From opencarry.org
http://www.opencarry.org/ct.html
The permit that Connecticut issues is a carry permit, not a concealed carry permit, so open carry IS legal with a permit.
It doesn't really matter whether or not he was concealed, but it was still stupid not to comply. Thats why he got arrested. The rest of the story just illustrates what happens when people who disagree with gun rights get a podium to speak. Are they wrong? I would venture to say all of us on this forum would think so, but there are plenty of others who disagree. When we do something stupid like fail to follow an LEO's orders when tensions are already high, we make anti-gun propaganda seem more reasonable to the general public who may or may not know any better.
Personally, I believe that when we have the right to arm ourselves per the 2nd Amendment and the privilege to carry through various laws - both of which people have fought hard to establish - we owe it to our fellow citizens to 1: Exercise our rights and 2: Be above reproach. We have some really great blessings in this country and we shouldn't take that for granted. Instead, we should be examples of law abiding citizens - not doormats, but people who observe and obey the law, vote, be outstanding citizens in our community, and hopefully role models for the next generation. We're doing great in the crime statistics area, but lets strive to live at the highest standards everywhere else, regardless of what media, politicians, etc. say or think.
In church, I often hear sayings like, "The church is just one generation away from being extinct."
I disagree with that statement, but that is a theological discussion for a different forum. However, I do think that is more applicable to the 2nd Amendment. One who enforces his/her concerns (in our case, Constitutional rights) by isolating, polarizing, and abrasively throwing them around in the faces of those who don't understand or have a strongly biased opinion, looks more like a spoiled child to those who don't "get it." And just like a spoiled child, nobody wants to be around that kind of person; nobody wants to listen to the complaints. The child's voice is slowly tuned out and made irrelevant.
I know I've gone off on a tangent here, but if we want to be treated with respect, we need to be worthy of respect - even if we aren't shown it by some people. In fact, there is nothing wrong with being respectful to those who disagree. Sadly, many people blindly accept blanket statements in the media or by people running for office, or simply just don't know how to truly look at statistics correctly. Respectful dialog, even if it doesn't immediately change one's views, goes a lot further than slanderous Facebook posts or venom spat at Liberals, for example. It gets people thinking, questioning, and processing through their own biased opinions (remember, we all are biased one way or another!).
I say that knowing that many, if not most of us seem to already get that. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, but I think this news article illustrates the tension about gun laws right now. I guess I'm just thinking as I write this how cool it would be if the gun owners and 2A supporters were the ones that lead the way in restoring civility.
