Bumper Stickers vs Open Carry

[Dr. Sandman]

There have been some great bumper sticker threads on THR lately. My question is this: Are the proponents of open carry more likely to have pro gun stickers on their cars? It seems to me that gun stickers and wearing your gun for the world to see would have the similar effect of identifying you as a gun owner, and my slate you for a variety of societal reactions. Do those that favor the low profile of concealed carry have an aversion to bumper stickers that advertise guns? Or is there no connection at all? It seems like there are WAY more people that defend open carry than there are people who defend gun related bumper sticker.

 

[Vector6]

I'm pro open carry, and more pro Constitutional carry but I dont have any pro gun stickers on my jeep

 

[jcwit]

I at times open carry, and at other times I conceal carry, all depends what I'm wearing.

In neither case do I notice anyone making a big deal about it. I did have a fellow ask me about it as he was from Fl where one must conceal carry and here in In no such law is in effect.

As far as bumper stickers? I do not have any, I like my vehicle just as it came from the factory, it's not a moving sign post.

 

[matrem]

I don't open carry because I feel that puts me at a tactical disadvantage.

I do however have a NRA life and a BCM sticker on my truck. (doubt many of the hard core trash side even knows what Bravo Company USA even stands for)

I realize that gun stickers on a vehicle may make it more likely that a piece of trash looking to steal a gun may target mine first.

Giving up any advantage I may have over a thug with bad intent when mine or others around me lives are at stake, is not worth open carrying to me.

 

[.308 Norma]

Until I started following these bumper sticker threads, I thought the "GO GRANNY GO" wheel cover my wife bought for her retirement Jeep Wrangler was just funny. I didn't think about it marking her as an older woman, and therefore easy prey for thugs bent on thievery, or worse.

 

[Warp]

There have been some great bumper sticker threads on THR lately. My question is this: Are the proponents of open carry more likely to have pro gun stickers on their cars? It seems to me that gun stickers and wearing your gun for the world to see would have the similar effect of identifying you as a gun owner, and my slate you for a variety of societal reactions. Do those that favor the low profile of concealed carry have an aversion to bumper stickers that advertise guns? Or is there no connection at all? It seems like there are WAY more people that defend open carry than there are people who defend gun related bumper sticker.

I think some people don't want to have any other person know or suspect they own a gun. Those people would not open carry and would not have gun related stickers on their car, clothing, home, business, etc...because they simply do not want other people to know or suspect they own a gun. I'm sure there is overlap there (and projection).

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

One thing's for sure, all of these bumper sticker threads are probably making someone some money.

No stickers for me as of right now and I'm a pro CC guy.

The only one I MIGHT consider is the marathon oval with "5.56" in the middle. Subtle, the anti's wouldn't know what it is and runners would just think I'm fat and lazy.

 

[Jesse H]

Motorcycle has a BCM sticker on the swing arm. Only gun guys would know the brand anyways.

 

[pdsmith505]

I have a 6" VA CDL "Guns save lives" magnet on my tailgate. I also open-carry when I feel like getting dressed "business casual". Something about making sure I look like an example of an outstanding citizen while my gun is visible.


I'm not a fan of stickers though.

 

[Jeff H]

No bumper stickers on my truck. I'm neutral regarding open carry. I don't personally do it, but I don't care if you do.

 

[shafter]

I'm pro open carry but I don't put any stickers of any sort on my vehicles. My truck isn't a billboard.

 

[buck460XVR]

I personally see no correlation between the two other than they both have to do with guns. Kinda like asking if folks that part their hair down the middle are more prone to be Jesus freaks. That is unless you are under the presumption the only reason folks open carry is because they want to show off to the world the fact they own firearms. Most folks that truly open carry are not doing it for that, the percentage that do, are probably about the same percentage of concealed carry folks that constantly brag about CWCing everywhere they go......and don't.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm pro open carry but I don't put any stickers of any sort on my vehicles. My truck isn't a billboard.

Same here. I also don't consider it wise to advertise that their may be a valuable item in my truck. Though, I am guilty of wearing an HK or Ruger hat now and then.

I do open carry in the woods.

 

[Warp]

Same here. I also don't consider it wise to advertise that their may be a valuable item in my truck. Though, I am guilty of wearing an HK or Ruger hat now and then.

This aspect comes down to whether or not you believe a suspicion that you may be armed is likely to be a deterrent to violent attack and, if so, how you weigh that vs a potential increase in being targeted for theft when nobody is present.

Kind of the inverse of that joke we have about putting up a "no guns in this house!" sign in the front yard of antis houses...or in our yard pointing next door to the neighbor's (antis) house...and of course that would be silly because they would be more likely to be targeted precisely because of a belief that they are unarmed.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

This aspect comes down to whether or not you believe a suspicion that you may be armed is likely to be a deterrent to violent attack and, if so, how you weigh that vs a potential increase in being targeted for theft when nobody is present.

Kind of the inverse of that joke we have about putting up a "no guns in this house!" sign in the front yard of antis houses...or in our yard pointing next door to the neighbor's (antis) house...and of course that would be silly because they would be more likely to be targeted precisely because of a belief that they are unarmed.

Yep. Since my vehicle is uninhabited most of the time, I don't consider a gun bumper sticker to be any sort of advertisement that the driver is armed, only an invitation for a would be thief to look inside for something they may be unable to acquire legally. I believe it makes an unoccupied vehicle MORE of a target. When I'm in the vehicle, I choose my parking locations to limit the chance of car jackings, so I don't see much benefit there either. But that's just me.

I also feel me wearing a gun hat now and then to be relatively harmless. The folks who like guns will perhaps recognize it, but I doubt anyone looking to victimize me will recognize a Ruger eagle, or an HK logo as an indicator I am armed. I could be wrong about that. I am blessed with a larger stature that has helped deter folks in the past from attacking me. One particular incident comes to mind where an intoxicated individual looking to pick a fight realized very quickly he bit off more than he could chew.

When I open carry, it's for comfort in the woods, where I don't worry about liberal eyes causing me a headache. If someone wants to mess with me there, and sees I'm armed, well, it's on them at that point.

If I drove for a living, my attitude may be different as your chance of car jacking goes up quite a bit.

 

[P5 Guy]

I am in favor of carrying, open or concealed it's your choice depending on what is legal in your area. Sadly here in the GunShine State of Florida we haven't the choice.
As I've posted before I have an NRA sticker on my car. Which the only time anyone commented on it was to ask if I was a Marine. How that was mistaken for the fouled anchor and globe is beyond me.

 

[SouthernBoy]

I don't put any stickers of any kind on my vehicles, other than what the law requires. There are people out there whom you just might irritate with some sticker and will scratch your ding your car for the hell of it. I don't want anything to invite that sort of behavior. So no NRA stickers or plates (I once had NRA plates), no political stickers, no comical stickers, no save the whatever stickers. Nothing to aid in putting my property in jeopardy.

 

[coondogger]

I have one window decal. And no strong feelings about open carry one way or the other.

 

[wally]

These threads amaze me. I find it distressing how may people are willing to forgo their 1st Amendment right to express their opinion because of imagined threats from low-life thugs or "activists".

What does this bode for the 2nd Amendment when it comes time to put up or shut up?

 

[SSN Vet]

I live in a state that has open carry and constitutional concealed carry, and I fully support both concepts politically.

That said, I chose to always carry concealed, maintain my CCW, and I have no bumper stickers of any kind on any of my vehicles.

I guess I prefer to live my life and exercise my freedoms flying under the radar.

 

[DaisyCutter]

My truck has an American Quarter Horse Association sticker in the window and my Jeep has a Grenade Inc (snowboarding) sticker in the rear window. I have to keep them on a trickle charger in the garage, because I only get to drive them a couple days a month.

I carry open at work, and concealed off duty. My work vehicle is unmarked, but has hidden red/blue flashy lights and strobes.

 

[AlexanderA]

I live in an area (northern Virginia) where popular opinion is decidedly anti-gun. The only reason we do not have gun control resembling that in Maryland or the District of Columbia is state preemption, and the fact that the rest of Virginia is generally pro-gun. So, both open carry and pro-gun bumper stickers are like "poking the sleeping bear." I'd rather not rile up the antis.

That said, Virginia has permitless open carry and easy-to-get concealed carry licenses. (This is good, although I would like to have permitless concealed carry as well. Permit holders are tied to the police data base, and I'd rather not have them know that I might be carrying in case of a traffic stop, etc.)

Paradoxically, although people, at present, have the right to permitless open carry, they risk losing it if they open-carry too much or in the wrong places. This is political reality.

 

[Warp]

These threads amaze me. I find it distressing how may people are willing to forgo their 1st Amendment right to express their opinion because of imagined threats from low-life thugs or "activists".

What does this bode for the 2nd Amendment when it comes time to put up or shut up?

Well, the thing is, choosing not to put something on your vehicle is not forgoing your Right to free speech any more than I forgo my Right to keep and bear arms when I go swimming and don't carry a gun.

 

[acdodd]

Thereis a guy on Craigslist selling small sticker to put below your driverside window.
It says "Driver is Armed".
I think that is stupid.
I have only 1 sticker on my truck.
POW/MIA
As for giving up my 1st amendment rights because of some thug or anti I disagree.I'm not giving up anything.
I just choose not to and that is my 1st amendment right.
I don't walk through the hood after dark but I don't think of that as giving up my right to freely travel.
Why make yourself a target?

 

[Fiv3r]

These threads amaze me. I find it distressing how may people are willing to forgo their 1st Amendment right to express their opinion because of imagined threats from low-life thugs or "activists".

What does this bode for the 2nd Amendment when it comes time to put up or shut up?

Free speech works both ways. In addition to having the right to voice my opinions, I have the right to keep my thoughts to myself.

For me, I will certainly vote 2nd Amendment (as long as the rest of the candidate's platform is agreeable as well). However, I do not want to attract unwanted attention to myself. I'm not really worried about the flack it may cause nor am I really worried that a gun sticker would make my truck more likely to be broken in to. I simply don't like outward "communication" via bumper sticker.

I feel the same way about gun related bumper stickers as I do pretentious marathon stickers or "Bush Lied, People Died" ones or Honor Student ones or overly religious ones. White noise.

I have never been swayed, converted, or actively sought out a conversation with a driver due to a bumper sticker.

It's cool if someone else likes them, but I honestly just don't want all that gummy stuff stuck all over my truck.