Looks like there’s a movement to spread open carry in Delaware. Looking over the site, it would appear people are successfully doing it. A few years ago, before Delaware passed reciprocity, I had looked into whether you could get away with this, and conventional wisdom was you probably could in Kent (excepting Dover) and Sussex County, but were probably going to get nailed for disorderly if you did it in New Castle County. I never tried it. I’m glad to see that people are proving it can be done.
Now I carry in Delaware on my Florida license concealed, so it’s a bit of a moot point to me at this point. I support the open carry movement, but I do not open carry myself.
These folks are new to gunslinging and all giddy over open carry. After 30 years of concealed carry I recommend; do not give up the element of suprise in a confrontation. Revealing without drawing has allowed me to walk away happy from several situations. I have never had to draw. Stealth is good.
Some of us do not have a Delaware CCDW permit or cannot get one for whatever reason. Others simply like being able to choose their method of carry. Whats wrong with that? Open Carry is guaranteed by the Delaware Constitution and it is a right which some of us choose to exercise. I don’t think any of us could be described as “giddy” over open carry.
Gun owners are big on freedom of choice, yet many OC vs. CC discussions I’ve encountered turn into pissing contests arguing about semantics. We should ALL support each other, regardless of our personal carry preferences.
I don’t think Oracle is arguing that there’s anything wrong with it, but more than it’s not tactically sound. That’s why I don’t open carry, actually. I view open carry as an act of activism. Not that I have a problem with it, but it’s not for a lot of people, and that’s fine.
Thank you, Sebastian, I rest my case on “tactics.” Sorry, Mike, I support all citizen’s right to carry firearms. I just have a little hitch in my “giddy-up.”
I’ve been thinking about open carrying some for the educational opportunities. I get the feeling that people who are against campus carry don’t realize how many people around are carrying off-campus. Something that might be helpful to us is a national open-carry day, where one day a year everyone who can carry openly, does so. If we publicize it ahead of time, it could go a long way to educating people about their rights and those of us who do carry.
Rob K…
How does July 4th sound to ya?
Not bad. I was thinking another significant but largely ignored date might work better though, like September 3rd. Everybody knows what’s significant about July 4th, so it would be good to draw attention to other parts of our history. Also, my thought was that it should be a normal work day. We would go about our ordinary daily business, but carrying openly instead of concealed, to make the point that this is not a special occasion thing, but an every day normal part of life.
Oracle – I understand exactly what you’re saying. I agree it’s definitely more tactically sound to carry concealed.
Sebastian, you advocated in a previous post that people be more open to others about the fact that they own firearms. From the position that with familiarity, it would get get the public used to the idea that it it is perfectly acceptable for normal people to carry; could reduce the hysterical fear that the PSH people have about guns. The concern that gun people have it that that this would disturb enough people that they would advocate more restrictive laws.
VCDL has been very effective in getting the authorities to respect open carry and also getting the public used to the idea.
Yeah, I agree with you. I have no problem with using open carry for activism, and think it’s been a good thing if the right kind of people do it. It’s just not my choice as to my method of activism, or of being “out”. I have no problem with people who do open carry activism.