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Open Carry Guns Deter Crime
opposingviews.com ^ | 8 March, 2010 | DustinsGunBlog

Posted on 03/09/2010 3:42:08 AM PST by marktwain

If you don't conceal your weapon, you give up the element of surprise in the event you are attacked and need to defend yourself. However, by carrying your firearm openly, you may deter a crime from happening in the first place, which would then lead to a better outcome. It is difficult to determine exactly how many crimes are deterred each year by those who carry openly due to the obvious fact that in such circumstances the crimes don't even take place. We do however have at least one documented example in Kennesaw GA where a crew of armed thugs decided NOT to commit armed robbery in a waffle house because the thug who went in to scout the place before the crime saw Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell openly carrying their firearms. You can listen to Mark Walters of USCCA's Armed American Radio interview Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell for more details on the event. Over the years I have also heard multiple first hand accounts of possible criminals who seemed determined to commit a crime as they approached their potential victims, but suddenly turned away when they noticed a holstered firearm.

If you think about it from the point of view of the thugs it makes sense. Why would they want to attack a group of people where they know at least one person is armed for self defense when they can easily find another group of potential victims where all are likely unarmed? Why would they want to significantly increase the odds of being shot by one of their intended victims? Before you say it, yes, there are situations where a crazy person determined to attack a particular location would attack irregardless, shooting at the known armed people first, but that situation is rare relative to the typical crimes committed by criminals who are simply looking for an easy target.

If you do choose to Open Carry, I recommend that you utilize and train with a retention holster. I like the Blackhawk SERPA holsters as they hold your weapon securely, yet allow you to remove your weapon quickly & easily with a little practice. What is your favorite retention holster? Let me know in the comment section.

Learn more about Open Carry at OpenCarry.org.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: banglist; ccw; constitution; opencarry
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Both open carry and concealed carry have advantages and disadvantages. I carry both ways depending on the circumstances, and sometimes both ways at once.
1 posted on 03/09/2010 3:42:09 AM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain

An armed society is a polite society.


2 posted on 03/09/2010 3:48:58 AM PST by PittsburghAfterDark
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To: marktwain

Some coffee houses and restaurants serve police free or dicount coffee and/or donuts or rolls for this very reason.

What retard is going to attempt to rob a place with two or three squad cars sitting outside. Even the dullest bulb in the lIQ department sees that problem.


3 posted on 03/09/2010 3:56:46 AM PST by chainsaw ( 'You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal)
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To: marktwain

4 posted on 03/09/2010 3:57:07 AM PST by Evil Slayer (Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war)
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To: marktwain

Open carry in public, populated areas is counterproductive.

As a CCW license owner, the first rule of security is “keep ‘em guessing”.

When a threat knows your defense, he can defeat it.

Quit the show-off stuff and quit giving the anti-gun crowd more fodder.


5 posted on 03/09/2010 5:07:23 AM PST by G Larry (DNC is comprised of REGRESSIVES!)
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To: G Larry
I couldn't disagree more. I open carry often. I usually have at least one person who comes up to me and asks legitimate questions about the law etc. One of the best experiences I had happened two years ago. I live in a semi rural area. I went to the mailbox at the end of the driveway and a min-van I had never seen before went past me. The woman driving was a Kalifornia transplant. She saw my gun, freaked and called the Sheriff. When the Deputy showed up she was babbling incoherently, to the point where the Deputy threatened to put her in cuffs and throw her in the cruiser. Suddenly her husband shows up and gets all bent out of shape and does wind up cuffed in the cruiser. After about 20 minutes, two Deputies and a Sargent later they finally got it through their thick skulls that it was perfectly legal. Long short, they moved back to Kalifornia and the paper published a very good story about how open carry was legal and the benefits of it - very positive piece. The twofer is that there is one less Kalifornia family in my neighborhood (ones that would be completely helpless in a disaster).
6 posted on 03/09/2010 5:21:00 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (usff.com)
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To: mad_as_he$$

I just love happy endings.


7 posted on 03/09/2010 5:27:43 AM PST by Rappini ("Pro deo et Patria.)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Thank you for making my point for me.

Would you have be less secure carrying concealed?


8 posted on 03/09/2010 5:29:46 AM PST by G Larry (DNC is comprised of REGRESSIVES!)
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To: G Larry
In this case absolutely. it was Winter and i had about four layers of clothes on.

Sorry this does not make your point. Education is ALWAYS better than hysteria.

9 posted on 03/09/2010 5:32:20 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (usff.com)
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To: marktwain

I would like a little pin to wear that says:

“One of us might be armed!”

Or something like that! Just enough to make the other guy aware that I just might be carrying a weapon.

Or maybe:

“I know for a fact at least one of us is armed.”

Or:

“You know, I just might be armed. Or then again, maybe I’m not.”

My state is not an open carry state, but does have some of the best CCW laws around. Except for a list as long as your arm where you CAN’T carry. What a farce. Most of those places are the very place I would want the security of a weapon!


10 posted on 03/09/2010 6:01:46 AM PST by jwparkerjr
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To: mad_as_he$$
You are possibly confusing two important points:
(in order of importance, IMO)
1. For citizen/sheepdogs, Tactical carry = Concealed carry. Forewarned is forearmed (meaning the bad guy (s) who target you for whatever reason will employ deadly force to eliminate you (or they'll wander off and select a “sheep”). They ain't stoopid. Remember, wolves hate Sheepdogs, and will respond in kind, but “unfairly”. Keep your fangs sheathed until needed. They work best that way. No need telegraph anything, let alone you “punch”.

2. Education of legal arms use and possession. The “Kalifornia” types and all other anti or non-2A(liberty) types will always rant and rave (they are sheep, remember) about the fear they have of toothed sheepdogs, keep you “mouth” closed until your teeth are needed (sheep are scared of all visible “teeth”, and cannot logically discriminate between sheepdogs and wolves). Rather, to edumacate the sheep (which ain't usually very profitable as sheep are rather dumb and opinionated)-recall that they need a Shepherd and sheepdogs to prevent them from falling off a cliff,etc); talk quietly and soothingly to ease their silly mindedness; but do not expect them to figure out the sheepdog, maybe not even the wolves....

Best,

11 posted on 03/09/2010 6:03:38 AM PST by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War" (my spelling is generally korrect!))
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To: Manly Warrior
Naw, I just like to educate the sheep that are willing to be educated. The rest can go to the wolves. I gave up trying to educate those who refuse to be years ago.
12 posted on 03/09/2010 9:08:38 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (usff.com)
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To: marktwain

I’d be interested in knowing if there are any groups in Texas backing open carry. I think it’s past time to remove the relic of the civil war that deprives us of our rights.


13 posted on 03/09/2010 9:38:54 AM PST by zeugma (Proofread a page a day: http://www.pgdp.net/)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Well, I guess you are still missing the point....

What kind of education did the cali couple get? They now like you and agree with you/2A or do they think the place you live is dangerous and backwards? How do you think they’ll vote if they live in your town?

Educated-yes, the “gulag” way.

Carry openly all you wish, I avoid everyone I see with guns swinging on the the hip, I don’t like being a “self-propelled pop-up target” anymore; cops, perps, freaky types all want to “touch”.

Best;


14 posted on 03/09/2010 6:16:58 PM PST by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War" (my spelling is generally korrect!))
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To: mad_as_he$$

And the education you alude to, is where?


15 posted on 03/09/2010 8:11:26 PM PST by G Larry (DNC is comprised of REGRESSIVES!)
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To: G Larry

When someone comes up to me and asks about open carry I always take the time to explain the statues and the positives and the negatives. In the crazy woman story the article in the paper - as I said - was very positive and informative.


16 posted on 03/10/2010 4:47:30 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (usff.com)
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To: Manly Warrior
The Kalifornia couple were beyond redemption after 30 or so years of brain washing by the skools etc. They would NEVER agree that guns are ok in any setting. BTW one part of the story I left out for brevity is that the Sargent told them that he didn't understand what their big issue was since “many people in Nevada have concealed carry permits, including this gentlemen.” They both went over the edge again and could not believe that that was the truth - the dumba$$ husband accused the Sargent of lying and backing me up because I “know the Sheriff”. Really crazy stuff. That is how brain washed they are.

Additionally we have had several major burglaries (homes cleaned out) in this area. There are several women who are alone all day with small children close to my street. They are more than happy to have me and the other guys who openly carry watch over their kids during the day. I often make it a point to meet the school bus and talk with the kids. There are several houses where I can get a cookie anytime I want and two of those are also ex-Kalifornians who realized that protecting their kids is more important than their fear of guns. My neighbor up hill has put together a class for when the weather breaks to train all of them - for free - in gun safety and handling.

Bottom line more good has come out of my open carry than bad.

17 posted on 03/10/2010 5:01:22 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (usff.com)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Glad to hear it.

Best;


18 posted on 03/10/2010 1:54:11 PM PST by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War" (my spelling is generally korrect!))
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To: G Larry

G Larry,

When I was visiting Phoenix, Arizona, I was at a little motel and wanted to go out and find some Cheetos and a soda or some such, so I was walking across the broad motel parking lot at around 10:00pm, towards the street, intending to walk down the block a bit.

Little did I know that the motel was in a kind of run-down part of the area when I booked it. I fully realized the implications of this fact when a young fellow was making a beeline towards me diagonally across the empty street. I was carrying openly, since I didn’t have an applicable concealed carry license being a resident of California at the time.

I turned my body a bit so that the sickly orange glow of the street light caught my right hip, and it was as if the fellow hit an invisible brick wall in the middle of the street. He immediately turned away and hurried off down the street.

If I had been carrying concealed, he would have been up in my face asking me for the time or a dollar or some typical mugger bull____, and he would have been “kept guessing” right up until I pulled my firearm and shot him.

And that would have been much more of a hassle for me than an invisible brick wall in the middle of the street created by the sight of my openly holstered firearm.

He knew my defense, and he knew he wasn’t willing to even try to defeat it.


19 posted on 03/20/2010 7:48:04 PM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: mvpel

Don’t you know that Cheetos are an unhealthy bed time snack?

The Orange food group forms the base of the food pyramid, but should be consumed before dinner.


20 posted on 03/21/2010 7:27:27 AM PDT by G Larry (DNC is comprised of REGRESSIVES!)
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