Great post on how the “normalization” thing works. And of course some of the foundations of this nation are being made to be “abnormal” (public prayer, chastity, guns, etc.)
On a personal note - seeing someone in public with a visible, holstered pistol draws my eye - but no other reaction except to assess the person. (Always an older gray-haired white guy that isn’t at the top of my threat matrix.) A rifle over a twenty-something guy’s shoulder would. And while I think it would be prudent to assess the situation - no difference legally between the two in my state. BUT - it seems that the media and elites views have even filtered into my brain. (As a kid it was common to wander the neighborhood with our .22’s and nobody gave us a second glance).
But meanwhile, we have openly gay, flamboyant displays of homosexual activity and we’re told to just “look away.” My response to that would be, “Then you go ahead and leave the area if you think I’m a danger to your or your family. If YOU had a firearm on your person, you would be more adept at assessing the situation before you reflexively call 9-11.”
When Virginia made open carry legal a few years back, there were stories of middle-aged men being hassled in diners for openly carrying pistols. There’s very little appreciable difference between that and this young man carrying his rifle. The biggest delta between the situations is the firearm, but at no point did anyone attempt to assess the mindset of the individual carrying the weapon.
We are a lawful people on the whole. There’s no reason any of us should suspect someone OPENLY CARRYING A FIREARM of any ill intent. They’ve pretty much telegraphed it if they do. Remember, in the “old days,” it was considered criminal to carry concealed. “Cloak and dagger” held the meaning that someone concealing a weapon was intent on doing someone harm. It’s only in recent times that concealment was considered acceptable, and it’s mostly due to political correctness run amok.
I carry concealed all the time, but I absolutely would not have an issue carrying open; and I would be carrying at least a rifle or shotgun AND a pistol. It’s not for “attention” or to be noticed. It’s my RIGHT to protect myself and my family.