Sigh.
Sorry, Wayne--and anyone/everyone else.
It HAS been a hard day, but reading posts where people display such blatant "me first" and to heck with what others think attitudes tends to chap me.
Let me try and calm down and take a few deep breaths. (I already edited the "a" word and changed it to the "b" word--my pastor DOES read this forum. I don't need any additional grief from him come this Sunday.)
In a perfect world, we could carry open. No questions asked. It's not a perfect world. In fact, even in the old "wild west days," more towns than not required "guns be checked at the door."
Why?
Because too many people got a beer or three or a bottle of whiskey and cards and could not exercise good judgement. Our "problems" originated way before we ever did."
I'm looking at this from a cop's viewpoint--or trying to. I was a federal cop; only thing I normally interacted with the locals on was drug-related matters. BUT, 3:00 a.m., Wal-Mart, guy comes strolling with open carry, skeleton crew, normally they're putting up the truck and are already tired and stressed.
Manager talks to Sergeant Open-Carry and mistakenly explains policy and/or law. Sergeant Open-Carry acts like the "A" word and gets police called. Police don't like calls to Wal-Mart at 3:00 a.m. because some yahoo strolled in with a gun AND is giving the store manager a hard time.
How does ANYTHING Sergeant Open-Carry did or how he represented himself help gun owners or our image?
I'll guarantee you that Wal-Mart has more clout with Wyoming and Cheyenne elected officials than Sergeant Open-Carry. IF the local Wal-Mart wanted to get whizzy about it, I would venture a bet that they could coordinate with OTHER Cheyenne area businesses and the Cheyenne CoC and get a local ordinance passed prohibiting open carry in their places of business.
The night manager at Wal-Mart could explain what happened to the Store Manager who might just petition Bentonville to allow them to pass or enact their OWN policy in response to Sergeant Open-Carry's gracious, professional, mature conduct.
In other words, Sergeant Open-Carry might've won the battle, but could very well add another stone to jepoardizing the war. In the military, his conduct is what we used to call "out of line." And if he is in the military, then I'm doubly disgusted at his behavior.
Jeff