OPEN CARRY IN A CONCEALED CARRY STATE

[Miles Away]

With all the senseless random shootings in public places that have occurred recently, all of us who have CCW Permits should exercise some common sense.

This morning, My family and I were having breakfast in a local restaurant here in Tennessee when I noticed a very slovenly dressed individual standing at the buffet bar with a 9mm pistol in a holster on his hip. His sleeveless t-shirt was pulled up over the holster so that it was openly displayed, and he walked around the restaurant with a sense of bravado that was intimidating to some of the diners. Having spent the better part of my adult life in law enforcement, it was obvious to me that this guy was not an undercover cop and was just showing off. I quietly brought the situation to the attention of the restaurant manager and his attitude was that he didn't want to offend his customer. I guess he didn't care about the many other customers who were offended and intimidated (after all there are a lot of people who are just plain afraid of guns).

I called the local police who responded and quietly walked the individual out of the restaurant. They verified that he was legal, had a valid Tennessee concealed carry permit, and instructed him with regard to Tennessee Law. After placing his pistol in his vehicle he returned to the restaurant.

It is situations like this that make life more of a hassle for those of us who have CCW and or LEOSA permits, and make points for those people who would restrict our rights to properly carry weapons.

 

[Erich]

You called the police? And pestered the management about him?

I'm no fan of open carry, but I don't think I'm a fan of yours, either.

 

[shell627]

I to am a law enforcement officer in Tn.And Tn is a open carry state with permit.Could you just look at someone and know they were illegal .I am tired of elitist people who think only they can carry and only the way they prefer.The manager was right for not trying to offend a customer who was doing nothing wrong.

 

[woodsltc]

You called the police? And pestered the management about him?

I don't think I'm a fan of yours, either.

I agree!!




Don

 

[wsr]

E

With all the senseless random shootings in public places that have occurred recently, all of us who have CCW Permits should exercise some common sense.

This morning, My family and I were having breakfast in a local restaurant here in Tennessee when I noticed a very slovenly dressed individual standing at the buffet bar with a 9mm pistol in a holster on his hip. His sleeveless t-shirt was pulled up over the holster so that it was openly displayed, and he walked around the restaurant with a sense of bravado that was intimidating to some of the diners. Having spent the better part of my adult life in law enforcement, it was obvious to me that this guy was not an undercover cop and was just showing off. I quietly brought the situation to the attention of the restaurant manager and his attitude was that he didn't want to offend his customer. I guess he didn't care about the many other customers who were offended and intimidated (after all there are a lot of people who are just plain afraid of guns).

I called the local police who responded and quietly walked the individual out of the restaurant. They verified that he was legal, had a valid Tennessee concealed carry permit, and instructed him with regard to Tennessee Law. After placing his pistol in his vehicle he returned to the restaurant.

It is situations like this that make life more of a hassle for those of us who have CCW and or LEOSA permits, and make points for those people who would restrict our rights to properly carry weapons.

What part of Tn law would they have instructed him in???
Why did you call the police? Was he breaking the law??? If not then the LEO's deserve a talking to.

 

[woodsltc]

I am tired of elitist people who think only they can carry and only the way they prefer.The manager was right for not trying to offend a customer who was doing nothing wrong.

Exactly, I totally agree.......the guy apparently had a valid permit which in Tennessee means you can legally open-carry or conceal-carry.

It seems the OP doesn't know what the Tennessee "carry permit" allows in view of the title of this thread and his actions.

I hope the OP doesn't live anywhere near me.


Don

 

[Jaysq]

Wow, it seems that between the two of you.....You were the problem and the one asking for trouble.

 

[DevilDog72]

The nerve of some people.... exercising their rights. hummmmph

 

[bagga]

"they verified that he was legal"...... and that's none of your business either. the police should have never verified anything to anyone about it.

 

[Kanewpadle]

With all the senseless random shootings in public places that have occurred recently, all of us who have CCW Permits should exercise some common sense.

This morning, My family and I were having breakfast in a local restaurant here in Tennessee when I noticed a very slovenly dressed individual standing at the buffet bar with a 9mm pistol in a holster on his hip. His sleeveless t-shirt was pulled up over the holster so that it was openly displayed, and he walked around the restaurant with a sense of bravado that was intimidating to some of the diners. Having spent the better part of my adult life in law enforcement, it was obvious to me that this guy was not an undercover cop and was just showing off. I quietly brought the situation to the attention of the restaurant manager and his attitude was that he didn't want to offend his customer. I guess he didn't care about the many other customers who were offended and intimidated (after all there are a lot of people who are just plain afraid of guns).

I called the local police who responded and quietly walked the individual out of the restaurant. They verified that he was legal, had a valid Tennessee concealed carry permit, and instructed him with regard to Tennessee Law. After placing his pistol in his vehicle he returned to the restaurant.

It is situations like this that make life more of a hassle for those of us who have CCW and or LEOSA permits, and make points for those people who would restrict our rights to properly carry weapons.

You should have left well enough alone.

It's your job to enforce the law as it been written. Your personal opinion or feelings about the law shouldn't matter.

But in this case you took the law into your own hands and you were wrong. Learn from it and move on.

 

[Smoke]

I suspect this discussion is not going AT ALL how the OP thought it would

There are so many facets to this issue it's hard to address them all in one post. I personally choose not to opencarry but support the rights of those who choose to do so.

I don't think it makes other people nervous because most of the time they don't even seem aware of it. I know this doesn't count as data but every time I point out an open carrier to my wife she isn't even aware until I do.

Sure there are idiots that open carry and I fully support taking their right to do so based on their specific behavior if they do something stupid while open carrying but I don't want to see the majority punished for the actions of a few.

Does open carry make you a target? Sure it does sometimes but sometimes just being there makes you a target.

All in all unless you can show me statistically significant numbers of open carriers being robbed for their guns or causing legitimate public disturbances I'm going to come down on the side of personal freedom

There really is no such thing as compromise with an anti. If they ever succeed in banning open carry they will focus all their resources on concealed carry They will not rest until no private citizen had the right to bear arms

Listen, and understand! That Grabber is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely.will.not .stop. until you are disarmed

 

[zzclancy]

I'm just not a fan of open carry. It's legal in Colorado. When I see hunters in rural areas I don't think anything of it. But in cities it causes unnecessary concern. I agree you have the right. Colorado has had several high profile shootings. I just don't think it makes other citizens comfortable. I think you also run a high risk of being shot by law enforcement.

My question is why would you give up your tactical advantage???

I don't want jumped or shot first. Just my thoughts.

 

[SilentKnight]

This is a typical issue that we need to get our arms around. People have a right to carry whether they look like us or not. I am not intimidated by others in my state that choose to carry openly. I think they are stupid for giving up that element of concealment... but it is legal. If I am armed and concealed, I have a measure of advantage over that idiot. If he has a holstered gun and is legal, I may watch him carefully and be ready to respond, but if he becomes a threat he is at a disadvantage. I recommend all of us that are NRA members not dress in a threatening way or be obvious about how we carry. Scaring people is not what we should be about. Being able to respond to a horrible, gravest extreme, situation is what we should be about. Quiet, peaceful, and deadly if the time dictates. Respect the lawful carry of firearms but there is no need to look threatening. That is about you, not about the right to carry.

 

[Doug M.]

There are a couple of issues here. Ok, it's legal. However, having been to calls of this nature, I don't think the majority of the in your face open carry crowd have any idea how many enemies each incident of this nature makes for us. It's my right to go to the store directly from the gym in slimy workout gear, with at least one moderately uncouth tattoo on my triceps showing when wearing a sleeveless shirt. (I have several tats on my upper arms.) I am also hairy - like a Sasquatch, and sweat accordingly - I stink, etc., so I don't go the store that way. Not because I care much about offending other people if I find it necessary, but because if it is not necessary I want to be below the radar.

I'm not going to call LE unless there is more going on than is described here, but the person who carrying in this manner was a buffoon of the first class. He is not our friend.

 

[Smoke]

I think you also run a high risk of being shot by law enforcement.

Because this is such a common occurrence?

My question is why would you give up your tactical advantage???

Given by the time you get your gun out the criminal has already decided the time,place and method of attack and essentially ambushed you, precisely what "tactical advantage" are you giving up? Please be specific

I don't want jumped or shot first. Just my thoughts.

You can cite numerous instances of this happening right? Again, please be specific

 

[OldK22]

The wife and I went out for a pizza Monday in KC Missouri. There was a young man in the restaurant (not a low end pizza joint but an upscale place in a very large shopping area) who was open carrying. Probably in his late 20's to early 30's with a Blackhawk plastic rig with what looked to be a EAA Witness in it. Not particularly well dressed and a large cowboy hat that looked like he borrowed it from Richard Petty. I try to stay alert and noticed him as soon as we walked in a were seated. I do not believe anyone else even noticed him (probably 50 people in the restaurant) and if they did no one seemed to be upset. My wife did not notice him till I pointed him out. Her question to me was WHY?. Missouri allows open carry if you have a CCW but in the 6 years we have lived here it is the first time I have seen anyone excersizing that right. He did not look to be showing off so maybe he open carries every day.

 

[cmort666]

1. ***I*** don't open carry, because I don't WANT to.
2. If it's legal, I don't CARE if somebody else does.
3. Neither you nor the police have to like LEGAL open carry. Neither you nor the police have to like open carriers. Neither you nor the police have to LIKE the law. You and they had DAMNED well better OBEY it.
4. What you did was pure harassment based not on any illegality on the victim's part, but rather prejudice on yours.
5. The victim had NO legal duty to remove his firearm, and seemingly did so SOLELY because of the intimidation precipitated by YOU.

The difference in your attitude and that of the average "social justice warrior" is vanishingly small.

 

[cmort666]

I think you also run a high risk of being shot by law enforcement.

Any stats on that?

Akai Gurley was shot by the NYPD and he didn't even HAVE a gun. Should we stay out of stairwells?

 

[Arik]

IBTL!!!!!!!!

 

[cmort666]

The OP's example is pure "social justice warrior" behavior.

The prejudices of others create for me no legal duty nor a moral obligation.

I was once harassed by an elderly cleaner in a Lakewood, Ohio McDonald's for wearing an NRA ballcap. Did I have some mysterious duty to remove that cap when prompted by somebody who also expressed his opinion that he "wasn't so sure that the Holocaust was a BAD thing"?