How often do people tick you off about OC?

Today was a great day, I started off by going to the range for about two hours, shooting at the 25 yard marker and basically tagging the "X" and very close all around it. After 200 rounds I felt really good.

I stopped at the local Jack N' Box by my house in Florissant. Yes, I walked in OC and proud. As usual, no one "tripped", familes kept on eatting, even their children didn't even think twice about my sidearm (in its new fancy Bull Dog holster, leather). manager just looked at me, smiled. This the cashier asked me the oddest question... "is that gun real?" I replied with a nice "yes". She continued to comment that having a gun is overratted and that no one needs one in the county!!!!! "robberies only happen in the city..." Yeah, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. If you think race was a part of it... nope, she and I are black.

I taken a deep breath, and replied by saying...
"well thats your opinion and your right not to have one." So i asked her, "Do you have pocket knife?"
She replied by saying yes, I briefly explain to her by the laws in Missouri, that is a concealed weapon and it carries the same weight as having a loaded gun, espeically by it being spring loaded. She was shocked and try to justified it by saying that almost everyone has one. And I replied to her that almost everyone has a CCW too. Ever heard of, "don't bring a knife to a gun fight?" Then I basically left with statement that, "hey, here in this city its ok to OC with a CCW.... at least I'm following the law, you are breaking the law... which one is correct?

I tried to educate her on a sidearm is only a tool. Of course she wanted to stop right there and at that instance, just about her entire shift wanted to talk to me and their experinces with their guns. Sad to say, many of them live in Illions (they do not allow any tye of CC or even CCWs).

What's scary, people like her, (she had to be about 20 years old), will vote to have our rights taken away. All because they live in a world of make believe that crime won't happen in a certain part of her county. Its sad that when many people think of a gun they picture crime. So she probably seem me as a thug.

I just have to say... keep educating people, the more people understand, the more it will be accepted to have OC and the more they want to have OC ing their community.

In your educational efforts, try not to be inaccurate. Your comment of almost everyone has one regarding ccw is misguided, around 150k folks in mo have one, you will find that to be less than a majority by far, around 10% is all.

Since she was at a jack in the box I would have reminded her that one of the largest shoot outs in the area's history happened at a JIB in the county and left it at that.

Guns are dangerous, they kill people!
(JUST KIDDING OF COURSE)
Glad there is a discussion on going about OC in Missouri, it sure is an evolving process.

LMTD said:

In your educational efforts, try not to be inaccurate. Your comment of almost everyone has one regarding ccw is misguided, around 150k folks in mo have one, you will find that to be less than a majority by far, around 10% is all.

Since she was at a jack in the box I would have reminded her that one of the largest shoot outs in the area's history happened at a JIB in the county and left it at that.

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Yeah, I "boosted" the numbers a bit.. its only because I wanted her to think about it first. It just been a ongoing conversation I have had with people for years. In general we can accept officers, high paid sallary owners, workers, and militray personnel, and Texans, to have guns but not everyone else.

In short, I think with more education and more people walking with them (OC), the more society will just accept it. Hey it worked with Rock N ROll back in the 50's, Rap in the late 80's and now we have to show people that OC is going on for years. The more that people and groups show that they are responsible, the more the citizens will accept it. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to donate more to the cause to pass other bill to rewirte the laws in Missouri. Afterall, its weird that we are a "Open Carry" state, but allow each county and city to make their own rules???? I have been going from OC to CCW, back to OC several times in a day because one block accepts it, another block will throw you in jail

Firedawg314 said:

Yeah, I "boosted" the numbers a bit.. its only because I wanted her to think about it first. It just been a ongoing conversation I have had with people for years. In general we can accept officers, high paid sallary owners, workers, and militray personnel, and Texans, to have guns but not everyone else.

In short, I think with more education and more people walking with them (OC), the more society will just accept it. Hey it worked with Rock N ROll back in the 50's, Rap in the late 80's and now we have to show people that OC is going on for years. The more that people and groups show that they are responsible, the more the citizens will accept it. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to donate more to the cause to pass other bill to rewirte the laws in Missouri. Afterall, its weird that we are a "Open Carry" state, but allow each county and city to make their own rules???? I have been going from OC to CCW, back to OC several times in a day because one block accepts it, another block will throw you in jail

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In AZ where they have Constitutional carry it was interesting to see many folks in Phoenix (The State Capitol) walking around OCing a lot. One day.......

I've had some luck with younger adults. Usually, it seems, they are just parroting some idea they learned in school and never really evaluated for themselves. A little patience can go some distance with this crowd.

I recall one young woman cashier a few years ago who told me she believed guns were bad or some such. I replied sincerely that a great thing about this country was the freedom to have that opinion. Would you believe that the next time I was in that store, an associate of hers asked me about my gun in front of her, and she defended me to her associate.

Which jack in the box in Florissant? The one on Lindberg or Howdershell? I have family in IL that always carries in IL. Granted it's illegal, but they say they'ed rather be able to defend themselves rather than depend on the police to show up quickly.

Tony4310 said:

Which jack in the box in Florissant? The one on Lindberg or Howdershell? I have family in IL that always carries in IL. Granted it's illegal, but they say they'ed rather be able to defend themselves rather than depend on the police to show up quickly.

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It was the one on Lindberg. I would say the girl had to be about 20 years old. Nice person... just very closed minded.

Tony4310 said:

Which jack in the box in Florissant? The one on Lindberg or Howdershell? I have family in IL that always carries in IL. Granted it's illegal, but they say they'ed rather be able to defend themselves rather than depend on the police to show up quickly.

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Who knows about your family over there... maybe its an "unwritten" rule that as long as you are legal to have it and you are from there, maybe the cops don't bother you too much?

mspgunner said:

In AZ where they have Constitutional carry it was interesting to see many folks in Phoenix (The State Capitol) walking around OCing a lot. One day.......

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Precisely the reason I am considering a job offer there...