Ya know? I keep telling myself, "Self? - Stay outa these threads!" But here I am, wading into the ever controversial "Open Carry Thread!"
Used to be, that an honest man (or woman) never concealed their arms. That was the realm of hucksters; thieves; robbers and other assorted brigands. Those who concealed their weapons were generally bad men with equally bad repute.
Now, we've come around exactly 180 degrees in our thinking, and see those who choose to openly carry as the bad-mens. sigh.
I just don't understand the animosity of some of you, towards how a person carries their defensive firearm... Well, I do understand, actually. It's called indoctrination... Despite what some of you think, carrying openly is a defensive tactic, while concealed carry is a purely offensive tactic.
There is not a single person who can effectively argue that carrying concealed is a defensive tactic. It is not. It cannot be. Look at the very words many of you use to describe the reasons you carry (concealed).
Those words boil down to having the advantage of surprise. Such an advantage is an offensive tactic by its very nature. So then, carrying concealed is a means of using an offensive tactic that is publicly condoned, er, preferred.
I don't begrudge anyone of the ability to carry concealed. In some States, it is the only sanctioned means of carrying the type of protection that someone may need (even if it is needed only once in a lifetime, or never).
What I will say, is that in some respects, carrying concealed is playing into the hands of the anti-gun people. Crooks carry firearms (and other assorted weapons) concealed. They want the advantage of surprise and ambush. As I said, it is an offensive tactic. It is therefore a very small leap in logic to conclude that citizens who carry concealed, do so with the same intent as crooks. I'm sure all of you are tired of that analogy? But it is so easy an argument to make. One which the anti's make all the time, and to good effect.
The argument against open carry boils down to one simple theme: It scares the public. - It scares the public because in metropolitan areas, it hasn't been done in ages.
It is this Fear, that the anti's use. To good effect, I might add. But it is also an argument that fails with much less effort than the opposite argument.
Regardless of which method you choose to carry (assuming you live in a State that gives you such options), I would hope you are serious enough to get training in your particular mode of carry. Preferably, in both modes.
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