General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Shoot everyone open carrying for implied threat. [View all]AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)Washington State has OC. Perfectly legal. It's rare when people do. I can only imagine the people who do are a tiny percentage of the general population, compared to people who concealed carry. I can usually spot other people concealed carrying. So can cops. They are VERY good at 'reading' people, and I don't just mean people committing the terminal fashion faux pa of a fanny pack.
I have had many a police officer make eye contact with me and hold my gaze, while evaluating me. They usually know. I give a reassuring smile, and a 'bow' nod, and we are all on our way.
I can't speak for all CPL holders, but *I* don't open carry for two reasons. One, I don't like making other people uncomfortable. I'm a big tall guy. I adopt a deliberately submissive posture/body language around people I don't know, because I want them to not feel threatened by me. Open carry would just make that so much worse. The other reason is a concept known in gaming circles as 'initiative'. Or, 'first attack'. I carry for my, and others, protection. I do not carry as a challenge to, or invitation to potential violent people around me. I can envision a scenario where, say I'm at the local gas station waiting in line, my presence, with a gun visible, not only doesn't deter an armed robber, but actually results in me being shot at the initiation of hostilities. As the ANNOUNCEMENT of hostilities, possibly from behind, with no clue that anything was amiss.
So, again, not looking deliberately for a fight and not looking to make myself a target, I employ security through obscurity, and I retain the right to determine my level of involvement in any happening around me. There are plenty of things that do not require the presence of a firearm to deal with, and some that could even be escalated by it, so deploying the weapon, let alone using it, is a very high bar of threat that I am reluctant to cross if I can avoid it.