By Skip Coryell,
Okay, open carriers. Here’s the scenario.
There’s just been a cyber- terrorist attack on the nation’s power grid, and a cascading power failure ensues.
Eventually every toaster, light bulb and television set goes dark and powerless, leaving the world without Twitter, Facebook and cable TV. What a dark and nasty world that would be. But that’s exactly what happens in my novel ‘The God Virus‘ .
That thin veneer of civilization is stripped away and the demons of a million souls are set loose on an unsuspecting and unprepared humanity. Well, I guess that’s a worst-case scenario. I suspect that most open carriers would be more prepared than the general population, and here’s why.
Because we open carry as a way of life, we already move and live in a world of heightened awareness. We know that at any moment in time Johnny Badguy can pop up out of the woodwork and do his darndest to put us under. But as an open carrier, you see him coming, pull your favorite firearm and double-tap center of bad-guy-exposed-mass (before most people can clear leather) to remove him from the gene pool and keep your family safe. Happy ending to a scary story.
Isn’t it nice to know your draw is quicker than most, because you don’t have to worry about first clearing that bulky clothing? When I teach my advanced concealed carry classes, I routinely watch shooters struggle with clearing the vest or jacket or shirt while drawing. It slows them down and even adds an element of danger. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched people try to re-holster their pistol with nylon or cotton fabric shoved into the holster. It just gums up the whole works and breaks your rhythm.
In today’s politically correct and “proper” world, sometimes open carriers are frowned upon by others in the gun community. We are sometimes referred to as “the rebels of the gun world.” In a post-apocalyptic world, all that political and useless BS would go away. There would only be two categories of people: those with a pulse and those without. Not only can I live with that rebellious label, but I can also wear it like a badge of honor.
In the post-apocalyptic world, after the Shit Hits the Fan (SHTF) society would cease to function as we know it. The world would suddenly revert to its natural state. (If you haven’t already, I recommend reading James Wesley Rawles’ book How to Survive the End of the World as we Know it . )
Preppers commonly refer to that as TEOTWAWKI.) In the world of TEOTWAWKI, very few people would bother to carry concealed. What for? It would serve no useful purpose. Let’s face it, the only reason people bother to cover up their gun in today’s world is so we don’t scare the sheep.
In my book Blood in the Streets: Concealed Carry and the OK Corral I make this statement:
“Sheep are born and bred for one purpose: to be killed and to have their parts processed into something useful by predators. They stand on the hill and go “Baa”, as they’re being slaughtered.”
If open carriers are sheep, then Justin Bieber’s a cigar-smoking body builder.
When the SHTF you don’t want that gun covered up. You want it accessible and flaunted out front as the mother of all deterrents. In all honesty, anyone with a lick of brains will not only be openly carrying their pistols, but they’ll also be carrying their favorite shotgun or home defense rifle. Now that’s the ultimate in open carry. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, open carry would become the norm, and concealed carry would go the way of all things electric.
However, probably the one trait open carriers possess above all others that would enable them to survive in the post-apocalyptic world is this: Many open carriers just don’t give a damn what other people think about them. They tend to do what’s right regardless of the judgment of others.
That in itself is a very freeing benefit. Open carriers would no longer be stopped by police simply because “they were carrying,” because there would be no police. It would be law of the jungle and the rule of tooth, fang and claw. In a wild world of survival of the fittest, open carriers would survive; no, more than that; they would thrive and move to the top of the food chain, helping others in their community to adapt to the brutal changes of this new life.
Hmm, is that a comforting thought, that we would survive and thrive in a world where good and evil battle for control on a daily basis? Perhaps, to some, it’s not much of a consolation being the most prepared for the end of the world as we know it. But then again … it sure beats being a sheep. And next time … we talk about Zombies! (Yes, that was a joke.) In the meantime, carry safe and carry often.
Skip Coryell is the founder of The Second Amendment March, a Marine Corps veteran, and the President of White Feather Press. He is an avid hunter and sportsman and a graduate of Cornerstone University. For more details on Skip Coryell, or to contact him personally, go to his website at www.skipcoryell.com . Buy Skip’s latest book The Shadow Militia at amazon.com.