Signalling Your Intent

There’s an interesting quote in this article by John Farnam on open carry:

“Security discussed is security compromised.”

As he sees it, a defensive firearm in plain sight is a firearm that is not as effective as it could be in deterring an attack, as the bad guy can see it and work up a plan to deal with it.

Part of the problem with open carry as a deterrent is that it assumes the bad guys have the same attitude towards guns that we do. That “I Don’t Dial 911, I Dial .357” sign in your front yard isn’t a deterrent. Rather, it tells the bad guy that there is something he really, really wants inside your house, and that while the risk might be slightly greater, the reward goes off the charts.

Security discussed is security compromised.

I don’t talk a lot about guns on my personal Facebook page, and I don’t talk about my vacations while I’m outside of my home. I don’t brag about my gun collection. My gun is 100 percent out of sight when I leave the house. I don’t have obvious gun company stickers on my car. I’ve acquired a lot of gun company logo apparel over the years, I wear practically none of it outside the house. Thanks to me advertised my training services, the people in my community already know I’m “that gun guy.” I see little reason to advertise beyond that.

Security discussed is security compromised.