Quote of The Day - Political realities and open carry

"That’s what the OC attention whores don’t get, rights exist absent of popular opinion, but in the real world the free exercise thereof is contingent on public acquiescence in the long-term. We -have- to “sell” our position, make it mainstream enough that ma and pa kettle don’t actively work against us at the ballot box.

Getting “in your face” and screaming about “shallnotbeinfringed” loses those undecided middle folks we have to have. Morally we shouldn’t need reasons and justifications to simply peaceably exercise rights, but in the real world they are mandatory if those rights are to be retained in actual practice."

-Matthew Carberry

This! Blacks had a right to vote for a long time before they actually had that right as a practical matter.  A right that you have on paper is worthless if society keeps a boot on your neck to keep you from exercising it and the courts are happy to acquiesce to such infringement.

 The antigunners understand this, which is why we're in a culture war and why they're trying to destroy that culture.  This is why we fight so hard to keep other states from becoming California, or Massachussetts.  Once you've been overrun and there aren't many pro-freedom types left it becomes that much harder to bring your state back from the brink and into free America again.

 In a perfect world "fuck you, it's my right" is enough. This isn't a perfect world and reality is not so simple.  In the real world if you turn people against you, make enemies and "scare the white people" sooner or later you fail.  I've turned people who were uncomfortable with a picture of a gun on a computer screen into people who have no problem going out in public with me while I'm OC'ing and who think the world would be a safer place "if more people did that."

Now, had I gone about things by walking into their house with a slung AR and screaming "shall not be infringed!" how do you think the above scenario would've played out?  Would I gain an ally, or at least someone who was at a minimum not going to advocate against my rights?  Highly doubtful.

Seriously. I live in Delaware, home of Bidens. I've gotten more positive comments regarding my OC than negative, but then I'm polite and respectful, same as I'd be if I weren't OC'ing.
No matter how polite and respectful I am, if I carry my AR into restaurants I'm not going to win hearts & minds.  You turn people gradually, not with a "shock & awe" campaign that is sure to scare them. It's not a "this or that" strategy either.  If you conceal and hide your rights in shame all the time, you lose them by attrition.  If you put them out there, should from the rooftops, and generally do all you can to act like an obnoxious douchebag, you also lose them.  In a perfect world other people's negative reaction wouldn't matter. In the real world it does, so why turn people against you unnecessarily? 

 I talked about this on Squirrel Report.  Start open carrying slung rifles into Chuck-E-Cheeses and down the sidewalk in front of every school you can find in New Castle County and watch how fast freaked out Suzie soccer moms are begging largely anti-gun leftist legislators to completely ban open carry.

I will take benign neglect and indifference over blind fear and emotional galvanization against my rights anyday.

Hearts and minds, people! If you want to normalize OC for Christ sakes act normal. Grab a growler and a burger at the brewery with your Bersa. Walk the dog in the park with your Walther. Act normal, be yourself. And if being yourself means being an attention whoring douchebag, do us all a favor & leave the leadslinger at home.

I honestly feel like some of these OC folks (then are a vocal minority not representative of most) simply do not stop to consider their actions.  If you're carrying just because, then just carry, don't make a thing of it, don't listen to Obama and "get in their faces" just open carry.  If you're doing it for political activism specifically then think about the concrete goals, what you and the movement hope to accomplish, and whether your actions help that cause.  Oh, and think "if I were a non-gunnie, how would this look to me?"  Remember, if you're going it for activism then hearts and minds is even more important that usual to realizing your goals.  Act like you understand this.

Lastly, if you're open carrying you ARE an ambassador for all of us, whether you want to be or not.  That means your actions reflect upon all of us, good or bad, and can help or hurt all of us.  You would think that not being an attention whoring douche would be simply, yet for a few people it seems incredibly difficult.