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Open Carry vs Concealed Carry? What about a compromise - Announced Carry?

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
I do not OC or AC. I have a leather CC vest and keep my .38 in the left pocket. It is very comfortable. I am older and so if attacked by someone I could easily feign a heart attack and pretend to be grabbing my heart but actually be grabbing the gun in my vest. I am pretty comfortable with this approach. In addition I frequently wear my NRA cap as I think someone would be less likely to attack me since they might assume that I am carrying. I never seriously thought about or have a strong desire to OC. The reason that I made that suggestion is because I see that some people (especially rifle carriers) have been having some serious legal problems when they OC. Although I do not have a strong desire to OC myself, I genuinely feel empathy for those exercise their rights and get into serious legal problems as a result. For example Mack Worley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVTXkyhdkuw
So I decided to suggest something that could alleviate those problems while at the same time allow people like Mack to make some sort of statement to others, whether it be to warn away would-be aggressors or be as a message to others to believe in and practice 2nd amendment rights.

I don't understand why some people on your forum seem to be antagonistic about my suggestion. If you had were having car trouble and all you had was a screwdriver and wrench and I stopped by to help you and offered to loan you my vice grip pliers if you needed it, would you tell me "bad idea - really bad idea"? I know I would not, even if I did not need it. All I am offering is an alternative way to accomplish your goals.

I still have not heard much about the fact that AC would bring in the 1st amendment, which even activist liberal judges like. Any legal scholars want to comment on this aspect?

I am glad you support OC and gun rights. Carry how you feel comfortable.

The problem is I have been through the wringer with cops for OC, I think if I was advertising it, it woiuldn't have gone as well for me and it wouldn't accomplish my goal which is inline with the stated theme of this forum to "normalize OC".

I am also glad you are trying to think outside the box. In the free market of ideas it's good to hear them all. I don't think there would be much success in this one though.

Please find an OC group in your area and attend a meet, Like Eye said the conversation is great. There is no requirement to OC or even carry at all. Our group up here has regulars who attend who don't OC, and we have democrats, republicans, libertarians, anarchist, socialist and we all seem to enjoy each others company.
 

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
rtb47 said:
I think Announced Carry (AC) would be nearly as good as OC, but not draw the attention of the police.
You think having ARMED in big letters on your back & chest & car wouldn't draw attention,
but having a normal everyday pistol in a holster would? :eek:
Most of the time people don't notice I'm armed, even though there's usually a full-sized pistol on my hip.
That's their failing, and I don't have to do anything about it.

rtb47 said:
Having "ARMED DRIVER" in big letters on the back of your vehicle would really cut down on being tailgated.
Or else they'll try to antagonize you. I know someone who put on the back of his car "veteran with PTSD; please stay back"... and while about a quarter of drivers will, and probably another half don't notice, a quarter take it as a challenge to get as close as they can, even on the freeway.

If you want to announce it to everyone, just put your NRA stickers on your car.

MaxPower said:
This would make a fine start to a Dr. Seuss story.
I cannot carry in a car, I cannot carry in a bar.
Must have a license near a school.
A license? Think I am a fool?!

PistolPackingMomma said:
Op, I think the issue of resistance to your idea is that it requires us to modify our lawful behavior to avoid harrasment.
I feel your idea stems from a desire to resolve the problem with compromise, but we are generally not the ones behaving unlawfully, so why should the non problematic end be "fixed"?
What she said.

rtb47 said:
I do not OC or AC.
So you come to an OC site and try to tell us to change what we do in order to avoid some lawbreaking LEO, and you don't follow your own advice.
Yet:
I don't understand why some people on your forum seem to be antagonistic about my suggestion.

if attacked by someone I could easily feign a heart attack and pretend to be grabbing my heart but actually be grabbing the gun in my vest
They're not going to care if you're having a heart attack, and will probably rightly interpret your actions as going for a weapon. Instead of having a ruse, carry proudly and eliminate the delay of getting into the pocket or moving clothes out of the way.

I see that some people (especially rifle carriers) have been having some serious legal problems when they OC.
It's the police who end up having the serious legal problems, since they're the ones breaking laws.
Again, those of us who follow the law do not need to adjust our behaviour.

All I am offering is an alternative way to accomplish your goals.
What we've been doing has been working. I don't need to announce to people what religion I am, or what I'm reading, or the last time I wrote my congresscritter, or that I'm armed.

I still have not heard much about the fact that AC would bring in the 1st amendment, which even activist liberal judges like. Any legal scholars want to comment on this aspect?
Since OC is an activity, and actions are usually protected as free speech/expression, there's no need to do anything more to try to get more Constitutional protection.

Rusty Young Man said:
What makes you think it's a reincarnation? (I know it's happened before).
Doug is very accomplished with sock puppetry, having several alii going at one time, even having them reply to each other on the same thread.
 

Bookman

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
1,424
Location
Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States
I do NOT wear a T-shirt or other clothing or accessory announcing that I'm doing any other legal activity and I REFUSE to announce when and if I'm carrying. Basically, if a LEO stops me it's "Am I being detained?". If the answer is no, I leave. If yes, they'd better have some pretty darn good RAS that they can back up.
 

MaxPower

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2013
Messages
64
Location
Las Vegas
...


I cannot carry in a car, I cannot carry in a bar.
Must have a license near a school.
A license? Think I am a fool?!

I need a permit to carry over here,
I need a permit to carry over there
I SHOULD NOT NEED A PERMIT TO CARRY ANY F****NG WHERE!
 

Rusty Young Man

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,548
Location
Árida Zona
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