Zero permits.
On that we agree.
I believe that open carry helps to anesthetize the public at large to the "act" of carrying a firearm. The more they see it and recognize that the presence of a firearm does not ultimately translate into a violent outburst or murderous rampage, the better for all involved - concealed and open-carry advocates.
For myself and many others (not all, but many) we would much rather exercise our right out in the open so that we may discover who our friends and allies truly are.
By concealing you may carry into a restaurant which does not like guns but has not implemented a policy against them. As an open carrier I see it as forcing them to decide between having a successful business venture in a time of economic uncertainty or turning away potential revenue.
I do not want to support businesses which do not support freedom.
On the other side of that coin, I support your desire and disposition towards conceal carry because that, too, is your "right" in my eyes, despite the opinion of the GA to the contrary. All too often I see vociferous supporters of conceal carry over open carry because they do not want guns out in plain view, citing unsubstantiated fears that a BG will target them first if they know they are carrying.
BGs are generally a cowardly lot.
My point is (if you're still reading after all that) that I support the rights of citizens to carry however they want. A conceal carrier does not have to worry, generally about being asked to leave a restaurant/store/venue because they do not expose themselves to scrutiny. It is much easier to perform an act when you are mostly sure that no one will harass, accost or otherwise inconvenience you. There is no risk and, essentially, no consequence.
If an open carrier "ruins" it for you, was the business really worth patronizing in the first place? I do not think so, but it seems (emphasis: seems) that you would fault the open carrier for closing a door when, in fact, he has exposed a charlatan.
In more than one instance I know of personally (and have been involved) a business put up "gunbuster" signs. When approached rationally and reasonably they recognized the fundamental fallacy in their logic and recanted.
Sometimes it doesn't work. Then we go somewhere else. Lots of places love to have us.
Regardless, it seems to me that a great many proponents of conceal-carry would not step to the plate if open carry was threatened legislatively, whereas open carriers seem to be more broad-spectrum liberty-minded, choosing to exercise their rights without a permission slip - and would support CONSTITUTIONAL carry as the proper solution, allowing the citizen to choose and not having one type of carry enjoy certain "special" status over another, the dreaded "Perks 4 Permits".
Regards.
