[SteveinNEPA]

At walmart earlier in the week and bent over to get something in the pharmacy section,I carry in a shoulder rig with a button down shirt over it - Long sotry short, I forgot to button up the first few buttons to keep it from opening up and when I bent over a little girl,maybe 5 or 6 saw it and said Loud as hell, MOMMY!! IS HE A TERRORIST!?

Well,her mother turned to me and looked mortified that her daughter just said that, so I asked her what she meant by it. She said she didnt know,looking scared and embarrassed. I asked if it may have been because she had seen my Handgun when I bent over. She said yes, sounding VERY embarrassed. Well, after she stated all the bad things about guns to me and that only a bad guy or terrorist has to HIDE them, I educated her on WHY people carry concealed,including the reason that I have a wife and kids and its also for THEIR protection,and the best ones were that she probably deals with people everyday, from asking directions to ordering food that may carry etc etc. She wasnt happy,but also not exactly angry,more like deep in thought when we said have a a nice day to each other and I walked away.

She may not believe in guns, but at least she met someone who carried one and isnt a "bad guy or terrorist" and didnt have an attitude toward her.
-Steve

 

[ExactlyMyPoint]

You know. You might have just planted a seed that could sprout into the next CHL applicant.

 

[archer51]

Some people are sheep, some are stupid and some are both. You should have mentioned to her that a lot if not most LEO carry concealed when not on duty, then ask her if they were bad guys and terrorist when off duty.

 

[goawayfarm]

It just shows that kids learn from their parents......

There was a thread a week or two ago that something similar happened....the BIG difference was the kid asked his dad if the guy with the gun was a cowboy!

 

[Ape]

I can't say as I've ever had that bad of a reaction to my carrying OC or CC. But I have had some discussions with people of the same thought process. I have a few go to queery's when I'm confronted with someone as unknowing as that. One of my first one's is just as archer51 mentioned. "How do you know I'm not an off duty Officer?"
But usually I hit them with things about their freedoms and how they enjoy them. Along with making them point out exactly what freedoms they hold most dearly. After they get deep enough into their most precious freedoms I usually start asking them if they understand how those freedoms were brought to them. ;-)
From there it's easy enough to get into discussions on the Constitution and Bill of Rights and all those rights which we don't pay close enough attention to and then have taken away by Politicians and lawyers.

 

[RemMod597]

I'd have replied: "Yes, according to our government..."

 

[shooterX]

My Dad and I were out somewhere, forget the place now, we both were carrying. Anyway my Dad went to get his wallet and accidentally flashed his revovler, a little girl behind us asked if he was a LEO, his reply to her was no, I'm a spy and then he winked, getting a big grin from both her and her Mom.

 

[Anubis]

At least you had a chance to educate someone. Most people who get their gun information only from TV and movie dramas "learn" that there are 2 kinds of people who carry firearms: police and criminals. We should jump at any chance to tell them about the third category.

 

[Jcabin]

Which walmart were you at? The one in mount pocono? I open carry there all the time and nobody says a peep.

 

[kellyII]

Wow, is he a TERRORIST, I have never heard that one before. Makes you think where she heard this and why she might think it as well

 

[MinisterMalice]

I think you handled yourself with aplomb and restraint. Thanks for being a good ambassador for 2A.

 

[ccw9mm]

Accidental open carry at walmart-Could have gone better

I don't think it could have gone much better than you left it. Someone is know faced with irrefutable proof of a normal, upstanding person not spontaneously combusting simply by carrying a firearm. And that person know appreciates there might be another reason, a rational reason, the average person might wish to carry the means of self-defense. I'd say you did a great job. :congrats:

 

[Ape]

Wow, is he a TERRORIST, I have never heard that one before. Makes you think where she heard this and why she might think it as well

Parents and Liberal media would be the most obvious IMO. ;-)

 

[kellyII]

Parents and Liberal media would be the most obvious IMO. ;-)

Youre right on target about that!!!!

 

[Ape]

Youre right on target about that!!!!

Yet have you noticed how much ingenuine concern and appreciation they have for guys like you over in the Middle East protecting our way of life. However you pose some of the same concern for protection in our own homes and land and they act like you're some kind of nut.
Which just goes to show (IMO) how false their concern for soldiers abroad are.
I on the other hand honestly thank you and appreciate all you do~:congrats:

 

[TN_Mike]

I think you handled it pretty well there Steve. Good job.

 

[TucAzRider]

Monkey see - Monkey DO!!!.... Like parent - like child.... It is a shame,....

 

[AKsrule]

Gonna play Devils advocate here......:image035:

First - YOU were MADE by a KID :tongue:

Second - Lots of other people were probably listening - possibly
some bad guys who watched you leave and maybe followed you home
and now know where to find guns. :icon_neutral:

Third - Walmart ain't the best place to convert people to anything much
less Studying Constitutional principles.

If an "Accidental" sighting of your weapon causes such a commotion
one can imagine what purposeful open carry might engender in
the same circumstances.

:wave:

 

[Ape]

I actually had a positive conversation with the Manager at a WW last night about my OCing. Since I visit a couple of stores on my way home late at night to search for ammo I'm some what well known by those employees working those hours.
He approached me and told me how he doesn't own guns and has no real experience with them, but is glad to see law abiding citizens such as myself carrying and helping to keep the community at large safer.

Now I've heard the stand by arguement of OCing being a bad thing many times before. And those arguments have "some" merit. But I also believe that if we had more gun owners less afraid to OC that crime would absoulutely show a decrease. IMO hiding our gun ownership and lurking in the dark is compareable to gay people hiding their choice and being afraid. It does nothing but create more of a fear instead of education and acceptance.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm no advocate of homosexuality by any means. And I've been accused of being homophobic more than once. I consider it a "choice" that's justified by natural hormone inbalances. But it is what it is, and there's no way anyone is going to "make" them change IMO either. But that's a conversation for another forum or thread. lol
That's how I see gun rights and education.

JM .02

 

[jahwarrior72]

i think you did a good job taliing to the mom. you may not win a convert, but at least you didn't look like a moron or a freak.

i don't see how this relates to open carry, though.:redface: