Open Carry Of Firearms: Yea Or Nay?

Generally, mace or pepperspray is, much like a pistol, a blankie/binkie for feeling safer when you aren't actually any safer than you would be without it.

Most of those chemicals (the ones that are commerically available anyways) are useless unless they are sprayed directly into the eyes, without missing, and the target's eyes, of course, must be open.

More often than not, any attempt to "mace" someone attacking you will just result in enraging that person without debilitating him significantly. It *might* save you from a mugging, but it probably won't. Similar to a gun.

But at least the mace (most likely) wouldn't kill anyone while it's not actually protecting you from harm. The gun probably will kill someone while providing a comparable level on non-actual perceived security.

So yes, go with the mace. Better yet, study kung fu.

No ... no.

The problem with this barbaric logic is that you're not acknowledging the difference between a real actual threat and a perceived threat.

If someone has your family member tied up and gagged and is flaying him/her with a cutlass, then yes, that's a real threat, and if you shot that person in cold blood, frankly, I, nor anyone else would argue that you did the wrong thing, or that the flayer didn't get exactly what he deserved, or that the use of deadly force wasn't warranted and necessary in that situation.

The problem is that life is EXTREMELY rarely that cut-and-dry or black-and-white. Humans react to PERCEIVED threats FAR more often than actual real threats. This happens for 2 reasons:

1. The sheer number of potential perceivable threats vs. the relatively tiny number of real/actual threats one encounters, and
2. Humans, and almost all animals, are naturally and instinctively hard-wired to react to all threats, perceived or real/actual, in the same way. The sympathetic nervous system and the resultant neuro-endocrine response are non-volitional electrical and chemical processes. They can be tempered, but not extinguished.

And that's exactly why handguns are a plague on society. Because, no matter how well-adjusted or well-trained the gun's wielder might be, there WILL come a time in his/her life when s/he is NOT stable enough to safely possess the weapon. And since we don't have the fictional technology from "Minority Report" to alert us when that time will happen in an individual's life, I'd argue that NO ONE should be considered safe to possess a handgun.

NOT because I don't believe in one's right to self-defense. Of course I believe one is entitled to defend his body and his family from harm. However, that right does NOT, by itself, entitle any person to free access to the degree of deadly force granted by handguns.

Have you killed before?

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.

also I heard it was in self-defense

Have you killed before?

No ... no.

The problem with this barbaric logic is that you're not acknowledging the difference between a real actual threat and a perceived threat.

If someone has your family member tied up and gagged and is flaying him/her with a cutlass, then yes, that's a real threat, and if you shot that person in cold blood, frankly, I, nor anyone else would argue that you did the wrong thing, or that the flayer didn't get exactly what he deserved, or that the use of deadly force wasn't warranted and necessary in that situation.

The problem is that life is EXTREMELY rarely that cut-and-dry or black-and-white. Humans react to PERCEIVED threats FAR more often than actual real threats. This happens for 2 reasons:

1. The sheer number of potential perceivable threats vs. the relatively tiny number of real/actual threats one encounters, and
2. Humans, and almost all animals, are naturally and instinctively hard-wired to react to all threats, perceived or real/actual, in the same way. The sympathetic nervous system and the resultant neuro-endocrine response are non-volitional electrical and chemical processes. They can be tempered, but not extinguished.

And that's exactly why handguns are a plague on society. Because, no matter how well-adjusted or well-trained the gun's wielder might be, there WILL come a time in his/her life when s/he is NOT stable enough to safely possess the weapon. And since we don't have the fictional technology from "Minority Report" to alert us when that time will happen in an individual's life, I'd argue that NO ONE should be considered safe to possess a handgun.

NOT because I don't believe in one's right to self-defense. Of course I believe one is entitled to defend his body and his family from harm. However, that right does NOT, by itself, entitle any person to free access to the degree of deadly force granted by handguns.

EB is quite the troll.

The bad guys will ALWAYS have guns.

This has been studied, and the results are that every place that adopts a less restrictive attitude towards open carry laws generally enjoys less crime and safer streets.

The reason being of course that criminals are LESS likely to commit crimes if normal people are MORE likely to carry firearms.

I lol'd at "bad guys"
It's also been studied that having a bigger skull makes you smarter(and it's been proven false)
Your logic does make sense to a certain degree, but I wouldn't base everything on a study right off the rip without looking further into it myself(IE citation to further prove the point)
In my opinion when you mention "there has been studies" you mention said studies or don't mention it at all...or that's at least how I go about things.
;)
I really don't mean to disagree with you in the means of this, so please don't take it that way.
Just a booster seat, and I'm curious about studies.

The information is out there, if you're really interested. One of the roadblocks in CC laws has always been something along the lines of "The streets will run red with blood as people start shooting people for the smallest sleights", none of which have happened. We've been rolling out less and less restrictive CC laws nationwide since the 80's, and crime rates have been going down somewhat consistently in areas that institute CC laws. There's probably no true correlation, but them's the figures.

I'd provide links, but I'm getting ready to head out to an amusement park, where I will be completely unarmed of any conventional offensive or defensive weapon, yet will still have a hell of a good time and not be paranoid, scared or missing my blankie.

the world is made of flowers and lollipops if we ban the rights to own or carry a firearm surely all convicted felons will march forward and turn in their guns because it's the right thing to do.. and because it's the law!


It's really in the best interest of the people that the Police and Military are allowed to walk around with guns but you as a citizen are not.. this is the best interest because we said it's the best interest how dare you question us!

Maybe if you couldnt buy a gun or assault rifle at every store all of your criminals wouldnt have guns. In other countries if you want an AK47 you have to rob the army, in the us just go to an arizona gun show and walk out with one that day. Sorry no matter how much you guys want to argue there is nothing that is going to prove that everyone should be able to carry a gun. Seriously it is sad how many of you clearly have no common sense at all. Your constitution is so out of date, there are no longer cowboys riding around taking farms from people, get with the times. Focus your money and energy on improving your country, improving your education system so your college grads have more then a grade 6 education. Stop spending all your money on guns so you can destroy any country that doesnt live the "american way".

Your constitution is so out of date, there are no longer cowboys riding around taking farms from people, get with the times.

Oh really? Because people don't poach deer off-season at my dad's property in East Texas?

1) Sorry no matter how much you guys want to argue there is nothing that is going to prove that everyone should be able to carry a gun.

2) Your constitution is so out of date, there are no longer cowboys riding around taking farms from people, get with the times.

3) Stop spending all your money on guns so you can destroy any country that doesnt live the "american way".

I thought this was somewhat Relevant to the discussion.

Maybe if you couldnt buy a gun or assault rifle at every store all of your criminals wouldnt have guns. In other countries if you want an AK47 you have to rob the army, in the us just go to an arizona gun show and walk out with one that day. Sorry no matter how much you guys want to argue there is nothing that is going to prove that everyone should be able to carry a gun. Seriously it is sad how many of you clearly have no common sense at all. Your constitution is so out of date, there are no longer cowboys riding around taking farms from people, get with the times. Focus your money and energy on improving your country, improving your education system so your college grads have more then a grade 6 education. Stop spending all your money on guns so you can destroy any country that doesnt live the "american way".

Guns are spread through the underground because they are so readily available. Your govt will sell anything to anyone if someone can make a buck off it. The problem is this attitude is now affecting everyone else around the US. Your guns are being smuggled into canada. Most of the guns they are finding in the mexican drug wars are guns bought in the US. Your hospitals turn sick people away if they cant get cash from them now.

So call the cops? You are saying because people farm illegally every us citizen has the right to carry a gun? Now if you live on a farm i am sure you have a hunting rifle, maybe a .22 handgun. That is perfectly fine, also that is keeping it at your house. What does poaching have to do with your right to carry a gun to walmart?

Lol stereo type? You are all proving it true. "I need to carry a gun at all times because someone hunts deer illegally". Your murder rates, economy and proven track record of where your guns ends up kinda proves most of it. I mean seriously your presidential candidates are arguing against evolution, global warming. These are the smartest of the bunch? The ones that lead the country? lol

Yep! That time it was, but I did shoot a man in Reno once just to watch him die.

Lol stereo type? You are all proving it true. "I need to carry a gun at all times because someone hunts deer illegally". Your murder rates, economy and proven track record of where your guns ends up kinda proves most of it. I mean seriously your presidential candidates are arguing against evolution, global warming. These are the smartest of the bunch? The ones that lead the country? lol

Where are you from?

I am from Canada, where we have actual gun laws and protection and we can assume the nutcase living next door doesnt have a gun. We also have a functioning health care system, education system, tax structure and functioning gov't. And also we are the country that sent your *** packing when you tried to invade us.