Ammo against "You'll ruin it for everyone"

[Rolsby]

The intent, to make other gun owners aware of their rights and increase their confidence. You say "Open carry...here's how..." They reply with the usual, but the most potent is "You're just antagonizing the police and fearful non-gun owners. You'll ruin it for the rest of us." What are some methods you use to negate/counter their points?

[mjfletcher]

The intent, to make other gun owners aware of their rights and increase their confidence. You say "Open carry...here's how..." They reply with the usual, but the most potent is "You're just antagonizing the police and fearful non-gun owners. You'll ruin it for the rest of us." What are some methods you use to negate/counter their points?

Point out that the resurgence of people exercising their rights by open carrying has resulting in increased training and education for police officers regarding firearm rights. Then when they come back to scaring non-gun owners, point out that 20 years ago anyone with a multi-tool pouch that wasn't wearing dirty coveralls was looked at cross eyed because "only contractors need those" and 10 years ago it was cellphones because "only businessmen need those" yet today nobody even blinks because they're used to average joe citizen having them and that just like multitools and cellphones, seeing average joes carrying firearms will result in the same thing.

[sksmith75]

Why explain anything to anybody? 99.99% of the time, you're wasting your breath. Tell them it's a personal choice and that's what freedom is all about.

I choose to CC, but if someone wants to OC, I say "have at it". If you don't want to carry at all, that's fine by me.

[TheF00L]

"You'll ruin it for everyone"

I am getting to the point now that if someone truly is asking from the need to understand, I attempt to educate them on the reasons.

1 - Why I carry daily - EVERYWHERE that is legal. And yes, this includes 100% of the time at home as well. I usually cite examples such as VA Tech, Columbine, Fort Hood (now), WalMart parking lots (see threads on here), TJ Max (see threads), Geisenger Danville parking lot (see threads), Home invasions.......

2 - Reasons I OC which include: Political, Advocacy, Comfort and Access just to name a few.

However, when my wife and I were confronted in the laundromat a couple months ago by the person who said to me (with a snotty attitude) "Dude, why do you need a Glock to do your laundry?" He got this reply:

"Dude, It's Not a Glock" and
I am exercising my 2nd Amendment rights in a responsible manor unlike what you are doing with your 1st Amendment rights.

He just was not worth the time to educate because he really only wanted to belittle me. Guess I am getting a bit Curmudgeonly (no relation to the honorable Curmudgeon) in my advancing age

I had a woman at work ask me this past evening the question, "why?" I know I did not convert her but we had a civil discussion.

Hopefully I made her think...

[stephpd]

The intent, to make other gun owners aware of their rights and increase their confidence. You say "Open carry...here's how..." They reply with the usual, but the most potent is "You're just antagonizing the police and fearful non-gun owners. You'll ruin it for the rest of us." What are some methods you use to negate/counter their points?

It's the same lame excuse when 'shall issue' was first proposed. Not based on any fact but the preconceived notion that the status quo is just fine. It's that same line of reasoning that has allowed the anti gun groups to push an agenda and make it seem abnormal.

Either you keep vigilante in preserving your rights or they fade into the past. It gets to the point where the brainwashing works so well that you can have a guy running for POTUS that states clearly that he believes that the 2A is a collective right and citizens shouldn't be allowed to carry any guns. And the public buys it as if it were fact and allow him to become the President.

And then you have to explain to these folks walking in a haze that the only portion of the 2A left is OC. CC is an infringement because the government is involved. And there is no militia because that has become a bad work an associated with a bunch of crazies that want to topple the government.

Or that the assumption that those words should only apply to the weapons they had then and those assault weapons with multiple rounds have no place in a civil society. Yet the founders believed that the people should have weapons equal to that of the government. Even the 1939 US v Miller case said as much, and it's been used since then to restrict the citizens from having all sorts of weapons.

It could get to the point where we could end up like England, turning in all weapons and leaving our protection to the government. Not even allowed to protect ourselves in our own homes. Of course it's always done to try and lower crime but it ends up with the exact opposite effect. You become the criminal for trying to protect yourself or defend your family. Or end up going to jail if you find a weapon in your back yard and turn it in to the police.

All because some think you might offend the anti gunners or antagonize the police in defending yourself, your rights or the status quo that has never been. Knowledge of history is a dangerous thing. Once you learn it it's hard to forget it.

[XD40coyote]

And the public becomes afraid around exposed open carried guns and we do not want the general public being afraid because people go crazy over fears.

LOL, this is from some dingdong in MD who claims to be running for governor. I responded by saying that all the times I have OC'd in PA I have yet to see anyone do anything more than a double take. And this is in an area full of MDers, either transplants or going over the line to shop. Of course the Hereford Zone and SYC share much in common- conservative voting, mucho gun ownership, hunting...but the area of SYC in question has alot of new houses and many people who have moved from the Baltimore area.

Just yesterday I happened upon a friendly ( non crazy LOL) woman in a parking lot. I had been boosted into a good mood about a half hour prior, so I got to blabbing. She had moved from Phoenix AZ a few months ago. I was telling her that the crime in the area was mainly petty stuff, but informed her of the jewelry store owner who recently shot an armed robber. I told her she should get a lisc to carry anyway, since things have been getting more dirty in the area, with drug dealing at the Walmart parking lot, as well as the jewelry store shooting. She was like OMG, it would get used against me. I told her she can get training. Not once did I reveal to her that I was carrying concealed, but I wondered how our convo would have been had I been OCing. I bet she would have not noticed at first, then she would have noticed, probably asked if I was a cop LOL, then I would have gently educated her. My good mood and friendlyness would have made her less nervous, and she would have had the impression that those who carry are nice people, and not crazy angry nuts. Oh yeah she also told me she had lived in Chicago before Phoenix.

Had I been OCing, I don't think I would have "ruined" anything...

[headcase]

The intent, to make other gun owners aware of their rights and increase their confidence. You say "Open carry...here's how..." They reply with the usual, but the most potent is "You're just antagonizing the police and fearful non-gun owners. You'll ruin it for the rest of us." What are some methods you use to negate/counter their points?

I ask them to be specific and point out just one instance where "we ruined it" for anybody. When the appropriate amount of silence has passed, you can explain how people like SFN, and many others, have stood up against the harassment people who think like your friend have caused, and how they not only won, but helped change things for the better.

[truecrimson]

Point out that on a minimum of two occassions the supreme court of Pennsylvania concluded that OC is a right, and the fact that it is unregulated (doesn't require a license on foot) is the reason that regulation of CC is not considered by them to violate either the federal or state constitutions. So we can't ruin it for everyone.

[schmol]

I tell them to stop talking, you'll ruin it for everyone else...

[whoshisface]

There is a militia and it's clearly defined. Google it and you'll find US law defines it as every able bodied American 17-45. If you're within that age range you are the militia!