Why Flagrant Open Carry Hurts Our Cause

On June 3, 2014June 3, 2014 By Tom LindsayIn Self Defense7 Comments

When I wrote about this 3 years ago, I entitled it “Open Carry – Does It Help Or Hurt?” I left the issue open as a question. At the time, I was satisfied to leave the question hanging. I thought I made my feelings know, but after a bunch of recent incidents underscored my premise, I feel I need to make myself clear:

Flagrant open carry hurts the cause of lawful exercise of the Second Amendment, and, unchecked, could lead to all of us losing our rights to keep and bear arms.

So when I say “flagrant open carry,” what am I talking about?

A man in Forsyth County, Georgia, decides to open carry at a kids’ baseball game.
A group holds an open carry “rally” at a Home Depot in Dallas, Texas.
Restaurant employees allegedly hide in a freezer because of an open carry rally.

Examples pop up every day, and with every one, I cringe, and wait for the world to crash.

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Okay, first, let me say – again – yes, it is our right to carry a gun, and to carry it in the open if we choose. (Sometimes state and local laws infringe that right, but the right remains.)

But let me lay out as simply as I can why I think flagrant open carry is a bad thing, in reality, in today’s society.

I open carry at times, when I feel it is appropriate, but I never open carry with the intent of “making a point.”

Why? Because some people are afraid of people with guns. You can argue all day that they have nothing to be afraid of, but it does not change them, any more than arguing with an arachnophobe will make them see that most spiders don’t threaten them.

Why do I care if they are afraid?

Because they vote.

The day may come, beloved, when we need everyone we can get to vote with our cause. The day may come when enough crazy people have done enough crazy things with guns that our legislators do the unthinkable – pass some kind of law actually outlawing guns.

The day may come when enough Celebutards get on TV and demand that #SomethingMustBeDone. And then enough people make a big enough noise, that someone who people really pay attention to decides to get behind the movement.

Yes, we think that can’t happen, that we are protected by the Second Amendment. We are protected. But in a worst case scenario, with a crazy enough event, I, for one, would not put it past our society to totally ignore the Constitution, and tell us to line up and turn them all in.

If you think that can’t happen, then you have ignored the examples of Britain and Australia.

So, for God’s sake, open carry if you want, but please do so peacefully, and don’t be an asshole about it.

Edit: In case you think I am alone in this, think again.

Remembering One Hell of a Night – 5.1.11

On May 1, 2014 By Tom LindsayIn Self Defense

I remember checking my Twitter feed on the night of May 1, 2011, and catching news that made my heart leap: the White House had called a press conference at 10:30 PM to announce that Osama Bin Laden was dead.

Twitter lit up. There were the normal speculations, but it also appeared that someone on Twitter had a front row seat. It turns out that a software consultant living in Abbottabad, Pakistan named Sohaib Athar had heard helicopters. Over the course of the evening, he ended up live tweeting the SEAL Team Six strike that took out Bin Laden. First Tweets of Bin Laden Raid

Eventually, the President came on TV an hour late, and gave us the official word.

I ended up following the story, and joining in, on Twitter, until the wee hours of the morning. After almost ten years of anguish, after living through the torment of 9/11, it was one hell of a night.

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A week or so later, the Stonebridge Group made this print available for sale, with proceeds benefiting the Navy SEAL Foundation. My copy hangs proudly on the wall of the Man Cave.

School Carry Quietly Enacted in Georgia

On April 30, 2014December 29, 2015 By Tom LindsayIn CCW, Concealed Carry, GeorgiaCarry, Gun Rights, Politics, Self Defense2 Comments

Of late, the whole world, it seems, has been all aflurry about the “Guns Everywhere” bill in Georgia, HB60, recently signed by Governor Nathan Deal. This bill allows lawful Georgia Weapons Carry License holders to carry guns in bars, churches (with the permission of the church leadership), and in the unsecured parts of government buildings. The anti-gun factions have been most vocal, claiming as usual that this will lead to Blood In The Streets and a Return To The Wild West.

Of course, Georgia is not the first state to allow carry in these locations, and none of the other states have had any increase in gun usage in these locations. In fact, a study by the Richmond Times Dispatch showed a 5.2 percent decrease in crime involving firearms in bars in the state of Virginia in the first year following enactment of that state’s bar carry law. I would encourage a news outlet in Georgia to investigate HB60’s effects and report on it in July 2015. But, in the meantime, I will continue to breathe normally.

One of the places that “Everywhere” does not include in HB60, however, are schools. School carry was eliminated from the bill early on, because it created so much controversy.

So it comes as a surprise (to me at least) that there was another bill, HB826 (coincidentally sponsored by my State Senator, Lindsey Tippins), signed by Governor Deal yesterday. This bill changes how guns are treated in school zones, and it lists the people who are exempt from being considered in violation of the law. Exemption 6 says:

A person who is licensed in accordance with Code Section 16-11-129 or issued a permit pursuant to Code Section 43-38-10, when he or she is within a school safety zone or on a bus or other transportation furnished by a school or a person who is licensed in accordance with Code Section 16-11-129 or issued a permit pursuant to Code Section 43-38-10 when he or she has any firearm legally kept within a vehicle when such vehicle is parked within a school safety zone or is in transit through a designated school safety zone;

This changes the old law which only exempted GWCL holders who were in a school parking lot picking someone up. Note that GWCL holders are now exempted everywhere “within a school safety zone.” And, just to make it clear, another part of the law says

‘School safety zone’ means in or on any real property or building owned by or leased to any school or postsecondary institution.

So, this law, which goes into effect July 1, legalizes campus carry in Georgia.

Like most people, I was surprised and caught unaware that this was in the offing. But I am glad to see it.

However, I am cautious of how this will be received. I think my feelings are best echoed by Jerry Henry, the Executive Director of GeogiaCarry.org, who said in an email to members

What this means for you is that, according to GeorgiaCarry.Org, beginning on July 1 it will be legal to carry a weapon on school grounds. There is, however, some debate about the new law, with some in law enforcement and schools claiming that the new law must mean something else. As a result, GeorgiaCarry.Org asks its members to exercise common sense when carrying on school grounds so as to avoid bad publicity with respect to the hypersensitivity likely to be displayed towards a weapon in the school environment. This will have the added benefit of giving the legislature no good or valid reason to re-criminalize weapons in school when the General Assembly meets again.

Lacking any stupid person flaunting a gun needlessly at some school event, we should be on our way to better protecting our children.

Thank you, Governor Deal, Lindsey Tippins, and the Georgia Legislature!

Five Guns I’ll Probably Never Own

On March 14, 2014 By Tom LindsayIn Self Defense4 Comments

I read this recently in two other places. Given that I have addressed the other side of the coin, here and here, I guess I can go the other way.

Here are my 5 that I’ll probably* avoid.

5. Any .380 Auto

I just don’t see the point. Cost and size are roughly equal to the 9mm, and it’s made on the same equipment as 9mm so the availability is always going to be at the mercy of the 9mm supply. I’m not looking for a micro mouse gun I can wear concealed with a bathing suit, and if I wanted a gun that would hurt my hand every time I shot it I would get a .500 Magnum.

4. M-1 Carbine

I already have a Ruger 10/22, so this niche is filled.

3. Any .40 SW

Unless I decide to migrate to Limited or Open in USPSA. But for now, my 9mm does fine.

2. Remington 700

I’m not a hunter, and I’m not a big fan of bolt action. I know they are really smooth and tack drivers, but I can use the money elsewhere.

And finally . . .

1. Any 1911

No surprise here. I can list my reasons . . .

I don’t have the need to re-holster while riding at full gallop. I don’t see paying double for my ammo, and carrying a third the number of rounds.

I’ll stop here.

* I won’t rule out any gun, especially if it’s a gift. Let’s say I won’t spend good money on these.