"Hey buddy, can I ask you a question?"

[bac0nfat]

We really need a sticky in the open carry forum about the unwritten rules of OC. It can be titled "Open carry: You're doing it wrong."

Yes, you can open carry in PA. You are also allowed to be a dickhead in PA. Yes, you can walk around with an MP5, or an AK47 pistol, or and AK47 rifle. You can tell everyone who looks at you wrong "Fuck off, it's my RIGHT!"

OR...you can do the rest of us gun owners a favor and shed us in a good light. You are an ambassador for gun ownership, so don't fuck it up. Be nice to everyone you meet. Offer to explain the laws. Hand out flyers. Even if someone is being a jerk to you, kill 'em with kindness (as my mother used to always say). No one is going to be impressed by how loud you can speak, what insults you can come up with, or how obnoxious you can be.

That is all, thanks.

[soberbyker]

We really need a sticky in the open carry forum about the unwritten rules of OC. It can be titled "Open carry: You're doing it wrong."

Yes, you can open carry in PA. You are also allowed to be a dickhead in PA. Yes, you can walk around with an MP5, or an AK47 pistol, or and AK47 rifle. You can tell everyone who looks at you wrong "Fuck off, it's my RIGHT!"

OR...you can do the rest of us gun owners a favor and shed us in a good light. You are an ambassador for gun ownership, so don't fuck it up. Be nice to everyone you meet. Offer to explain the laws. Hand out flyers. Even if someone is being a jerk to you, kill 'em with kindness (as my mother used to always say). No one is going to be impressed by how loud you can speak, what insults you can come up with, or how obnoxious you can be.

That is all, thanks.

I agree with everything except the part I bolded. Just because someone partakes in something does not make them a spokesperson for that activity no matter what it is.

Sure people will look at someone who is ignorant and think others involved in the same thing are ignorant too, but that's on them not the ignorant person.

It is not my responsibility how others perceive what I do or how I act.

.

[FTNWO]

We really need a sticky in the open carry forum about the unwritten rules of OC. It can be titled "Open carry: You're doing it wrong."

Yes, you can open carry in PA. You are also allowed to be a dickhead in PA. Yes, you can walk around with an MP5, or an AK47 pistol, or and AK47 rifle. You can tell everyone who looks at you wrong "Fuck off, it's my RIGHT!"

OR...you can do the rest of us gun owners a favor and shed us in a good light. You are an ambassador for gun ownership, so don't fuck it up. Be nice to everyone you meet. Offer to explain the laws. Hand out flyers. Even if someone is being a jerk to you, kill 'em with kindness (as my mother used to always say). No one is going to be impressed by how loud you can speak, what insults you can come up with, or how obnoxious you can be.

That is all, thanks.

Not to be argumentative and with all due respect but, "the rest of us gun owners"? He WAS a gun owner. There are MILLIONS of gun owners. Whats the percentage of OCrs? Less than 1% of 1%? In fact, quite a few gun owners seem to feel that the very act of OCing is "obnoxious" and to "impress".

[DC2.2GSR]

It sounds to me like the conversation would have seemed much less hostile and FTNWO's remarks would have seemed less harsh if we would have been there in person.

It's extremely difficult to give someone (or a whole forum of someones) a true description of an idea or emotion by quickly written text alone. That's why texting is so cold and detatched.

This:

No, he wasn't friendly at all. His tone was obnoxious and condescending. I should have been more descriptive about that. N I would like to ad that I maintained my cheerfulness.

applied to the original post can make the entire conversation feel different, and make you side with the OP immediately.


Sure, the comments about the guy's family and parenting were a little rough, but we've all been there. We've all been in arguments or situations where we threw a few insults that might have been uncalled for because we were a little fired up and not worrying about the other person's feelings or whatever. In the end though, I think in this case the "f**k off, leave me alone" approach was probably an appropriate response to the guy's condescending attack.

[snuffy19608]

You know, MOST of these encounters start off with the questioner being obnoxious. We've seen several examples of how maintaining a positive,friendly attitude can overcome that.

Like it or not, this guy perceives you and your sidearm as a concern in regards to his family. Everybody has different ways of protecting their own. He gets obnoxious- hey at least he didn't call the PD or fabricate some story about you pulling your weapon. He came to you and ASKED. Maybe not in the nicest way, but he ASKED.

I wasn't there, but questioning his parenting skills and his love for his children was probably NOT a good teaching session. Like it or not, you have now put it in his head that anyone who OC's probably has a chip on his shoulder.

It's not just about you, my friend. It's about ALL of us. When people ask you why you OC, they apply your answer every time they see one of us. Sometimes I don't like the people I encounter who ask why I OC, but I try to at least be polite. That's because that person talking to me may be in your area tomorrow, and what I say helps form their opinion of YOU.

Like it or not, we're under the spotlight. And hey, good on you for protecting your family. Gotta go, have an LPK and a lower that need put together.

[soberbyker]

Whether you intend to represent the gun community or not, you will be seen by everyone as a member of it. Of course you don't have to take on the responsibility of being an ambassador if you dont want to, but 99% of us would really appreciate it if you do. That doesn't mean you have to be an activist, just be nice and respectful to people, that's all.

Pretty much what I said isn't it?


.

[bac0nfat]

I agree with everything except the part I bolded. Just because someone partakes in something does not make them a spokesperson for that activity no matter what it is.

Sure people will look at someone who is ignorant and think others involved in the same thing are ignorant too, but that's on them not the ignorant person.

It is not my responsibility how others perceive what I do or how I act.

.

Whether you intend to represent the gun community or not, you will be seen by everyone as a member of it. Of course you don't have to take on the responsibility of being an ambassador if you dont want to, but 99% of us would really appreciate it if you do. That doesn't mean you have to be an activist, just be nice and respectful to people, that's all.

[soberbyker]

Posts are doing the . again.


.

[FTNWO]

It sounds to me like the conversation would have seemed much less hostile and FTNWO's remarks would have seemed less harsh if we would have been there in person.

It's extremely difficult to give someone (or a whole forum of someones) a true description of an idea or emotion by quickly written text alone. That's why texting is so cold and detatched.

This:

applied to the original post can make the entire conversation feel different, and make you side with the OP immediately.


Sure, the comments about the guy's family and parenting were a little rough, but we've all been there. We've all been in arguments or situations where we threw a few insults that might have been uncalled for because we were a little fired up and not worrying about the other person's feelings or whatever. In the end though, I think in this case the "f**k off, leave me alone" approach was probably an appropriate response to the guy's condescending attack.

N the other thing I'd like to point out is that what I said was said very light-heartedly and playfully. Again, inflection and tone are impossible to convey in type.

[bac0nfat]

Not to be argumentative and with all due respect but, "the rest of us gun owners"? He WAS a gun owner.

Right, but you didn't even know that he was a gun owner until after you told him he had bad parenting skills. So why should I believe you wouldn't have acted the same way to a non gun owner?

Pretty much what I said isn't it?


.

I guess. Semantics.