A tale of frightened sheeple...

[Kenshin]

Ok so bear with me this story occured to Ronin, myself, and one of our friends that is visiting.

To start off we're back in State College for fireworks and shooting, and a few other things that need to be done while were up here. All of today Ronin had decided to open carry his USP on a Blackhawk serpa holster while i was carrying my XD40 inside the waist. I'm not sure what Ronin had did earlier in the day but our friend and I arrived at around 5ish. So the first trip we made was to the wally world on Vario next to the best buy. We all walk in head back to sporting goods like we normally do to visit our german friend whos here for the summer. So were off talking and we buy some ammo and walk out. Not one comment on Ronin open carrying.

So were out of wally world we head to Dick's for some 7.62x39(our friend getting some ammo for the SKS) and we end up walking out with 400 rounds of 223 as well as the 7.62. Not a peep from anyone no double takes about ronin.

So by this time we head back home watch some TV clean some firearms and break the cheapy cleaning rod. Ok well so we decide to go to the other wally world next to Sams club. So we go in pick up the stuff we need and by this time its almost time for the fireworks. Ok so we rush back walk out walking around outside still not a question or double take from anyone.

After the fireworks end we head off to McDs right infront of the Vario wally world. So were in there waiting for our food and theres a older couple and 3 teenagers behind us. So were getting our food and im watching them while Ronins back is turned i must have seen them look at his USP about 10 times each. They were still chatting but i mean they were just constantly glarring at it. And after we leave Ronin asks me if he had heard "Is that a real gun?" I had said yes they did and they were eyeing you up.

So were done we travel back across to wally world the very same one we had been at early in the day. We walk back and go to sporting goods again to search for our friend who was getting off at 11. So were back there looking we find him working in toys. So he leaves to go punch out and were off looking and joking around the RC cars and stuff since its been so long since we had played with one. So at this point were approached by one of the overnight asst. managers and 2 instock employees. She asks him if he has a permit to carry his firearm and then continues to tell him that he has to has it concealed. Well Ronin begins to explain to her had that in the state of PA you do not need a permit to carry a firearm in the open. She stands there basically stunned not knowing what to say for a few seconds. Then she says that its wally world policy that you have to have it concealed because it may frighten other customers. (This is where i had to hold in the laughter. I had worked for wally world for a summer and its in the employee handbook that your not allowed to have weapons but its not posted on the front door for customers.) She was nervous albout talking to Ronin however i know it was not her that was nervous about confronting Ronin however it was the 2 instock employees who were the nervous ones and had seen us. (Pretty sure as our friend who works there had said they are jerks[to put it nicely.]) She was just pulled away from what she was doing to calm their fears. Needless to say Ronin was goign to leave i told him to just untuck his shirt.

So both ronin and i have opened carried in that store before and we've seen a few other people do it as well. It was just interesting to watch how she handled it. I'm not gonna hold it against her for blatently lieing to us about wally worlds policy or for confronting Ronin. But it was just one very interesting night!

[tourrider]

While you were legaly in your rights.... you made them all situationally aware because of your actions and numbers.

There was more then one of you, and you were lingering.

You would have raised my defcon +1 too

Wait for you friend outside the store uless you are spending money.

[Pa. Patriot]

Did you get the managers name?

It has been reported that Wal*Mart follows state law in regards to allowing cc/oc in their stores. If that is the case then corporate should know of the incident so they can correct the manager in question.

[Agent Ronin]

Yes i got the managers name, and apparently she is the brand new night manager. Quite attractive too

As for me open carrying. Well i do not find IWB holsters comfortable, well at least i have not found one yet. And I have never had any issues anywhere in State College, no i don't travel onto campus like that :P

Anyways it was just somewhat amusing but you had to be there and see how unbelievably nervous the poor manager was.

[RoyJackson]

Open carry is great.
That said...once you tell the manager it's legal...then I suggest you do mention why you're in the store and how long you expect to be there.

This is courtesy...we, as gun owners/carriers, have a cultural war to win. Help us win the war by not scareing those who don't know the rules. You know the first response of a sheeple is to call the cops or their local representative.

When you read that PA Constitution, it says you have the right to bear arms...it doesn't say you have the right to open carry.
At this point, that's an interpretation...an interpretation that can change and will change if we gun owners scare the folks we're trying to win over.

Frankly, you screwed up...

Your own post..."Anyways it was just somewhat amusing but you had to be there and see how unbelievably nervous the poor manager was" indicate you thought this was funny.
Buddy, I strongly suggest you return to the Walmart (conceal that freakin' gun or leave it home!!!!) and apologise to that lady! If you're man enough and mature enough to do that...you're ready to help us win this war against the anti-rights people.
Otherwise....maybe you're not ready for the responsibility of firearms ownership.

[Penguini66]

^^^^^ Exactly. A frightened public is a dangerous public. Dangerous to our freedom because there are many people that will freely give up "liberties" in excahnge for feeling a little safer. Hmmmmm...didn't somebody say that once before?

[ChamberedRound]

Originally Posted by tourrider

While you were legaly in your rights.... you made them all situationally aware because of your actions and numbers.

There was more then one of you, and you were lingering.

You would have raised my defcon +1 too

Wait for you friend outside the store uless you are spending money.

I'm not looking to start a fight here, just voicing my opinion. Take it FWIW.

While they did make the employees/manager situationally aware, I disagree with your last statement. IMHO, if they are not causing trouble they have as much right to be in that store as anyone else. I'm sure hundreds of people walk in there every day and don't buy anything; that's not an excuse for staying outside.

All the manager had to was ask them to leave; at that point it becomes a private property trespassing issue regardless of the reason for the request.

With all of that said, I also think it's our duty as responsible citizens exercising our rights to hold ourselves to a higher standard when it comes to etiquette. Once you've educated the manager of your rights, I believe it to be our duty to inform said manager of their rights as well. Let him/her know, "Although I am not breaking any law carrying a weapon, you do have a right to ask me to leave, and if you do so I will comply with that request". Making sure everyone knows the "rules of engagement", for lack of a better term, is the best way to avoid a conflict and still educate the uninitiated on the RKBA issue.

[Agent Ronin]

Originally Posted by ChamberedRound

With all of that said, I also think it's our duty as responsible citizens exercising our rights to hold ourselves to a higher standard when it comes to etiquette. Once you've educated the manager of your rights, I believe it to be our duty to inform said manager of their rights as well. Let him/her know, "Although I am not breaking any law carrying a weapon, you do have a right to ask me to leave, and if you do so I will comply with that request". Making sure everyone knows the "rules of engagement", for lack of a better term, is the best way to avoid a conflict and still educate the uninitiated on the RKBA issue.

Thats just about how it happened. She was very nice about it and i retured the etiquette. After it was all said and done i did mentioned she could ask me to leave, but i would do so anyway as i was not looking for any trouble. (A few seconds after she left, I realized that i could just untuck my shirt...)

As for me just mingling in walmart, thats typically what i do there. I go in for something, forget what it was and browse the store for 30 minutes or so and usually leave with something totally unrelated to why i went there in the first place.

And FWIW, the only people that night that seemed concerned was the two employees that seemed to pressure the manager to say something.

One last thought, using excessively large text and calling someone names does not a make a convincing post. Not trying to start a war here, but simply yelling does not contribute intellectually to the topic at hand.

[Pa. Patriot]

I think people are reading into the situation too much.

They were clearly not trying to scare anyone.

OP simply stated he found the manger/employees reaction amusing. Agree or not that was his feeling about the managers behavior.

While I would find it troublesome if the manager was afraid of me (I don't intend to scare anyone personally) I would simply ask that the OP to elaborate and maybe ask if they tried to reassure the manager that al was kosher, which I got the impression that they did.

[Agent Ronin]

Originally Posted by Pa. Patriot

I think people are reading into the situation too much.

They were clearly not trying to scare anyone.

OP simply stated he found the manger/employees reaction amusing. Agree or not that was his feeling about the managers behavior.

While I would find it troublesome if the manager was afraid of me (I don't intend to scare anyone personally) I would simply ask that the OP to elaborate and maybe ask if they tried to reassure the manager that al was kosher, which I got the impression that they did.

Yes i found it amusing as such, not ha-ha funny but amusing as the sheer number of times i've open carried in that very Walmart. Yes i did find it a little disconcerning that the employees we're afraid. Clearly the manager was incontrol of the situation and appeared to be the shield of the other two employees. (literally, the other two who we're nearly twice her size hid behind her)

Once the short and CIVIL conversation took place everything was A-OK.