People who “refuse to investigate the facts…choose and deserve” what form of government?
Houston couple banned from feeding the poor. Is there a way around this nonsense?
New Hampshire legislature actually loosened its gun laws in response to the Giffords shooting.
What is the REAL reason people don’t carry their handguns exposed?
Dave debunks the myths surrounding “carrying exposed”.
In the aftermath of the Giffords shooting a listener asks about making a citizen’s arrest.
DAVE DISCUSSES ALL THE ISSUES, PRO & CON, OF MAKING A CITIZEN’S ARREST. WOULD YOU DO IT?
It wasn’t overlooked. It wasn’t addressed. You brought that aspect to light in subsequent broadcasts.
If I recognize nothing else about you it is your sincere passion for what you believe to be true and right and not just talk it, but walk it. Whether I agree, disagree or fall somewhere in the middle, I respect that you bring it all to the table and leave nothing in the bag.
Allow me to preface before I respond that I do not reside in an “open carry” jurisdiction. I’ve often thought on some days; wouldn’t it just be nice to “strap it on” out in the open, no fuss, no muss. Admittedly I was thinking in terms of convenience rather than making a public statement. However just as I don’t see the 1911 as deus-ex-machina, I likewise do not see the value of open carry as an exclusively effective vehicle for socializing the general population to gun ownership and Americanism.
Your personal experience in Pahrump is subjective and anecdotal. The efficacy of such a myopic campaign lacks statistical evidence to support it’s premise. Now it may it may be your sincerest hope and desire that it rise to your objectives but any measure beyond that would be pure conjecture and speculative at best. By the way, not buying into your argument doesn’t make someone “not an American”. If everyone used that device every time someone disagreed or differed with them, there wouldn’t be any Americans left to call un-American.
On the broadcast of the 17th I believe you stated that you would proudly carry your gun in the open and didn’t care what anyone thought about it, taking some delight in relating an episode at a local restaurant where a woman reeled back in horror at the sight of your gun as you were leaving. Sounds antithetical and counterintuitive. And all those people sitting there nonplused, eating their lunch “not noticing” you: You couldn’t have possibly known what was going on in their minds the whole time. Certainly nothing you could objectively quantify or measure. Allow me to illustrate.
Myself and some friends were having an early breakfast after a night out. In walks this huge, very muscular guy wearing a sleeveless denim jacket, grimy jeans with the knees blown out, tattoos-a-plenty, a four day beard, greasy hair, a Buck 110 on his belt and an attitude to go with it. Intoxicated of course. The waitress puts the menu on the table, pours the coffee and scurries away. Ready to order he starts bellowing for the waitress who is AWOL. Impatient and frustrated he begins to voice his displeasure with the service and starts asking people around him how long they waited to be served (clearly upset believing the better-dressed crowd had received preferential treatment). No one answers. He then stands up and proceeds to pour sugar all over his table and the floor, heads turn and then back to their plates. I’m in the middle of my OODA loop at this point. After a prolonged floor show and uncertain outcome of this drunken burlesque, the staff calmed him down and got him something to eat. The most salient feature of that experience (and one that has stayed with me to this day) was the unremarkable behavior of the patrons. In an atmosphere that was anything but comfortable; an element of acute risk escalating by the minute, they outwardly behaved as if nothing disturbing or threatening was going on around them. Body language aside, unless you can read brainwaves in the ether, you’re just guessing at what people are really thinking.
The individuals that you believe to have influenced in a positive way by openly displaying your weapon will be obvious to you as you have related. What is unknown to you is how many individuals had a negative reaction that wasn’t outwardly apparent . It just may have cement shut a crack in their opinion about personal firearms ownership. But if you don’t care what people think that sort of takes care of itself.
It is sad, perhaps tragic, that when it comes to things that frighten or make people uncomfortable, especially weapons, you have to treat the average adult like a child. Most of it is irrational, but sometimes we forget how exposed and accustomed we are to things the general populace is not. Case in point: A few years ago I was returning some defective electronic gear I had purchased and the clerk was looking for something to open the box to verify that the manual and cables were there. He wasn’t having any luck so I took out my knife (I believe it was a Strider SNG-not exactly the Hammer of Thor) snapped it open and he jumps back, his eyes bulging wide open. It threw me off. In my circle, that’s just and EDC pocket knife but to him it was something decidedly larger and nastier than a box cutter. Seriously, this guy didn’t approach the counter until I folded it up and put it away. See, adult as irrational child. To you and me. But not in his world. What is nothing out of the ordinary for us is fanatical to them.
Over the years I have introduced dozens of friends, family and coworkers to firearms and the armed lifestyle. Even back when I wore a suit and tie to work everyday it wasn’t that difficult to reach out to my coworkers who were basically office-bound, lightweight, metrosexuals (or “yuppies“ as they were referred to at the time). I’d make the offer to take them shooting and most took me up on it out if curiosity and suspense. It was interesting to watch them talk to anyone who would listen about how they shot this gun or that gun. Next thing it’s “what kind of gun do you think I should get”? After the open and curious there are the “I m afraid of guns” or “Guns scare me” and the “I would never have a gun in the house” crowd. These folks are virtually asking you to put them at ease. I let them handle the ugly things (after a safety brief). At first you’d think they were picking up snakes. Explaining the basic functions and features and answering their questions you see their trepidation fading by the minute. Remember, these are adult children. Once they’re comfortable that nothing is going to sprout legs and “go off”, they’re ready for the range treatment. And nothing transforms these people like a trip to the range. At the end of the day the gun has been demystified. They now have power and control over and object they once feared. They become instantly self aware of the ignorance and conditioning that was at the root of their fears and discomfort. Many have told me that they felt that they had been lied to and misled about firearms and were a bit angry over it. The other lasting impression was seeing all the other people shooting. No knuckle-dragging toothless hillbillies or goose-stepping Nazis. Just men and women like themselves. Imagine that. Many of these people have gone on to be gun owners themselves and have introduced their children and grandchildren to guns and shooting. Politically, they move in new directions as they become acutely aware of attacks on their newfound unalienable right. Some have received advanced training are now carrying on a daily basis. Even those individuals who are still not comfortable with a firearm in their home have changed their opinion about guns, gun ownership and the right to “keep and bear” arms. They’re just not ready for the next step yet. There’s a ripple effect in play here. All these individuals become force multipliers. They all have family, friends and coworkers who can be positively influenced just as they were. Many become great spokespersons and combat the lies and propaganda being spread by the enemies of our liberty. It’s quite heartening and gratifying to witness it in action.
It doesn’t take the balls of Hercules to introduce people to the armed lifestyle. Just some of your personal time and a few boxes of ammunition. It may not be flashy but it pays real dividends.
I realize that this is not the venue for such a lengthy comment so I’ll understand if you don’t respond.
Wfmn
Wolfman, thanks for the compliment. Your message is too lengthy and traverses too many issues for me to address all of them here. I will only address one. In your analysis you completely overlook the elements of socializing our fellow Americans to be comfortable around their fellows carrying weapons and the political message that it sends. Any American who would refuse to promote those two very valuable and necessary objectives in this battle simply because he doesn’t like being stared at upon entering a business, will hopefully never admit to others that he is an American.
Was listening to a recent show (1/17/11 I believe) and you talked at length about open vs. concealed carry. I thought the point was moot since very few states are “open” carry. As I thought about it further I considered it moot for other reasons as well.
First: Let me say up front, If one has made the decision to carry a handgun, then they should never leave home without it unless it’s absolutely necessary. That being said, it’s statistically unlikely that anyone who carries will ever have to draw their weapon, let alone shoot someone in self-defense in their lifetime. The odds may fluctuate to some greater or lesser degree over time depending upon environment and social conditions but for the most part that fact alone would seem to register the open vs. concealed argument in the “noise” level. Now for obvious reasons that does not imply that one does not need to train or practice. It’s a gun, a tool, not a talisman (unless yours gives off a glow that says: “Stand away citizen!”).
Second: I have experienced and have been witness to numerous demonstrations both as a student and instructor running timed A/B exercises drawing from concealment and the open holster. The purpose of which was to demonstrate that there is little appreciable difference in speed of presentation of the weapon between modes and inspire confidence. Even at the outset the margin of difference for most people was within a few tenths of a second, being slightly-as you say- faster from the open. But with instruction and additional repetitions most were able to close the gap to where it was no longer worth the perspiration. Regular practice will normalize gains. Some were able to present faster from concealment than others from the open. Not unusual given the range of ability and experience in any group of individuals. The more skilled were able to match or beat their open time from concealment however that would not likely be the case from a dead cold start but again, the difference isn’t worth a night’s sleep. Not for me anyway.
Could you imagine a scene where and officer responding to a self-defense shooting, gathers the initial facts turns to the defender and says: “Mr. Smith, it was a good thing your weren’t carrying your handgun concealed, you might have been slaughtered”. But then again, my imagination may be under developed.
Third: I’ve walked this planet a few years and I can honestly say that in my lifetime I’ve met precious few individuals who needed or wanted undue attention. In fact I’ve found the opposite to be the more defining human characteristic. Those that I’ve had the displeasure to have met or known that were in constant need of attention and acknowledgement ran from the sublime (tiresome) to the ridiculous (flaming a**holes).
Yep, it’s good bet that most people would be uncomfortable being looked and stared at. That’s not an astute observation. Neither is it a character defect. It’s human nature.
That’s why an important part of the rehabilitative process for individuals who have been badly disfigured by fire or some other misfortune is to receive counseling to help them cope with the unwanted attention that’s going to come their way, so they may be better able to live a normal life like everyone else.
I’m going to go way out on a limb here and take a wag that most well adjusted bipedal humanoids would consider going about their business undisturbed to be normal. But then again, I could be off the reservation.
I enjoy your show. Your on your way to becoming a national treasure.