Bull Frog
Regular Member
imported post
I became aware of the "Open Carry Movement" when I heard an LEO mention it on myscanner in Sunnyvale, California, and it definitely caught my attention. Seems the local cops were sent to a Starbucks to investigate a report of "two men with holstered pistols". I froze the the movie I was viewing and turned up the volume on the scanner, subsequently learning the LEOs left, after determining the weapons were not loaded. Nobody arrested, et cetera.
So, I Googled "california open carry", and was rewarded with a lot information, which required about an hour to just skim the surface.
Gentlemen, ladies, keep up the good work. I am a gun owner and an avid advocate of our second ammendment rights. The unloaded carry of firearms by law abiding citizens is a giant step forward for California, however citizens (which I define as personswithout any felony convictions and a clean mental health record) should be able to carry loaded weapons, after completing an extensive firearms handling course to insure they have sufficient hand/eye coordination to put lead into the target. I won't mention names or police agencies, but I personally knew a detective that could not miss the walls of the firing range. He was a patrolman; I guess the brass thought, "Promote him to detective; less of a chance of his killing an innocent bystander". Sad, but true.
But, before I wander out open carrying any of my pistols legally, I'll have to see a lot more public education. Guns scare people. I usually wear a fixed blade Bowie in plain view, and have had unpleasant encounters. Wear an unloaded gun? That would be looking for trouble, unfortunately.
Before retiring, I worked for a major west coast newspaper, to which I still subscribe, but I have NEVER seen any article supporting, denigrating, or even explaining the open carry issue.
So, in closing, your group needs to buy advertising space to make the residents of California aware that Open Carry is legal. Municipal, County, and state agencies need to be aware of the Open Carry issue.
Most importantly, the state (California) must overrule counties and cities. Don't add to the confusion, as has been done with our traffic laws. Right turn on red? Depends on where you are; city, county, state ....
Defend yourself? Depends where your are, and in a lotof instances, whomyour are.
I became aware of the "Open Carry Movement" when I heard an LEO mention it on myscanner in Sunnyvale, California, and it definitely caught my attention. Seems the local cops were sent to a Starbucks to investigate a report of "two men with holstered pistols". I froze the the movie I was viewing and turned up the volume on the scanner, subsequently learning the LEOs left, after determining the weapons were not loaded. Nobody arrested, et cetera.
So, I Googled "california open carry", and was rewarded with a lot information, which required about an hour to just skim the surface.
Gentlemen, ladies, keep up the good work. I am a gun owner and an avid advocate of our second ammendment rights. The unloaded carry of firearms by law abiding citizens is a giant step forward for California, however citizens (which I define as personswithout any felony convictions and a clean mental health record) should be able to carry loaded weapons, after completing an extensive firearms handling course to insure they have sufficient hand/eye coordination to put lead into the target. I won't mention names or police agencies, but I personally knew a detective that could not miss the walls of the firing range. He was a patrolman; I guess the brass thought, "Promote him to detective; less of a chance of his killing an innocent bystander". Sad, but true.
But, before I wander out open carrying any of my pistols legally, I'll have to see a lot more public education. Guns scare people. I usually wear a fixed blade Bowie in plain view, and have had unpleasant encounters. Wear an unloaded gun? That would be looking for trouble, unfortunately.
Before retiring, I worked for a major west coast newspaper, to which I still subscribe, but I have NEVER seen any article supporting, denigrating, or even explaining the open carry issue.
So, in closing, your group needs to buy advertising space to make the residents of California aware that Open Carry is legal. Municipal, County, and state agencies need to be aware of the Open Carry issue.
Most importantly, the state (California) must overrule counties and cities. Don't add to the confusion, as has been done with our traffic laws. Right turn on red? Depends on where you are; city, county, state ....
Defend yourself? Depends where your are, and in a lotof instances, whomyour are.