to be, then they would run and scream every time we walk by them. But what do they do? they confront us, chastise us and even threaten us!
+1000
This guy was not really scared, just annoyed.
Maybe part of his annoyance was being a little scared (b/c he's been brainwashed into thinking that "no uniform" + gun = criminal) & then realizing he was scared, & maybe realizing that if the OP (or anyone else) had done something menacing to him, he couldn't protect himself.

Not sure I could have thought of it at the time, if I were the OP, but how about something like: "I served in the US military [or specific branch] to protect all my rights, and yours too. You're welcome." Followed by walking away.

Besides, his accusations of carrying to "feel big" are really a projection of what he would feel if he decided to carry.
And what's wrong with kids seeing peaceful citizens exercising their rights? Beats the heck out of playing a criminal in a video game, or watching criminals shoot innocent people on TV shows or the news!
 

sultan62

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
1,311
Location
Clayton, NC
Maybe turn it around on him. Something along the lines of:

"Clearly you're not well-versed in psychology. Are you familiar with the idea of projection? Your behavior and comments indicate that you are projecting your own insecurities and felt inferiority on to me. Certainly, I do not think I am superior because I carry, or because of how I choose to carry. The real question is: Why do you feel inferior?"

I'm currently imagining a very red-faced individual stomping off like a mad three-year-old. :banana:
 
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Curmudgeon

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
307
Location
York, Pennsylvania, USA
I hate to be one to say "well, here's what I woulda told him...", because it's a lot tougher in the moment than it is behind this keyboard of mine. So I'll just throw this out there to keep it in people's minds as a possible reaction, not because I think I "kick ass"!

A conversation like this can be an interesting challenge to your wit, intellect, and emotions, but it can also cross over into abusive as your encounter demonstrated. I think we should all try to remember that when it becomes abusive you should probably pull out your cell phone, dial 911, and begin the request for police response for "an angry, crazed individual who is harassing you" and watch his expression change as you turn the tables on him.

It bears saying that the closest thing I have ever had to a negative encounter was in a WalMart, we were both calm and professional, and the 'encounter' ended very well. I was welcome to OC without concern henceforth as far as the manager was concerned.

So I'm not speaking from any actual experience, but I have read stories about folks trying this tactic and it seemed to work rather well. So far, the 911 call was never completed. The mere threat with cell phone in hand was enough to shut the "anti" up and send him packing, double-time!

OP, I hate reading about negative encounters, and it sucks this happened to you. Sounds like you handled it about as well as was possible.

"Some men, you just cain't reach." /cool hand Luke
 

epilogue

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
147
Location
Centreville
Any time I run into a frothing anti, it usually ends up like this:

Them: (standard pre-conversation what gives me the right, what am I compensating for, guns are for pussies, etc.)

Me: I hear you, however, you don't see me making fun of you for being unable to defend your family with every tool available now do you?

I follow with a blank stare, and move along.
 

edrolee

Regular Member
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
119
Location
Loughman,Florida, USA
just answer his first question about does it make you feel big by saying "no, it makes me feel safe knowing that, usually, thuggish bullys won't try to start an confrontation with me or other innocent law abiding citizens while i'm around and won't try to impose their will, regardless of the law, through intimidation and scare tactics....... or worse violence, it doesn't make me feel big, it makes me much more responsible for my actions and much safer."

in other words i'd very politely and with a smile make sure he knew that if anyone there was threatening anyone it was him that was guilty
 

mekender

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
462
Location
, ,
Should have also tossed in asking him "Do you freak out when people carry a bible or wear a cross in public?"

That would have probably made his head explode though...
 

sultan62

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
1,311
Location
Clayton, NC
After thinking on it a little more, and with full knowledge that I don't know for sure what I would do, one thing I would consider is to not answer them at all. If they continue to harass, then tell them you intend to call the police as he is harassing you.
 

Sc0tt

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
315
Location
Asheboro, NC
just answer his first question about does it make you feel big by saying "no, it makes me feel safe

Thats a good one, I'll have to remember that.


Yeah Im all for being polite to a point. He never did call the police, or at least they never showd up.
 

CarryHard

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2011
Messages
57
Location
Charlotte NC
Thats a good one, I'll have to remember that.


Yeah Im all for being polite to a point. He never did call the police, or at least they never showd up.



I was in wal-mart at belmont and a guy approached me and said
"you need to carry a gun with you everywhere now a days"

Anyways he was cool about it and said his gun had been stolen from his house or something
 

Smith45acp

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
434
Location
NC
If he wasn't being abrasive when asking me about motivations I would tell him and be honest.

If he came out of the chute like an a-hole I might make a joke integrating both his 'motha' and 'big'.

No in all honesty I avoid even petty conflict almost to a fault when carrying. Someone cuts me off in traffic, if I'm carrying they get a smile and a "peace" sign.

When you think back about it later you'll be glad you didn't waste the time. It's easy to get angry and offer snappy retorts, potentially raising the intensity of the encounter and lowering your legally defensive position. In most cases such as a stranger in a gas station you truly are exercising a more significant strength by ignoring them until they take it to several levels up. Which they almost certainly won't. Most sh%@talkers are satisfied doing just that.

Ignore it. Situation likely diffuses. Jerkoff walks away ultimately unstatisfied (silence is boring) .You walk away unscathed.

*This is not criticism in any way of the OP, but the story prompted some thought and I'm sharing it

*Second qualifier, I am admittedly self-righteous because I have not historically kept a perfect record of playing it cool when I should have! But my theory is what I mentally 'train' to act like and my training is paying off as I get older.
 
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ComradeV

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
428
Location
Maple Hill, North Carolina, USA
Having never experience that kind of harassment from a private citizen I may not be fully qualified on this matter. I don't really understand why people just don't call the cops on these kind of people.
 

ixtow

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,038
Location
Suwannee County, FL
"Does it make you feel big?"

Akin to the "You must have a small penis" gag....

I handle it one of two ways:

1) Call them out and suggest they actually check.
2) One-finger salute.

I'll not explain all the reasons. It works out.
 
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Sc0tt

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
315
Location
Asheboro, NC
Having never experience that kind of harassment from a private citizen I may not be fully qualified on this matter. I don't really understand why people just don't call the cops on these kind of people.

And tell them what...The big man was being mean to you. Thier cops not your parents or 5th grade teacher. While your first amedndment rights may not apply when your talking to cop, the police are not going to interven into a private argument between two citizens, unless it crosses a certian line. Now if the person is getting physically agressive or taking actions towards me that I deem to put either my saftey or the saftey of others in danger I will exsplore the option of either leaving the situation or contacting the police. However if thier just being a dick "somtimes" its nice to just return the favor.
 

carsontech

Activist Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2011
Messages
529
Location
Anderson, SC
Wow, this is the first time I actually heard of someone who actually had first hand experience with getting heckled in public while open carrying. Usually it's just second hand hear-say. Maybe I just havn't hung around here much to see any other threads about this. I think the OP handled it well. I would have tried the silent treatment and ignore it, but it would be very hard for my mouth to stay shut in a situation like this.

Now if I was a part of the "sheeple" crowd, I would think twice about heckling someone who open carries. Then again, maybe it's because they know that we are law-abiding, more responsible, and wont do anything unless our lives are threatened.
 

WTFOVER

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
111
Location
WNC
Sadly enough more and more people are taking this view. I've heard it time and time again and even to the point of "well you should just stop playing officer" As I've said before if you want to OC then go for it, I do it, from time to time when I'm to lazy to put my IWB holster on but I prefer concealment and harp on concealment pretty hard in my classes just for the simple reason that the OP posted about.
 
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