Open Carry Demonstration on Ohio State Campus
One week after an Attack that left 11 injured and one dead at OSU Campus a group of individuals have participated in an Open Carry Walk.
Independently organized by Jeffry Smith of Cincinnati, the goal according to one of the participants, Stephen Feltoon, is to educate individuals about concealed carry laws, especially on college campuses.
“We (meaning participants, this isn’t an organized group) invite discussion, debate, and dialogue. We also wanted to raise awareness that university students can legally open carry on campus but may gave disciplinary action, which is not fair.” Smith said to me.
The group which walked on campus for several hours today, turned heads with what many would consider “dangerous looking weapons.”
“Open carry is completely legal within the State of Ohio, including on public colleges and universities. Concealed carry, however, is illegal on all college campuses. Open carrying is a more effective way to get students and passersby to engage us in conversation; it’s more head-turning than a sign or a t-shirt. We would much rather have the right to carry concealed here.”
On the major challenges the Conceal Carry law faces and how it is seen as controversial, Smith said that education is key.
“The answer to both is education. Educating people on what is involved with getting a concealed carry license and that we’re normal people who just happen to carry a concealed weapon has been a major challenge. There’s controversy because a portion of society believes that guns are bad, period, and that comes from ignorance and a lack of education. Specifically, there is a lack of education about what getting a concealed carry license involves and, by and large, how law abiding licensees are.”
The group walked for 3.5 hours in total, giving breaks to allow people to chat with those interested. They carried a variety of firearms, according to Smith, mostly handguns and rifles.
“We don’t carry flags, don’t say ‘from my cold dead hands’ — We’re dressed like regular people because we are. I definitely think it [certain language] hurts the image of gun owners as “regular Joe’s.’ Emotional rhetoric only serves to alienate the other side.”
Bringing up the perceived disparity between appearing as ‘average joe’s’ while openly carrying handguns and rifles, Smith corrected me.
“But that’s part of the whole point. A firearm by itself is not dangerous. We’re trying to show that just because somebody is carrying a firearm does not make that person dangerous.”
There are no future events planned at the moment but with seven already in the books, Smith isn’t likely to stop organizing these walks.
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