Quote:But isn't it also true that open carry means anyone, including the people you might be afraid of.  

 

Look at Cleveland right now.    There are going to be demonstrators of all stripes carrying guns during the demonstrations.   How do you think the cops feel about that?   They'll be facing off with people who are yelling at them and carrying guns.  And what is going to happen when the cops inevitably have to arrest some people, for valid reasons, but those people are carrying guns and they aren't in a mood to get arrested that day?   And which one of those people carrying guns in Cleveland is an ISIS sympathizer?   Or just some nut who's having a bad life? 

 

Granted, as you say, open carry doesn't mean you (in particular) want to start shooting people, or that you (in particular) want to be some sort of vigilante.   But you're not necessarily representative of everybody, and open carry laws mean that inevitably there are going to be people carrying guns that make you (and me) very very nervous.