Mt Whitney Zone Forums The Chat Room Packing Heat.

Yeah, actually, we can. I don't pay attention to fear mongering from either side of the argument, nor is my real apprehension decided for me in that way.

With the largely duplicate thread going on over at WPSMB, I took the rare (for me these days) step of posting there first because I wanted to add to something Ken said over there. But my response there applies to your comment (quoted above).

So here is my post from WPSMB reproduced below (and having also responded to what Bee asked me on WPSMB about how long this thought process takes, the entire process only takes a couple of seconds, but of course, far longer to type out):

Been lurking on this thread.

Wasn't planning on adding anything to it, but wanted to elaborate a little further on the "destabilization" thought that Ken mentioned (and with which I agree, although I don't agree with the comment about the carrier being the first target...). I want to try and describe how I would probably react (and more important, *why*) if I ran into any stranger (to me), other than law enforcement, who was openly carrying any kind of firearm (loaded or not) in public (city or backcountry).

Roughly, my mental process might go something like this (couldn't get the bullet points to single space, sorry):

• See person with firearm

• Do I know this person? If yes, no biggie.

• If no, is there anything about this person, at first glance (which is probably all I would have), that would cause me to think, even a little bit, that this person might be a threat, even without the firearm? If no, then probably no biggie. But how do I know that for sure? Should I assume, sight unseen, that this person who is unknown to me (and thus an unknown quantity) won't be a threat? If I assume no threat, how do I know that for sure? I don't.

• If any threat is sensed (rightly or wrongly, based on the immediate circumstances), then the presence of a firearm only heightens that sensed threat.

• Do I want to socially engage this armed person in the same outgoing manner that I normally do? What will be the consequences of that social engagement?

• The mere presence of a visible firearm (always presumed by me to be loaded unless proven otherwise) slightly decreases the likelihood that I will as readily engage this person in the same manner that I otherwise might do without the firearm.

• My mind will automatically ask, why is this person *displaying* a firearm in the first place? Does s/he really feel that unprotected without it, or is s/he just displaying it more as a means of saying to others, in essence, "because I can do it, I am doing it" (sort-of like the same thought process that might motivate someone to demonstrate for or against any principle that they hold very strongly)?

• If displaying the firearm more on principle (just because I can...), then, without knowing anything about them (again, remember that they are a total stranger and thus, an unknown quantity) I may begin to question their ability to show good judgment and restraint, since I consider such a willful display a bit over the line of what I would consider showing proper restraint and being considerate of how others might be reacting (with unease) to this display of potential deadly force.

• If a person can't show a basic amount of reasonable restraint in a non-stressed environment, then how are they going to show the kind of restraint that is needed even more in a tense situation? That could be a problem.

These are the kinds of logical thought processes that would probably go through my mind, depending entirely on the situation. Note that I mentioned no names here, because I don't consider that relevant to this line of thought.

My main point here is that a stranger is an unkonwn quantity until I meet them and am comfortable with them so that they are no longer a stranger. I'm very outgoing most of the time, and make friends pretty easily. Also, I am very inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt in just about any situation, all other things being neutral or equal. But even so, until the time a new acquaintance ceases to become an "unknown quanity", if you add to that mix any kind of a weapon, and most certainly an openly displayed firearm of any kind (loaded or not), it will make me more cautious toward and wary of that person. Obviously, that will change completely once I get to know that person, should it get to that point.

I think a few here had commented that they didn't necessarily understand why someone carrying openly, merely on its face, would be a problem for others. The above thought process hopefully answers that question. Before anyone responds and says that I am a fearful person, I am not.

Ooops ... went longer than I anticipated (what a surprise).

CaT

PS - Rod, still not getting the picture above. Maybe it'll work on my computer at work tomorrow.