Do any African Amercians open carry?

[jahwarrior72]

I think it's clear from most of the posts here, from members of all colors, that ethnicity does factor in negative LEO encounters. no one here called the police Nazis, or think every cop is a racist. but, there is a disparate number of bad experiences between caucasians and non-caucasians. i've denied it for years, because i didn't want to be one of those people who "threw out the race card"; those people irritate me. but when things happen enough, you begin to see the pattern.

when i attended the OC meetup in Dickson City (Old Country Buffet), i was the first person targeted by the police; they bypassed two tables of armed men to ask me to step outside. for a week, my family kept telling me that, but i denied it. i didn't accept the fact that i was singled out because of being the only brown skinned guy there, until other people who were there told me the same thing.

i was depressed for a few weeks about it. i wasn't dressed hood, or gangsta, or street; i dressed like i was going to a job interview in an office building. i think it says something when my caucasian friends realized i was racially profiled before i did. i guess i didn't want to accept it.

afterwards, i realized that it wouldn't matter what i dressed like; if i dressed like a gangsta, a skatepunk, a lawyer, or a cowboy, my ethnicity was always going to be a factor in how i was treated by others. it's sickening, it's sad, but that's how it is. so, i no longer worry if my mode of dress will put some people off. if i decide i want to cornrow my hair, and wear the baggiest jeans i can find, it'll be the same if i wear an outfit i bought from L.L. Bean. so, i dress how i like.

and, no, i wouldn't really wear huge jeans with no belt; where would my holster go?

i am glad this thread didn't devolve into a total disaster. usually, someone says something ignorant, people get pissed off, and it gets shut down. it's nice to see people being civil with this topic for a change.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[JohnnyBlk45]

I'm an African American and I OC all the time. I haven't had any problems with the police or anybody but friends of mine have. A friend of mine had his magazine removed from his firearm by a police officer. The L.E.O. tried to hide it from my friend it took him a few hours to find it once the office left. It's a shame but it's the world we live. I wish race was not an issue but it is......... to some people.

[JD]

I am white, my best friend is black. He has his CC license as do I. I have never had a problem with the cops during traffic stops. He does every time. Every time he is pulled over, he is cuffed while he is thoroughly checked out.
He and I were talking about open carry and he said he thought that open carry for him as a black man would be suicide-as in he thinks he would be shot-

So, do any of our African- American friends open carry? What have your experiences been?

The thread topic is in bold for anyone wondering.

Many posts have been removed as being off topic.

Carry on.

[OPS Marine]

Each and every LE contact I have had has been positive, even up to this afternoon and evening when someone tried to confront me while carrying and called the Police. The Police came and spoke to me professionally, simply ASKING if I was clear. That was the end of that. Later that evening, he called the Police again, and two different Officers came. I had to walk past them to get to my vehicle. They glanced and said nothing.

Once again, I am home safe.

No matter what race you are, if you show the Police respect, that dramatically changes the way you are approached. Also, the way you are dressed plays a big part...

[BugDude]

I have not seen any African American people OC in my area. I live in a rural area where OC is fairly common, but the population demographics are not very diverse. From a percentage standpoint, my household is much more ethnically diverse than my community. With one of my children being Hispanic, I've experienced the differential attitudes of others in a non-diverse community. It is an unfortunate reality that some people will make assumptions based on any number of appearance factors (race, dress, weight, physical limitations, etc.). It pains me to know that my child will experience such negative attitudes at times during her life...she already has. I emphasize to her that in the eyes of The Lord, we are all one in the same. I also tell her that people who don't understand that are ignorant and we should pray for them.

[Censored]

JPFO- No Guns for Negroes-download or view

[Bennie]

I'm from GA and carying mostly concealed. I have carried open carry during our meet-n-greets but rarely outside of those times. I just don't trust the response I think I'll get with open carry

[triggerman357]

I OC in areas where I'm comfortable to do so. I don't care for it too much when I'm in crowds. I don't like retention devices on my holsters so the gun grab situation is always playing in my head. I tend to carry OWB with maybe a shirt or something as cover. i don't go out of my way to conceal much. I can be easily made most times. I have a feeling I could deal with any LEO confrontation due to my demeanor, but I don't feel like dealing with the general population sometimes. They can sometimes make my SA turn into paranoia.

[dsee11789]

JPFO- No Guns for Negroes-download or view

Good thing I read the small print lower on the page.

I took the title at face value

[Andy W.]

JPFO- No Guns for Negroes-download or view

I highly recommend that everyone watches this video. I'm sending the link to some anti's.

[Rollo]

I am black and live in northern Indiana. I would feel more comfrotable showing up to a klan rally naked then I would be OCing in this town.

[jahwarrior72]

I am black and live in northern Indiana. I would feel more comfrotable showing up to a klan rally naked then I would be OCing in this town.

is that because you'd be hassled less by the Klan, or because you're just uncomfortable with OC?

[Moga]

I have not had a single negative experience while OC. I don't do it exclusively, but when I do it's been a non-incident. Usually people don't even look twice unless I'm in a blue, blue zone, but even then, I haven't gotten a MWAG response from PD.

I have been places where I have decided to conceal though -- Like near the campus of Emory in Decatur recently. Where there are heavy concentrations of college staff and students, I usually avoid. You would have to live here to be exposed to the crap they write in the press when ever pro-gun legislation is being decided downtown to understand why. Dealing with Atlanta PD is one thing; DeKalb PD in those areas is something else entirely. Those boys are off the chain.

Concealed is fine and all but there are times when open is preferable, due to weather/comfort or a particular mode of dress. I'm glad that its an option that I can elect to exercise when I so choose.

[Rollo]

is that because you'd be hassled less by the Klan, or because you're just uncomfortable with OC?

Hassled by the klan, the cops, citizens and pretty much anyone else. If your white and OC around here people assume your a cop. If your black and OC around here people your criminal and just trying to be "a bad @ss". Even CC is a pain in the neck. I've been pulled over 3 times while CCing and everytime I pray it's a black cop other wise I know I'm going to end up hand cuffed and in the back of a squad car for a hour.

[SIXTO]

Hassled by the klan, the cops, citizens and pretty much anyone else. If your white and OC around here people assume your a cop. If your black and OC around here people your criminal and just trying to be "a bad @ss". Even CC is a pain in the neck. I've been pulled over 3 times while CCing and everytime I pray it's a black cop other wise I know I'm going to end up hand cuffed and in the back of a squad car for a hour.

Really? I find this very surprising in today's world. Maybe I'm just naive, being a white boy my whole life. I would think presenting your permit and acting normal would go the same distance as it would for me.

Here is an honest question, and I'm asking because I don't know; Have you actually sat in the back of a patrol car for an hour because of your permit? Or is it a fear that you have?
If you have, does Indiana have a automated system to look up permits, or must that be done by hand?

I can't think of a single time I treated a black permit holder any different than I would have if he had been white. Same for my coworkers. I did have a black lady with a CCW that was a total jerk, and she didn't have a fun afternoon at all; but it was because she was a jerk among other things. Of course she tried to make it out because he was black he was being hassled.