+1 on that.

some people say driving a convertible is all about "look at me"
Sir Lawrence Oliver told Dustin Hoffman that the reason that actors become actors is "look at me"

people are attention whores. period.

So, is open carry legal in Traverse City, and they're celebrating it, or is it illegal, and they're protesting it? The story does not make that clear at all, but it appears to be the latter. Why do I think this will turn out poorly?


Rick Lee, I think that it's just a Phoenix thing, everyone open carried everywhere except bars in Tucson, and only the newbies even blinked at it.

Yes, you have mentioned this before. You have to understand, however, not every gun owner sees them as something "dirty", like some cheap piece of XXX porn or something. We feel no need to hide them from our women folk, to wash our hands after handling one, or to hide our ownership like some shameful drinking habit.

Anyway, open carry is obstensibly "legal" here is Washington. However, if your open carry is practiced in such a manner as to frighten or intimidate anyone, you can be arrested. So, effectively, you will be arrested in this state if you try to carry openly. Especially in our more populated areas, our bastions of liberalism, I cannot imagine carrying openly and not simply scaring the bejeezus out of virtually everyone who sees you.

As the gun toter, the fact is that if some reactionary hand-wringing ninny is afraid of your gun, that has somehow become your problem, not theirs. As these morons go sniveling to the cops that the guy with the gun is scaring them, there is simply no chance they will be told to dry their eyes and grow up a bit, as this is perfectly legal. No, instead it becomes the law-abiding gun owner's problem. I wouldn't even think about carrying openly in our bigger towns.

As far as the picnic, while I would never participate in such an event myself, I can see where urban gun owners living in such an environment would feel the need to make some sort of a statement. I can also understand why the police feel the need to be there in force - to keep the hand-wringing ninnies from making a scene.

I'm suspecting there may be some anti-gun groups there to protest, hoping to cause problems that can be attributed to the gun owners. And we have all seen how quickly a "peaceful" protest organized by our liberal friends can turn violent.

Just as long as you acknowledge that open carry is the same as Gay Pride, we're good Jeff. Part of keeping the Second Amendment alive is reverence and respect for firearms. they are not status symbols. of course if you want to sport one just like you found a new great hat at Bloomingdales and want the whole world to know what great taste in fashion headwear you have, hey, by all means, knock yourself out, make your, ummm, statement. Yeah, just like in a Gay Pride parade. You go Girl!

and hey, if hats aren't your thing, maybe you can deck your 98 Civic out with a fart can, some dubs and neon underneath. Hey, look at me.

same same.

Does the person with the largest gun win?

It's legal to open carry in MI. But no one does because they know they'll get hassled by the police or arrested on some drummed up charge. Like disturbing the peace.

I see that at least a couple of posters are once again assigning their own peculiar insecurites and phobias to gun owners. Pretty tired and shopworn tactic in the continuing effort to paint gun owners as some sort of deviants. They apparently have a difficult time understanding the emotionally stable, secure, and responsible among us, indicating they are unfamiliar with those traits themselves. I dare say, those qualities seem to frighten them.

Please tell me "I'm rubber and your glue..." is not the best you can muster.:rolleyes:

Good luck trying that in Philly.

open carry, i get it. i get it. jealous i cant.

but i agree, with most posters. having a visible sidearm isnt reason to celebrate. "bust out the deviled eggs, hoss!" comparing it to a gay pride parade is stretching it a bit. both do share a LOOK AT ME attitude.

i think they should just load up the hardware, and just be normal. why make is feel so special? what next? a pocketknife brunch?

Open carry is legal and common everywhere in AZ. I see it all the time and do it on my bike regularly. Aside from just wanting to offend Californians, I do it because it's too hard to draw from concealment in full riding gear. However, open carry is legal in VA and I never once saw it in 13 yrs. living there. I heard stories about folks getting hassled by the cops for doing it, never charged, but hassled. In AZ I mostly carry concealed, but don't make much effort to conceal it unless I'm in a strict no-carry zone. It's perfectly legal to print or have it show if your shirt comes up while bending down to tie your shoe. That's a big no-no in some gun-friendly states like TX or OH.

Gay Pride Parade shouts/whines/cries to the public, "validate my lifestyle choice, dammit, I have to right to the pursuit of happiness" as opposed to just living life as a member of society.

Open Carry Picnic shouts/whines/cries to the public, "validate my lifestyle choice, dammit, I have to right to bear arms" as opposed to just living life with concealed carry.

same same.

both just need a little attention and understanding while thrusting their lifestyle choices in our faces. look at me!

I think that is a big part of it.
An analogy: everyone on Pelican knows that they are superior drivers, but we are also keenly aware that many drivers out there are 'less-than-skilled' behind the wheel and exercise poor judgement.
Apply that same perspective to gun ownership and you just have to begin wondering which one of those gun-carrying citizens is the one with poor judgement. I know it's none of us, though! ;)

That's what makes people nervous. I guess if they can't see the guns they can at least pretend that no one has them.

Actually, I think open carry picnics in states that allow, yet strongly discourage, open carry are a good idea. A lot of cops in such places don't even know that it's legal to do this and there's nothing wrong with educating them. I have a problem with cops harrassing people for engaging in totally legal activity. So getting this out in the open and perhaps letting the cops know about it is a good thing. It certainly harms no one.

I think there are a few things going on with this picnic.

1 - They are celebrating their right to open carry.

2 - They are protesting getting arrested for trumped up charges when exercising their right to open carry.

3 - By doing it as a picnic and putting it in front of the authorities and public it's not like a gay pride parade but letting everyone know what they are doing it so they don't get arrested. Big difference. These guys on their own would each be arrested for some charge but when they notify the public and gather as a group they probably won't get arrested.

I agree with Rick, as usual.

Fixed it for ya.

What a ridiculous, pompous statement.