Open Carry Common at Gun Rights Policy Conference in Phoenix, 2019

Gun Watch ^ | 29 September, 2019 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Open carry of holstered pistols was commonly seen at the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Phoenix, Arizona, 21-23 September, 2019.

The GRPC had an overflow crowd of over a thousand activists from around the nation.

Many were standing in the back of the conference room, trying to find seats.

It was the largest GRPC ever.

There were numerous examples of holstered pistols in evidence. Open carry has become common and accepted in Arizona, as a result of Second Amendment activists in the state.

In the 1990s, the open carry of holstered pistols was under attack in Arizona.

During the 1990's an Arizona judge ruled a person with a holstered pistol on a belt, if the holster was on the opposite side from a police officer, was carrying "concealed". Arizona did not have a concealed carry permit law at the time.

In another case, a jude in Tucson, ruled open carrying a holstered pistol, into a public park, was not part of the right to keep and bear arms, was not covered under the Arizona Constitution, and was not a violation of the state preemption law, because a person could choose not to enter the park. The Second Amendment defender was Ken Rineer.

The judge, Cindy Jorgenson, was elevated to a federal judgeship by former Senators McCain and Kyle. The appeals court judge who upheld the decision, John Pelander, was promoted to the Arizona Supreme Court.

The Second Amendment activists in Arizona changed all that. They pushed Constitutional Carry through the legislature.

They placed limits on the ability of local governments to create "gun free zones".

They enforced the ability to exercise their rights.  Link to Rick DeStephens recounting of the Sacaton Rest Stop activism. (scroll down the page to read AZRickD's account)

Activists open wore holstered firearms in the legislative chambers. They were respectful, and careful not to threaten anyone with their body language.


Arizona is considered the top Second Amendment friendly state in the United States. Others are very close.

Some revolvers were present.  They were a distinct minority.

The open carry of firearms has always been a right in Arizona, even though anti-rights judges tried to limit it with judicial fiat.

In comparison, California, next door, has no right to keep and bear arms in its state Constitution.

The California concealed carry permit law was designed to prevent minorities from carrying firearms.

In 1967, California passed the Mulford Act, to keep people from carrying loaded guns openly.  At the time, the Supreme Court had ruled the Second Amendment did not apply to the states.

The first Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) I attended at the Sheraton Crescent did not have as many open carriers.

It became clear they did not ask anyone open carrying to leave. There were no gun ban signs on the doors. The GRPC rotates to Arizona every few years. This year, the 34th GRPC, was the fourth GRPC for Phoenix. More and more people have attended each succeeding time. More people have been openly carrying.

This is a national phenomena. Stories about Second Amendment supporters who won't exercise their rights during their own conferences have dried up.

There are only five states where open carry is illegal. There are 15 states that require a permit  in order to exercise your Second Amendment rights.

No permit is required for open carry in 30 states. 

Constitutional Carry, where no permit is required to carry holstered, loaded pistols in most public places, openly or concealed, is the law in 16 states.

That makes more than 50 states, because all Constitutional Carry states are, by definition, also open carry without permit states.

Several speakers at the GRPC told attendees they were at the safest place on the planet.

More people would have been carrying openly, but the air conditioning was on high.

Many people were wearing jackets to stay warm.  The jackets also concealed their personal defensive firearms.


©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

[Lurker]

There’s no such thing as an AD unless the firearm has a mechanical malfunction of some kind. If you’re an instructor you would know that.

As far as my attitude goes, deal with it. I don’t suffer fools gladly. In fact I try very hard not to suffer them at all. You don’t like Serpas? Fine. Don’t use them.

But it’s a poor Workman who blames the tools.

Enjoy your evening.

L

[Magnum44]

In all cases it comes down to the shooters fault. The question becomes what are all the contributing factors, the ‘chain of events’ leading up to the actual incident. Same thing in aviation accidents or other accident investigations. Many factors from health and state of mind of the individual, to equipment and it’s maintenance, required training obtained or not, trained habits, and often external factors like lighting, weather, exhaustion, distractions. So because a person says “ oh, my bad” doesn’t really explain the cause or exonerate the other factors involved.

[Magnum44]

All you had to say was ‘don’t like em, don’t use em.’ Instead you toss insults and belittling comments to those who disagree.

I’m not going to argue semantics of what’s an AD or not. Dumbshits shoot themselves too often and the Serpa has been identified as common in several.

I’m not blaming the tool. I’m stating a fact and taking the step to avoid it with any of my students, as are places like Front Sight and others. Those who are cautioning against it are trying to avoid the bad press shooters get when idiots shoot themselves or others.

Some of us don’t want our ranges sued or shutdown over that kind of crap.

[Lurker]

“I’m not going to argue semantics of what’s an AD or not.”

Interesting. Words mean things, you know.

“Dumbshits shoot themselves too often and the Serpa has been identified as common in several.”

So have a certain striker fired pistols. Far more of those regardless of the holster manufacturer. The commonality seems to be dumsbshits exacerbated by lazy instructors. At least it looks that way to me, anyway.

“I’m not blaming the tool.”

What are you blaming exactly?

“Those who are cautioning against it are trying to avoid the bad press...”

Ah. The real reason shows itself. I knew it would eventually.

L

[Magnum44]

Are you mentally off or do you find conspiracy in every conversation? People who dramatize those ‘ah ha gotcha’ moments are usually looking for approval or attention.

[Lurker]

“Are you mentally off or do you find conspiracy in every conversation?“

Inconsistencies, actually. First you say Serpa holsters are unsafe. Then you say you’re not blaming them.

Which is it?

“People who dramatize those ‘ah ha gotcha’ moments are usually looking for approval or attention.”

Sometimes it’s the simple satisfaction of calling bull**** bull****.

L

[Magnum44]

You don’t read well or you like to put words in others mouths.

I have been stating that Serpas are not used at many ranges and training centers because of their history of shooter accidents. Fact.

I don’t actually blame any equipment in doing so and later went on to explain that accidents are usually th result of a chain of events, that ultimately end up in pilot (shooter error). The many rules we follow are written in the blood of accidents.

Sometimes new equipment or technology results in new practices, good or bad, and leads back to new rules from resulting not seen before accidents. Cops going from revolvers to glocks experiences that. Training changed as a result.

In the case of the Serpa, my biggest beef comes back to my comment about the number of gun owners vs those that are actually even trained in holster skills. A beginner without significant instruction runs the risk of developing bad habits with the design. An experienced shooter would already know what good and bad habits are. I don’t care what an experienced shooter uses, but I cautioned against the new shooter using it because of the real life experience training centers have seen from folks using the Serpa.

Now we could have had a constructive conversation about different training techniques or ideology, but you pretty much choose to shut that down with denigrating and generally disrespectful remarks. It’s entirely up to you if you want to continue that or actually have a shooters discussion.

[Lurker]

I merely pointed out some sage advice I got from my granddad. “Poor workmen blame the tools”. That’s what it seemed to me you were doing.

“The many rules we follow are written in the blood of accidents.”

I only know of four Cardinal rules when it comes to firearm safety. The entire Serpa issue is dealt with by Rule 2. “Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.”

Now I’m perfectly willing to have a conversation about lazy instructors. Lord knows I’ve seen a few. Mrs. L and I did hundreds of draws using our Serpa gear slowly and deliberately with unloaded weapons until the muscle memory took over.

We still do slow and deliberate draws even when the weapons are hot on the range. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

But blaming an inanimate piece of gear for sloppy technique and poor training practices is silly. I wish people would stop doing it.

L

[Magnum44]

Fair enough.

My concerns about Serpas are not directed at you or your wife who take the time to dry fire and practice the necessary skills. I don’t think I need repeat what the caution is or who it’s for.

I hope I can now wish you a good evening.

[Lurker]

“I hope I can now wish you a good evening.”

I bid you one as well.

L

[Magnum44]

Thanks.

[riverrunner]

When I person makes a obvious mistake it rests on the person who made it

[Magnum44]

Did I say anything different? Ultimate responsibility and causal factors are two different things. If you knew the common mistakes or design features that lead to accidents, wouldn’t you want to recognize them so as to avoid the accident before it’s upon you? It’s called breaking the chain.

[gnarledmaw]

Thanks for the great coverage. I was afraid it was going to degenerate into one of those threads full of faux second supporters attacking open carry. I haven’t been to an event like this in too many years, might have to change that.

[marktwain]

You are welcome.

[gbs]

True if you have shorter than average index fingers, I don’t and my finger is outside the trigger guard on drawing. People need to try stuff for themselves instead of listening to the “EXPERT”

[LegendHasIt]

I went to one there in Phoenix back in the 90s.

Was the most polite and friendly gathering of people I have ever been to.