TexasCHLforum.com

This is where open carry of long guns into places they do not belong leads. It leads to a confused public as to just what kind of people gun owners are and their grasp on reality. Any citizen would ask what possible purpose could it serve to walk around with a black rifle in businesses except maybe a gun store or hunting lodge in a rural setting. Citizens conclude you would have to be a nut or a danger to others to do it in urban settings. It plays into the hands of gun control advocates and it helps the Democrats. It has already resulted in the loss of freedom to carry. Another business has just said NO to people with guns. But go ahead and trumpet the right to carry long guns anywhere and anytime. People do have that right in the form of free speech (for now). Go ahead and carry them anywhere you legally can no matter how inappropriate (for now). Other people do have the right to say no to having them on their property. When that does not put a stop to this behavior on the sidewalks and at intersections, people will be stimulated to do something about that too. Problem is they also say no to the polite gun owners who prefer not to needlessly offend, anger, and frighten people. I am not a frequent customer of Jack in the Box, but now I will not be a customer at all. If this had been my favorite restaurant, I would be a lot more put out with Open Carry than the business owner. Jack in the Box, like Starbucks, saw it's restaurant made a center point for something that customers do not see in a positive light. They put a stop to that. I doubt it was really just because MDA wanted it. Open carry's behavior played into the hands of the enemy. If you already know what you are doing is being twisted and used to destroy your own stated goal, one has to wonder why you continue doing it.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobr ... y-n1836409

http://bearingarms.com/lose-messaging-war-guns/

I have been looking up media stories on the open carry demonstrations. In reading through the hundreds of comments at the foot of the media stories, it is interesting to see who is posting and what they are saying. Comments are coming from both gun owners and from non gun owners.

1. Gun owners in the comments overwhelmingly dislike the choice of OCT to carry rifles openly in places they don't belong knowing they will alarm people.
2. Gun owners are making calm reassuring statements to show readers the overwhelming majority of gun owners would not act this way, do not support these demonstrators carrying long guns instead of signs in settings where they do not belong, and are asking that OCT not be used as a reason for more laws restricting guns.
3. Gun owners are trying to eliminate any connection in the public's mind that this is connected to the NRA, Concealed Carry, or any other gun owning group.

4. Non gun owners' posts show they really want to see open carry of long guns this way to stop by whatever means necessary. They are absolutely not thinking these guys need more gun rights given to them but would not mind signs or literature to promote what they believe in.
5. Non-gun owners are very frequently expressing great relief that the antics of OCT do not have the approval of most of the gun owners who are posting.
6. Non-gun owners are expressing an appreciation to the gun owners' for explaining their reasons they don't like it and that they carry in discrete and responsible ways.

We can all agree or disagree with each other but the bottom line is what the voters are led to believe about gun owners by the press and their own experiences with how they see us behave will show in the ballot box. We can gain or lose freedoms by what a relatively few do.

Every time I see the OC demonstrations on the local news, I cringe. The impression does not seem a good one for gun owners. Yesterday, a rep for Moms Demand Action was giving an interview to a journalist at one of the demonstrations. I hate to admit it, but she made the better impression. Everyone at my house groaned. Especially when the reporter said MDA is urging businesses where the demonstrations are held to prohibit guns. No mention was made of MDA being a front for MAIG. Why is OCT handing the media and MDA these gift-wrapped opportunities? There has to be better ways.