The Truth About Open Carry

Open carry done right. They are not waving the firearm around,
instead, they are just going about their day as if it is not there.

According to Al Jazeera, there are individuals that carry firearms out in the open. This act is known as "open carry." Open carry participants generally carry handguns in holsters outside of their waistbands; however, there are those who carry rifles and shotguns on their backs. One such open carrier by the name of Ed Levine said, "I would say [I'm] pretty much armed 24/7." That is how most open carriers are; they carry every day. Levine even carries inside his home, as he believes "...as I sit in this home, someone could kick in the door.  I'd have probably five seconds of warning from my alarm system going off. You never know when that's going to happen.  So you always kind of have to be at the ready." There had been a large acknowledgement of open carry in 2009, which caused all the advocates for this style of carry wish to change that atmosphere and attitudes toward firearms in the public eye. Open carry had created even more attention after the tragic Sandy Hook shooting. However, this had caused more people to realize that there was validity to the open carriers' argument. More and more people had joined in on the open carry movement. Many open carriers also wish for the truly constitutional "Constitutional Carry." Constitutional Carry is the act of being allowed to open carry without a permit. Constitutional Carry is called "Constitutional" due to the fact that the Constitution itself never explicitly stated that firearms needed a permit to be carried. Many open carriers not only carry firearms, but audio recorders as well. Due to the major push against firearms, numerous open carriers are targeted by law enforcement and anti-gunners. This has resulted in the use of the audio recorders to fight against harassment, as Judy Rudek said, "If things go sideways or I have any confrontation, the recorder's memory will be more accurate than my own." Many also carry knives and flashlights, along with spare magazines. Some have even been seen carrying non-lethal options such as pepper spray, stun guns, and/or less-than-lethal bullets. However, while open carry is a great action, there are those who disprove of open carry and call it "gun bullying." I will be the first to admit, there are many firearm advocates that act in an idiotic manner, but this is no different than any other human being, especially anti-gunners. Many of those against firearms, such as the members of "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America," have claimed that open carriers only wish to intimidate and strike fear into others. However, this is completely not true. Many people jump on the belief of Professor Brad Bushman's writings on the "weapons effect." He wrote that "In our brains, weapons are closely linked to aggression and violence. Numerous studies have shown the mere presence of guns can increase aggressive behavior. So it’s not unreasonable to want guns to not be displayed." This statement is just not true however, as I was in a class where a Detective was teaching us about his career of detective work. While he was doing just this thing, he was carrying a holstered Gen4 full size Glock (this is fully legal, of course, as he is in a law enforcement career). During his stay, nobody had increased aggression or hostility, instead, they listened attentively. Really the only person who was paying attention to the firearm was me, and that was because I was trying to figure out if the Glock was a Gen3 or Gen4. After that, I sat and listened attentively to his presentation. Open carry is an act that I will participate in when I finally have the legal ability to, as I completely agree with the act. I hope more people begin to realize the validity and soundness of open carriers' arguments and are not blinded by the idiots of the community who decide to perform in the most controversial way.

How most open carriers are treated by the police

and various other anti-gun individuals.