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Moms Demand Action founder and Mayors Against Illegal Guns muppet Shannon Watts was incensed earlier this week when she learned that I was armed when she posed for a photo (above) with me at an anti-gun event. All I did was ask for a pic, then shake her hand and thank her. She accused me of misleading her and in a way she was right. By carrying concealed I was hiding the fact that I had a gun (not that it’s anyone’s business anyway) and it reminded me of something Dr. Gary Kleck (of the 1995 Kleck-Gertz study on armed self defense) said during an interview I did with him a few years ago. He pointed out that an odd change has taken place in American attitudes with regard to open vs. concealed carrying . . .

He said:

“[Open carry] actually used to be the norm in the United States. The belief was that people that carried concealed had a nasty reason for doing it and people who were carrying openly were doing so because they were honest citizens.”

It’s a bit like wearing a mask in public. If you’re not doing anything wrong, then why would you try to conceal your identity? Maybe Ms. Watts would have preferred it if I was open carrying (never mind that it’s illegal in Texas). More likely, she would have been horrified at the sight of a gun and wouldn’t have come anywhere near me. Is concealed carry somehow deceitful?

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227 COMMENTS

    • What is deceitful though, is attempting to disarm the law-abiding public while proclaiming that “no one is coming for your guns.” It’s deceitful to mislead people into thinking that anti-gun legislation is “for the children.” It’s deceitful to misrepresent or even make up “facts” to fit your own agenda. It’s deceitful to act as a concerned mother when you’re really just a paid shill for Bloomy and his cronies. Carrying a gun, concealed or open is just about the most honest thing one can do. Those who choose to carry are being truthful with themselves and others by preparing for the worst case scenario, however unlikely. The gun-grabbers deceit is found in all their hypocrisy and delusions.

        • … because for a family (Dad and kids), having a nice house totally makes up for having a Mom who is never home, is deeply immersed and invested in her own solipsism, and spends nearly every waking moment trying to stop other people from living their lives the way they want to.

          I’m sure it’s a lovely HOUSE but it’s no HOME.

    • Here’s what’s dishonest – pass laws that say certain kinds of carry – aka Open Carry – are perfectly legal, then harass the hell out of anybody who does it so that neither they nor anyone else wants to submit themselves to the hassle of exercising their legal rights.

      In Washington state it is perfectly legal to Open Carry if you have a CPL. But you won’t get one block from your parked car before the SPD is on you and relieving you of your weapon while they “investigate.”

      In Texas it is perfectly legal to Open Carry a muzzle loading black powder pistol or a modern replica of same, but how much success will you have going about your business unhindered if you try to exercise your RKBA with an exact modern replica of a .36 Colt Navy on your belt?

      Concealing a pistol is not dishonest if it is the only way the LEO thugs will allow you to proceed without spending excessive amounts of time defending your RKBA against their intimidations.

      And I understand that not every LEO, nor every jurisdiction, works in this manner, but it is always just luck of the draw which cop responds to the “Man with a gun” call and it is always in the back of your mind whether or not the next one will be a little too tightly wound to deal with safely. So long as that threat exists concealed carry is the smart option, even if Ms. Watts thinks it’s dishonest.

      • While it is legal to open carry antique style BP revolvers, people have been arrested for doing just that in Texas

      • The stigma around open carry is often due to the people who see it neither knowing or understanding and therefore call the police who have a responsibility to investigate.

        I live in Oklahoma and have open carried since I received my license to carry a weapon. I have also open carried in New Mexico and Arizona with ZERO issues, in fact while in Phoenix I spoke with an officer who was dealing with an unrelated issue while I was walking my dog and he was clearly uninterested in the fact that I was carrying and in fact stated to “Enjoy my stay”.

        It’s much more the uninformed people including officers of the law who are causing the problem with open carry IMHO. While it’s perfectly fine to conceal. . . which I have to do when in Texas and a few other states, I prefer to open carry. The more often people see it and also see you doing good deeds the more highly they will think of the people who choose to arm themselves. When I see someone with their hood up in a parking lot I stop to see if I can give them a hand they are always grateful for the help and it does a lot more for the image we portray than putting a hundred people at a business where the anti’s are meeting. You won’t win over a stray dog by beating it with a stick so to speak.

        • When I see someone in the parking lot with their hoodie up, I think “Gangsta” and start checking my flanks for his buddies. Oh, that hood. Carry on…..

        • It still amazes me that OK allows open carry, if licensed; including out of state licenses.

          So as a licensed Texan, I may legally open carry in Oklahoma, whereas I may not do so in my own home state. In that, and a lot of other ways, too, Oklahoma is more Texan than Texas.

      • What you describe is generally known as a “chilling effect”, and it’s about as far from the original intent of the Constitution as is possible.

        Don’t forget to tell the cops that when they attempt to roust you.

  2. Yes. And thanks to the rampant hoplophobia of the last few decades, it is also the only practical way to exercise what’s left of our Second Amendment rights. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

    • Agreed.

      Is concealed carry deceitful? Hardly, and certainly much less so than the misleading rhetoric and outright lies couched in emotional pleas by the grabbers chief among them MDA – Watts and those like her.

      Open carry was the norm for honest citizens until it became virtually unacceptable due to the intolerance of grabbers and those who objected to guns being openly displayed particularly in urban areas.

      In response, concealed carry evolved as a more acceptable alternative since it became necessary for those same honest citizens to do so so as not to raise alarm with the hoplophobic types and not be denigrated by those who were either intolerant anti-gun, or conforming sheeple. This and resulting laws and restrictions created the environment where concealed carry, and ultimately mostly regulated CCW, became the norm for those who chose to carry.

      The grabbers have themselves to blame for any perceived “deceit”.

  4. If the only reason she has to not like you is that you are pro gun then she’s pretty shallow. I don’t dislike people because they don’t like guns, I dislike some because they try to control others, and one of those ways is through legislated gun control.

    • If the only reason she has to not like you is that you are pro gun

      Shannon Watts is a misandrist. She doesn’t not like him because he’s pro gun, she doesn’t like him because he’s a him.

      • Shannon is just angry because because she got burned. She made a ton of assumptions that were wrong and posed for the photo without asking any questions. Now that she was exposed, she is lashing out, making excuses, and lobbing fictional accusations intended to make her the victim for her own stupidity.

        A simple act of carrying a weapon, either openly or concealed, is neither honest nor dishonest. It’s a choice based on the laws governing your area and personal preference considering items like comfort and personal safety.

        • Precisely. Her reaction was a temper tantrum resulting from a “gotcha.” She’s mad that she got got.

          Concealed carry is not dishonest. It’s prudent. There are occasions (lots of them) where I’d open carry if I could, but there are definitely some where discretion is the better route to take.

        • @Matt “[T]here are definitely some where discretion is the better route to take.”

          If you find yourself in a situation where you must be discrete with your being armed, then you likely should find a way to leave. Quickly.

        • If you have to be discretely armed, you should probably go somewhere else?

          Is that to say that the entire population of Texas, a state where concealed carry is the only legal carry, should move?

          And the reaction to this picture was a mistake on CSGV’s part. They could have taken the high road, behaved with a little class, and played it off as a non-issue.
          Instead, shrieking and whining. It plays to their support base, but it also exposes them for what they really are.

      • In all candor, I cannot say that I know she’s not being deceitful about that as well. She could just be using the misandry stance to appeal to her target market. There does seem to be an assumption that that song will resonate with “Moms,” and they do seem awfully quick to “go there.”

        And therein lies the problem with her movement as it’s been structured: one can take nothing about it as genuine or at face value. It’s success purely depends on the followers being duped.

        In short, this whole episode gives lie to the entire thing…she doth protest too much.

  5. No. Robbing, beating, raping, and murdering innocent people is dishonest and deceitful. I believe its a better deterrent to scumbags when they have no idea who can put a couple holes in their chest when selecting a victim.

    • +1. The deterrent isn’t just the number of folks carrying, its the knowledge that any particular person may be carrying….

    • According to the No Such Agency, encryption IS an evil thing that warrants investigation. Unless they are the ones using it, of course.

  7. Well, to give her the benefit of the doubt, we should probably establish a “deceitful” scale….

    Mrs. Watts has shown she has no problem using repeatedly disproven facts to advance a political agenda that has been historical proven to cost people their lives.

    So, even on her scale, not deceitful at all…..

  8. I dunno. Is keeping your johnnie in your pants on the first few dates when you’re trying to woo the future mother of your children dishonest?

    • It’s almost as deceitful as the Wonder-bra.

      And while we’re on the subject… Does she loudly proclaim to everyone within earshot when she’s on the rag? I know a few women that could be considered “weapons” at that time of the month.

    • Probably not the first time she has been deceived by a gun stashed in some guy’s britches. This is my weapon, this is my gun….

  9. It’s deceitful when she claims she supports the 2nd amendment. Just because you didn’t shout “I HAVE A GUN!” doesn’t mean you were deceitful.

    • Q. What do you call the opinion that a military veteran and ex-police officer can’t be trusted to carry a concealed firearm?

      A. “We support the Second Amendment, but …”

  10. Is keeping your credit cards and Social Security card in your wallet, rather than displaying them openly, “dishonest”? The 4A says it’s nobody’s shittin’ business what I’m carrying.

  12. Not deceitful just law abiding. Since open carry is against the law in Texas you are just following the letter of the law.

  13. No, it’s not deceitful.

    Is carrying a pocket knife or a lighter in your pocket, out of public view, deceitful? How about if you simply had a card in your wallet that said you were a member of the NRA, would that have been deceitful, too?

  14. Growing up on a farm, my father would subject me to a stern lecture if I was ever caught without my pocket knife. The reason was simple: Always carry a pocket knife because you never know when you’ll need one.

    Being prepared to defend ourselves and others needn’t be a public display. Like the color of our underwear, it’s just not useful information for other people to have.

      • I still have my “Totin’ Chip” from Boy Scout days; it was a permit to `tote’ a sheath knife or sheath ax and if one were careless or unsafe handling either one, then one’s “totin’ rights” could be revoked.

        Those were the days when Scouts earned their NRA marksmanship badges at the range during summer camp, and were encouraged to wear them on the uniform. Different time.

  15. Dishonest?

    Nah! Just sneaky. But in all seriousness, it doesn’t matter which mode of carry is the norm. There is absolutely no rational, logical, moral, or legal reason why I shouldn’t be able to. That, and that alone, is the entire premise of enumerated right. Or, at least that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Besides, that already-iconic snap-shot of anti-rights activist Shannon Watts only conclusively proves that nobody will ever know you’re carrying concealed if you’re doing it right in the first place.

    It puts ignorant sheeple like her completely at ease not seeing a gun, and for the simple-minded “out of sight, out of mind” really well and truly means just that (as is quite clearly the case here), and it puts the PoTG at ease knowing that we actually stand a chance of adequately defending ourselves against a threat without drawing any undue attention.

    Everybody wins. Literally.

    Though, personally, I’d still be more comfortable carrying openly. I feel that it’s just less of a hassle, but that’s just me.

    • In a fight someone will have the advantage. Make sure it’s you.

      If you are in a fair fight you are doing it wrong.

      No such thing as deceipt when you are saving your life.

        • That’s the whole point of carrying anything. Make do with what you have; use it to your advantage. Not all of us are lucky enough to live in a free state.

        • Defending our lives is NOT about going into a fight, its about stopping and winning a fight that the bad guy starts. I always ask my students: When does the fight start? When the bad guy wants it to. Once it starts, no fighting fair. Take the advantage.

      • A nice principle taught to me by my father except as an armed citizen you always start at the disadvantage since the bad guy always gets the first move. In your home not so bad but on the streets a very dicey proposition.

        • For once we agree. We are alway reacting to threats so we are always behind the time/power curve. Once we are forced to engage all stops must be pulled. We must win.

  16. Honestly, I just find concealed carry to be convenient. I hate carrying around a cell phone on a holster, do you think I relish the thought of lugging around a full frame pistol on my hip?

    That said, I do routinely carry my P226 openly because it is simply hard to conceal, and I’ve learned to live with the inconvenience. But given the choice, I’d always choose concealed.

    Is carrying concealed dishonest? I don’t know, is not walking around with my name and phone number hanging from a board around my neck dishonest? Frankly, I don’t think it is pertinent to those around me. Just like my personal information.

    • is not walking around with my name and phone number hanging from a board around my neck dishonest?

      Actually, when you look at it like that Shannon did kind of put her home address out there in the public domain….

        • Dirk just reposted publicly available information. She registered Moms Demand Action as a corporation in Indiana using her home address as the primary address. It was readily available on the MDA website. After the MAIG buyout it came down off the website but to this day (I just checked) it is still available as a matter of public record on the Indiana state website as the address of record for the corporation.

          The whole “OMG! They posted my address! OMG!” schtick was just that, schtick. It was ALREADY available to anyone that wanted to see it.

        • it took me all of 60 seconds to pull the info . . . . google and key words “Shannon Watts” “Moms Demand Action” “Indiana” – not that difficult to pull info and then get to the Indiana corporation records. But hey, I ain’t no PR expert. . . . .

          Glad to hear she still has her home address, I mean corporation situs still listed. 🙂 COMMENT MODERATED.

  17. In today’s world it’s not deceitful as it would have been considered in the past. Mostly due more urban, suburan residents. Whole lot less rural farmers/ranchers. Three generation dairy behind our property just closed down. No one left in the family interested in running it. Very sad.

  18. “Only criminals conceal carry!”

    This was from a teacher of mine that fought in WWII; this was the belief back in the day. How things change; not always for the better.

  19. No concealed carry is not deceitful. Weather, business attire and choice are some of the reasons why it is a good choice. I live in Virginia and open carry occasionally but concealed carry most of the time. My choice for my reasons. No one or gov’t should be able to dictate hoe I carry.

  20. Well, Alan, what did you say to convince her to take the pic in the first place? That might help clear up if there was a ‘lie’ being told.

    Granted, there might’ve been a lie of omission because she presumably thought you wanted the pic because you liked and supported her, and you really were there to take a ‘gotcha’ picture. She probably wouldn’t have agreed to take the picture if you had stated who you were, and where you were blogging.

    But whatever, them’s are the risks that public figures (and she imagines herself to be one, I’m sure,) undertake. And if anyone deserves it, it’s her.

    But as for the mere fact of concealed carry? No, not a bit. It’s no more relevant than your religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. I suspect you’d be politically opposed to her even if you weren’t carrying a gun with you at that moment, no? The gun’s just an inanimate object. It doesn’t bring any moral weight to the table here. Only way it’s implicated is if Shannon said “Sure, let’s take a picture, but you don’t have a gun on you, right?” and you answered in the negative….

    • Coming from an organization that has made a science out of deceitful photos, MDA can pound sand. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago when they published an out-of-context, posed photo of pro-gun enthusiasts who had peacefully gathered at an MDA “rally” – and captioned it as an intimidating group of “gun bullies.”

      Sucks to be on the wrong side of the candid camera, eh Ms. Watts?

    • According to one of the other posts, he basically said, “Hi, I’m Alan, do you have a moment to take a photo?” and that was it. There wasn’t an exchange of credentials or anything, just a quick photo-op and moving on.

      • Then, I’m afraid Ms. Watts doesn’t really have much ground for complaint, whatever Alan’s minor sins of omission.

  21. It’s discreet, not deceitful. And BTW Kleck hit the nail on the head re OC/CC. All those cops shows of the 50s taught me that it was bad to “carry a concealed weapon”–that’s what bad guys were always being charged with, not with being armed per se. The Westerns all taught me that only shady gamblers and cowardly bankers carried ‘hide-out” derringers, all the good guys and even the openly bad guys carried their guns out in the open. I would say those shows were an accurate reflection of the tenor of the times.

    • It’s not completely untrue, but there’s some fuzziness there. For the most part Hollywood invented the western holster. Wyatt Earp, a (ethically questionable) lawman, had his pockets tailored extra deep so he could carry concealed.

      • Come to think of it, I think Wyatt Earp had his gun in his pocket at the OK Corral, no? And Holliday started out with that shotgun under his coat I think. I’m sure those 50s and 60s Westerns did indeed reflect the tenor of their own times more accurately than that of the actual Old West.

      • It’s not like anybody woutld think that the man with star and badass reputation isn’t armed.

  22. it’s not about fair, it’s about self-defense…. why would that enter in the conversation? Should you let the mugger shoot you first before resonding so you are being fair?

  23. To Watts and her ilk, carrying a gun in any fashion is immoral (with the exception of their body guards, of course).

  24. I am pretty sure that being the holder of a concealed carry permit allows for the legal concealed carry of a firearm. Black and white period. You know you can’t even try to negotiate with idiots. Nothing wrong was done here.

  25. Heck, is it dishonest for a millionaire to dress in jeans and a tee-shirt?

    Did she ask? No? Then you weren’t being dishonest. I assume neither she nor you felt you should have told her how much cash you had in your wallet, whether you have an Android phone, if you carry a condom, or whether you keep your keys in your front or back pocket.

    • +1 on that. I see that Twitter profile pic with the windbreaker and knit top, and the one with her appearing at a legislative session in a plain sweater dress and boots, and I think, what a crock! She’s a long-time corporate bigwig for some of the biggest companies in America ,with adult offspring, flagrantly posing as your basic everyday soccer mom, supposedly rushing to state capitols all over the country in between car-pooling the neighborhood girls to ballet practice and providing refreshments for the weekend soccer league. Now THAT’S deceptive.

  26. Obviously Shannon was upset that you didn’t give her the opportunity to be fearful, intimidated, and complain about it publicly, so she’s complained publicly about the denied opportunity.

    The mugger smiling as he moves in on you with his hand on his hidden knife is deceitful. The CCW person is, on the other hand, discreet. Shannon, like all gun grabbers, would like to erase the distinction between those with civil intentions and those with malevolent minds.

  27. What are the odds that Alan was the only CHL holder carrying in the room that day? Shannon, throw a few of those Bloomberg bucks into lobbying for legal open carry in Texas and then you can avoid being “tricked” into embarrassing photo ops. Otherwise, say “cheese.”

  28. Is calling the police every time you see a non-uniformed person open carrying a handgun, and telling the police “he looks suspicious,” deceitful and dishonest? I would say yes. Is concealing your handgun to avoid unwarranted attention from hoplophobics and LEO’s deceitful and dishonest? Not in the least, IMO. I have no problems being approach by police, but after the second time it would get old. I rather go through my day with out the hassle and worry that comes with open carry.

  29. If people have a right to life, then they have the right to defend that life with the best means available. There is no need for someone to announce that they intend to use deadly force to defend themselves if attacked. Open carry draws attention to oneself and invites the possibility that your firearm can be stolen and thus can put you at greater risk.

  30. The gun control lobby is fond of “dual frame” rhetoric that allows them to cast every option for civilian armament, as well as its direct opposite, as a horrible thing. Concealed carry is sneaky and dishonest ; open carry is bullying and threatening. Fully automatic weapons are unacceptably deadly because they allow for indiscriminate high-volume fire; semi-automatic or manually cycled weapons are unacceptably deadly because they allow for accurately placed shots. Bullets that give up their energy quickly on impact (i.e. hollow points) are unacceptable because they’re designed to maximize tissue damage. Bullets that hold on to their energy for longer are unacceptable because they more readily pierce armor. Handguns are unacceptable because they’re concealable; long guns are unacceptable because they’re more powerful and accurate at range, all other things being equal.

  31. How much is MS. Hatesguns getting paid for her efforts to undermine the Constitution? What kind of salary is she pulling down? Its dishonest if she doesnt admit how much she makes to act a fool.

    • How much does Monsanto pay its filthy PR flacks? And is it reasonable she took a huge pay cut to do Moms Demand Demanding?

      And why shouldn’t we believe that she’s doing this just for the money? Who would believe she did this same sort of work for Monsanto because she thought Americans needed to be forced to eat GMO foods?

  32. You show me what’s under your clothes first, then maybe I’ll show you what’s under mine.

    That honest enough for you?

  33. I guess it’s dishonest that I discreetly have a XDm compact .45 IWB as I type this in Baby’s R Us. My pregnant wife and I are doing a baby registery and I don’t care that they have a no gun sign. Dishonest or not.

    • They have a “no guns” sign that doesn’t comply with the law here. The antis get to “feel good,” while everyone else can carry on.

  34. In Arizona Open Carry was the only legal means of carrying since before statehood in 1912, until the concealed carry law was passed in 1994. One of the reasons for this if you read the minutes of the state constitutional convention was honest people carried their guns openly, only criminals and bushwhackers carried concealed.

    Since concealed carry became legal in 1994 progressively less and less people do it. Over the years concealed carry permit requirements went from a 16 hour class, to an 8 hour class, to now almost any formal firearms training counting. We also have constitutional carry so if you’re 21 years of age or older there is no longer any requirement for a permit to carry concealed, but it still has some advantages to have one.

    With concealed carry a legal option here now and so easy to do, public perception even in the gun community had shifted largely away from open carrying being a good thing.

    • I find that interesting–the part about constitutional carry but with a permit system too. What are the advantages of having a permit? Also–Fla. will–or maybe would–grant a Fla carry permit to non-Fla residents if they could show that they met the ed requirements and paid the fees. Does Az do that?

      • To my knowledge, no state has reciprocal agreements that cover constitutional carry.

        So even though Arizona has const. carry, you will still need a permit to take advantage of Arizona’s reciprocity agreements.

      • in AZ having a permit means you can carry in places that serve alcohol. It also means no NICS check when purchasing a firearm.

    • I believe you are mistaken about the history of Arizona law. It was not illegal to carry weapons concealed during territorial days. The minutes of the state constitutional convention make it clear that the delegates voted against giving the legislature the power to make concealed carry illegal.

      Then the first legislature made it illegal anyway, and it was not challenged in court. There have been a couple of articles written on this back around 1993. Not sure they are available digitally.

  35. Necessary dishonesty. If we drop the politics and the phobias, concealed carry makes the most practical sense because, well, it’s concealed. So being less than forthcoming about said concealment is basically a requirement of keeping it concealed.
    While in my neck of the woods CCW have become almost a fashion trend, and I would wager a good amount of people I come in contact with would be at the worst unfazed and more likely a little relieved that I was a “good guy with a gun,” That ain’t why I carry. Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather the sheep feel safer than be afraid of me, but it’s really solely about having the tools I may need on hand to defend myself or my family.
    So, I think the general dishonesty of having to conceal a weapon is cancelled out by being honest with myself and knowing the burden of personal defense is on me and me alone.

    • Why do you concede that carrying concealed is dishonest at all? By that reasoning, not fully disclosing everything in your pockets is dishonest, including other potential weapons, banking information, etc.

      There’s nothing dishonest about concealing a weapon. Don’t buy into the anti-gunner crap…don’t give them even that inch.

      • Kinda like saying mimicry in insects is “dishonest”. Hey, Walking Stick! Stop acting like a twig – it’s DISHONEST!

  36. Is Concealed Carry Dishonest?

    So long as the only people I’m lying to are those with ill intent towards their fellow man, it’s honest enough for me.

  37. I don’t have a choice in Florida. Well I have 3: Carry concealed, don’t carry, or get shot at police/arrested for open carrying illegally.

  38. Nope. It’s only my business, same as the color of my socks and underwear. I don’t go around demanding to know their intimate details and feign victim-hood – this is disingenuous at best.

  39. No, it’s not dishonest at all. Is keeping your text messages private dishonest? It’s your business, not anyone else’s.

  40. Just being law abiding. Can’t carry openly in Texas, right?
    It’s more honest than say, some gal wearing a padded bra….
    Just a thought.

  41. “[Open carry] actually used to be the norm in the United States. The belief was that people that carried concealed had a nasty reason for doing it and people who were carrying openly were doing so because they were honest citizens.”

    Kleck’s statement has ample legal authority, as detailed in Heller, as this was the basis for the concealed carry bans that were enacted beginning about 200 years ago. But times have indeed changed, as exemplified by the California open carry ban. In 1968, the right to carry a loaded firearm was made illegal; and in 2011 in response to “demonstrations” by individuals or small groups of open carry advocates in urban areas, resulting in complaints by soccer moms of MWG! (and the associated police response) resulted in a ban of open carry of handguns, followed a year later by a ban on openly carried long guns (in incorporated areas). Peruta concluded, based on these laws, that California has chosen concealed carry as the only acceptable manner of exercising the Second Amendment. This is almost universally true in large urban areas outside of states with open carry guarantees–and in most places is the only way, with a CCW, to comply with the GFSZA 1000′ exclusionary zone.

    Any state that wants to keep open carry, where the culture does not find it offensive and it does not result in multiple calls to the police, are free to remain so. But for those of us in liberal urban zones, concealed carry is not only NOT deceitful, it is the only way to keep the peace, to calm the herd, as it were.

    Finally, I agree with the comment above that carrying in compliance with the law is never deceitful.

  42. Concealed carry in Texas can’t be deceitful because you have the government’s permission and you paid a lot of money for it.

    OTOH, “Moms Demand Action for Nonsense in America” pays nothing because it is tax exempt and lies like a rug. So which one is deceitful?

  43. “not honest : making or trying to make someone believe something that is not true. Full Definition of DECEITFUL. : having a tendency or disposition to deceive:.”

    Definition from Webster’s Dictionary. So, no, does not fit the definition.

    • It would be dishonest if you wore a t-shirt saying, “NOT Carrying Concealed”, and were CCing.

  44. And just for the record, I cannot see that picture enough. I STILL laugh when looking at it.

    It’s just somehow very, very right.

    Again…Alan, you rock. Man, you did a huge public service that will likely outlive us all. The smiles, both of them, sells the real message.

    Thank-you, sir.

  45. Concealed carry is deceitful in the same way a Dutchman hiding Jews telling the SS, “There are no Jews in this house.” , is deceitful.

  47. It’s the same as taking self defense or martial arts classes and not advertising that fact. No dishonesty in my view. Many things can be dangerous weapons when used for that purpose, high heeled boots for example. Does Mrs. Watts have an obligation to tell you the many ways she could harm you with her personal items? No. Guns have been given an unfair reputation for spontaneous danger by movies and the media that other devices, like cars, don’t have. I think this false idea of uncontrolled danger is where the dishonesty argument springs. No one would say you were dishonest if you were concealed carrying a bar of soap, but a rattlesnake they would like to know about. Now as far as the photo is concerned, she was set up on purpose which involves subversion, but it illustrates the point that even the most pathological of hoplophobes can’t distinguish gun owners from themselves, and they should be able to since they paint all gun owners with one evil looking brush.

    • “it illustrates the point that even the most pathological of hoplophobes can’t distinguish gun owners from themselves,”

      Excellent! This is what she’s most angry about. Her lies about what gun owners are and look like and how they act are exposed.

      So, she had to create the illusion that the evil gun owning man fit her misandronistic model…thus all the “he lied,” “he stalked” and “gun bully” type comments.

      • And don’t forget that it was all “HE this…” and “HE that…”. She seems like a very troubled and confused woman.

  48. We don’t carry concealed because we’re concerned about the good, honest people. Therefore, I’m not concerned with hurting their feelings doing something that’s A) legal and B) something they’ll never know in the first place.

  49. Open carry is fine and all but in my view is a tactical disadvantage. People will see you carrying and may take action to disarm or “take you out” first. Also it can cause criminals to use you as a target to steal the weapon. I guess since I live in an urban/suburban area this is on my mind.

    Dishonest? I don’t know… I mean, are we required to tell everyone we go near everything on our person? I don’t think it is dishonest.

  50. Concealed carry also functions as a crime deterrent. In areas that allow concealed carry, a would be perpetrator has to consider that any of their potential victims could be armed. Open carry alone would not have this effect because the perp could plainly see that someone is armed and just choose a different victim (in much the same was as police officers are not usually directly targeted). Unless an exorbitantly high percentage of the population is carrying openly, it fails as a deterrent. Open carrying even adds an additional risk element for the person carrying in that they can be specifically targeted, have their weapon taken, and serve to arm the perpetrator (the Boston marathon manhunt is an example). In the end, the best defense against an attack is to prevent it from ever happening in the first place, and to accomplish that you must make criminal activity as risky as possible.

    • I used to feel the same way but have changed my mind after spending time OCing out necessity in Colorado. Even if no one is OCing where I am I know that there are probably other people carring concealed. Just that uncertainty is sufficient to deter a criminal.

  51. Your story is a perfect example of what’s wrong with much of the anti-gun crowd: their position is based on the object (the gun) instead of the person being the problem; and their position is based on the PERCEPTION of a gun being around.

    Here she is, smiling. She has no fear, she seems to have got along with you… all because she didn’t know you were armed.

    And because you are a law abiding citizen, your weapon was zero risk to her or anyone else in that room.

    But if she KNEW you were carrying, she would be outraged and afraid; and suddenly you would be the bad guy.

    In other words… they believe that the world should revolve around their knowledge and their feelings, instead of an objective reality… whether you or the weapon are ACTUALLY a danger to anyone.

    • That hits the nail on the head. All that matters is their warped perception of reality, not objective reality itself.

  52. I would say its not quite as dishonest as being publicly called a stalker.

    I certainly hope that a lawsuit is forthcoming.

  53. I prefer open carry to concealed, but openly carrying a gun? That might scare moms and stuff. We have to appease these people, so we hide the gun. Hiding the gun is more sinister. A long time ago, only robbers and assassins carried concealed. But whatever… moms want it. A guy carrying an AR or AK on his back? Oh god no. That evokes too much of an emotional response for some.

  55. IT IS NOT DISHONEST! IT IS THE DAMN LAW!!! If Shannon is gonna have a hissy fit, then tell her to push to change the law to open carry. Given California’s recent sojurn to the court of appeals, banning all forms of carry is probably off the table. YOU ARE A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN! YOU DID NOTHING WRONG AND HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO DISCLOSE YOUR STATUS! And had you done so, she would have called it brandishing. If anything, she owes you a PUBLIC apology on her website, twitter, FB, press release, everything for pushing the stalker claim. If it were me, I would retain counsel and sue her for defamation, slander and libel. put her on the defense.

    • I’m just mad she won’t open wide of chunky.
      High capacity COMMENT MODERATED loads

  56. If concealed carry is dishonest then I must be one of the most dishonest people in the country. Not only do I have a concealed handgun on me at all times my concealed handgun has a concealed handgun! 2 is 1 and 1 is none.

    • Just to be sure, maybe you should keep a beat up drop gun in a zip lock bag in your trunk… like the police do.

  57. Dishonest? Absolutely not! You didn’t disclose to her that you had a gun, you also didn’t disclose to her how much money was in your wallet, or your credit card numbers, or your religion, or your sexual orientation, or your ancestors country of origin, or your relationship status, or the list of diseases you have been vacinated for, or your yearly income, or your membership in any clubs, associations, or unions, because:
    1. she didn’t ask
    2. none of these things are her business
    3. any society that would require you to reveal all of the above is not a free society.

    I am also certain that she did not reveal to you the contents of her purse, what was in her jacket pockets, or her religious affiliation, etc either.for the same reasons.

  58. bloomy probably said, one more screwup like that & you are going to have to get a real yob, hence the panic./// Me? I’ll take the open carry with the realization that shannon won’t come anywheres near me, sigh.

    • I will not open carry around Shannon. in the words of the “Reverend” Jesse Jackson, I shall “keep hope alive.” COMMENT MODERATED 🙂

  59. True, there has been a reversal of public perception of open/concealed carry, from “open carry = honest, concealed carry = criminal intent”, to “open carry = threatening, concealed carry = peaceful”. That reversal came about because open carry was generally discouraged or forbidden by law.
    Kentucky’s 1870 constitution protects the RKBA, but added the restriction “subject to the power of the general assembly to enact laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons.” In the current legal environment of New Jersey, the opposite position exists. A citizen with a CCW (a very rare creature in New Jersey) would be considered to be “brandishing a weapon” if he permitted his gun to be visible without firing it in defense of his safety.
    In a modern urban environment, open carry is considered a hostile act. Concealed carry is considered a polite respect for the “feelings” of others, who may be frightened at the sight of a gun.

    • Or by a picture of a gun. Or fingers positioned in a certain playful way. Or a Pop Tart shaped like Idaho. Or the word “gun.” Or their own shadow. No, wait, that’s also a groundhog.

  60. Let’s be clear up front – Shannon Watts is an idiot, but to be fair, TTAG/Alan created the issue by crowing about how he was carrying concealed mere inches from her. Regardless of Alan/TTAG’s intent, they created a situation where Shannon felt duped. And since Shannon Watts is capable of nothing more than big talk and tweets, that was her reaction.

    As to the real question here – is concealed carry dishonest? Absolutely not. Is being secretive about your PIN number or Social security number dishonest? Absolutely not. Anyone with a modicum of true “common sense” (man I hate how they’ve ruined that term) knows that advertising what you have is a recipe for trouble. I practice this concept in what I carry on my person, and what I keep in my home. The less people know about what you have on your person or in your home, the better. I am doing my best to learn to talk less as well – you are usually better off saying less than more.

    I try to be discreet when I move my guns from the house to the car – not to be dishonest, but in an effort to keep a low profile. People are less likely to try and steal your stuff if they don’t know you have it. People are also significantly less likely to complain about or be freaked out by your carry pistol if you carry it concealed. Simple as that.

  61. O my god! She is so mad that she just found out how close to death she just came! That gun could have jumped out and killed her at anytime! How dare you bring it there where it could have taken it upon itself to jump out of its holster all on its own and injure her! And to bring it so close to her (when you had your picture taken) that she may have accidently touched it and it mite have bitten her! The horror!

  62. No. Neither is not showing part of your underwear so no one knows what color it is.

    There are parts of the spectrum short of full and total disclosure that are still within the bounds of honesty.

  63. Is concealed carry dishonest? “Dishonest”: behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy or fraudulent way. From L. dehonestus: dishonorable, unchaste.

    The word speaks to intent, not condition. One might carry concealed with dishonest intent; one might equally carry openly with dishonest intent.

    Under common law, one is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, carrying a sidearm, whether openly or concealed, can not be considered dishonest without establishing (and proving) intent.

    One’s personal preference for open or concealed carry is irrelevant to the presumption of reason for the behavior.

  65. I prefer open carry to concealed carry for practical reasons, not social, activist, or political ones. But, yeah, I trust someone open carrying a bit quicker than other people. His/her intentions are clear: I’m armed, I take responsibility for myself, and I have the right to.

    That’s not saying I look down on concealed carry, at all. Some people aren’t comfortable being seeen as armed, and that’s fine. Sometimes, open carry can be a pain in the ass, socially. If it’s not a misinformed or power-mad cop, it’s some busybody with nothing better to do than tell you you’re an asshole for scaring The Childdren with your Murder Machine.

    Still waiting for The Bad Guys to target me first during a bank/minimart robbery. 😉

  66. If she hurt your feelings we can talk about it, if I was there I would even give you a hug. Like Scarface (the rapper) said : “Make the choice, let it go but you can back it up”.

    In my opinion though there isn’t any correct answer. carrying a knife/gun in your sleeve because you plan to kill/rob someone is probably what people would call dishonest. Doing to the same for your personal safety and to get the drop on someone who tries to kill/rob you is perfectly honest. I am not against OC but I feel uncomfortable being the only visibly armed one (makes you stand out = more likely a first target = more likely dead).

  67. To carry open, you are inviting the criminal element to steal your gun and while their at it, they will take all your other valuables too, and maybe your life.

    If they see that you are carrying, they will devise a plan to get close to you, so they can quickly put a knife into you, or disarm you. What are you going to do if three or four suspicious characters walk by you and then suddenly turn on you with no warning, because they know you have a gun. Are you going to draw down on everybody who gets near you?

    There are those who would rather open carry, and that’s OK with me, but I would rather that no one knows that I have a weapon at my disposal.

    • Agree. That’s like walking around with $600 pinned to your shirt. Sooner or later someone is gonna want that $600.

      • Thanks for the agreement. Actually, if your in the right neighborhood, a one dollar bill pinned to your shirt might do the trick!

  68. Remember that old song “Shannon?” About the dog that swam out into the ocean and drowned? And how the family was so torn apart by it? Yeah, I got that song whining through my head now. Thanks a lot, Alan.

  69. Is it dishonest for me to carry a concealed lipstick? Do I have to disclose EVERYTHING that I carry at all times? Maybe we should just wear the contents of our purses/wallets on our shirts/jackets….. This is a PSA I am carrying two lipsticks (mauve and summer sugar) three pens (2 blue ink, I black) one library card in my own name, one grocery store savings card, my drivers license, my debit card, $37.64 in cash, keys to my house, my car (a Benz), my .40 H&K, a couple sticks of gum, some old receipts, a couple pieces of candy and a love note from my husband. Just so no one is deceived. (insert eye-roll here).

  70. I’m with Dr. Kleck. I think the preferred method of carry should be open. It is a reminder to the less honest that attacking someone is dangerous business. Emotionally, I prefer the covertness of concealment but once I am in a OC environment I get comfortable with it.

  71. No it is not deceitful. When it is legal to carry concealed the assumption should be that people are indeed carrying concealed.

  72. How did she know you were conceal carrying? What I think the lesson to be learned here is, no one should know you’re carrying if you’re a law abiding citizen exercising your legal right to conceal carry a firearm because you’re licensed to do so. Isn’t that CCW 101?

    As for is CCW dishonest, no, It’s not dishonest, it’s an unfortunate necessity to accommodate the fact that not everyone thinks the same way as the firearm community. Anti-gunners have the right to their opinions and feelings too, even if they are wrought with fear and absurdity.

  73. One place where it would be dishonest to carry concealed is without homeowner’s prior permission when visiting a private home. Otherwise, it should be OK where legal.

  74. Absolutely not. What I have or do not have on my person is really none of your business. The 2A establishes that arms are an inherent right, therefore why would I give anyone special notice of my having one? Do I need to inform persons that I have a smart phone, or am wearing a crucifix, for example? What about an ink pen, for utilizing free speech capabilities?
    The idea that others have some “right” to be informed of my business is preposterous. Sounds like the 4A may have some bearing on that.

  75. Even if it’s dishonest, in most places in this nation, we are forced to conceal by law. We just don’t have a choice.

    I personally wouldn’t open carry all the time, but I would love to have the choice, even if it were only to speed up the time of draw.

    I don’t think permissive OC is going to follow with everyone and their mother with a pistol at their hip for all to see, but it’ll lead to the re-acceptance of firearms as an everyday part of our society.

    • Agreed. If people ask me about my firearms, I usually take a moment before I consider telling them if I’m armed or not. I could be legally in the right but I don’t need a huge fit thrown just because people are scared of my little Beretta.

      So yeah, it’s no one’s business but my own.

      You want to talk a piece of inert metal? That’s the Px4 Storm with the external safety flipped on. The thing will not fire with the safety engaged.

  77. As in the title of Bill Jordan’s book, there is “No Second Place Winner”. Whether one carries openly or concealed is a personal decision, but in a gunfight, no one is worried about being honest, just surviving. The goal is to have plenty of time to ponder honesty afterward.

  78. The capacity I maintain for the defense of my life and freedoms is an expression of the value I choose to place on that life, and those freedoms. It is a matter of conscience and a reflection of my personal beliefs. It is not something I’m required to wear on the outside of my clothes like some kind of scarlet letter.

  81. I don’t think so.

    ….this just in, I’m down here at sxsw and Come And Take It (Austin) just open carry marched down 6th St. Awesome.

      • Nope. I’m fact all types of people were coming up and talking to them and asking to take pictures. They were also doing quite a few interviews, media was everywhere.

  83. Is having a privacy fence around your property or a hidden safe in your house dishonest?

    No.

    Neither is CC’ing.

    • Well, from a language standpoint, yes. It is deceitful to build a privacy fence around your property. But in our society we have lies that are acceptable. Or maybe legal is the world. Its Legal to hide what’s on your property or your belt.

      • I think you are confusing lying with hiding something out of privacy.

        I just love some of the comments these posts on TTAG garner…

  84. Alan Brooks, What you did was an inspiring example of responsible gun ownership. Keep up the good work. Now to answer.

    Dishonest:
    1. Saying things that are untrue.
    2. Containing information that is untrue.
    3. Used to deceive someone.

    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dishonest

    By definition, yes.
    Concealed carry is the practice of carrying a gun in the way that others do not now you have one, to deceive them. Based on the societal assumption that no one is wearing a gun. When the perceived norm is that no one has a gun, concealed carry is meant to deceive. The problem is that the assumption, the perceived norm, that no one has a gun is flawed… Yes, it is a lie, but only because people assume. If people don’t assume that no one is wearing a gun then it’s not a lie or a deceit. The answer depends on society.

    The real argument aside, it is very tactically practical, to conceal your capabilities from those that would do you harm. In feudal Japan sword smiths spent a great deal of effort making sword sheaths of different lengths to conceal the length of the sword a person carried. If your enemy doesn’t know what your capabilities are you have an advantage. I believe that an armed society is a polite society. I have no problem with open carry. However people do, and in an environment where there is no agreement on weapons in general, concealed carry is a necessary evil. And a self perpetuating one. People who are scared of guns demand people hide their guns, no longer seeing any guns they assume people don’t have guns. Because they assume that, open carry becomes ever more abhorrent to them and they resist it even more. They think, why do people want to carry guns? No one has guns. Obviously only evil people want to carry guns. This whole situation is based on flawed assumptions that guns are rare in our society or only used by the “bad guys”. But I guess that’s the heart of the whole argument.

    Gun control is at its heart the assumption by people who don’t own guns, that everyone who does must actually be some kind of criminal. It is a personal attack.

    • I think you are trying too hard by half.

      There is nothing dishonest about keeping private things private. Deceit has a negative connotation related to trying to defraud someone.

      Or, unless you want to put this into practice…please post your credit card numbers since to keep them private is deceptive.

    • Having something secreted out of sight is not by definition deceptive. It would only be deceptive if others had a reason to know that you had such an object, and you were intending to keep that knowledge from them. Carrying something out of sight is in no more deceptive than wearing clothing. Some things are just not others business to be looking at.

    • OMG, thanks! That was the first time I’d laughed at anything new from The Onion in years.

  86. The only deceit going on is all the lying to oneself these people have to do, regarding the implications of honest people being armed.

  87. Dear Sirs,

    Please refrain from unauthorized use of the word Moms in this context without the proper ™ symbol as Moms™ is a registered trademark of Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America™ (formerly the inadvertently-porno-sounding Moms Demand Action™) which in turn is copyright © 2012 Bloomberg, L.P. and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Mayors Against Illegal Guns™. Further use of untrademarked “Moms” language will result in legal action to protect the trademark.

    Seriously, though, I would love it if you guys would put the ™ after Moms™ when mentioning them. I put it there in my head anyway. It would crack me up, but more importantly I think it would help frame their messaging when you repeat it here. Most likely when someone searches for a MDAAGSA™ press release, this site will come up high on the Google results. Take the opportunity to emphasize the Astroturf nature of this organization assembled of soulless PR flacks by an unlikable nosy multibillionaire.

  88. Is Concealed Carry Dishonest?

    Yes. Yes it is. An honest man wears his gun where everyone can see it. Only sneaky poltroons hide their weapons from their fellow man.

  89. The only deceitful act would have been to expose the gun you were carrying just before the picture was taken, without giving Shannon the opportunity to refuse to be photographed with you.
    No gun in sight — no gun exists.

  90. It’s not misleading or dishonest not to tell people about what’s in your possession when they don’t ask about it. You are under no obligation to tell anyone what you are carrying on your person if they don’t ask..

    I see no more reason to have to inform anyone I am legally carrying a gun then I have to inform them I have car keys or a wallet.

  91. If.your not threatening me then my concealed.handgun could give 2 shits about you. If its not piinted at you dont worry about it

  92. If we assume that a gun is simply a tool with a particular application, then it is no more dishonest(not at all) than not sharing that I have a small flashlight in my pocket, or a few credit cards in my wallet, or an extra pen. All of these items are used for unique purposes just like a firearm. Assuming that someone else has a right to know you are carrying a gun, is like assuming they have a right to know about everything else you may be carrying. They don’t, and even if they ask it is none of there business, so don’t respond.

  93. Forgive the crude example, but my pistol is concealed for the same reason as my…well, for the same reason I wear clothes in public. It would draw unwanted attention if it were out in the open. It’s not the only reason I conceal, but it’s probably the biggest one 😉

    Phrasing!

  94. Yes, it is the intention that makes it dishonest. It is dishonest to intentionally conceal your weapon. Much like a white lie, you did not let her know you were armed because you knew that she would react negatively to it.

    To conceal carry because you covered your open carried gun with a coat because its cold is not deceitful, the intention is to be warm. If you can carry a concealed backup to your open carried gun, it is not deceitful, you have already announced you are armed.

    The greatest problem is that CC permits problems we have to remain hidden and fester. A black man, who CC, I met while I OC stated that he would not be able-to because he is black. If that is true that needs to be fixed, sadly it may be true in my state, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqMJDHDXI7U .

  95. No it’s not deceptive.
    Using the initials MDA is deceptive. Why isn’t the Muscular Dystrophy Association sueing Shannon R. Watts? Take a great charity and steal it’s intials is low class/no class. But I wouldn’t expect anything less from a Bloomberg “chippy”. Shannon…you are fraud, Moms Dam Action, MAIG is a fraud.

  96. I think it would be a worthwhile exercise to study the history of carrying firearms, and how it went from open carry, to prohibiting concealed carry, to prohibiting open carry and finally to where we are today.

    It would give us a wonderful insight into our own history and what forces played a part in bringing these changes about.

    It would make for a fascinating book.

  99. What do you mean armed? I don’t see a gun! I didn’t hear a bang!! If a gun was there… well, it would have just “gone off”!!! Besides, isn’t there a permanent gun free zone within three feet of Shannon…see, no guns there.

  100. Your question is simple, and the answer is equally simple. No, concealed carry is not dishonest. It’s your private personal business no different than the amount of money in your wallet. Do you wear your wallet around your neck so everyone can see it? Do you walk around naked so you have zero secrets from the rest of society?

    Even back in the old days, concealed carry was commonplace amongst the law-abiding. The assertion that it was otherwise is pure speculation based on hollywood movies. It might be a common thought, but there’s zero evidence to support the allegation. Women commonly had small pistols or knives tucked away. Men carried derringers in their watch pocket. Crime was no less rampant in the 1850s than it is today, and everybody realized that it was their responsibility to prepare for a possible attack.

    From a tactical standpoint, it pays to not show your cards. Sure, a six-gun on a fancy-tooled rig is sexy, but it was also a tool of daily use and you couldn’t afford to have it tucked under layers of clothes. You never knew when a coyote, snake, bear or whatever was going to come out of the brush, so you had to have at least a pistol handy. It wasn’t the best tool for the job, but it was the handiest tool carried in the handiest way. And you can get that any cowboy that could afford it also had a small pistol tucked in his boot or hidden in a pocket.

    In those days, common sense was the ruling body.

  102. “It’s a bit like wearing a mask in public. If you’re not doing anything wrong, then why would you try to conceal your identity?”

    One could have a countenance too horrible to behold. Such as FLAME DELETED – to name but one.

  103. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t with libtards (democrats). Carry a gun open AND another concealed, at the same time.

  105. I see the “misogynist” argument thrown at TTAG a lot by that side.

    Misogynists are people who hate or distrust women.

    How is wanting women to be able to use weapons to defend themselves anything except the exact opposite of that? I’ve helped many women learn to use firearms and I’ve helped a couple go through the process of buying their first guns. I want them to be empowered and able to defend themselves and I’ve actually devoted time and money to making that happen.
    Like it or not, a 100 pound woman is just not the equal of a 260 pound man in a fair fight. Hell, I’m a 5′ 10″ 225 pound male military veteran and I’m not the equal of a lot of men in a fair fight. A firearm is an equalizer. It makes the oldest, most frail woman able to protect herself against a gang of attackers.

    So to recap… I want women (and men) to be able to be armed.
    I trust women with their right to self defense. I’ve actively supported them in learning to responsibly exercise that right.
    The other side would prefer they use a rape whistle or call 911 and hope for the best. They do not want you exercising your natural right to protect yourselves.

    But I’m the misogynist?

    • You are a misogynist for suggesting that a woman should have any need to “do something” (actively) to protect herself.

      The solution, quite obviously, is to do whatever is necessary in our society to make her 100% safe no matter how she behaves, what she does, how she talks, what she wears, etc.

      It is every woman’s RIGHT to do exactly as she pleases and demand that everyone else accommodate to her – not the other way around.

      That’s why you’re a misogynist. You are not validating women for being all powerful, super-righteous, glorious beings by suggesting that she behave like an actual human being and take some responsibility for herself. You are responsible for her, her happiness and her safety. She is entitled to this level of you changing your life for her well-being and security!

      If you reject his responsibility you are a misogynist, period! And here’s the best part, You don’t even need to know “her” – she can be any woman, at any time, anywhere.

      PROOF THAT I AM CORRECT, RIGHT HERE:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edMPZjzujRA

  106. “Is Concealed Carry Dishonest?”

    After all the lies told and deceit practiced by MDA, MAIG , and the rest of the leftists/liberals, this question has no value…

  108. Several of you have mentioned that Texas law only allows concealed carry, so that Alan was not necessarily trying to hide the fact that he was carrying – That might have just been the only option available to him.

    Likewise, if Alan had told Shannon he was carrying, he might have actually been committing the crime of brandishing or at least suspected of the crime and thereby arrested. Both his concealment and his lack of unsolicited admission are consistent with the law.

    Shannon should be mightily pleased of his adherence to the firearms laws that on the book, as she is their advocate. Except, of course, she wants these laws to only be set up as traps – that we trip or fear tripping – to create a chilling effect of firearms ownership and carry. Gotcha, again!

    • I’m pretty sure a gat strapped to your ankle cannot be construed as “brandishing”.

  109. There are some folks who through no fault of their own have a phobia of guns. Open carry needlessly upsets them. CCW does not.

    There are crooks who just LOVE the chance to size up victims. CCW denies them that.

    How I exercise my rights is none of your business.

    • Oh! Their widdle sensibilities are bruised! They hate and fear Liberty anyway, so who gives a rat’s ass, other than you?

Comments are closed.