<p>Sends chills through me too. What kind of violent society have we become, that a mother needs to bring a gun to a child’s soccer game? </p>
<p>That’s a rhetorical question. No need to answer.</p>
<p>Some feel the mere presence of a gun is wrong and it terrifies them. They should just hope that if they ever find themselves in a situation where a mad man comes at them or their family that someone else isn’t as much of a pacifist.</p>
<p>If a madman comes at me or my family, I guarantee that I will not feel an iota safer holding a gun. And if someone else has one, I will simply run away.</p>
<p>pmrlcomm - I am not a member of the NRA, kind of like the Groucho Marx routine “I would never be a member of a club that would have me as a member” and for various other reasons.</p>
<p>The article you cite is interesting - the students with handguns who subdued the perpetrator were both trained law enforcement officers, not every day civilians who think they are trained in handgun combat in urban civilian areas because they took a course on safe gun handling and spent some time at a range shooting at paper targets.</p>
<p>raimius, yes there are those who act with more prudence and care to avoid confrontations when armed. But I have also personally encountered many who do not show similar judgement and a hot head is a hot head who, in procession of a hand gun, often feels less constraints.</p>
<p>As noted in post #32, I don’t expect this thread to change any minds. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if it helps those on each side of the issue to see the other side’s viewpoint.</p>
<p>I do think it shows poor judgement to display a weapon at a child’s soccer game. What message does that send? Does ANYONE really want to see most parties armed in such a venue? “Golly Sam, me and a bunch of the boys were sitt’n around the local gun shop and a children’s soccer game broke out.”</p>
<p>And just to be even-handed here, I believe it’s well established that VERY few criminals follow Open Carry guidelines. Surely there are better arguments against Open Carry than “I’m uncomfortable around guns, even when they’re unloaded.”</p>
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<p>Thats a very interesting position to take - may I ask what would make you feel safer? A cell phone perhaps?</p>
<p>Anything that wouldn’t inconvenience the person with the gun Icarus, come on! 
They obviously are disenfranchised and need what they are taking.</p>
<p>lol clearly! So your best bet is for something valuable but small enough that the robber can run with it easily :D</p>
<p>Yeah. If they decide to fire upon you it is only because they had a rough childhood and were treated poorly. Who can blame the little darlings for that.</p>
<p>Wearing it openly, unless it somehow makes it easier to draw, is quite stupid. Any mugger would go for the gun first.</p>
<p>^^ Don’t most muggers tend to go for those who they perceive to be weak and relatively easy targets? If so, I’d expect they’d tend to pass up someone wearing a gun and go for someone who appears to them to be weaker and in less of a position to defend themselves.</p>
<p>Yes, but muggers can perceive those who arrogantly wear their gun openly to be weak targets. Really, since you know where their gun is, you just ambush them in a way and in a direction such that they can never get their gun drawn and facing you in time. But if a mugger knows that a lot of people have concealed-carry permits, he doesn’t know in which direction or in what means to ambush you. Hell, the mugger on seeing the gun could just shoot you (who would normally try to avoid the unnecessary risk of being charged with murder).</p>
<p>Sun Tzu’s Art of War anyone? It’s foolish to publicly show your strength … you keep it secret so you can best use the element of surprise to defeat your enemy.</p>
<p>I am still curious, what makes people scared when someone has a holstered firearm and is not acting aggressively? I find it odd that many would not avoid a LEO open carrying, but suddenly become fearful if their non-LEO neighbors do the same thing. I really do want to hear your reasoning.</p>
<p>Galoisien, have you ever heard of someone being targeted by a criminal because they were OCing? It seems rather stupid to attack an armed person, given the fact that most others would be not be able to shoot the criminal!
It is foolish to show your strength, IF the opponent will use that against you. However, deterrence is one of the best solutions–to win without battle. Sun Tzu advocated winning without fighting whenever possible.</p>
<p>Interesting topic. I have no idea if people in my state can carry weapons in view. I searched the website for my state (NC) and found lots of info on carrying concealed–but nothing “unconcealed” except that no matter what permit gun owner has, a gun cannot be taken on school property, where alcohol is served, or where an admission fee had been charged. I did find this
Must get that slingshot out of my purse ;).</p>
<p>As to the OP, I have never noticed anyone carrying guns except for law enforcement. Either they don’t here, or I am oblivious to my surroundings.</p>
<p>[OpenCarry.org</a> - State Information For North Carolina](<a href=“http://www.opencarry.org/nc.html]OpenCarry.org”>http://www.opencarry.org/nc.html)</p>
<p>Apparently, open carry is allowed in NC. Localities may only regulate carrying in public buildings and parks.</p>
<p>Thanks Icarus–I must start looking around. The only issue I have ever had was when I had a workman at the house when the kids were little. Kids were playing in the driveway around this man’s truck. I happened to look inside the window and saw a hand gun on the seat. The doors were unlocked to the truck. When I asked the man about it, he said he didn’t have a concealed permit and that yes, the gun was loaded. I went ballistic. What if one of the boys had seen it and decided to just hold it or play with it. Can’t you put the gun in a locked glove box if you aren’t in the vehicle?</p>
<p>There should always be as many safeguards in place as possible. A loaded weapon should never be left lying around like that. That is reckless and irresponsible.</p>
<p>^ wow yeah that is extremely reckless! And to use the excuse of not having a ccw - is he nuts? I don’t blame you for giving him a piece of your mind - I would have done the same thing. Some people have no common sense.</p>
<p>That’s sad. The small percentage of irresponsible gun owners gain so much attention, and it gives a really bad image to a LOT of people (roughly 80 million US gun owners).</p>
<p>NEVER EVER leave a firearm where you cannot control access to it! It should always be locked or within your immediate reach.</p>
<p>Agreed raimius. You never know when that thing is going to jump up and shoot someone on its own!</p>
<p>Seriously, you are right on target (pun unintended).</p>