Gun Owner/Shooter Public Identification

[Buckley]

Let me preface this by saying I am a member of the NRA,have a permit to carry,belong to a local shooting club . I am training my 11 year old grand son and nine year old grand daughter to shoot when they visit.

Given the current climate regarding gun ownership and the Second Amendment I would like to hear how members of the forum feel about the following.

I have removed my NRA sticker from my vehicle. To leave it on is an open invitation for police interaction, not warranted by state law where I live, and possible damage to the vehicle by anti gun dissidents.In the same vein I no longer wear a cap from my gun club nor have given my grandson the NRA cap I bought him.He lives out of state and only wears it at the range when he visits. Visitors to my home are kept away from my gun collection and I do not even mention my interest in firearms in normal conversation.

My style is not that of the firebrand who will be vilified as a "gun nut"; but rather of the law abiding gun owner who stays beneath the radar rather than giving away his position . What say you? Buckley

[Tom Servo]

To leave it on is an open invitation for police interaction, not warranted by state law where I live, and possible damage to the vehicle by anti gun dissidents.

I haven't seen or heard of anyone lashing out at gun owners. We didn't really even see that in the 1990's. Do what you think is best, but I'd not worry so much.

[mrbatchelor]

I am an NRA member, shoot at the local range, have a carry permit but work in a no carry environment.

I have never "advertised" guns around work. No sticker on my car, etc. But most of my field work is at military installations, so they're pretty gun friendly except I cannot bring a personal weapon on base. But if a conversation comes up its usually pro-gun rather than anti-gun.

However if one goes to meetings in the Northeast with vendors you can never tell what side they'll take, so I'll keep low.

My strategy is never back down, but never be on the offense. If you can let sleeping dogs lie, then do so.

[olddav]

I'm the same way, the best security is for people to think that nothing of value exist in your home, car etc... There is no need to provide info to the general public.

[Truth Addict]

I have several co-workers who are gun enthusiasts. We talk about guns all the time. We don't really care who overhears us talking about guns or our right to bear arms. I'm waiting for the day when someone in HR tells us we can't talk about guns at work. I refuse to walk on egg shells because I support the US Constitution and the people who died to give me the freedoms stated therein. By the way, my company has no guns signs at every door and even a sign at the parking lot entrance.

[mrbatchelor]

It's also a fact that if I've been working on a base for a while i will generally start rolling through the gate in the morning with shot up targets laying in the back seat of a rental car, assuming there's a range I can go to.

Never once has a gate guard said a word about them except one that had every round obviously in the 10 ring. But that was an anomaly. I ain't that good usually.

[Powderman]

I have several co-workers who are gun enthusiasts. We talk about guns all the time. We don't really care who overhears us talking about guns or our right to bear arms. I'm waiting for the day when someone in HR tells us we can't talk about guns at work. I refuse to walk on egg shells because I support the US Constitution and the people who died to give me the freedoms stated therein.

Well said, sir. Well said!

[shafter]

I agree. I don't put stickers of any kind on my car much less firearm related ones. I'll tell friends and aquaintances that I'm a hunter/shooter, its not like I'm keeping it a secret. But when they start asking how many I own or things like that to all but the closest friends I just smile and say "no comment" or "not enough".

[USMC EOD]

I agree about not advertising, but for a slightly different reason. I am a proud supporter of the Second Amendment, but I don't like to advertise the fact that I have guns in my home, thereby making my home a target for criminals. In fact today I have a contractor coming by to look at my basement, so I spent an hour hiding gun accessories and ammunition.

[bumnote]

I never put bumper stickers on my car for any reason other than those required to park in certain lots. Other than not wanting to damage the paint, I simply don't care about what another driver's views are. I don't care about your dog's breed, the honor role student or someone else's polictical stance...so why should mine matter when we're sitting in traffic? Besides anyone's views who could be changed by something like a bumper sticker probably doesn't have strong convictions to begin with. Just my opinion.
I shoot with a lot of people I work with and we talk about guns all the time and make fun of the extremes of both sides. It doesn't bother anyone, and it it did so what....get over it.

Voting and writing politicians works far more effectively than putting some sticker on a car or wearing clothing with logos.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Political labels on your vehicle can lead to negative actions. At work, someone with a Darwin fish had their car vandalized. It was justified by some (on our internal chat) as the fish was offensive. So, anyone can be a victim.

You take your chances. Gun sticks can lead to break ins - looking for guns. I was told that there was a wave of those in Austin, years ago on NRA cars.

It's more important to contact legislatures though.

[Jimboski]

I say do what you want, we still have (mostly) free speech still.

[lcpiper]

I don't even know what a Darwin Fish is

No stickers, don't advertise, don't dodge from conversations at work either. I also work on Military Bases.

Attitudes are changing in Arizona about guns. At first when the new law was signed were anyone could carry concealed or not, many folks were straping, packing, and they were letting their guns show "just enough".

You could see people looking, they would be looking around like "is that bulge a gun?". But as time goes on it's like they are beginning to realize that the wild west gunfights aren't happening like they were afraid they were. No blood in the streets other then that nut that shot Gabby Giffords and those other folks. And now people seem to just role with it, the guns are less openly displayed. No one knows where they all are, and a little more time is all we need in order to see the real effect in Arizona.

BTW, The antis know that the clock is ticking, AZ. might become a stake in the heart for a bunch of this gun control stuff.

[TATER]

Oh It Happens. Cedric Glover, Mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana.
His officers are to pull every thing over if Pro Gun.. Some fine oath keepers..

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by TATER

Oh It Happens. Cedric Glover, Mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana.
His officers are to pull every thing over if Pro Gun.. Some fine oath keepers..

If that's the case, it would be easy to prove and an easy lawsuit.

All you'd need to do is drive the exact same vehicle with and without NRA bumpers tickers. Easy to do, any hobby store has magnetic sheets that you can put the stickers on so they easily go on and off most any car. I used to use them all the time when I wanted my car to be "racy" or "stealthy". You can stick them all over, fenders, door posts, rear panels... make it REAL obvious.

A few weeks of driving, alternating the stickers on/off on random days would prove (or not) the case.

[wingman]

I have removed my NRA sticker from my vehicle. To leave it on is an open invitation for police interaction, not warranted by state law where I live, and possible damage to the vehicle by anti gun dissidents.In the same vein I no longer wear a cap from my gun club nor have given my grandson the NRA cap I bought him.He lives out of state and only wears it at the range when he visits. Visitors to my home are kept away from my gun collection and I do not even mention my interest in firearms in normal conversation.

I agree the face book crowd appears to want the world to know every detail of there lives, IMO huge mistake, far too much info out there on each individual without adding signs and pictures.

[TATER]

Brian,
Don't have to prove, He freely admits That He Has The Power,His officers have the power to take away
Your rights…. He's Head of a gun theft ring IMHO

[TATER]

I messed Up, His gun was returned.. I was not aware of that.

http://www.ksla.com/global/story.asp...Type=Printable

[Brian Pfleuger]

Well, that's all well and good, but that's a single incident that was 4 years ago, with no indication that the officers target NRA or Pro-Gun vehicles. Odd behavior by the officer and idiotic comments by the mayor but not exactly proof of your claim.

BTW, is it common practice in that area to exit the vehicle and walk to the back without being so instructed by the officer? Such a thing would be greeted... less than kindly... in these parts.

[Joe_Pike]

I wear no gun related clothing and display no gun related stickers on my car or house. I do that simply because I don't want to invite anyone to follow me home, see were I live and come back when I'm not at home. I've already had two attempted break-ins and I don't want any more.

[Technosavant]

I have an NRA Endowment Member sticker on my vehicle and a couple NRA jackets.

Immediately after Sandy Hook, I did think about storing the jackets and removing the sticker in order to go "under the radar." I finally decided that no, I'm going to make a stand and show the world that here's a responsible and law abiding gun owner who doesn't feel the need to hide. I channeled my energy into contacting my legislators, and it appears to have paid off (one Senator has tempered support for a ban).

I have not once had anybody even look askance at me for my NRA sticker or jackets. This tends to be a more conservative area, but even in the more left leaning pockets I haven't seen any blowback.

I don't think we need to hide. The majority of Americans know that we aren't to blame for the acts of a madman.

[Old Grump]

My car and clothing is plain but if I have to go to Madison and mingle with the UW student body and UW staff I wear my NRA hat. They all get a good look at my hat but I doubt if many could tell you what my face looks like. Only negative comment from the public was a little old lady about my age or a few years older who remarked on the hunting magazine I was reading in my car while waiting for my sister to get done shopping because it had a picture of a gun on the cover. Cashier at Menards looked at my hat smiled and winked at me. I was old enough to be her grandfather so I have to assume it was my hat that tickled her and not my cute beard.

[horatioo]

if all responsible gun owners were silent about guns then anti-gun and irresponsible gun owners would own the conversation.

People say they would risk their lives to protect the second amendment, but keep quite over fear of their car getting keyed.

[thallub]

For 40+ years my vehicles have had NRA decals. Our current vehicles have NRA decals and decals from my colleges. Since 1992 i have worked in 19 different states including CA, MD, NY, NJ and MA. Never been stopped by a policeman or hassled by anyone because of my NRA decals.

i don't do political stickers.

[Inspector3711]

No stickers on my car, load and unload guns in and out of the car in a closed garage.. A few close neighbors and friends know where to go if the SHTF and that's about it other than family members.

I also keep my company parking pass hidden from view when I'm not at work. This precaution was proven valid when a co-worker lost his high end company laptop recently to a break in after clearly displaying our (well known) employer's name on his windshield for all to see, despite training that tells us to hide it.

No need to advertise who I work for or whether I own firearms or not.

I have been known to wear a camo or NRA hat from time to time...

I just try to be sensible.

If I lived in Montana or Wyoming I might put an NRA sticker on my car, but in the peoples republic of Seattle it's probably better not to. Lots of antis and those who would break a window to have a look/see. They've been known to ruin the paint job on an SUV around here because they use too much gas.

Besides, I like a clean looking ride....