Ignorance on display story

[Yo Mama]

Where I live open carry is legal. I normally don't, however after going out shooting in the desert today with my kids I happened to only have an undershirt on. I was carrying my sidearm XD mod 2 with an inside the waistband holster.

Walking into a store that has a greeter, she called me over in front of other customers. I did not go over to her as she requested so she yelled across a group of people that I must have my firearm in a holster and looked at me like I was a crazy idiot.

First off in my state you don't even need to have it in the holster. I kindly and loudly explain to her back across the group of people she presented the scene for that it was in fact in a holster, it's called an inside the waistband holster and is quite common for people who carry a firearm and know what they are doing.

I then loudly explain to my children that they will come across this often, people who don't know what the hell they're talking about when it comes to firearms.

You should have seen the look on her face. Priceless

 

[ewlyon]

Ha. At least she knew that guns should be in a holster, i still hear people recommending mexican carry. Open carry is legal in my state and I alternate between an urban area (where I make sure the gun stays concealed) and a rural area (where I just make sure that the gun is not obnoxiously displayed).

 

[Sistema1927]

However, if it was private property, and if they didn't want you to carry in any manner whatsoever, regardless of your local laws, they could have told you that you and your firearm weren't welcome and may have asked you to leave.

At that point no manner of argument would have allowed you to prevail. Wouldn't it have been easier to casually walk over to her, quietly explain your situation, and shown that you were willing to abide by their house rules instead of conducting a shouting match with her?

I think that all of us need to be good ambassadors instead of acting like righteous jerks.

 

[Drail]

Ignorant idiots are never impressed by good ambassdorship. Because they're idiots. I think you handled it just fine. That woman needs to come to the realization that no one really cares about her stupid "opinion" - at all. OP said that she was the the was the one who yelled and acted like a "righteous jerk". If she is going to shout out the "rules" and chastise the store's customers then she needs to learn what the actual rules are and she doesn't deserve any more "courtesy" than Shannon Watts. IMO. If she becomes upset or agitated upon seeing someone legally carrying then she should go work in the stock room.

 

[Yo Mama]

Ignorant idiots are never impressed by good ambassdorship. Because they're idiots. I think you handled it just fine. That woman needs to come to the realization that no one really cares about her stupid "opinion" - at all. OP said that she was the the was the one who yelled and acted like a "righteous jerk". If she is going to shout out the "rules" and chastise the store's customers then she needs to learn what the actual rules are and she doesn't deserve any more "courtesy" than Shannon Watts. IMO. If she becomes upset or agitated upon seeing someone legally carrying then she should go work in the stock room.

That's kind of my thought now a days. If somebody just wants to be scared of an inanimate object I'm not going to try to coddle them anymore.

 

[Sistema1927]

I still think that you are missing the point. Owners of private property and their agents do not need to allow you to enter their property except under their conditions. The right to private property is just as important as the right to self-defense. Their house, their rules.

 

[Yo Mama]

I still think that you are missing the point. Owners of private property and their agents do not need to allow you to enter their property except under their conditions. The right to private property is just as important as the right to self-defense. Their house, their rules.

No I get that completely. Just different issues to me that we are discussing.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Owners of private property and their agents do not need to allow you to enter their property except under their conditions. The right to private property is just as important as the right to self-defense. Their house, their rules.

I agree with this, and it reflects my stance. If they ask me to leave, I will. I'll also never return, and then go about sharing the story here in the hopes that other legal carrying citizens start to boycott that business as well.

While I think the employee could have handled the situation more tactfully, and courteously, as should always be done with a customer, this is what bothers me.

"Walking into a store that has a greeter, she called me over in front of other customers. I did not go over to her as she requested so she yelled across a group of people that I must have my firearm in a holster and looked at me like I was a crazy idiot."

I assume there was something not relayed in the OP about the employee's mannerisms that ticked Yo Mama off. The entire scenario is unfortunate, as all it lead to was two pissed off people.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

That's kind of my thought now a days. If somebody just wants to be scared of an inanimate object I'm not going to try to coddle them anymore.

Ah, yeah. Ignorant fear can get pretty tiresome. Kind of makes you want to scream "Use your brain!" at them.

 

[Drail]

If they do not want you to enter their store and exercise your God given rights, then they can post a huge 4X8 foot sign over the door. Flashing neon with a siren on it. It IS their property. They absolutely have that right in America I and took an oath a long time ago to defend those rights and I will. But yelling over customer's heads like a shrew is just absurd. The greeter should have just let him go if she could not walk up to him and speak to him quietly or call the police and let them deal with it. She was and is an idiot. She deserves no respect or "ambassadorship" whatsoever. SHE decided to make a scene and advance her views - not the OP. WAS there a rule or law in place that the OP violated? Or does this store allow open carry? Did he break a law? I don't know. If an off duty cop had walked in open carrying a sidearm would she have yelled at him? The anti gunners we have in this country are not going change their views because we treat them nicely. Anyone who wants to live in a socialist dictatorship is free to leave any time they're ready. There are boats that leave every day with all the shrimp and crabs you can eat. People fought and bled and died to build this country and I am not willing to give that up just so no one gets "offended" and can live happily in their little dream world.

 

[jmr40]

Without being there it is hard to say. But based on your post I think you were in the right, but mishandled the situation as badly as the door greeter.

all it lead to was two pissed off people.

It left a negative image of all gun owners to everyone who witnessed the event. You had a chance to prove you were right and do it in a manner which makes us look good. It appears you chose to lower yourself to the door greeters level.

 

[larryh1108]

The greeter came across as a power hungry busy body know-it-all. The OP was justified in his response. She deserved the verbal smack down he delivered because she was the aggressor. All in a day's work, I guess.

 

[johnandersonoutdoors]

I don't think this situation is a huge issue, however it seems to me that it was the OP that started the disrespectful conduct. He indicated that he knew the greeter addressed him (she called me over) and he ignored her. That seems pretty rude to me.

 

[Yo Mama]

I don't think this situation is a huge issue, however it seems to me that it was the OP that started the disrespectful conduct. He indicated that he knew the greeter addressed him (she called me over) and he ignored her. That seems pretty rude to me.

When im there to buy eggs and someone wants to go gun dumb, then I'm continuing on my way

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

This is the main reason I carry CONCEALED, not semi concealed or halfway concealed. I choose not to have to deal with nonsense like this.

If you make the effort you will never run into this problem.

 

[shafter]

Your reply probably reinforced the gunowner stereotype of everyone within listening distance. She was incorrect, so go correct her like a gentleman instead of a grown man making a scene with a store greeter.

 

[pintler]

"It left a negative image of all gun owners to everyone who witnessed the event."

Exactly. It was what they call a teachable moment. I'd want any undecided people in the audience to think 'hey, that gun owner sure showed a lot of tact, seemed very cool headed, friendly, and slow to anger. Maybe the stereotypes I've heard of gun owners are wrong'.

What are the other patrons saying to their friends (and fellow voters!) about the incident - that's the question.

 

[skeptical_in_Ohio]

When im there to buy eggs and someone wants to go gun dumb, then I'm continuing on my way

I am obviously missing something, given the way the story was originally reported, i.e.,

"Walking into a store that has a greeter, she called me over in front of other customers."

What I am missing is that, before the greeter's request was not heeded, what indication did she give that the issue was the gun?

 

[Dog Soldier]

Carrying a concealed weapon is just that. I would not ever want anyone to see a partially exposed weapon. This does cause a negative response even among other armed citizens.

 

[Yo Mama]

I am obviously missing something, given the way the story was originally reported, i.e.,

"Walking into a store that has a greeter, she called me over in front of other customers."

What I am missing is that, before the greeter's request was not heeded, what indication did she give that the issue was the gun?

She gave a cold stare straight down to the gun. I could tell it bothered her.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

And that's just it. You were there and saw the way the employee gestured, the look on her face, and heard the tone of her voice.

It's unfortunate how things went down, but we shouldn't be armchair quarterbacking when we weren't there to see it.

 

[hq]

A GREETER expressed this opinion? First I'd make sure that it's just his/hers and not the store owner's policy. I respect private property and the owner's right to make the rules on the premises, but if this is as it appears because manager or security weren't called - a greeter going solo - there's little excuse. This reminds me of my son's habit of carrying his fencing swords in a gun case when he was a teenager. Some people went into a full psycho mode seeing an "armed" youth on a bus. (Un?)fortunately he shares my cynical, dry sense of humor and comprehensive disrespect for ignorant people who choose to act irrationally on presumptions...

 

[Mr Woody]

First off, the OP clearly stated he was only wearing a T-shirt, no wonder she was starring . Just were was that holster clipped?

To get back on track: I find the greeter's attempt to talk to the OP completely reasonable. As someone said 'this was a teachable moment' and it turned out bad for all of us with the uncooperative actions of the OP. Although lots here seem all too happy to call someone an IDIOT who did not know what she was seeing. We could do better

 

[larryh1108]

Although lots here seem all too happy to call someone an IDIOT who did not know what she was seeing. We could do better

No, she could have walked up to the OP and asked whatever what was on her mind. She loudly called him over to her like she was a cop and asserted her (imagined) authority in an attempt to embarrass the OP. She was out of line and the OP handled it perfectly, IMO. The "teachable moment" was to the obnoxious 'greeter' who needed to be put in her place. She is a greeter, not a mall cop so she should stick to her job and greet. Maybe the next time she will be more discreet and handle whatever is bothering her with some professionalism and courtesy.

 

[Wisco]

This an example of the ever-increasing breakdown in civility in our society. She was rude. OP was rude in return. All for likely no gain. Sometimes these things require a response to the person who is rude. Sometimes they don't.

Having been in similar situations, I can say I would've walked over to her immediately and asked what she wanted. Depending on how that went, I either go shopping or ask to speak to the store manager and never shop there again - and tell the manager why. I'm polite, but I won't tolerate rudeness from someone whose job it is to provide me a service or a person who depends on my spending for their income.