psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaurant

Open Carry is carrying a firearm unconcealed in Ohio. OC does not require a concealed handgun license, but the practice requires intimate knowledge of the law since there are places and situations where OC is prohibited but carrying concealed would be permitted. OC is also likely to attract attention. This forum is for discussion of OC, not for debating the pro's and con's or coordinating any type of protest events.

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M-Quigley
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psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaurant

Post by M-Quigley »

Recently I was returning from Florida when we stopped at a popular buffet in Georgia. We were almost finished when a clean cut guy in his late twenties to early thirties was coming out of the line and getting ready to sit at a table with a couple of other people that were with him. He was dressed conservatively in slacks and a dress shirt and tie. Nothing really unusual about his appearance, other than he also had a full size semi auto pistol on his right hip. What was interesting was the response of some in the crowd. Some people were looking without trying to stare, a few just stared. You would've thought he had a third eye or something, the way some people acted. A woman in the table next us was staring so hard it looked like her eyes were bulging slightly, doing a good Marty Feldman impersonation. He was at one of the buffet sections, plate in hand, seemingly having a pleasant conversation with one of the people he came in with, and getting some food items when we left. The responses of some of the people were both sad and comical at the same time, because there 3 handguns (concealed) at just our table alone, and I'm pretty sure with over a hundred people there we weren't the only ones. I guess for some people ignorance really is bliss. :(
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AlanM
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by AlanM »

It's different in my little part of Virginia.
I open carry everywhere I go and rarely get a glance or a look of any kind.
All comments (rare) but one in five years have been positive.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by Werz »

AlanM wrote:It's different in my little part of Virginia.
I open carry everywhere I go and rarely get a glance or a look of any kind.
All comments (rare) but one in five years have been positive.
And you can always respond politely to the negative comments with, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."
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"Remember that protecting our gun rights still boils down to keeping a majority in the electorate, and that our daily activities can have the impact of being ambassadors for the gun culture ..."
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Open carry is a First Amendment exercise.
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MyWifeSaidYes
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by MyWifeSaidYes »

Werz wrote:And you can always respond politely to the negative comments with, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
Dang it. That's what I've been doing wrong.

It's "I'm sorry you feel that way", not "I'm sorry you're an idiot."

My bad.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by WY_Not »

Nah, you have it right MWSY.

Can't apologize for the way other people feel.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by deanimator »

"I don't like that!"

"That's ok. I don't mind if you don't like it."
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by djthomas »

A subtle distinction perhaps, but I don't see the phrase "I'm sorry you feel that way" as apologizing at all. It's entirely empathetic because it reads "I'm sorry you feel that way [but I'm not going to change what I'm doing]." A sympathetic (i.e. apologetic) response would be "I'm sorry you feel that way ... my bad, let me go put it out in the car so your sensibilities are brought back into equilibrium."

I have tons of empathy for the people I encounter on a daily basis. Sympathy is reserved for most family, friends, close associates and certain special situations.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by Buckeyedoc »

We were coming back from vacation last year when we stopped to eat. I was OC'ing at the time, which is not the norm for me. There was a large table to Asians that kept looking and whispering among themselves. Only a few spoke English. They were asking a lot of questions about being able to carry a gun whenever I felt. They were very inquisitive and respectful.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by Werz »

djthomas wrote:A subtle distinction perhaps, but I don't see the phrase "I'm sorry you feel that way" as apologizing at all. It's entirely empathetic because it reads "I'm sorry you feel that way [but I'm not going to change what I'm doing]." A sympathetic (i.e. apologetic) response would be "I'm sorry you feel that way ... my bad, let me go put it out in the car so your sensibilities are brought back into equilibrium."
Exactly. That's why you'll get the stink-eye from people who know what that sentence really means. It's also rather difficult to craft a reasonable response to that.
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."
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"Remember that protecting our gun rights still boils down to keeping a majority in the electorate, and that our daily activities can have the impact of being ambassadors for the gun culture ..."
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by charliej47 »

Werz wrote:
AlanM wrote:It's different in my little part of Virginia.
I open carry everywhere I go and rarely get a glance or a look of any kind.
All comments (rare) but one in five years have been positive.
And you can always respond politely to the negative comments with, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
I know I was doing it wrong! I always just laughed at them! :roll:
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by WY_Not »

Perhaps that is my problem. hehe I feel NO empathy for any of the poor souls who; feel threatened by the mere presense of an inanimate object, feel the need to retreat to a "safe space" at the mere sight of an inanimate object, care so little about their own lives that they refuse to take even the most basic of steps to protect it, care so little about the lives of their loves ones that they refuse to take even the most basic of steps to protect them, etc, etc.

If I'm OC and someone is genuinely curious, I'll chat with them and explain how and why. If they are offended and say something my basic response is, "Yeah, so what."

Or you could always resort to the southern verbal backhand... "Well bless your little heart." Said while smiling of course. :wink:
djthomas wrote:A subtle distinction perhaps, but I don't see the phrase "I'm sorry you feel that way" as apologizing at all. It's entirely empathetic because it reads "I'm sorry you feel that way [but I'm not going to change what I'm doing]." A sympathetic (i.e. apologetic) response would be "I'm sorry you feel that way ... my bad, let me go put it out in the car so your sensibilities are brought back into equilibrium."

I have tons of empathy for the people I encounter on a daily basis. Sympathy is reserved for most family, friends, close associates and certain special situations.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by Gramps »

Before I start I am putting a really good flame suite!

IMO open carry is inviting ridicule, arguments, stares. fear of the "guy with a gun" and a host of other issues.

We have taken the required classes, had extensive background scrutiny and cannot only own a firearm but have been deemed trained and responsible enough to carry a firearm concealed.

It is to easy to hide or close to hide our protection........ Why, if we have a CC invite all the BS from others by carrying open?

These uninformed and possibly scared people are voters!!


Kinda like poking a skunk with a stick to me.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by MyWifeSaidYes »

Be sure to zip that flame suit up all the way, Gramps....(and don't take offense...this is just tough love)...

You spent money on an unfunded mandate (training) just so you could have the privilege of paying a tax (CHL fee) in order to cover your handgun with a piece of fabric.

Congratu-freaking-lations. :wink:

You have done NOTHING with, for or regarding the 2nd Amendment.


In Ohio, the ONLY method of exercising your RIGHT is to open carry. See "Klein v. Leis, 99 Ohio St.3d 537, 2003-Ohio-4779"

I have been open carrying in Ohio since the late 80's.

The last time I open carried a handgun into a crowded restaurant was at about 1:00 pm today, at the Golden Corral in Lancaster, OH.

Lots of women and children. No funny looks (that I saw) and nothing was said (that I heard or heard about).

I don't open carry to invite ridicule or arguments, nor to cause fear or whatever "other issues" of which you speak.

What I do is legal. What You do is also legal...as long as you keep renewing your license. I'm pretty sure it's unconstitutional to have to pay a fee to exercise a right, isn't it? If not, it should be. But concealed carry is NOT a right in Ohio, according to our Supreme Court.

If you conceal your gun, it's great for "protection", but it does nothing to FURTHER GUN RIGHTS IN THE STATE OF OHIO. Open carry makes people aware of the gun, yes. That can cause people to react, yes. But it's the people that ASK about the gun that I'm after. I've had more people thank me for open carrying in the past 24 months than I have had negative comments.

There are those concealed carriers that will cower in the shadows, even though righteous and law-abiding, and I have nothing bad to say about them. They may have good reasons or they may have irrational fears. That's fine. Open carry is NOT for them.

BUT WE HAVE TO STOP TELLING OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO WHEN THEIR ACTIONS AREN'T HURTING US !!

If you think open carry is a bad thing, then you are showing that you DO NOT KNOW how Ohio's original concealed carry laws were passed.

Don't like hunting? Great! Don't do it, but don't demand that others don't. Don't like evil black rifles? Great! Don't buy one, but don't tell others they can't.

Open carry. Legal in Ohio since 1803.

Concealed carry. Illegal in Ohio since 1859 (and it is still illegal without paying a tax).

Anyway, what were we talking about...
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by Gramps »

MyWifeSaidYes wrote:Be sure to zip that flame suit up all the way, Gramps....(and don't take offense...this is just tough love)...

You spent money on an unfunded mandate (training) just so you could have the privilege of paying a tax (CHL fee) in order to cover your handgun with a piece of fabric.

Congratu-freaking-lations. :wink:

You have done NOTHING with, for or regarding the 2nd Amendment.


In Ohio, the ONLY method of exercising your RIGHT is to open carry. See "Klein v. Leis, 99 Ohio St.3d 537, 2003-Ohio-4779"

I have been open carrying in Ohio since the late 80's.

The last time I open carried a handgun into a crowded restaurant was at about 1:00 pm today, at the Golden Corral in Lancaster, OH.

Lots of women and children. No funny looks (that I saw) and nothing was said (that I heard or heard about).

I don't open carry to invite ridicule or arguments, nor to cause fear or whatever "other issues" of which you speak.

What I do is legal. What You do is also legal...as long as you keep renewing your license. I'm pretty sure it's unconstitutional to have to pay a fee to exercise a right, isn't it? If not, it should be. But concealed carry is NOT a right in Ohio, according to our Supreme Court.

If you conceal your gun, it's great for "protection", but it does nothing to FURTHER GUN RIGHTS IN THE STATE OF OHIO. Open carry makes people aware of the gun, yes. That can cause people to react, yes. But it's the people that ASK about the gun that I'm after. I've had more people thank me for open carrying in the past 24 months than I have had negative comments.

There are those concealed carriers that will cower in the shadows, even though righteous and law-abiding, and I have nothing bad to say about them. They may have good reasons or they may have irrational fears. That's fine. Open carry is NOT for them.

BUT WE HAVE TO STOP TELLING OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO WHEN THEIR ACTIONS AREN'T HURTING US !!

If you think open carry is a bad thing, then you are showing that you DO NOT KNOW how Ohio's original concealed carry laws were passed.

Don't like hunting? Great! Don't do it, but don't demand that others don't. Don't like evil black rifles? Great! Don't buy one, but don't tell others they can't.

Open carry. Legal in Ohio since 1803.

Concealed carry. Illegal in Ohio since 1859 (and it is still illegal without paying a tax).

Anyway, what were we talking about...
Cramp! I typed for 20 minutes! Let me make this easy on myself.
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Re: psychological observation about OC in a crowded restaura

Post by JustaShooter »

Gramps wrote:My wife, grand daughter and me are going to a festival tomorrow, I will strap a loaded LC9s on my side in plain view and see what happens.
Think you have my number MYSY in PM I sent. Give me a call for the results Bro!
My wife and I frequently go to festivals around us here in NE Ohio and we both OC - and narry a problem, which is my prediction for you. Have fun and post back!
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