Open carry?

[Jack T.]

I don't know if she has made a public statement on it, but I'd *really* be surprised to see a GOP governor veto a bill sent to her by a GOP House/Senate.

That kind of thing insures you are a one-term governor.

As to the original question? The "target for criminals" argument is really getting tired.

 

[Danny Tanner]

You know, I've thought about this quite a bit. A lot of folks worry that "some nutball will muck it up for us" et al.

Last summer I spent a couple weeks up in Alaska. As I'm sure most know, AK is a "constitutional carry" state, a.k.a. if you're a citizen, you can carry in any fashion you see fit - open, concealed, whatever.

I had planned on exercising my rights to do just that, but Canada sucks... and that is besides the point.

Anyway, one day we went up to the Russian River to try to catch some salmon. While up there, we struck up a conversation with another gent. As we were chatting, I took a second to survey that dude: He wore hip waders, had his tackle pouch with him, and a 44 mag revolver strapped in a holster dead center on his chest. The same chest holster rig also had bandoleer style loops with more rounds, all sporting wad cutter bullets.

It took me half a second to take in his rig, but it didn't affect me. More importantly, it didn't affect the other 100 people on the river at that time.

Open carry would invoke a lot less panic that most folks think. There might be a couple of odd looks the first week or so, but after that, people will stop noticing/worrying.

Without straying away too far from the topic of the thread, my Grandma and Aunt were from Alaska (and moved back to Alaska after several years in OK). Outdoorsmen, especially, are carrying to protect themselves from nature (bears, moose, etc) just as much as they are from the bad guy.

Those moose'll F ya up!

 

[NikatKimber]

News9 just posted something on their Facebook wall asking for opinions on the matter.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/NEWS9

Commented there. Thanks for the link.

 

[Keyser328]

Without straying away too far from the topic of the thread, my Grandma and Aunt were from Alaska (and moved back to Alaska after several years in OK). Outdoorsmen, especially, are carrying to protect themselves from nature (bears, moose, etc) just as much as they are from the bad guy.

Those moose'll F ya up!

No argument there, thats for sure! Nevertheless, I doubt anyone is going to try to steal that guys fish, or truck, or wallet... etc. Beyond that, no one else seemed to give a dang about the fact he was rolling heels as he walked around.

 

[Karat]

I was thinking that Kel-tec PLR-16 in a thigh holster...

You think anyone would notice my AR pistol on a single point sling is not a "man-bag/murse"?

 

[Gunrunner45]

I don't believe that there should be any restrictions on law abiding citizens as to when, where, or what kind of arms they want to own or carry.

I believe our Constitution guarantees us that right.

"To KEEP and BEAR Arms".

The only gun laws should be those designed to punish those who break the law not too restrict those who do not.

just my .02

 

[Fatboy Joe]

It would just be nice to not have to worry that you were printing or accidentally showing your weapon causing you to get arrested.

I have never once worried about getting arrested for this.

 

[vvvvvvv]

I don't know if she has made a public statement on it, but I'd *really* be surprised to see a GOP governor veto a bill sent to her by a GOP House/Senate.

It works both ways.

A GOP House/Senate will most likely not send her a bill that she will veto. I'm not going to be surprised at all if Open Carry never makes it out of committee.

 

[ronny]

I spent a week in a small town in Alaska a few years ago. During that time, I saw only one instance of anyone carrying openly. However, I saw evidence of a few carrying concealed.

I asked the guy carrying openly as to why he did. He said that it was primarily because he lived in the woods and it was not uncommon during certain times of the year to run into bears.

Took a little side trip by boat and then by foot upriver. Our guide carried a 12-Ga pump all the time we were on land.

Point is, there didn't seem to be any big deal about open carry. I guess it's been around for so long, it's sort of like turning right on red.

I have one state representative down here who is against it. We've discussed it before. I guess I'll have to work on it again.

 

[vvvvvvv]

I have never once worried about getting arrested for this.

This. I had to explain the concept of officer discretion and lack of the public's observational skills to someone the other day. While letter-of-the-law illegal, it would be hard to find an LEO that would arrest you for it primarily, and even harder to find a member of the general public that would really notice enough to file a complaint.