Please to explain for the hard of understanding...

[henry quirk]

"they looked for pro-gun children's books and couldn't find any"

They couldn't find any for the same reason you won't find anti-gun kid's books.

There's no market.

You got an uber-vocal minority on one side and an uber-vocal minority on the other.

The majority does not care (much) either way.

The majority of gun owners and non-owners frown on the antics of the minorities on both sides.

Most folks -- no matter how 'pro' they may be -- aren't gonna walk around with a rifle strapped to their backs or a pistol holstered at the hip (unless they have good reason to).

All this horseshit about pro and anti is molehills inflated into mountains.

[Gravdigr]

Open carry is desirable/legal because you can see that the guy has a gun. It's not concealed. In my state, Kentucky, if you can legally own a gun, you can carry/wear that gun on your hip, openly, legally, with no special permit or license, as long as your shirt isn't covering the weapon, that would be a concealed weapon, for which you need a special permit. Likewise, you can carry a rifle or shotgun in your hand, or slung over your shoulder, or in the special loops that are in some backpacks.

Also, there is no 'movement' toward open carry. Open carry has been around for ages, and believe it or not, is legal in more states than it's not. Some areas (more and more, actually) are now using open carry as a demonstration or protest against more restrictive laws/attitudes. Mostly, this has involved long guns, and the folks hollering about it, they're kinda put off by dudes walking down the sidewalk of Anytown, USA with a "black" rifle (read "assault weapon") slung over their shoulder. These folks would prolly commit suicide if they lived in Israel, where the military requires members to have their rifle on them at all times, 24/7.

Myself, I'm a little more worried about all these people that have the concealed carry permits...

You can't know who to worry about, or who stay away from.

[Gravdigr]

I can give you one reason, you may or may not think it's a good reason, for open carry. A situation, if you will...

Popdigr was talking to a wildlife officer (game warden) over at Pennyrile State Forest here in KY. He was asking the standard questions, and happened to mention that he was interested in hunting the northern section of the forest. The game warden asked if he was a gun hunter, and Pop replied that he hunts deer with a bow exclusively. The guy got a little quiet, and told Popdigr that what he was about to say was not being said as a game warden, but as one guy to another guy.

He told Popdigr that he would not go into that area of the forest without a firearm, for any reason. When Pop started looking concerned, the warden explained that meth cooks had started using the forest for their lab set ups, and that he personally had been shot at twice that year. He strongly advised Popdigr (off the record) not to go into those woods without a gun.

Now, having a gun on you during bow-only season is a definite no-no. When Popdigr asked the guy about this situation, the warden replied that if he stopped Pop to check him out, and everything was on the up & up, and if the gun was carried openly, that he, personally, would not write someone up/arrest him for it. It is that dangerous there, he said.

There are now rules (laws?) being worked on that would allow hunters to carry concealed firearms during bow-only hunting seasons. I would assume that this would include open carry. As it is, you can still not possess a firearm while hunting during a bow season, concealed or otherwise, permit or no.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

...in Israel, where the military requires members to have their rifle on them at all times, 24/7...