Was with my bride and son at Olive Gardens near Gwinnett Mall today. Took off my coat cause it was hot while seated in the booth. And without my coat walked a couple of times to restroom to take my little one to pee. My CZ75B SA carried in an IWB DeSantis Cozy Comfort holster. No one blinked an eye or gasped. I consider that to be a good OC experience. Later that same day OC'd everywhere in the Centerville/Snellville Walmart, even bought a couple boxes of ammo. However, in the meat area I was calling my son by name to bring the cart back to me cause I was about to grab one of the 10lb bags of chicken, and right after calling him I heard a woman behind me say his name and say "just keep going". What the hay?! I almost thought she was talking to her son about something else who had the same name, but there were no other little boys around when I looked. She was just being a smart-aleck, but I completely ignored her. This got me to thinking a little. There are people who will despise you when you openly carry a firearm, not just because they hate guns, but because they are Obama lovers (not saying that particular woman was, but I was just ruminating). And it was Obama who stated that America's heartland were bitter people who clinged to God and guns. This isn't by our design, but OC'ing a firearm is like thumbing your nose at 99.9% of coolaid drinking Obama lovers out there, and they don't like it a bit. There are an awful lot of them, and most are decent enough about it, but completely ignoring the openly obvious fools is the best medicine for what ails them.
Post hoc ergo propter hoc Just because the majority of liberals hate guns, and the majority of liberals are Obama supporters, doesn't mean one thing caused the other. Drawing conclusions like that just goes to show that you don't really understand liberals at all.
Yes, unfortunately, 90% of the ways in which conservatives in the media describe liberals and vice versa are insults and personal attacks so neither side really understands the other any more. For example, look at the OP. It's his suggestion that liberals hate guns because they're Obama lovers, who apparently all drank the cool-aid. Statements like that may be great for firing people up at a political rally, but that's about it. Think about it this way. In a liberal setting, they would view the OP's comment with the same attitude that conservatives view the "cling to God and guns" comment the OP alluded to, because it's pretty much the same thing, a thinly veiled insult.
I open carried the other night at a Steak house . The waitress saw me , looked down and just frozed up and couldn't decide her next move. I told her we don't bite (wife,son,I) with a little laughter . Some are just scared, and some think criminals open carry in a serpa holster is going to robb them . Funny I never once heard on the news that a Felon, robbed a bank at gun point after pulling his gun out of his serpa holster .
She probably froze because all of her lfe she has been told by eveyone around her and by the media that guns are bad.
I've come across a few people like that. Not sure of what their political affiliations were. I think that some are just are guns, others feel that you're intentionally carrying just to intimidate people, etc. The common denominator seems to be they all love sharing their opinion and believes that everyone should think like them. Their insecurity seems to manifest itself in vocalized anger directed at the carrier.
But you do have to understand them if you want to convince them that you're right. And, even though the vast majority if people are pretty entrenched in their beliefs, it's swaying whatever small % that you can that is necessary to get the support needed to win more elections. We should make an effort to understand the other side to any issue, if for no other reason than understanding them allows a civil conversation and a debate of ideas and not soundbites and insults, and ultimately is the key to beating them. If our beliefs are truly right, then there's no reason for us not to take the high road, and focus the debate on ideas, rather than personal attacks. I didn't see any vocalized anger directed at the OP in the first post. Also, OC, whether it's one's intent or not, is vocalized support of the 2nd amendment. Someone who vocalizes disagreement to our point of view is not necessarily angry. There's nothing wrong with our being vocal with our beliefs, nor anyone else for espousing theirs.
I was thinking more along the lines Martha1 at Krystal in terms of the vocalized anger (or maybe vocalized negative attitude would be a better way to phrase it). I don't think that OC is vocalized support of the 2A - demonstrated support maybe, but people that OC would have different reasons for doing so (not explicitly for support of the 2A). I don't have a problem with someone having a negative opinion about guns, carrying, or anything else for that matter. My problem is when they insist on sharing their opinions with me and, in the case of Martha1, raising their voice so that others may bask in their opinion sharing too. At least in the case of the OP the comments weren't directed at him.
I consider myself to be quite liberal minded, particularly when it comes to culture war issues. I fully support the 2nd Amendment and typically OC. I voted for Obama and still feel the Democratic ticket was a far better choice for our country than the McCain/Palin ticket would have been, especially on issues that I care strongly about. I would encourage everyone not to be so quick to stereotype and categorize. Also, if you're OC-ing your firearm as a way to "thumb your nose" at anyone rather than for defense, I'd suggest you rethink carrying.
So, let me ask you this. Some of the people who OC do so to share their beliefs. Similarly, some people who don't like guns choose to share their beliefs. Yes, we can slice hairs about the difference between using words or actions to espouse one's belief, but at the end of the day the two aren't really that different, except that we're ok with the ones that we agree with. In any case, it's hardly fair to lump all anti's in with the person at Krystal, just like it's not really fair to lump all pro-2A people with someone who wants to carry an orange painted AK in a park. If some anti wants to be loud and obnoxious while I'm OC'ing, that's his right, and I'm totally OK with the surrounding people witnessing him being loud and obnoxious while I'm peaceably minding my own business. Why would I let an anti behaving in such a way that can only help my cause bother me? I can only hope they are all that dumb.
Did reading comprehension suddenly leave the building? I said I typically OC. I don't feel the need to post about it everytime I go to Kroger or McDonald's and noone notices like some here.
Well I'll be darned. I did didn't I? Lucille Pack (my 8th grade grammer teacher) must be spinning in her grave.
When you said "I fully support the 2nd Amendment and typically OC." It may have been interpreted as you fully support the 2nd and that you typically (but don't always) support OC. That is the way I read it anyway.
"I see", said the blind man. Let me try again. I support the 2nd Amendment and I typically OC when I carry. Sorry, been a long day and I still have a Chinese conference call to look forward to when they get to the office tomorrow morning in a couple of hours.
He's doing it again... What the Captain means is, it's already morning in China, and he has to be ready for a conference call based on their work day, after he's already been awake for his long work day, without an intervening sleep period. Elvis has left the building!