Told not to OC by NRA instructor

[GLK_19]

So this happened a while ago, but haven't shared it here yet. Thought I'd get some of your thoughts on it.

I'm not bashing this guy by any means. He's a certified NRA instructor for various courses, and an all around good guy. In one of his courses that I took, someone brought up the question of OCing. I'm leaving some of the context out from lack of memory, but the dialog leading up to this was about concealment techniques.

student 1: So I can carry my gun out of the holster in public?
instructor: Not exactly. What you're talking about is open carry. That just means you don't conceal your firearm under a shirt or jacket. It is legal in this state and you don't need a license to do it.
student 2: So you're saying I could walk into Walmart with my gun on my hip visible to everyone? And not get arrested for it?
instructor: Look, open carrying in Michigan is legal, but why would you do it? There's no reason to. Nobody needs to know you're carrying a firearm, so leave it that way.

I didn't speak up, partly because I don't OC, and didn't want to start a debate about a subjective topic in a class. I have thought about OCing from time to time, but haven't yet, and am certainly not opposed to anyone else doing it. But for an instructor to assert his opinion to a class of students paying him for information and training seemed a bit inappropriate to me. His opinion had absolutely no bearing on my decision of whether or not to OC, but who knows if it influenced other pupil's decisions?

Would any of you have stood up to him in class? After class? If not, would you have done anything else about it? Or just let it slide and make that decision for yourself after the class?

ETA: maybe I should make this more clear. I'm not looking to discuss the merits of OC/CC; I'm asking about the legitimacy of a certified NRA instructor interjecting his opinions during class time, and what anyone would do about it if anything at all.

[cigarmanpa]

i'd have run home and posted on the internet about a topic that has been beaten to death....

[LittleRedToyota]

fwiw...

one of the things i learned in my NRA instructor course was that, when conducting an NRA course, i am not supposed to give out opinions like that. (if asked the question, you are supposed to either just deflect it or say something like "well, some people think X because of blah, blah, but others think Y because of blah, blah.")

maybe the guy missed that part of his instructor's course...

[tlgpa]

i'd have run home and posted on the internet about a topic that has been beaten to death....

He's not asking to debate OC/CC. He's asking if (and what) people would say to an instructor who was giving out advice like that. That hasn't be beaten to death.

[GLK_19]

i'd have run home and posted on the internet about a topic that has been beaten to death....

Clearly you need to read the OP again. If you don't wish to comment on any of my questions, that's fine. But don't give me grief based on your misunderstanding of the OP.

He's not asking to debate OC/CC. He's asking if (and what) people would say to an instructor who was giving out advice like that. That hasn't be beaten to death.

Indeed, that's what I'm asking. Thanks.

[cigarmanpa]

He's not asking to debate OC/CC. He's asking if (and what) people would say to an instructor who was giving out advice like that. That hasn't be beaten to death.

never said he was.

[GLK_19]

fwiw...

one of the things i learned in my NRA instructor course was that, when conducting an NRA course, i am not supposed to give out opinions like that. (if asked the question, you are supposed to either just deflect it or say something like "well, some people think X because of blah, blah, but others think Y because of blah, blah.")

maybe the guy missed that part of his instructor's course...

Thanks LRT. I didn't know this for sure, but had a suspicion that they weren't supposed to interject any opinion in the course. In addition, I wasn't sure if it was my place to correct challenge his opinion during class.

[normanvin]

I might have just reiterated the fact that oc is legal, and leave it at that.

[gprimr1]

He's making a valid point. You may not agree with him, but he is making a valid point.

[Steve_NEPhila]

The best way to respond to something like that is to hand out an OC flyer to everyone in your class, including the instructor at the end. I am not sure if you have an OC flyer specifically for Michigan, yet you should check opencarry.org for one.

Information is power, and informing the mis-informed is helping your community of gun owners. The students in the class will make their own decisions on how and when to do what. However, arming them with the information is your best move.