If you have nothing to hide, let them search and go on about your day.{/quote]
While I would not take it this far, I would say, I have no problem whatsoever in cooperating with the officer. 95% of them are good guys, trying to make a living doing a pretty tough job. I mean while the rest of us can and will avoid situations that can lead to an altercation and gunfire, many times they are called to do just that. Sorry if I sound preachy, we just had 2 officers shot in a neighboring town trying to serve a search warrant on a suspect. Having 2 family members who are LEOs it really hits home when I hear a lot of contempt being thrown around for them.
Without a doubt, we all need to be vigilant in protecting our rights, but really I would take little to no offense in telling an officer I have a CCW and am carrying and being disarmed for his/her comfort. While I would not up and consent to any search, I would possibly consent if the officer could give me good cause for it. I have consented to searches in the past. In one, the officers were looking for a suspect in a extremely violent crime. They had a vague enough description of his vehicle and look as well as number of people with him that I fit it. When I asked him why he wished to search my vehicle, he explained it to me. I had been calm, as had my passengers so the officer returned the favor. I had no problem with the search, the guys they were looking for needed to be found and I was not going to slow them down on that. He checked out the car, and went about his business.
If I were to receive a stern lecture by an officer about legally carrying a weapon, I would make it a point to contact his/her department and speak to his chief. I mean any of us with CCW (at least in NC), we have spent $$, been fingerprinted and put in a federal DB, gone through 2 background checks (one for purchase, another for CCW), taken an 8 hours class, and certified on the range. In short, I have jumped through enough hoops, I am obviously a law abiding citizen, I have a guaranteed right to bear arms (important enough it was the second amendment right after free speech). The officer has no reason or right to use his position to lecture me on exercising my right and IMO it shows a lack of integrity to abuse his/her position of authority to do so.
Anyway, off the soapbox. Good day everyone, I hope you have a better Friday than the one here, it is cold, dark, and rainy. I so could go for Spring right about now.