Reply #63: The definitive reason why open carry is a bad idea.

[Atypical Liberal]

Look, I am as pro-2nd-amendment as anyone. But this is pretty much the definitive reason why open carry is a bad idea. It incites panic.

Look, when you see someone walking through the mall with a rifle, there is no way to know if this is someone about to shoot up the mall or someone just exercising their right to open carry.

So the only prudent thing to do at that point is call the police. Because if you didn't, and it turned out this was another deranged lunatic, then what?

So now the police resources get wasted responding to people just walking around with a firearm. It most certainly is a public disturbance.

Open carry just causes way more problems than it solves. If you want to carry a firearm, carry concealed.