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The effectiveness of open-carry demonstrations

Are these open-carry mini-rallies helping or hurting the cause of RKBA?

  • They are helping the cause.

    Votes: 3 25.0%

  • They are hurting the cause.

    Votes: 4 33.3%

  • No significant effect either way.

    Votes: 1 8.3%

  • I don't care. Their actions are constitutional, and that settles the matter.

    Votes: 4 33.3%
  • Total voters
    12
Phys251

Phys251

Purge evil with Justice
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Phys251 said:
Open Carry Guys -- Stop Helping, Because You Aren't - Right Wisconsin - Conservative politics and perspective powered by Charlie Sykes

A new trend has emerged of small groups of gun owners holding peaceful rallies/protests in public sectors with their long guns in tow. As is to be expected, some are enthused, while others are afraid and occasionally call the cops.

Are these open-carry mini-rallies helping or hurting the cause of RKBA?
Click to expand...

No. In Texas, it's already legal to carry a long gun in public. The rallies here are for public awareness of the law.
 
Phys251 said:
Open Carry Guys -- Stop Helping, Because You Aren't - Right Wisconsin - Conservative politics and perspective powered by Charlie Sykes

A new trend has emerged of small groups of gun owners holding peaceful rallies/protests in public sectors with their long guns in tow. As is to be expected, some are enthused, while others are afraid and occasionally call the cops.

Are these open-carry mini-rallies helping or hurting the cause of RKBA?
Click to expand...

What the OP link lacks is why these rallies were deemed necessary. The moron complaining about the "need" to carry never mentions why he or his wife elected to obtain concealed carry licenses (rights rental agreements?) or when/where they choose to carry. Many have protested the outright ban of open carry of a handgun in Texas - a crime even if you have rented a CHL.
 
they certainly have helped the profits of laundry establishments in some areas!

it depends on the circumstances
 
Phys251 said:
A new trend has emerged of small groups of gun owners holding peaceful rallies/protests in public sectors with their long guns in tow. As is to be expected, some are enthused, while others are afraid and occasionally call the cops.

Are these open-carry mini-rallies helping or hurting the cause of RKBA?
Click to expand...

It probably depends a lot on the specific area in the country. Here in Texas, it would be no big deal, and you're probably likely to see a good bit of support, especially once you get away from the metropolitan areas, but in New York, RI, or the PNW, you'd probably see an opposite reaction.
 
Phys251 said:
Open Carry Guys -- Stop Helping, Because You Aren't - Right Wisconsin - Conservative politics and perspective powered by Charlie Sykes

A new trend has emerged of small groups of gun owners holding peaceful rallies/protests in public sectors with their long guns in tow. As is to be expected, some are enthused, while others are afraid and occasionally call the cops.

Are these open-carry mini-rallies helping or hurting the cause of RKBA?
Click to expand...

It depends on the circumstances but on the whole I think it's doing more harm than good. A better option would be to have organized events and invite the public. Make it informative, make it family friendly. The objective needs to be to cut through all the myth and mystique surrounding firearms. Simply showing up at the corner coffee shop with an AK slung over your shoulder doesn't accomplish any of that.
 
I think these demonstrations do more harm then good. All it is about is taunting people. I don't own firearms to taunt folks and I don't see the need in going out of my way to annoy anyone.
 
voyager1 said:
I think these demonstrations do more harm then good. All it is about is taunting people. I don't own firearms to taunt folks and I don't see the need in going out of my way to annoy anyone.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I believe that most firearm-owning Americans are peaceful people who simply want their right to keep and use those arms. Fear-inducing tactics almost always backfire (and cause collateral damage on innocent people).
 
Phys251 said:
Agreed. I believe that most firearm-owning Americans are peaceful people who simply want their right to keep and use those arms. Fear-inducing tactics almost always backfire (and cause collateral damage on innocent people).
Click to expand...
There are different ways to approach this, intentionally causing a scene is effective and should give people who assume automatically that carry = bad a reason to revisit the subject and maybe understand that people do have them in public and the gun isn't the problem. The people who demonstrate in a smarmy way or look for police confrontations need to rethink things, if an officer asks questions then answer them in a civil manner, stating you have the right to open carry is fine, it's civil, but if an officer asks why a firearm that makes people nervous just state "not my intention officer, but I do feel I have the right to carry".

People on my side need to understand that confrontation for the sake of confrontation does give ammunition(pun not intended) to propagandists, and that people in the general public need to understand that more good guys are armed than bad guys, the sight of a gun doesn't mean someone is going to die, or be victimized.
 
LaMidRighter said:
There are different ways to approach this, intentionally causing a scene is effective and should give people who assume automatically that carry = bad a reason to revisit the subject and maybe understand that people do have them in public and the gun isn't the problem. The people who demonstrate in a smarmy way or look for police confrontations need to rethink things, if an officer asks questions then answer them in a civil manner, stating you have the right to open carry is fine, it's civil, but if an officer asks why a firearm that makes people nervous just state "not my intention officer, but I do feel I have the right to carry".

People on my side need to understand that confrontation for the sake of confrontation does give ammunition(pun not intended) to propagandists, and that people in the general public need to understand that more good guys are armed than bad guys, the sight of a gun doesn't mean someone is going to die, or be victimized.
Click to expand...

I wish I could like this comment twice.
 
voyager1 said:
I wish I could like this comment twice.
Click to expand...
I had to reflect a bit before commenting on this because the open carry rally issue is heated on both sides. Honestly, if an officer asks simple questions, just answer them, I've seen video of some open carriers looking for confrontations and the officers were very professional, I've seen less than professional officers as well, but in all honesty the best way to cool the issue is to just be the neighbors we claim to be. Want to rally open carry? Awesome, but be civil, seems pretty simple to me.
 
LaMidRighter said:
There are different ways to approach this, intentionally causing a scene is effective and should give people who assume automatically that carry = bad a reason to revisit the subject and maybe understand that people do have them in public and the gun isn't the problem. The people who demonstrate in a smarmy way or look for police confrontations need to rethink things, if an officer asks questions then answer them in a civil manner, stating you have the right to open carry is fine, it's civil, but if an officer asks why a firearm that makes people nervous just state "not my intention officer, but I do feel I have the right to carry".
Click to expand...

Here's the problem: If I have an affair with another man's wife, it's perfectly legal, and perfectly stupid. If I were to advocate that having multiple partners is a better way to live life than being monogamous, this is probably the single worst way to go at it. Just because something is legal does not necessarily mean that it is good.

I think organized public debates would be a far more effective way to get the word out. Time and time again, I've seen online anti-gun arguments get crushed. Now if there were more of that in a more classical debate setting, it could vastly change the conversation.

People on my side need to understand that confrontation for the sake of confrontation does give ammunition(pun not intended) to propagandists, and that people in the general public need to understand that more good guys are armed than bad guys, the sight of a gun doesn't mean someone is going to die, or be victimized.
Click to expand...

Agreed with both. Which is why I think conversation and debate, not open demonstrations of guns, is the way to go for now.
 
Phys251 said:
Here's the problem: If I have an affair with another man's wife, it's perfectly legal, and perfectly stupid. If I were to advocate that having multiple partners is a better way to live life than being monogamous, this is probably the single worst way to go at it. Just because something is legal does not necessarily mean that it is good.

I think organized public debates would be a far more effective way to get the word out. Time and time again, I've seen online anti-gun arguments get crushed. Now if there were more of that in a more classical debate setting, it could vastly change the conversation.



Agreed with both. Which is why I think conversation and debate, not open demonstrations of guns, is the way to go for now.
Click to expand...
It's not stupid as long as everyone remains reasonable. Much like the affair example, if man is angry but comes to understand you didn't know, he may just let you off the hook and deal with the other side of the problem. If on the other hand you taunt the guy, saying stuff like "she upgraded, I was happy to oblige" or something of that nature, the guy might shoot you.
 
LaMidRighter said:
It's not stupid as long as everyone remains reasonable. Much like the affair example, if man is angry but comes to understand you didn't know, he may just let you off the hook and deal with the other side of the problem. If on the other hand you taunt the guy, saying stuff like "she upgraded, I was happy to oblige" or something of that nature, the guy might shoot you.
Click to expand...

Are you willing to bet your life on that? My biggest worry about these open-carry rallies, LMR, is that somewhere, at some time, the verbal tension is going to escalate into an incident where someone gets physically hurt or even killed. And that's just gonna make everything worse. Gun controllers are going to accuse the open-carriers of being "gun nuts," and gun enthusiasts are going to accuse the pro-gun-control citizens of being ignorant, useful idiots. Better to attempt to resolve all of this via dialogue before things get to that point.

In fact, the need to dialogue is a major reason that I hang around this gun forum. Better to not see eye-to-eye on things and to figure out the causes of the differences, than to stick our heads in the sand and just assume that anyone who disagrees with us is automatically wrong.
 
Phys251 said:
Are you willing to bet your life on that? My biggest worry about these open-carry rallies, LMR, is that somewhere, at some time, the verbal tension is going to escalate into an incident where someone gets physically hurt or even killed. And that's just gonna make everything worse. Gun controllers are going to accuse the open-carriers of being "gun nuts," and gun enthusiasts are going to accuse the pro-gun-control citizens of being ignorant, useful idiots. Better to attempt to resolve all of this via dialogue before things get to that point.
Click to expand...
I don't bet my life on anything like that, then again I am going to comply with a legal(key word) inquiry by a police officer. I understand why they may want to ask a couple of questions if I have a rifle or shotgun on my back and will answer all questions in a calm and rationed manner. That is what these demonstrators MUST do if they choose to demonstrate. I have seen videos of the clowns that carry just to force a negative reaction and on that we agree, that is beyond dumb. An officer has suspicion if one is walking around with a long gun displayed, whether it's reasoned or not the law states as such and there is no reason to cause an incident for a simple inquiry. If they step out of line and make a false arrest, charge them and sue them, make sure you get your firearm back in the interim.

In fact, the need to dialogue is a major reason that I hang around this gun forum. Better to not see eye-to-eye on things and to figure out the causes of the differences, than to stick our heads in the sand and just assume that anyone who disagrees with us is automatically wrong.
Click to expand...
Disagreement is fine, I am not going to argue that a person who is concerned or afraid of firearms is a lesser person, it's when they hide behind that to infringe on rights that I will have an issue. I am not asking a person concerned about an armed individual to "suck it up and deal" but rather invite them to learn a bit more for their own sanity. If I were to freak out every time a gun were present here in the south, I would need to be committed for PTSD.
 
Phys251 said:
Are you willing to bet your life on that? My biggest worry about these open-carry rallies, LMR, is that somewhere, at some time, the verbal tension is going to escalate into an incident where someone gets physically hurt or even killed. And that's just gonna make everything worse. Gun controllers are going to accuse the open-carriers of being "gun nuts," and gun enthusiasts are going to accuse the pro-gun-control citizens of being ignorant, useful idiots. Better to attempt to resolve all of this via dialogue before things get to that point.

In fact, the need to dialogue is a major reason that I hang around this gun forum. Better to not see eye-to-eye on things and to figure out the causes of the differences, than to stick our heads in the sand and just assume that anyone who disagrees with us is automatically wrong.
Click to expand...

I open carry on a regular basis. 95% of the time that people approach me about it they are friendly are just wanting to state's gun laws. the other 5% that have a problem are the ones I try to have a civil talk with and if they start making themselves into asses I just walk away and continue on my business.
 
Phys251 said:
Open Carry Guys -- Stop Helping, Because You Aren't - Right Wisconsin - Conservative politics and perspective powered by Charlie Sykes

A new trend has emerged of small groups of gun owners holding peaceful rallies/protests in public sectors with their long guns in tow. As is to be expected, some are enthused, while others are afraid and occasionally call the cops.

Are these open-carry mini-rallies helping or hurting the cause of RKBA?
Click to expand...

They may cause some uncomfortable feelings, but as a free society we need to be able to accept that people can and will exercise their rights.
 
cpgrad08 said:
I open carry on a regular basis. 95% of the time that people approach me about it they are friendly are just wanting to state's gun laws. the other 5% that have a problem are the ones I try to have a civil talk with and if they start making themselves into asses I just walk away and continue on my business.
Click to expand...
I had exactly one person in life ask me if I carry and when I said yes I do he kind of had that recoil reaction, I told him "if one isn't a threat to me, my firearm isn't a threat to them", the guy was pretty much at ease right after the civil exchange.
 
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