Is verbal disclosure you're carrying failure to conceal?

[atxgun]

I'm sure you would generally not have reason to do this but until I actually take the class my mind races with all kind of theoreticals.

The one scenario I could think of where you might do this is if you were at a party or something and group of people were discussing guns, CHL or similar topic. Of course if there was even one person around that seemed anti or I wasn't sure about it would be best to shut up about it. Considering everyone around was gun friendly though would informing them that you were carrying at that moment be a failure to conceal?

[AEA]

Technically........NO

Advisable..........NO

The fewer that know......the better.

[seamusTX]

Ditto. You can be an apostle to the unenlightened, and that is thoroughly admirable, but consider what happened to most of the original apostles.

- Jim

[Renegade]

Don't let the genie out of the bottle.

[atxgun]

Well I'm just glad that there's this internet forum where I can freely discuss related topics w/o fear of persecution.

[atxgun]

So I guess it's like "First rule of CHL... don't talk about CHL."

[AEA]

You can talk about it. You can discuss it's merits. You can denounce Anti's "Feel Good" Policies. But it is really best if you keep the fact that you are actually carrying to yourself until the time comes that you need to draw your weapon to save yourself or someone else.

If, during your discussions of the above, you happen to strike up a conversation with an individual that expresses their agreement with the 2nd Amendment and it's intended purpose correctly.....then you MIGHT decide to let them know that you are a pistol shooter and if they would like to go to a range and shoot with you sometime that they would be welcome. From that you could discuss the actual CHL and your carrying with that ONE individual at the proper time. I.E......Baby Steps......

Certainly not at a party with many different types of people who although they might say they go one way, they actually go the other after they leave and they would then know your "secret".

[Liberty]

Venuspax once put it so well.

She told us its like underware. Most of us just don't discuss it with our casual friends, and even among those we are close to we don't need to discuss whether we are actually wearing at the moment. Its personal.

Letting others know about it can and has got some of our donkeys bit.

[txinvestigator]

Opinions are like, well...............you know.

The fact is, telling someone you are carrying is not failure to conceal.

The advisibility of telling people is a matter of opinion and circumstance.

[seamusTX]

AEA said it well. In a one-to-one conversation, you know whom you are talking to and can guide the conversation accordingly.

In a group, you can't do that. It can go badly wrong in a workplace, and family gatherings are hardly less hazardous.

- Jim

[atxgun]

As a rule I generally try to avoid any talk of controversial personal choices at the work place. Politics, religion, etc. However there was one time when there were just a few of us hanging around the office after hours on a Friday. Somehow the conversation got on guns and after expressing an interest to the topic starter he offered to take me out shooting sometime. At that point I did disclose I owned, but I think it was a safe call even in retrospect. Heh someone else even talked about getting a semi rifle and converting it to fully automatic.

[Thane]

Had a friend yesterday (former boss) ask me if I was carrying at that moment (I was ). I grinned, and told him to guess, and that guess would be an answer to his question, but that I wouldn't guarantee it was the right answer. Needless to say, neither he nor anyone else around could figure out whether or not I was actually armed, although none of them acted like they had a problem with it.

I introduced him to pistol shooting a little while back (he wanted to learn), and that got him guessing. I wonder what he'd do or say if he found out he's never, not once, seen me unarmed?

I don't ever disclose to anyone outside family whether or not I'm armed at that moment. I'll freely discuss CHL issues, and am frank about having a CHL if I'm asked, but I leave folks wondering whether I'm carrying. My standard line is "Either I'm not, or I am and have it/them concealed properly. Take a guess, but I won't guarantee the answer one way or another." Most folks guess I'm not carrying, since they can't spot any bulge, print, or outline. I do nothing to disabuse that notion.

[atxgun]

I like your point of view, Thane, and think I will adopt a similar stance.

[frankie_the_yankee]

Opinions are like, well...............you know.

The fact is, telling someone you are carrying is not failure to conceal.

The advisibility of telling people is a matter of opinion and circumstance.

You nailed it.

[KBCraig]

"Intentionally fails to conceal" (UCW by a licensee) doesn't have any exceptions. If verbally disclosing that you're carrying was illegal, then telling a LEO during a traffic stop would be, legally speaking, exactly the same as walking into a party and announcing that you're carrying a concealed handgun.

The former is polite and recommended; the latter is clearly ill-advised. Neither is illegal.

I can just see a traffic stop:
"Here's my DL and CHL."
"Thank you, are you currently carrying a handgun?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that."
"*(un-)snap*... Please keep your hands in plain sight and step out of the car!"