Oddbean new post about login | logout > I don't get why you would have a need to carry a gun in public, and open carry in particular is physically intimidating to others in the same way that walking around with a large and aggressive dog is. Open carry benefits those around you as a direct deterrent to criminal behavior. The sight of the weapon on a competent looking man or woman says, "F* around and find out" to would be evil doers. The large dog can serve a similar purpose IF it is well trained and not threatening to act wildly on its own. (Guns don't often have the problem of acting on their own. When they are improperly holstered, the bearer feet tend to be the victims.)
@300ec228 @5dc57639 If anything Open Carry means better trained and more responsibke people can carry and display it while people who are twitchy ir not well suited to carry a gun can not carry one but still indirectly benefit from its protection. Personally id say open carrying is a civil service if well trained.
@b05df304 @300ec228 You two as gun lovers think open carry is reassuring. I as a person who doesn't interact with them much find someone carrying a gun intimidating. If I ask you why you are carrying one, you will say "For protection", or similar, but that reassurance from someone I don't know means nothing. Are you drunk? Are you a drug dealer? Are you psychotic? If I disagree with you? If I cut you off in the car? If I spill your beer or trip over your foot or turn out to think Trump is the antichrist? Safer simply not to interact with you, so I won't unless I have to.