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[oxmixmudd]

I agree, it just comes down to your comfort level with armed citizens. I think the average American is less comfortable with armed citizens than with unarmed ones. Polls seem to back that perspective up.

An publicly armed citizen (not concealed carry with a permit and not a police officer or other public official normally armed) otherwise acting 'normally' tells me these things:


That citizen does not feel safe enough where he is living to not need a gun in public.

This person is an 'in your face' sort of fellow, likely a bit unstable (unless the area he is in is so dangerous EVERYONE needs a gun)

That person is almost 100% guaranteed to be a Trump supporter
--


A publicly armed citizen (not concealed carry with a permit etc) acting nervous, afraid, or like he has something to hide tells me this:

Get away.

[Mountain Man]

What I said is they revealed the gun knowing that *most people* tend to feel intimidated knowing that someone is armed.

No, what you actually said was:

I can't remember a single movie or TV show where one character revealed that they had a holstered gun in order to intimidate.

In the scenario you describe, the holstered weapon is shown with the explicit intent to intimidate. That's completely different from someone casually walking around with a gun strapped to his hip, or a rifle slung over his shoulder.

How do you think *most people* would respond in that situation? Do you think the majority of people would be less comfortable around someone carrying a long gun wearing tactical gear than someone who wasn't? I can only speak for everyone I know well but I'm sure every single one of them would feel less comfortable around the armed person than the unarmed one. And many of them own / enjoy guns (I don't own one but I've fired guns enough to know that it's fun :)).

I honestly have no idea how "most people" would respond. The several places I've lived throughout my life, people wouldn't give a character like that a second glance, assuming he was just calmly walking down the street.

[Mountain Man]

An publicly armed citizen (not concealed carry with a permit and not a police officer or other public official normally armed) otherwise acting 'normally' tells me these things:


That citizen does not feel safe enough where he is living to not need a gun in public.

This person is an 'in your face' sort of fellow, likely a bit unstable (unless the area he is in is so dangerous EVERYONE needs a gun)

That person is almost 100% guaranteed to be a Trump supporter
--


A publicly armed citizen (not concealed carry with a permit etc) acting nervous, afraid, or like he has something to hide tells me this:

Get away.

Bob Villa's home improvement tips: "Use a broad brush to cover a lot of surface area quickly."

[DivineOb]

No, what you actually said was:
In the scenario you describe, the holstered weapon is shown with the explicit intent to intimidate.

Why don't you let me say what my words mean?

That's completely different from someone casually walking around with a gun strapped to his hip, or a rifle slung over his shoulder.

Even if I granted that (which I don't), the fact that the person is also wearing *tactical gear* dramatically ups the ante. What *good* reason is there for a well adjusted, not trying to start anything, not trying to intimidate person to have that combination?

I honestly have no idea how "most people" would respond. The several places I've lived throughout my life, people wouldn't give a character like that a second glance, assuming he was just calmly walking down the street.

And that's why I'm happy to pay to live in the Bay Area and stay away from people who think it's just dandy to walk around like that.

The poll I posted shows how most people would respond -- they'd agree with me.

[oxmixmudd]

Bob Villa's home improvement tips: "Use a broad brush to cover a lot of surface area quickly."

no sense of humor ...

[carpedm9587]

An publicly armed citizen (not concealed carry with a permit and not a police officer or other public official normally armed) otherwise acting 'normally' tells me these things:


That citizen does not feel safe enough where he is living to not need a gun in public.

This person is an 'in your face' sort of fellow, likely a bit unstable (unless the area he is in is so dangerous EVERYONE needs a gun)

That person is almost 100% guaranteed to be a Trump supporter
--


A publicly armed citizen (not concealed carry with a permit etc) acting nervous, afraid, or like he has something to hide tells me this:

Get away.

I have to wonder about your first list. It would seem to me there would be a wide variation depending on locale. In other words, if I saw such a person at WalMart's in Somerville, MA, I would have your reaction. If I saw the same person at WalMart's in a rural part of Texas, I might not even think about it. There are parts of the country where a gun is a tool used in day-today life, especially where there are ranchers or significant wildlife.

[carpedm9587]

Why don't you let me say what my words mean?

Even if I granted that (which I don't), the fact that the person is also wearing *tactical gear* dramatically ups the ante. What *good* reason is there for a well adjusted, not trying to start anything, not trying to intimidate person to have that combination?

And that's why I'm happy to pay to live in the Bay Area and stay away from people who think it's just dandy to walk around like that.

The poll I posted shows how most people would respond -- they'd agree with me.

Good luck with that part. You're talking to one of a group of people that have elected themselves the experts on what people mean when they post - and no clarification will be accepted, in my experience.

[oxmixmudd]

I have to wonder about your first list. It would seem to me there would be a wide variation depending on locale. In other words, if I saw such a person at WalMart's in Somerville, MA, I would have your reaction. If I saw the same person at WalMart's in a rural part of Texas, I might not even think about it. There are parts of the country where a gun is a tool used in day-today life, especially where there are ranchers or significant wildlife.

You have a point - but I did intend the post to be more humorous than factual.

[Mountain Man]

Why don't you let me say what my words mean?

Because you're trying to weasel out of what you actually said.

[oxmixmudd]

Because you're trying to weasel out of what you actually said.

No, it has more to do with the fact you didn't understand what he said the first time and you are to a degree that is hard to comprehend unwilling to admit you were wrong.

[shunyadragon]

I have to wonder about your first list. It would seem to me there would be a wide variation depending on locale. In other words, if I saw such a person at WalMart's in Somerville, MA, I would have your reaction. If I saw the same person at WalMart's in a rural part of Texas, I might not even think about it. There are parts of the country where a gun is a tool used in day-today life, especially where there are ranchers or significant wildlife.

I believe there is a big difference today. I grew up rural farm country in Maryland and Oklahoma, Graduated from Oklahoma State, and in the past we had guns, and our pickup had a gun rack with a hunting rifle. My friends and I were antique firearm collectors and restorers. I did firearm grips and stocks. Another was a machinist, another specialized in bluing and reloading.

No one carried side arms or assault rifles around in public, nor in stores. They did not have arsenals of assault weapons in their homes.

Things have changed.

[Mountain Man]

No, it has more to do with the fact you didn't understand what he said the first time and you are absolutely, 100% unwilling to ever admit you were wrong.

No, I understood it just fine. The problem is that when I shot it down, he moved the goalposts and refused to concede the point as originally stated.

A simple "You're right, that was a bad example. Let me try again..." could have avoided all of this.

[carpedm9587]

I believe there is a big difference today. I grew up rural farm country in Maryland and Oklahoma, Graduated from Oklahoma State, and in the past we had guns, and our pickup had a gun rack with a hunting rifle. My friends and I were antique firearm collectors and restorers. I did firearm grips and stocks. Another was a machinist, another specialized in bluing and reloading.

No one carried side arms or assault rifles around in public, nor in stores. They did not have arsenals of assault weapons in their homes.

Things have changed.

Yes - they have. We can largely thank the gun lobby and the NRA. Fortunately, there is momentum now behind reasonable gun controls, so hopefully those two political factions will see their influenced significantly lessened.

[seer]

Yes - they have. .

As the left has become increasingly anti-firearm the right has become increasingly vocal and in your face.

[carpedm9587]

As the left has become increasingly anti-firearm the right has become increasingly vocal and in your face.

As the deaths due to gun violence has climbed, the call for tighter gun controls has also increased. Although I used to be a moderate on this issue, I have now become far left - mostly thanks to you and those like you here and on other fora. I now believe the 2nd Amendment should be repealed and replaced with an amendment that recognizes gun ownership as a responsibility to be earned rather than a right to be protected. And I believe guns should be forcefully taken (if necessary) from those who will not comply with reasonable gun controls, among which I include universal background checks, required gun safes (or other gun locking mechanism), training/certification for use, a limitation on magazine capacity, and a national gun registration database.

We are permitting an army of fanatics to arm themselves in our midst. Something needs to be done about it. Every protesters that shows up to a "peaceful protest" armed further demonstrates that need.