Posted by NCWayne on March 04, 2015 at 22:47:32 from (173.188.169.54):
I just read Bryce's post below about carrying a sheath knife while going about his daily business.
As someone who open carries a pistol everywhere I legally can, I have to admit it was an interesting thread. Two things I noticed throughout the thread were that, one the legality of it was barely touched on, and two the knife was constantly thought of as more of a weapon than a tool.
These two things concern me as the thought process behind both ideas is disturbing. I say that because that way of thinking is part of what has allowed so many of our rights to be slowly eroded away.
On the knife front, when I am working I have carried a Buck 112, in a belt sheath, for nearly 18 years. I also have a larger 110, that I could carry, but it's just too big to use for the things I use it for. Before that, growing up, I carried a three bladed, Old Timer, pocket knife, that was given to me by my Grandparents when I was around 10 years old. I just turned 47 and I still carry it when I dress up to go out.
To me a knife has never been anything but a tool, so I rarely go anywhere without one on me somewhere. Yes, any knife can be used as a weapon, just as a ball bat, a ring of keys, or nearly any other object can given a little thought, but until it's actually NEEDED as a weapon, it's still nothing more than a tool. Personally I have NEVER really 'thought' of my knife as a weapon, to me it's a multi-use tool, nothing more.
Typically the people who look at a knife as a weapon are going to be either those trained to use one as such((( and are in a situation where it probably will be used as one))), or those that simply don't like knives and view anything they don't like as somehow 'evil' and have a need to demonize it as a weapon to justify their feelings.
In any case a knife, regardless of how big it is, or how it's carried, is nothing to freak out over.....unless it's being pulled on them. Anyone who does freak out over a knife in a sheath, regardless of size, in my opinion, has some unresolved fear issues, or something,and could avail themselves of some counseling.....
My second concern ties in with the first in that IF carrying a knife, of whatever style, is legal, then WHY NOT carry it. The way I look at the situation is the same way I look at open carrying my pistol. We have so many rights being literally taken away from us every day, and by not utilizing a right that hasn't been taken away, you are in effect freely giving up that right without a fight. So, when someone decides to actually take it, you have absolutely nothing to lose, nor to fuss about.
The funny thing is that many of the rights that are being taken are done so because too many people's main view on things like knives and guns comes from the criminals they see on TV, as well as the too frequent IDIOT who makes the news by being stupid...... NOT from the use of either tool by responsible, honest, hard working folks.
If those same honest, hard working folks do not exercise their rights, and give the masses a positive role model to base their thoughts and feelings on, then the criminals and idiots win. By win, I mean that the tools/objects are only seen in a bad light, and that's the first step in the right to that tool to be taken away at some future time.
For anyone that thinks otherwise, just look at what has happened to our 2A in the past few years due to several mass shootings by deranged criminals. Too, look at what happened to airplanes, and the ability to carry something as simple as a pocket knife, nail clippers, etc, on board after 9/11. I could name other examples, but these are two prominent ones where the use of a tool by a criminal put an 'evil' façade onto objects that are nothing but objects, until used by human hands.
I know that was a bit long, but hopefully I have made my point on someone's ability to legally carry a tool, regardless of what it is, without being demonized simply because it's something that some other person doesn't like, wouldn't do themselves, or whatever.
As far as those that commented on staying out of areas where you might need a weapon, I'll say this. "That area" can be anywhere, and it can happen at any time, and you never know who might create the need for you to have a tool you can use as a weapon.
"That area", "that time", and "that person", came about for me March of last year. I don't know if any of ya'll remember me talking about the 20 something kid who I had taken under my wing and was helping out....heck, all but considered a son at one point. If you don't, long story short, two years into the friendship he got extremely self centered, and arrogant, and wound up doing me, my family, and several of my friends wrong.
Part of helping him had been letting him use my trailer. When things got BAD, I went to get my trailer back. We had words, and that was it between the two of us, and we parted. However when I began talking to his Mom and Stepdad, who he was also doing wrong, and airing his dirty laundry, he got upset, and went for a gun. Thankfully I had somewhat foreseen the possibility of that happening...didn't think it would, hoped it wouldn't....but it did.....so I had a pistol lying in my truck. The fact that I came out with mine, and told him that what he was doing WAS NOT a good idea, and that I WOULD drop him where he stood (((and he knew I could do it))) is the only thing that kept the situation from going any further than it did.... He still went around bragging to others that he had run me off with his gun, which is the very attitude that cause him to pull on me in the first place.
From that point on, I am rarely out of reach of my pistol. If I can carry open, I do, if concealed is more convenient, or appropriate, then I have a CC permit also. The way I see it, if someone who I considered to be a friend can pull a gun on me, in his Mom's front yard, over something as simple as me talking to his parents, then I hate to see what happens when a 'true criminal' decides to do something.
Another thing I have to think about is that I work alone a lot. Just like the other night I went out on an after hours, welding repair, to insure a customer had their machine to use the next morning. Here I am the only one on a construction site in Charlotte, and am there from around 6PM until nearly 11PM. Thing is when I am alone like that, and have my service truck with me, I am easily sitting on nearly $200,000 worth of truck and tools. Most places that are moving around that amount of money, or goods, are going to have an armed guard......It stands to reason when I am the only thing between a criminal and $200,000, it just might be a good idea to be able to do more to protect myself, and my livelihood, than just being able to say "stop thief"....
Like I said before, when the public has nothing but bad examples to base their thoughts and opinions on, our rights tend to get revoked. Give them some positive role models to base their opinions on and, who knows, maybe they'll begin to see the 'tools' as what they are, and not just 'evil', weapons that need to be gotten rid of.
In conclusion, I've been open carrying for right at a year so far. In my experience it's been a really good thing. You'd be surprised how many people simply don't pay attention and never even realize your carrying, unless its something 'flashy and in your face'. I doubt that 8 out of 10 would even notice a knife in a belt sheath....unless they were really looking for one..... For those that do notice my pistol, I've gotten to talk to some who were simply gun lovers, as well as those that had made assumptions about the 'evil' weapons because that's all they had ever been shown and/or told to believe. As a responsible, honest, hard working gun owner, I saw it as a privilege to have a chance to set the record straight when the questions start. It's amazing how little the average person knows when it comes to guns in general, much less gun laws, etc, etc. I've even got to educate two young guys up here from Peru(customers oldest son and nephew) and allow them to shoot both a rife and a pistol for the first time. Now that was a fun day.
Like I said, regardless of what your carrying, if it's legal to carry, and you do so in a responsible manner, there's no reason anyone should have a problem with it....but if you don't, your doing nothing but playing into the hands of those that don't want you to have that right, and freely giving it up without even a whimper.....
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