Open carry, if its legal for you...

[RDak]

Model 1905: I'm not judging anyone. I'm simply stating facts of observation. You just don't happen to like it and therefor are P'd off. You apparently DEMAND that everyone respect your rights. Apparently it's fine that you don't necessarily respect the rights of others. At the very least, you aren't considerate of other people. You never once saw me write anything that said that open carry was wrong. I said I even do it myself. You WANT to read into this because you are trying to justify why you carry openly. That's your thing, not mine. I'm simply stating that the perception it gives; when done to push a political point; it counter productive to the support of the 2nd amendment.

I disagree completely.

For the last forty plus years I have not cow-towed to the anti-gunners in any way shape or form.

Their philosophy on firearms prohibitions and living in a police state go nowhere with me. Their views towards firearms are ill founded, sheepish and do not comport with how I feel an individual should live his/her life.

They must be confronted on all fronts and we should never, I repeat NEVER, allow them to dictate how we live our lives relative to firearms.

Exposure to open carry will allow those in the middle (i.e., those who are undecided or uninterested) to see that ordinary people can safely carry guns and hopefully sway their opinion towards the pro-gun philosophy.

As to the anti-gunners, they will always attempt to strip our right to own ANY firearm. Regardless of whether it is open carry, concealed carry, in the home carry.......etc. They are for the total prohibition of firearms ownership and feel that way regardless of whether a person open carries or not.

Their views are not to be respected. They are sheep who, as I stated, do not want us to own firearms in any way, shape or form. Therefore, my behavior relative to firearms totally disregards their concerns.

I respect their choice as individuals to not own a firearm but when they say I cannot own a firearm, I simply will not abide by that lifestyle in any way. I have no respect for them when they try and forbid me from owning firearms. And I do not live my life in any way that would make them feel better relative to firearms. The reason being, they HATE firearms and will never change that attitude.

Sorry, but almost five decades of fighting this battle, has shown me that we must meet them head on and give them no leeway. They are the enemies of freedom and must be dealt with accordingly.

To put it simply, I could care less how an anti-gunner feels along these lines. They've always tried to ban guns and we have fought them tooth and nail and, in the last year, we have won and we have won BIG!!

1 - Heller
2 - Nordyke
3 - Sixty-five Democrat Rep's. in the House wrote a letter to Eric Holder stating they were against any further gun control measures.
4 - SCOTUS denies cert. in a case attempting to sue gun manufacturers for stupid reasons.

You go at the anti-gunners hard and take no prisoners. You disregard their sheepish concerns and give them no quarter. They don't deserve it. They are trying to abolish our most basic right as human beings.

If they don't like open carry, tough sh**. Because, like I said, they don't like firearms ownership in the first place.

 

[mcdonl]

"If you need to carry, you need to move" is pretty anti-carry.

Aran... that is a stretch. If you have spent any amount of time training, reading or listening you would know that avoidance is a key part of self defense.

So, if your neighborhood goes south and you have a family, moving may be a very good option. It has less to do with OC or CC but has more to do with quality of life and safety.

As far as OC in an area that does not allow CC, and the threat is there... sure... I would OC but I would also consider moving for my families sake. Having a gun, so I protect my wife and daughters is one thing, not taking all of the other measures to be safe is another. The thought that this would make me anti cary is nuts.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Where I live it's quite easy. Saturday afternoon, walking into lowes, home depot, The Ranch Stores, etc... it is common for those working outdoors to be open carrying. During hunting season, couple of people coming back from shooting. (Most of our shooting is outside; we don't do much indoor range stuff). Again, this is very common. On the other hand; the person walking down town in slacks and a shirt. Shopping in the Mall. Those are not so much "Purposeful".

Now, if for some reason you aren't allowed to carry concealed and you have to carry openly or not at all; then I guess that's purposeful. It isn't hard to tell the difference. Basically; Concealed Carry is the norm. Open Carry is for convenience. When Open Carry is used for other than convenience (Assuming Concealed is Permitted); then it's not seen too positively on.

Christcorp,

Why do you carry concealed? Would you consider your concealed carry to be purposeful?

I am an active duty Navy officer. I have taken an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. Would you agree that there is no other portion of the constitution that is under attack more than the RKBA?

You are correct, I carry purposefully.

#1 purpose is to have the ability to protect myself against violent crime.

#2 purpose is carrying openly as a daily means to exercise the Oath of Office that I took (an officer takes an Oath of Office, not an enlistment oath).

and this statement:

When Open Carry is used for other than convenience (Assuming Concealed is Permitted); then it's not seen too positively on.

in my experience, is only true MAYBE 5% of the time and it is that 5% of the time that I take as opportunities to politely and intelligently fulfill my Oath of Office.

 

[rfurtkamp]

Aran... that is a stretch. If you have spent any amount of time training, reading or listening you would know that avoidance is a key part of self defense.

I mention this not out of an attempt to disparage but because it's relevant to the discussion at hand: if avoidance through concealment is so important a part of self-defense, why exactly are you selling 2nd Amendment T-shirts?

Past that, I have to wonder ultimately as myself and others have mentioned, where are the news stories and citations of death in the street of civilian OC'ers getting weapons grabbed and gunned down first?

I expect the Brady Bunch to back up their claims with evidence, but I expect the pro-2nd people to do so even more.

 

[BigGuy52]

All of you are Lucky

I live in the Land of Abe and carrying a gun at any time will condem you to a nice little room with steel bars. I only wish & hope that within my lifetime, I'll be allowed to carry a gun.

Now, if I feel threatened by any sitituation, my only recourse is to slink away.

There are places in Chicago that I don't go to, due to fear of becoming a victim.

I wish I could excersise any right to carry.

 

[mcdonl]

Avoidance of the danger is what I was referring to. NOT avoidance of carring. I am proud to cary, and have no problem with others knowing. I was referring to avoidance of the trouble.

I will note though... I was wearing one of our more "bold" shirts this weekend and I caught a glimpse of myself in a reflective window... wearing the 5.11 vest, the go ahead and try t-shirt and carrying my .40 I came to the conclusion...

I am a gun nut...

carry on.

Leroy

 

[metallic]

I live in the Land of Abe and carrying a gun at any time will condem you to a nice little room with steel bars. I only wish & hope that within my lifetime, I'll be allowed to carry a gun.

Louisiana has plenty of room, great food and friendly people. Plus we are generally gun friendly, plenty of lakes and rivers for fishing and boating, right next to Arkansas for some beautiful camping, and we have that nice slow pace of life. Never too late to move here

But all kidding aside, even with a weapon, there's places that I tend to avoid. There's no need to risk an altercation if I can avoid it and there's plenty of nice places in town that are closer by than the bad spots.

 

[Superlite27]

I am a gun nut...

Hey there, fellow gun nut!

As stated before, I both open and conceal. In busy crime ridden urban areas where blending in (not "appearing weak") is a way to avoid trouble, I conceal. Not because it offers a tactical advantage, but because it draws less attention.

Now, where I am comfortable, and have been previously, I open carry. Not that I will never need my firearm where I'm comfortable (I'm sure 32 students were perfectly comfortable in their classroom at Virginia Tech) but where I am comfortable at "condition yellow" instead of "condition orange".

I have never had the swat team swarm me, I've never been put on the ground, I've never had anyone scream "He's got a gun!"......

...so all of you who say we're "frightening people" are full of bunk and have probably NEVER OPEN CARRIED THEMSELVES. I can speak from experience. I have open carried.

Are you speaking from experience? Or are you just running your yap about what you "think" will happen?

Now, I am speaking from experience where I live. I cannot speak for where others do. I am sure there are places it is perfectly legal to OC, but you will definately be harrassed. (The Calguns.com open carry in San Diego comes to mind.) I believe unloaded OC is perfectly legal in CA, but I completely understand not doing so there. I'm not urging people to do what I do, as there are different reactions for different places.

But where I'm from, I've never had a negative encounter. What I have had are several opportunities to educate uninformed people who walk up and ask things like, "Is that legal?"

Now, if these people are so "frightened", why are they walking up to me to ask? All the evidence points towards educating the public about the legality of carrying a gun. (If responding to their questions is done so politely.) Something that is not done by "hiding your weapon" for whatever reason. "Out of sight, out of mind". If they never see a gun, they will never question the status quo, and they will continue to remain uninformed and more likely to be ignorantly afraid. Something being advocated by those who insist on "concealed at all times". Those of our own ranks who unwittingly contribute to the "You're scaring the children!" myth that they have no experience with.

 

[christcorp]

NavyLT; for 21 years, I too took the oath to support and defend. But too many people are taking words here way to PERSONAL and they aren't reading the meaning implied. At no time did I say it was WRONG to open carry. I simply said that there are many reasons people Open Carry. And some of the reasons become quite obvious to the average citizen. Some of the reasons are simple: "Because I can. It's my right". That's fine. Yes it's legal.

There are some people who smoke in public or even in their own house when friends are visiting; because they are allowed to. Others will be considerate and ask those visiting or around them, if it would bother them. Even among ourselves; some will go to walmart or wherever and buy the 2 boxes of ammo that the want to shoot or need for self defense. While others will be inconsiderate and buy every box on the shelf. Yes, they're allowed to, but it's inconsiderate.

Our right to carry arms is no different than our right to free speech or any other right we have. There is a certain level of consideration for others and their rights that is implied. That is the premise that our country was founded on. Not only our freedoms, but the freedom of others along side of us. Freedom of religion doesn't just mean you can worship any way you want; it also means the freedom NOT to worship at all. Freedom of speech doesn't just mean being able to say anything you want; but also supporting someone else's right to say what they want even though what they say BOILS YOUR BLOOD. The commonality in our rights, is consideration for others.

We are demanding that the anti-gun crowd respect our RIGHT via the 2nd amendment. Yet it's obvious that some people here don't respect those people's right to disagree and speak out against. Much of this thread has evolved into whether or not open carry has a positive or negative impact on the rights of gun owners. Well, concealed carry obviously has no real impact other than to politicians come voting time. They see the list of concealed carry permits in their county. The more people who get concealed permits, the more interest those running for office will give us. As for open carry; the goal should be educating individuals. I agree that the NRA should produce some positive commercials showing open carry as well as concealed carry individuals. Show the positive side to guns and carrying. At the same time, we need to not only educate those around us; but also be considerate of others around us while at the same time, being allowed to exercise your rights. Why? Because you have to? No. It's your right to carry; you don't HAVE to do anything. Why then? Because it's the considerate and right thing to do. Some people don't believe in being considerate. They've made it quite clear that they don't care what ANYONE thinks of them carrying. They don't care at all about the PERCEPTION. It's my right, and by God I'm gonna do it!!! Yup, you're allowed to. It's your right. And it's also the other citizen's right to "Claim" that for any number of reasons they want to come up with; your open carrying is infringing on their RIGHT to "Happiness". And as such, it will be their right to petition the local mayor, city council, etc... to ban open carry. And guess what; there are places that don't allow open carry. Partly for this same reason.

At one time, our country never had a need for concealed carry. Everyone open carried. I'd love to see open carry become the norm, and no need for concealed carry. But that will never happen as long as the attitude by many is: "I don't give a Rat's A$$ if me carrying a weapon scares or bothers you. It's MY RIGHT and I'll do it if I want to". However; educating people and showing them the importance of owning, carrying, and properly using guns could do a lot more for the cause. Maybe the next time you have your local town/county fair or similar, some of you coordinate with the local police and have a booth with literature, demonstrations, exhibits, etc... of gun carrying, importance of guns for safety, security, etc... Having the local police involved lends credence to the cause, as well as presenting the information in a manner that the citizens can trust. Contrary to what many people believe; most police officers are pro-gun, pro-2nd amendment, and are even members of the NRA.

Anyway; people really need to put this into perspective. It has nothing to do with someone saying that open carrying is wrong. I don't think I've seen 1 person write that. Although some people want to interpret it that way. What's important is that many citizens do not feel comfortable seeing people walking around open carrying their guns. And taking the attitude of; "I don't care what they think or their perception. This is my RIGHT, and I'll do it if I want to." Isn't the right answer. If you try and FORCE rules, laws, etc... there will always be dissension. (Look at some of our laws that are disobeyed all the time). If you can get buy in from those involved, you will be much more successful. That will do so much more for preserving and gaining support for the 2nd amendment and the acceptance of weapons all together.

 

[wrs840]

Maybe the next time you have your local town/county fair or similar, some of you coordinate with the local police and have a booth with literature, demonstrations, exhibits, etc...

That'll go over about as well as telling the homos that they can't march in drag and/or half naked in the St. Patrick's day parade, but they can set up a booth to pass out educational leaflets in a dignified manner.

Lotsa luck with that one.

Les

 

[rfurtkamp]

There are some people who smoke in public or even in their own house when friends are visiting; because they are allowed to. Others will be considerate and ask those visiting or around them, if it would bother them.

Here's the fundamental problem with your example: smoking will affect those around you directly. An inanimate object on my hip under my direct control and holstered does not cause lung cancer, emphysema, or whatever they're blaming on Demon Tobacco this year.

It's your right. And it's also the other citizen's right to "Claim" that for any number of reasons they want to come up with; your open carrying is infringing on their RIGHT to "Happiness". And as such, it will be their right to petition the local mayor, city council, etc... to ban open carry. And guess what; there are places that don't allow open carry. Partly for this same reason.

If I act out of fear about what the anti-gun folks *might* do, I might as well just melt my guns down now.

That said, I live in a state with strong pre-emption. Efforts to petition the local mayor, city council, etc. will go nowhere - and the state constitution only allows for the regulation of concealed carry - not open.

I welcome an open dialogue on a state level about firearms here, but it's a non-issue.

The commonality in our rights, is consideration for others.

Keeping and bearing arms (and any sort of responsible carry as well) is a consideration for others. I have them for the collective defense as well as the individual.

That said, the Second Amendment is about preserving the rights of individuals in the face of collective tyranny. It, by its very nature, is going to be confrontational and a safety valve. It isn't going to make people feel warm and fuzzy inside, nor should it.

Contrary to what many people believe; most police officers are pro-gun, pro-2nd amendment, and are even members of the NRA.

And the officers may well be (I know many who are), but their higherups and politicians aren't going to rally behind 'people should carry guns' as a matter of policy, even in this state. Issues with liability and professional image would be raised immediately, well, that and let's be honest, the last thing any officer wants is the presence of a weapon that's not secured when dealing with people.

Anyway; people really need to put this into perspective. It has nothing to do with someone saying that open carrying is wrong. I don't think I've seen 1 person write that.

An awful lot of that has been posted in this and similar threads - from the carry equivalent of 'there will be bloood in the streets' on down.

And taking the attitude of; "I don't care what they think or their perception. This is my RIGHT, and I'll do it if I want to." Isn't the right answer. If you try and FORCE rules, laws, etc... there will always be dissension.

And frankly, I'm not going to avoid something because it makes someone queasy or unhappy. I will not please everyone all the time, or even most of the time. There are laws in place already if I misuse a firearm.

When it is in fact my right to do something, I do it without worrying about if someone is going to be offended - especially when doing that thing is as simple and non-threatening and basic as having an inanimate object in a holster on my person.

 

[Superlite27]

That'll go over about as well as telling the homos that they can't march in drag and/or half naked in the St. Patrick's day parade

Are they open carrying? Whenever I've marched in drag, nobody has ever said anything negative to me. Of course, the 1911 stuck in my garter might have something to do with it.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...Exposure to open carry will allow those in the middle (i.e., those who are undecided or uninterested) to see that ordinary people can safely carry guns and hopefully sway their opinion towards the pro-gun philosophy....

Why do you believe that? We see this supposition a lot in these "open carry" threads, but I don't believe it's necessarily true. Someone could just as easily be saying to himeself, "Look at that nut with the gun; there ought to be a law."

It seems that there are plenty of examples of rights being lost because enough folks didn't like the ways in which they were being exercised.

Over the years, in many communities, we have seen many zoning and other laws adopted restricting how you can use your own property. In some places you may not work on your car in your own driveway in view of the public street. In some places you must get design approval of remodeling or landscaping visible to the public. In some communities, you may not park or store large vehicles like boats on trailers or RVs on your property so as to be visible to the public. These sorts of restrictions have in large part been the result of strong enough public sentiment that some things previously lawfully done by private parties on their own land were unseemly or unattractive.

The point is not whether these sorts of restrictions are right. The point is that they do exist. And the fact of their existence illustrates that if enough voters find some form of otherwise lawful conduct in public to be obnoxious, politicians will be only too happy to pass laws against it. And so, if enough of the public finds the open carrying of firearms annoying, there will be a clamor to ban such practice; and the politicians will gladly oblige.

 

[NavyLCDR]

christcorp,

What you fail to realize is that my rights do not end because it makes someone feel uncomfortable. What if I were Negro and the folks at the table next to me in the restaurant were uncomfortable with me being there and they felt unsafe because I was Negro? Would you condone them asking the management for me to leave because they felt unsafe? Of course, you will say that is a different scenario because I could not change the situation of my being Negro.

HOWEVER - not so long ago, in America, it would have been perfectly acceptable for those folks to ask the management for the Negro person to leave and for management to have the Negro person evicted because of that request.

Here's the kicker - just as not being discriminated against because of race, gender or religon are rights protected by the constitution - SO IS THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. So why is it any different for a person to be asked to be considerate of others and cover up their firearm, than to ask a Negro not to frequent a place if there are people there that their presence makes them feel uncomfortable. Both rights are constitutionally protected. Do you not feel that requiring a person to obtain a license to carry a firearm and to have to pay both for training and the licensing fee is an infringement upon the RIGHT to carry a firearm?

I'm sorry, christcorp, the US Constitution and the Washington State constitution does not garuantee the right of every American to feel comfortable at every place they happen to be at and feel comfortable with every person they are in close proximity to. If someone, who is not the owner of the property, does not feel comfortable with my firearm being carried in a holster, then they are certainly free to leave.

On the flip side, if the owner of the property does not want my firearm there, that is fine also, my rights do not extend onto their property and I will gladly leave or conceal my firearm depending on how I feel about the situation.

 

[christcorp]

fiddletown; thank you for understanding the reality of the situation. Some people just want to argue that they have "Rights". They want to debate analogies as though they are arguments. The truth is; if they pee off enough citizens, even thought they are exercising their legal rights, they risk the chance of that right being curbed, limited, or even taken away. That doesn't mean you have to curl up in the corner and give up your guns and rights. It means educating people who aren't fond of guns. It means educating them on not just the 2A right, but how other rights will be affected. But when you look at threads here such as: "Why do you own a gun"; and you see so many responses such as: "Because I can"; "Because it's my right"; "Because this is America and I'll do what I want"; etc... then there's no doubt that there will be some people fighting your 2A rights. And they stand a good chance of affecting it.

People need to stop concentrating on analogies and examples given in some of these posts, and concentrate on the meaning. It doesn't matter if smoking directly affects anyone or not. The point is/was: If people were considerate about their smoking and didn't take the attitude of: "It's my right, it's legal, I can do it if I want". Then the other side wouldn't have petitioned for it to be banned. We don't need more laws. But the more you exercise your rights without being considerate to others for their rights, the higher the chances are that those rights will be challenged and petitioned.

And for what it's worth, there been quite a few events where I live where police have had exhibits and such demonstrating and explaining proper and safe gun ownership. It's gotten more people interested in shooting and hunting. Game and Fish and done exhibits that showed how hunters and hunting have actually helped the management of wildlife and that because of hunting, there are actually MORE animals around today than there was 100 years ago. So yes, such activities are done and yes they do help. If you happen to live in a state/county/town that hates guns, and the only way to exercise your rights is to force it down the throat of others, then I'm sorry for you. Fortunately, that isn't every place.

 

[christcorp]

Dang Navy; I thought I was getting old. No one says "Negro" any more. But besides that, again: I am not saying that you shouldn't or can't carry a weapon openly. I've said too many times; that it's a matter of consideration and attitude. When you are invited to a party, go to the movies, go shopping, etc... do you ALWAYS open carry? If you don't ALWAYS open carry every place you go; then why not. Maybe it's because some times it's "Not Appropriate". And that's what I'm talking about. Sometimes it's just not appropriate. Those who consider that, act appropriately, and help educate those who aren't too fond of guns; help gain support for gun owners and the 2A. Those who hold onto the attitude of "It's my Right" and that's all that matters; will harm the cause. They will personally be contributing to where they live of possibly not allowing open carry at all. Or requiring permits, licenses, etc... for all aspects of guns. I'm originally from New Jersey. You can't even own a BB Gun there without a permit. The negative perception of guns was allowed to overshadow the positive reasons for guns. And curbing your rights is a real possibility. It currently happening in many communities and states in the country. You can have the "It's My Right" attitude all you want. But if you don't show consideration for others; as you'r demanding them to have consideration for you; then it WILL BITE YOU in the butt. How many towns, counties, and states do you need as an example?

 

[Mohawk]

There are hundreds of thousands of police officers in our nation who open carry while on duty. Except under unusual circumstances such as coming from hunting or camping or an open range, None of them open carry in general public. all of them carry concealed as a matter of policy. I personally think that the posters in this thread who rabidly insist on open carry under any circumstances and to he** with what anybody thinks, have a self esteem problem and use the gun as an ego boost. Any rational, thinking adult must realize the overall damage this does to the perceptions of the general public concerning "gun nuts". Some of you will respond with "To hell with perceptions" but you do the most damage to second ammendment rights. JMHO

I open carry whenever I hike in the surrounding desert, whenever I'm camping and when we move cattle from one patch of BLM land to another. I do not open carry in the middle of town, at Wal mart or any other place with high population. Just being polite to the mothers and kids you know.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...the US Constitution and the Washington State constitution does not garuantee the right of every American to feel comfortable at every place they happen to be at and feel comfortable with every person they are in close proximity to...

That's true -- but --

That's not necessarily going to stop folks who are uncomfortable with open carry of guns from voting for politicians who will enact laws prohibiting the open carry of guns in some places in which it is now legal. So if enough folks get uncomfortable enough in some places, we could see such laws actually enacted. And at that point, it will be up to the courts to decide if the law passes Constitutional muster. If that happens, we can't be absolutely sure of the outcome, but we can be very sure that it will take a lot of time and cost a lot of money to settle the question.

Right now, in a lot places, this may not be an issue. In some places enough folks are still sufficiently comfortable seeing the occasional person openly wearing a gun. But if open carry becomes pervasive some places and as demographics change, we may start seeing "anti-open carry" pressure increase. When, where and how this will happen is also very speculative. But the point is that it's a possibility (as previously demonstrated by the history of various land use restrictions -- which have also been subject to Constitutional testing).

So by all means, wear you gun openly -- if it's legal and suits your needs and convenience. But I think it's a mistake to assume that doing necessarily furthers the RKBA.

 

[runrabbitrun]

I personally think that the posters in this thread who rabidly insist on open carry under any circumstances and to he** with what anybody thinks, have a self esteem problem and use the gun as an ego boost.

I called it machismo and got a spanking for it.

 

[TooTaxed]

I've been very impressed with the different points of view espressed in this thread. Having both open carried and carried concealed, I can recognize the reasons for both.

And I strongly believe that someone should have a gun readily available at all group affairs where guns are banned...simply to protect from the "crazies" who select such places so they can massacre as many helpless "sheep" as possible until someone shows up with a gun to stop them.

However, my basic opinions regarding OC v. CC have not changed (Post # 116).

I must compliment CRISTCORP for his exceptional lucid statements of his reasoning, for and against...I agree completely with most of his intuitions. It is important for us to ponder the other side's position points in order to realize weaknesses and strengths in our own, and lead to more informed decisions. Being unable to do so denotes a weakness that puts one's position in question...

I also have to state that some of the people who open carry should not...they are of the temperament that could lead them into trouble, and/or cause public damage to our Second Amendment and carry rights. A gun is simply not an admired decoration. And what is accepted in one community may well be not accepted in VERY many others!

As much as I wished it were so, I am sure that we carriers are not in the majority...most American citizens, even other gun owners, tend to shy away from people who do so...and they vote! Consider them "fence sitters"... a bad incident can push them on the wrong side.

Just my take...

 

[Route2]

This has been a great string. I found Superlite27’s comments very enlightening. I don’t open carry, never had outside of a hunting scenario. So I find his never having been hassled as a result of OC unexpected and amazing.. (I hope it wasn’t just BS Superlite27).

I guess that it proves that no one answer fits all situations. For instance, as in Model of 1905’s case, if I were in New Mexico and was walking around in western attire and carrying a six shooter, I believe that it would be acceptable in the western tradition. In fact, visitors and tourist would probable get a kick out of it and ask to have their picture taken with me.

However, if I were to strap on a Beretta over my Armani suit and open carry in New York City, the NYPD would have K-9 units chasing me through the alleys of Queens in no time.

Maybe it is how we sell it? If we dress in a responsible/professional way, people would feel more comfortable than if we look like a hopped up pot head. As in Superlite27’s case, people felt comfortable enough to approach him and ask questions. That says something, doesn’t it?

I agree with Christcorp’s on this, sometimes it's just not appropriate. But now, I have to think on this a bit more.

 

[Aran]

But too many people are taking words here way to PERSONAL .....

...There are some people who smoke in public or even in their own house when friends are visiting; because they are allowed to. Others will be considerate and ask those visiting or around them, if it would bother them. Even among ourselves; some will go to walmart or wherever and buy the 2 boxes of ammo that the want to shoot or need for self defense. While others will be inconsiderate and buy every box on the shelf. Yes, they're allowed to, but it's inconsiderate.

Well gee, I can't imagine how some of us could take your words personally, when you pointedly make sure we get that we're inconsiderate for doing what we're doing.

I guess I'm just being inconsiderate taking offense to your inconsiderate words.

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

No, you're feeding into hysteria and promoting artificial inflation by buying every box on the shelf.
It's not his fault your actions are inconsiderate. It is his fault for pointing it out.

 

[Aran]

And what if I want or need every box on the shelf because two boxes are gone in under five minutes? Am I being inconsiderate for taking my own needs into consideration?

 

[Frank Ettin]

And what if I want or need every box on the shelf because two boxes are gone in under five minutes? Am I being inconsiderate for taking my own needs into consideration?

In any case, being considerate is a question of how other view your conduct. It's not sufficient that you think you're considerate if others don't.