open carry - Market Basket, Plymouth NH

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

This is interesting--why do you think it is important to familiarize your kids with guns?

Just to be clear--I enjoyed rifles as a kid. But unless I were a hunter, it would never occur to me to think of guns as a life skill the way you seem to describe it.

The short: as a teacher, I believe that knowledge is power.

The long: 1. There is strength in knowledge. For years, we avoided discussing sex, drugs, suicide, etc. because we felt being exposed to those things would increase the likelihood of their occurrence. We know now that education—on all things, even the taboo—reduces that likelihood greatly while increasing one's comfort, confidence, and ability to move through the world with composure.

2. In my world, the more exposed one is to various activities/behaviors/lifestyles, the more likely one is able to empathize and form legitimate beliefs/opinions/worldviews.

I think both of these are required to be good Americans.

Finally, shooting is fun, and I just love doing new things—researching and learning all the new jargon, being part of new groups of people, etc. This next half year will be pew pew time, and then we'll see what's next!
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

The short: as a teacher, I believe that knowledge is power.

The long: 1. There is strength in knowledge. For years, we avoided discussing sex, drugs, suicide, etc. because we felt being exposed to those things would increase the likelihood of their occurrence. We know now that education—on all things, even the taboo—reduces that likelihood greatly while increasing one's comfort, confidence, and ability to move through the world with composure.

2. In my world, the more exposed one is to various activities/behaviors/lifestyles, the more likely one is able to empathize and form legitimate beliefs/opinions/worldviews.

I think both of these are required to be good Americans.

Finally, shooting is fun, and I just love doing new things—researching and learning all the new jargon, being part of new groups of people, etc. This next half year will be pew pew time, and then we'll see what's next!
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

RE "shooting is fun" I so love to hear people say that. Thank You!

Too often discussions about guns seems to lead to a never ending debate about whats legal or not, what the 2nd amendment means, what guns we should be allowed to buy, ETC, Etc, etc,,,

Often we dance around why anyone would want them (guns). "Because its my right", "I need to defend,,, something", "no one is telling me what to do", YADA, Yada, yada,,

Most rarely someone will actually say its fun. An unsolicited honest and genuine answer; its fun. What better response could there be than Its FUN!

No one proposes licensing owners of steak knives or creating smart bats that prevent them them from falling into the wrong hands and being used to bludgeon someone to death, but the argument that shooting is fun is all the reason I should need to buy and own a gun ("because I like shooting") seems unthinkable and unacceptable to far too many. Even though more people are killed by knives every year than ever killed by "black rifles" since its inception (excepting for war and law enforcement) but we still question and challenge people about why you would ever want one. And here we have the perfect answer, because its fun.

What a wonderful notion, shooting is fun therefore I should be able to do it.

And my recreational shooting puts no one at risk. Wow, its like a gift.

And now this is clearly drama for dramas sake.

Just owning it ;-)

[fatlazyless]

So, I was at the Market Basket last night about 7:30 and got a sub-of-the-week, roast beef, made up by one pf the sandwich makers. Meanwhile the sandwich maker, he's busy making up about five different subs and setting them aside for a customer to come get them.

While I'm telling the sandwich maker what veggies I want, up walks a young guy, about 30, for the waiting order and he's wearing a large black semi-auto hand gun and this definitely gets some attention by other shoppers as he walks past them toward the sandwich counter.

So why does he wear a gun into this Market Basket? Probably because he can, he likes to show it off while walking through this busy supermarket, and they make very good sub-sandwiches for $5.29. Sub-of-the-week is 4.99. He got quick service by the sandwich maker who immediately gave him the waiting subs ...... yes sir. My sense was he just likes to parade around the busy store, wearing a big black gun in a black holster, with light beige pants and white shirt, is something fun to do, to show it off?

As he was walking away with his sub order, I felt like saying out loud; 'HEY BUDDY, HOW COME YOU WEAR A GUN INTO THIS STORE LIKE THAT?' and, you know, challenge him a little on this...... but I decided not and kept my mouth shut as he walked away ..... my smart discretion.

[randalnh]

fll - did it ever occur to you that this individual might be a law enforcement officer, like an FBI or ATF agent or state trooper? You seem to go right to the "must be a gun nut" attitude without knowing the facts. Maybe he is just a "gun nut" exercising his constitutional right to open carry in NH.

[SAB1]

Originally Posted by randalnh

fll - did it ever occur to you that this individual might be a law enforcement officer, like an FBI or ATF agent or state trooper? You seem to go right to the "must be a gun nut" attitude without knowing the facts. Maybe he is just a "gun nut" exercising his constitutional right to open carry in NH.

Most off duty cops I know always carry concealed.

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by SAB1

Most off duty cops I know always carry concealed.

Yes and if they are in plainclothes carrying open, often their badge is displayed on their belt.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

So, I was at the Market Basket last night about 7:30 and got a sub-of-the-week, roast beef, made up by one pf the sandwich makers. Meanwhile the sandwich maker, he's busy making up about five different subs and setting them aside for a customer to come get them.

While I'm telling the sandwich maker what veggies I want, up walks a young guy, about 30, for the waiting order and he's wearing a large black semi-auto hand gun and this definitely gets some attention by other shoppers as he walks past them toward the sandwich counter.

So why does he wear a gun into this Market Basket? Probably because he can, he likes to show it off while walking through this busy supermarket, and they make very good sub-sandwiches for $5.29. Sub-of-the-week is 4.99. He got quick service by the sandwich maker who immediately gave him the waiting subs ...... yes sir. My sense was he just likes to parade around the busy store, wearing a big black gun in a black holster, with light beige pants and white shirt, is something fun to do, to show it off?

As he was walking away with his sub order, I felt like saying out loud; 'HEY BUDDY, HOW COME YOU WEAR A GUN INTO THIS STORE LIKE THAT?' and, you know, challenge him a little on this...... but I decided not and kept my mouth shut as he walked away ..... my smart discretion.

OUTSTANDING!

So from my average human read of your post I learned the following:

1. First and foremost your concern about open carry has not inhibited you from continuing to shop at the offending location in any way. Almost like bad TV, you seem to be drawn back to the show.

2. Your concern for this matter (or interesting in telling us about it) remains high.

3. You were able to control your impulses to make a public scene that would bring even more attention to these individuals than they bring to themselves. But then you probably realized that "they" might actually like that,,,

4. And finally and possibly most importantly, NOTHING happened because of the open carry you observed. No one was harmed. No public riot occurred. No children were trampled because you didn't cause a commotion. We learned that open carry worked and worked well without any incident of any kind.

While I personally have zero desire to carry openly while shopping at the grocery in NH, I can now feel 100% comfortable because of your dutiful reporting on the matter this its possible, its safe, and it works.

This is what truly makes America great. They can carry openly, you can complain about it, we all can enjoy the education AND entertainment we got from the thread.

All is well. Does it really get better than this. How could it, it seem pretty much perfect, everyone got what they wanted.

And best yet, the sun came up this morning and we are all alive to enjoy it, even though we cant actually see it. So if there is an analogy to be had here, maybe concealed carry is like a cloudy day where you dont see the sun, and open carry is like a clear day where you do see it. And most or the time, not always, but most of the time, we tend to like sunny days better. That said I personally enjoy a cloud or two on a hot day and so for me a big Tee shirt or jacket covering a concealed carry remains a pretty good option (but based on this thread, no necessary).

Entertaining as always, please keep em coming. Happy HUMP day.

[ITD]

You know, I'm calling BS on this thread. I've been in that MB dozens of times and have never seen anyone open carry.