Home Depot Concealed Carry

[BuddhaKat]

I didn't ask them for permission to OC. I asked them what their policy was. I have a CCW and I think OC is just asking for more trouble than its worth, so I don't do it.

Sometimes, asking a store might raise their awareness to the point where they'll establish a policy allowing OC. Much of the stigma surrounding people carrying guns is due to lack of knowledge about local laws and common sense. At minimum, finding out what their policy is is respectful of the store owners rights.

Personally, I wish everyone would openly carry. Nobody would give a second thought about seeing a gun and violent crime would drop to nearly zero.

[NavyLCDR]

Sometimes, asking a store might raise their awareness to the point where they'll establish a policy allowing OC. Much of the stigma surrounding people carrying guns is due to lack of knowledge about local laws and common sense. At minimum, finding out what their policy is is respectful of the store owners rights.

So, may I ask if you inquired as to their policy regarding cell phones? Or children, such as how far away from parents they could be without offending them? Or how about wearing cologne? Part of the stigma surrounding people carrying guns comes from the fact that even gun owners treat guns as if guns are worthy of stigma and suspicion. Why is the gun that you wear, especially CONCEALED any different than the cell phone in your pocket? If your phone rang in the store, would you ask management if they minded if you answered it or ask them if they were offended by you carrying it in your pocket? Why is the gun any different?

If the business wants people to abide by a policy banning firearms, then let them post that policy publicly. Why is the gun something different that must be asked about, or hidden away (for the reasons of not "offending" others.)

[BuddhaKat]

The way I see it, seeing someone walking around Home Depot with a gun on their side would at minimum cause me to do a threat assessment. Bad guys come in all shapes and sizes, but I probably wouldn't go on alert if he was clean cut and honest looking. If the person passes muster I probably wouldn't give it any more thought. But that's me. How the rest of the public treats it is another story. "OH MY GAWD, HE'S GOT A GUN!!!!!". Yawn.

Like it or not, there is a large group of people in this country that think the very sight of a gun will make it jump up and shoot them right between the eyes. You think they're stupid, I think they're stupid, but they won't change they're mind no matter what.

Unless you drop one from the fiftieth floor or can pitch one at 100+ mph, a cell phone isn't perceived as a threat to the general public. If they only knew that they're all going to die of brain cancer they might feel differently, but what can you do? However, there isn't anyone that doesn't know a gun has only one, potentially deadly purpose.

Whether it's ignorance or fear or just a belief that the world would be a safer place if only the government had guns, there are people everywhere that don't feel comfortable around a gun. I do have to admit, I would be uncomfortable if the guy carrying the guns around had a bunch of gang or biker tats and looked like he's strung out on drugs. But then again, that's what a threat assessment is for.

I look at it this way, I don't like it much when people force their beliefs on me. But I have to respect that they're entitled to their opinion. Consequently, as a tried and true atheist I get really ticked off when some atheist jerkoff insists that the high school football team can't say a prayer before a game because one kid in the school, (who probably isn't on the football team in the first place), doesn't believe in God. I think that's just wrong. I also think it's a tad uncalled for when when one of us decides they're going to singlehandedly going to march around with an exposed gun no matter what anyone thinks. I think there should be some middle ground. I live in an OC state, (NV), but in the 17 years I've been living here I have never once seen an OC in public. But I also know I have undoubtedly been in close proximity to hundreds of people that are concealed carrying.