I don't know that I agree with the idea that you necessarily become a target if a bad guy knows you're armed. I used to work as a correctional officer in the psych ward of a maximum security prison, and I got to gain a lot of experience around the predators, as well as a lot of their behaviors. Granted some will buck up to the challenge if they are aware that a potential victim is armed (or has proficient fighting skills), but the greater majority will opt to instead chase an easier prey (a slower rabbit if you will). Same pricipal as why 90% of public shooting rampages take place in gun-free zones like schools and churches.
I don't advertise that I'm going heels, but I also don't freak out if I print a little bit here and there (like when at the supermarket bending over to get a bag of dog food and my shirt pulls tight or even exposes my holster a bit). As long as I do what I can to quickly recover my concealment, I'm legal. The first couple of weeks that I had my CHL, it was a little awkward being in public with a concealed weapon, but once I got used to it, it was nothing. Most people (re:sheeple) won't even notice you packing. Heck, most don't even know what to look for. The predators on the other hand, are another story. Some will notice, some won't. But for the majority of predators, if you are carrying concealed and you print a little, chances are they are not going to be provoked into attacking you. Same goes for open carry. Most will not buck it. However, there might the random one that will feel the need to front you up about it, but it would be the exception, not the rule.
Both schools of thought have merit. The element of surprise has it's benefits, and does the idea that if a predator knew you were armed that they would probably be less inclined to attack. (Robert Heinlein's "A polite society is one where everyone is armed." sort of thing). For me, the only people that KNOW that I'm packing is my wife and my parents.
