Yesterday I went to a Free State function waaaaaayyyyyy up in northern NH where the free staters and those of us who want them here, got together and hung out for the day. Since I was going to be among comrades, I figuered I'd open carry for the day (when I carry, it's CC) and the gesture would noted, and it was, but not just by my libertarian bretheren.
In the socialist stronghold of Portsmouth I went to get a friend of mine who'd be going, and I was outside his house as his neighbor's dog greeted me wanting to be pet. As I was playing with the dog the neighbor came out and talked with me for a minute. He kept looking at me, then nervously at my hip, back again, etc, before asking if I was with the Portsmouth police dept. (I am often mistaken for a cop) and I told him,
"Nope, I'm just here to visit my friend"
and with that he politely nodded and excused himself.
I'm sure the sight of me with a gun was a bit unnerving to the old gent, but that's probably the case because he doesn't see it that much. Obviously the further north I went, the less I would raise an eyebrow, but P-town probably never has people open carrying.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to condition people so that someone carrying a pistol is no big deal, hey, they see it all the time, right? What if our kind would pick a day every month where we open carry, for the purpose of advancing RKBA?
It would be imperitave that we present a good impression of ourselves (clean cut, mannerful, ect), but if done so I think we'd at least provoke some conversations about the issue.
What do you think?
PS I was exceededingly disappointed that Ian was not present at the Free State meeting
In the socialist stronghold of Portsmouth I went to get a friend of mine who'd be going, and I was outside his house as his neighbor's dog greeted me wanting to be pet. As I was playing with the dog the neighbor came out and talked with me for a minute. He kept looking at me, then nervously at my hip, back again, etc, before asking if I was with the Portsmouth police dept. (I am often mistaken for a cop) and I told him,
"Nope, I'm just here to visit my friend"
and with that he politely nodded and excused himself.
I'm sure the sight of me with a gun was a bit unnerving to the old gent, but that's probably the case because he doesn't see it that much. Obviously the further north I went, the less I would raise an eyebrow, but P-town probably never has people open carrying.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to condition people so that someone carrying a pistol is no big deal, hey, they see it all the time, right? What if our kind would pick a day every month where we open carry, for the purpose of advancing RKBA?
It would be imperitave that we present a good impression of ourselves (clean cut, mannerful, ect), but if done so I think we'd at least provoke some conversations about the issue.
What do you think?
PS I was exceededingly disappointed that Ian was not present at the Free State meeting