I believe that the average American does not think too much about guns in their daily lives. Some even own guns and generally support the 2A, but that is as far as it goes.
So when I hear people being freaked out about regular citizens owning certain types of guns, it gets me to wonder why. Furthermore when people in states that Open Carry is allowed are stopped by police, just because others see it and feel uncomfortable with it, it also makes you wonder why.
Heck one day on the forum I was reading where a gun owner said he would call the police if he saw someone doing OC even though it was legal, though not a common site. When I asked him why, he replied that "it seemed strange to him, and why not have the guy checked out, just to be safe".
If the guys who are supposedly on our side feel that way, just imagine how the typical person would feel.
It was not all that long ago that I was not a big fan of Open Carry though I was not opposed to it.
Where I live OC is not an option, but Concealed Carry is. So while I still personally prefer CC to OC, I am thinking we should fight for more OC options for the following reason.
The word is desensitizing.
I will give two examples of how American culture has been changed (for better or worse is not to be debated here) through desensitization.
Not all that long ago inter-racial dating and marriage was frowned upon by almost everyone except extreme liberals. However Hollywood started in with depictions of it in movies[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner], and the Star Trek episode with Kirk & Uhura kissing.
People were outraged and sickened by it, and protested/boycotted TV stations if they dared to air it. Yet over time Hollywood has gone out of their way to promote it in movies, TV series, advertising, etc. That combined with inter-racial couples now commonly walking around in public has caused a shift in public outrage. So even those who still do not want their own children to date someone of a different race are desensitized to it in general.
The current social issue promoted by liberals is homosexuality. For at least the last 10 years or so Hollywood has gone out of their way to promote as normal homosexuals and their lifestyle. When it first started people were outraged/sickened, and did the same thing by protest/boycott.
However now days there are several mainsteam shows that not only imply homosexual behavior, but promote it as the norm, including adoption and marriage.
My point is that intentional desensitization does work to change peoples minds whether they like it or not. Even if they still hold true to their core beliefs such as opposition to inter-racial or homosexual couples, they are much less likely to be an activist against it. Whether it is apathy/ambivalence or something else, most people do not protest/boycott like they use to on those two social issues.
Ergo, if more law abiding citizens were to OC in everyday life and routine activities, the anti's would become desensitized, and less vocal in their opposition. The regular people would also not be "freaked out by evil guns" because their exposure would by much greater. They would also start to see that non LEO's can legally and responsibly carry firearms without anyone being harmed as a result.
I also think that TV shows like Top Shot and others showing gun competitions, collecting, etc. is good for this purpose.
So I am curious about what others think of this. While I have no issue with others bringing up different examples of where social engineering has occurred to desensitize the populace, please do not debate the merits of those examples.
Instead just use them as a means to bolster or debunk the thought of how desensitization might help us win the hearts and minds of those who otherwise feel uncomfortable around firearms.
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So when I hear people being freaked out about regular citizens owning certain types of guns, it gets me to wonder why. Furthermore when people in states that Open Carry is allowed are stopped by police, just because others see it and feel uncomfortable with it, it also makes you wonder why.
Heck one day on the forum I was reading where a gun owner said he would call the police if he saw someone doing OC even though it was legal, though not a common site. When I asked him why, he replied that "it seemed strange to him, and why not have the guy checked out, just to be safe".
If the guys who are supposedly on our side feel that way, just imagine how the typical person would feel.
It was not all that long ago that I was not a big fan of Open Carry though I was not opposed to it.
Where I live OC is not an option, but Concealed Carry is. So while I still personally prefer CC to OC, I am thinking we should fight for more OC options for the following reason.
The word is desensitizing.
I will give two examples of how American culture has been changed (for better or worse is not to be debated here) through desensitization.
Not all that long ago inter-racial dating and marriage was frowned upon by almost everyone except extreme liberals. However Hollywood started in with depictions of it in movies[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner], and the Star Trek episode with Kirk & Uhura kissing.
People were outraged and sickened by it, and protested/boycotted TV stations if they dared to air it. Yet over time Hollywood has gone out of their way to promote it in movies, TV series, advertising, etc. That combined with inter-racial couples now commonly walking around in public has caused a shift in public outrage. So even those who still do not want their own children to date someone of a different race are desensitized to it in general.
The current social issue promoted by liberals is homosexuality. For at least the last 10 years or so Hollywood has gone out of their way to promote as normal homosexuals and their lifestyle. When it first started people were outraged/sickened, and did the same thing by protest/boycott.
However now days there are several mainsteam shows that not only imply homosexual behavior, but promote it as the norm, including adoption and marriage.
My point is that intentional desensitization does work to change peoples minds whether they like it or not. Even if they still hold true to their core beliefs such as opposition to inter-racial or homosexual couples, they are much less likely to be an activist against it. Whether it is apathy/ambivalence or something else, most people do not protest/boycott like they use to on those two social issues.
Ergo, if more law abiding citizens were to OC in everyday life and routine activities, the anti's would become desensitized, and less vocal in their opposition. The regular people would also not be "freaked out by evil guns" because their exposure would by much greater. They would also start to see that non LEO's can legally and responsibly carry firearms without anyone being harmed as a result.
I also think that TV shows like Top Shot and others showing gun competitions, collecting, etc. is good for this purpose.
So I am curious about what others think of this. While I have no issue with others bringing up different examples of where social engineering has occurred to desensitize the populace, please do not debate the merits of those examples.
Instead just use them as a means to bolster or debunk the thought of how desensitization might help us win the hearts and minds of those who otherwise feel uncomfortable around firearms.
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