Lately, a great deal has gone on about open carry. Strangely enough, the argument - as far as I can tell, anyway - isn't about open carry at all. It's about one's attitude. In comments on several blogs, I have said, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It's not just a good idea; it's the law." It's true. Whether or not you are acting within the bounds of the law, public perception of your actions can make or break you. It doesn't always, and sometimes it bites you in the ass when you least expect it.
Thing is, the pro-gun folks who are all for forcing the issue? Yeah, try to tell them that you can be in the right all you want and still turn people against you. Or that you can still make people very nervous or uncomfortable. Those guys will just tell you that you are wrong, and that all the other people are wrong. Everyone, it seems, is wrong except them. That, for me, sends up all kinds of red flags.
Breda tried to point out how attitude comes into play. She got chided by many. pdb backed her up, only to face the same type of opposition. Many bloggers - myself included - tried to do the same, and all the in-your-face-with-my-rights-types all plugged their ears and told us how wrong we are. Turns out, Breda and pdb may have been on to something.
Robb Allen, who does PR for Florida Open Carry, had a very objective post on the subject, and it brings the topic back on track. It's not about your rights, or what's legal, or what gun you choose to OC. We all want those things to be okay, but there are good and bad ways to get there, and (literally or figuratively) shoving your boomsticks in people's faces ain't how it's done.
Let's try to remember that we're all on the same team, folks. Sooner or later, it's really going to matter.
tweaker
I've always been of the mind that we see plenty of people stabbed to death each year and no one talks about banning knives. Why? Because the knives aren't the problem. And anyone can get a knife. I feel the same about guns, and not everyone can get a gun- or at least as easily.
ReplyDeleteBut what do I know, I'm too apathetic to really care about any of it.
But what I do care about is you clicking on the blog and giving our show a listen. In fact, if you don't we may have to shoot a puppy.
Everyone, it seems, is wrong except them. That, for me, sends up all kinds of red flags.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find sad is that they come onto our blogs and call us "fudds" "anti-gun," "anti-OC" and generally act like total assholes. That pretty much proves Breda's "Manners Matter" point which so many of us have reiterated. It's even more ridiculous given that Breda's blog is obviously pro-OC and she posted a pic of herself OC'ing in the very post that started this.
I have to wonder if that's how some of these rabid OC'ers act around non-gunnies. If it is they're doing more harm than good.