If People are Going to Open Carry Firearms - At Least Have a Sense of Humor

Yesterday I was at work and a customer came in - typical day. What made this customer slightly different than the norm was that he was open carrying a side arm. He respectfully asked when he came in and I greeted him whether or not I had a problem with him being armed inside my business.

Of course, being the person I am I looked him dead in the eye and seriously responded to the respectful inquiry that I have no problem with it whatsoever.

I allowed a moment or two pause - then made a joke. I said, well, unless your planning on shooting me! And I laughed. (I'm quite light hearted and I thought it was funny anyway) most people would have taken this to be humorous, and made some witty comeback. This man did not, he rolled his eyes and turned away a second, then said "No I'm not going to shoot you." As if I had been serious or something.

So then I showed him the items he came looking for and when it came to price he wanted to haggle, so I took him to the bosses office and after discussing price my boss said we would be willing to come down on the price and told him by how much - then he said, "But it's only because your armed." And my boss broke out in laughter - He found himself just as funny and witty and I had earlier thought myself to be. That is the kind of company I work for, we joke a lot and have some measure of fun, we don't take very much too seriously.

So this man again seemed to roll his eyes and puff out his chest and went into this " I am a law abiding citizen" etc etc spiel. And I couldn't help but think... God - we were only JOKING!

So... if your planning on open carrying a firearm this year... get a grip - and some wit. Try to be funny if the people around you are laughing and cracking jokes.

I mean, for goodness sake he could have said something witty back like my smith and wesson is worth at least another dollar off! But NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... Mr. Serious came knocking.... again... just get some wit people!

Because I'll be honest, I would trust a happy witty laughing person with a gun faster than I would trust someone completely devoid of humor.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

You do realize the hostile environment that gun owners are having to put up with right?

I thought what you said was funny, and personally if it was me I would have joked or laughed right with you. But then again, he didn't know your intentions. Perhaps what if he jokingly said back to you, "Oh yea, your right, I am going to shoot you!". In todays rabid environment against gun owners, it would have been easy for someone (not you) in your same position to call the police and say he threatened to shoot you.

I wouldn't take it personal. Like I said, law abiding gun owners are having the police called on them for.........well, just legally carrying a weapon.

Saying

my smith and wesson is worth at least another dollar off!

Could have been taken as a threat!

I understand what your trying to say, but you gotta remember all the crap that guy is getting elsewhere.

ETA: Seeker beat me to it and said it better

a reply to: seeker1963

To me, gun owners - while I agree get some measure of flak - should feel out the environment and respond accordingly. The first comment sure he could have just brushed off and said yeah, funny - but no... but at one point when no one there cares and everyone is joking... just think of something witty.

If the people saying it were not laughing, I could understand. But the laughing is key to the convo. It means its time to be lighthearted a bit.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

The problem is that in this current climate, much hostility runs towards anyone with a firearm.

I agree that the guy should have lightened up, but not all people have a sense of humor.

Whenever I run into a person(s) like that, or rude drivers, I just tell myself that the poor person has hemorrhoids and can't help it.

a reply to: beezzer

lol....

In a situation like this, its probably because he is just tired of the comments. Yeah, your only joking but so are the hundreds of other people that are just joking. He has most likely herd all the jokes over and over and after a while it just gets old. In his situation though he should be expected to put up with the jokes if he is going to carry like that and draw that kind of attention.

I used to have a lot of piercings and I was the same way. After hearing OVER and OVER "Did that hurt?" I just wanted to punch people in the face. Yes it hurt, I put a hole in my body with a sharp object, it's common freaking sense. It's his own fault just as it was my own fault. I always put on the fake smile and just laughed it off just as he should.

Moral of the story, if your gonna do dumb crap like that, don't be a a-hole about it when your called out on it.

True, but he doesn't know you and he certainly didn't know your intentions.

People get set up all the time.

Like I said, if it would have been me, I would have laughed and joked back at ya!

a reply to: OpinionatedB


i wish guns never existed and swords and bows were still weopons of mass murder, lot simpler:|

I have the same sense of humor. I would've just joked right back and said "yeah, It doesn't matter how much you take off the price because I'm going to rob you anyways" lol. Some people are just more uptight than others. I'd pay no mind to it. We have to have a sense of humor or else we're doomed.

a reply to: DocMartigann

Swords are cool. My husband is a sword collector too.

Having worked in retail for years you get to know that some people are deficient in the humour department and wouldn't know a joke if it ran up to them and danced on top of their head, probably the best you could of done is offered him a few bucks off if he shot anyone raiding your place while he's there as it would save you in ammo costs

a reply to: SgtHamsandwich

Thats true.

My state is extremely lenient on gun carrying. Both concealed carry and open carry are quite legal, and to be honest I am one of the only people I know who does not own a gun at current moment, and most people I know either open carry or conceal carry so to me, its really not that unusual someone carrying a firearm.

If it weren't the firearm jokes, it would have been jokes about something else. But that's just me.

People who advertise the fact they are armed when there is no need or reason are the people who really worry me. There is no UPSIDE to what he did. Only DOWNSIDE...yet he did it anyway.

I have to put myself in that position for a moment..and what would I personally gain by announcing myself as armed like that in a store or business where no signs made an issue of it? ..... ...... ...... the only thing to come to mind is a sense of SELF-Importance by putting others on a defensive or at some unease.

Does he announce the same way in a pawn shop where half the store is openly carrying on their hip? I'll bet the thought never even crosses his mind to make an issue of being armed in that setting (He might see it go real badly...in fact).

It's just my two cents but exercising our rights OVER other people or in their face is how even I lose all respect for some fellow citizens who happen to own guns. It doesn't make them safe or intelligent. It just makes them armed.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

as to not get off topic i wont ask what he has, but i will.... U2u me if you want otherwise...... I have one lelgit sword a cool machette and sever full tang dagger like blades made by reputible bladesmithes any way real swords are buetifull......kind of like when you watch your first born come into the world, although less blood

a reply to: OpinionatedB

While I always appreciate a good sense of humor and would have probably responded in kind if I were doing such, I think this guy was just out to make a point and set out with no humor on his mind at all.

I have recently noticed that I laugh at my own jokes/snarky remarks after I say them to others because people have a tendency recently to take offense at them. It's like they have forgotten who I am or take life entirely to seriously. And I'm laughing/chuckling at the end of said remark to let them know that it is light hearted.

A simple light hearted remark has led to an heated discussion all to often recently. When some one takes humor in a serious manner, I look them in in the eye and tell them to, "Lighten up, Sparky!"

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: OpinionatedB

The problem is that in this current climate, much hostility runs towards anyone with a firearm.

I agree that the guy should have lightened up, but not all people have a sense of humor.

Whenever I run into a person(s) like that, or rude drivers, I just tell myself that the poor person has hemorrhoids and can't help it.

You know... some of those guys really do act like they have hemorrhoids or like they have a stick up their butt. It's making me wonder just exactly where they've been concealing these guns.

originally posted by: Wrabbit2000
People who advertise the fact they are armed when there is no need or reason are the people who really worry me. There is no UPSIDE to what he did. Only DOWNSIDE...yet he did it anyway.

I have to put myself in that position for a moment..and what would I personally gain by announcing myself as armed like that in a store or business where no signs made an issue of it? ..... ...... ...... the only thing to come to mind is a sense of SELF-Importance by putting others on a defensive or at some unease.

Does he announce the same way in a pawn shop where half the store is openly carrying on their hip? I'll bet the thought never even crosses his mind to make an issue of being armed in that setting (He might see it go real badly...in fact).

It's just my two cents but exercising our rights OVER other people or in their face is how even I lose all respect for some fellow citizens who happen to own guns. It doesn't make them safe or intelligent. It just makes them armed.

Just because he asked if it was ok to be armed does not mean he has a sense of self importance! Its more likely he's been pulled on it before so now he asks if they mind him being armed. Possible?

I didnt find any of it funny.

Everyone should lighten up but thats a challenge when they have a device right next to their hand that can kill you almost instantly and they dont even need to be close to you.

What if he diid take offense, pretended to be okay with you and then follow to your car later and murder you?

People who carry guns are not to be trifled with in my opinion. Because if they have it and are showing it off, they are obviously capable of using it. I know how to fight with my hands, but i dont advertise that fact.

They purposely want to intimidate everyone to feel safe, which means they are insecure.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

Why should he have to ask? He has a permit to legally carry. End of story.
What he should be concerned with is the number of police officers who might look at his firearm and take it wrong. Sometimes they don't give a person time to explain...hey it's legal and I have a permit...before BANG Lets talk about it over a body.