Very Interesting thread. At first, I was very much in the Antipitas camp that it was a stupid thing to do. On the other hand I was thinking (dangerous
) that maybe the more the public sees guns and then nothing bad happens maybe that is a good thing.
I am not a real fan of open carry, mainly because I do not want anyone to know I carry but that is a personal preference. However, I also know that the USSS will not let anyone near the POTUS with a gun, legal or otherwise. That fact will not change.
I know of an incident where a previous POTUS was working a "rope line" shaking hands and a guy was there with a legal CCW. An agent detected it, (watch them sometimes how they "handle" those folk near POTUS, they are really patting them down) and grabbed the guy (later that agent got a commendation) and they took him off and questioned him for awhile and let him go.
Why do I think this might be a good thing? I think the public needs to get used to seeing folk with guns and not freak out. Maybe something like this will help the perception. However, if a shooting incident occurs at one of these town halls then that could really go against us.
Just a note for those that may say something like "I don't care what anyone else thinks I have the right!" The fact is that the RKBA may be restricted and it is politicians who will decide whether to restrict them and how much. If the rest of America (most of whom don't own guns) turn on us then we will have lots of restrictions against guns and so we need to win as many over to our side as we can. Politicians are afraid of losing their jobs and I like it when gun control scares them. I want to keep as many as possible on our side or at worst neutral to gun control. My $.02