Speakertweaker is a Texan, the land where printing can get you in trouble. He agrees with me that open carry should be legal, but warns “Don’t overdrive your headlights,” using a Drivers’ Ed metaphor. Every time something like this comes up, folks seem to think I’m advocating never pushing beyond people’s comfort level. That’s not what I’m saying. But you do have to be cognizant not to push so far beyond most people’s understanding that they dismiss you, rather than thinking.
Most people don’t feel a need to carry a gun in public. We don’t live in a society that’s so absolutely plagued by violence that most people are thinking about carrying a firearm for self-protection everywhere they go. That’s why people have a difficult time wrapping their heads around carrying openly to a kids’ soccer game. The disconnect for people is that they assume that carrying a firearm is a large burden, when it is not. It’s less burdensome than carrying a cell phone. When people see that it is burdensome, even if it’s only socially burdensome, they aren’t going to conclude that people who carry firearms for self-protection are normal, they are going to conclude they are unusually fearful. That’s not really the image we want people to have of public carry.
How is printing a problem?
I’d like to see open carry in Texas for those few times when concealed carry is impractical or inconvenient.
Like when I stop off for gas or food on the way to/from the range. Or when I’m walking around the lake on a hot day.
But open carry to a sporting event is one of those scaring the white folks things.
“How is printing a problem?”
He means printing in the sense that your shirt falls on your firearm in such a way that it’s obvious that you’re carrying. Texas considers that a form of open-carry.
Right. I know what printing is. Texas considers it open carry?
That’s insane.
Yeah, if the gun is exposed or prints while carrying concealed, you can even loose your CHL.
That’s a big reason there to want open carry.
Texas considers “printing” a violation because you’re “failing to conceal”.
It takes some forethought, but I avoid “printing” problems by 1) wearing one size larger in t-shirts than normal, 2) using an IWB holster in thick-fabric shorts (especially BDU-style) that have belt loops for my Galco gun belts, and 3) wearing a thin, short-sleeved button shirt over the t-shirt (think Hawaiian shirt style), almost like a jacket. It helps to wear darker t-shirts rather than white, but if you go with the thin, open short-sleeve button shirt over the tee, it shouldn’t matter, so long as that outer layer is opaque.
I’ve walked around outside in north Texas in the summer (on hot days with high humidity) like this, with no printing problems. It may be a different style than a person is accustomed to, but it works.
Even if open carry were legal in Texas, I would probably still opt to conceal.
If I was allowed open carry I would in a variety of circumsatnces and not all depending on percieved risk. If I was on the job or needed to persuade people I would not open carry.
Howver on walks and in parks or horseback riding, I would open carry as long as it is comfortable. CCW is not comfortable for a lot of women. Cant wear a shoulder holster and in summer it is a pain. Most would use the purse and then I would have to more careful never to be separated from the purse. I generally while at a sporting event do not carry a purse or backpack and keep in on meat all times. Open carry is easier and more convenient.
There is nothing legally, ethically or morally wrong to open carry at a childs event in public park. So if it is easier and more convenient and safer to keep the gun on her her, why noty?
To avoid upseting her associates or neighbors? That is her choice, she is the one whose child may be kicked out of the soccer team, she will get the complaints and shunning.
If she felt it was worth it then we have no room to judge.
I mean at Walmart or the movies people carry sometimes openly or CCW so obvioulsy peop;e feel it is correct to carry in those places. Children are at those places also. So just becasue this was at a childs soccer event there is no difference.
YOU are either for open carry or not, it is that simple.
“Right. I know what printing is.”
Sorry, nothing against you. The first time I read it, I thought he meant something else by the word “printing”, so I assumed the same was true for you. :)
I mostly agree with everyone here; even if everyone who carried, carried concealed, it would still be nice if an honest mistake didn’t make you a criminal.
Sebastian, you have disagreed with me many times on open carry… for the first time, you and i do agree
Sebastian,
Glad my comments sounded a good note for you, and thanks a ton for the traffic. Because of the links here and at JayG’s place, my Sitemeter’s rolling over like the dollar amount on a gas pump!
Thanks again!
tweaker
As a Texan it is insulting that our public servants deny us the rights of free men/women, so I support the movement to reclaim the right even if I didn’t intend to oepn carry.
Open carry would help me though because I prefer carrying my 1911 and my shirt sometimes drapes in a way that makes me a criminal. That is intollerable.