Carrying while at work- first negative comment

[Audiosmith89]

Long time lurker first time poster out of the Detroit metro area. Garden City to be specific.

For some background I work at Dunhams sports and basically run the hunting department at my store. 90%+ of all firearm sales are done by me or have my input. I build most of our guns put them out tag them etc. Our store has always been OC friendly after I started there and talked to the managers about OC what it is and the legalities of it.

Now as I am sure everyone on here is aware Dunham's policy is managers discretion. We recently have gotten a new manager and on a run to the bank I asked her opinion on people open carrying in the store. She took it as me asking whether employees could open carry and gave her blessing for us and customers. Well that was all it took for me! I started carrying and have for a few shifts now. For the most part curious questions about why (because it is my legal right and I feel more comfortable with it) and what I carry(SAR B6P- an excellent CZ75 clone) . A couple compliments and a few tasteful jokes. (I am a big tall guy one older woman had made a kindly joking comment about how I didn't need the gun to not be bothered). But always good things and comments about how they feel safe and are glad to see someone who can handle a situation if it were to develop.

Well this all ended yesterday. As I was working at the register seeing just how low I could get a customers heavy bag stand down another customer came through the door. As we are ordered I greeted him and said if he needed anything to just let me know, and went back to the transaction I was working on. Customer #2 who had just came through the door walked over to where #1 and I were working on the price and pushes his way infront of #1 who is about 6'4'' and mid 50s. He then proceeds to explain the he is a "justice student"(still not exactly sure what that meant) and that while he knows we are an open carry state do I feel that is a good way to conduct business and is this really the first thing customers should see walking through the front doors. I asked him if he had any specific problem with the way I was carrying or my demeanor. "No but do you feel that this is the best way to conduct business walking around with a heater on your hip like you're some kind of pig" At this point I decided to break off for the moment and explained to him that I would be happy to help him with any questions he had about products after I was done taking care of customer #1 but that he needed to wait as I was the only person on the sales floor at the moment. He made a comment under his breath that I couldn't understand and said he needed shoes and I better be back there because he was "gonna tell me what's what since I'm in college as a justice student"

After he walked away I apologised to customer #1 for the disturbance and told him what the best price on the stand he wanted would be. His response was that he is an Ex police officer and likes the fact that I was carrying and that he felt safer knowing he was not the only one in the building carrying (he was CCing of course). He said that he is in full support of unlicensed OC and that more people should do it "damn what the ******* think". He also stated that our store has now gained a customer for life.

Customer#2 was so impatient that he just left making a few more snide comments about my appearance race and that "you just a wanna be rambo" on his way out. I tried to explain again that I was the only sales person on the floor at that time and could help him in about 35 seconds after I finished ringing up someone who was ready to make a purchase.

First negative issue with anyone anywhere while OCing. Sorry for any rambling walls of text. Please feel free to comment or recommend ways I could have handled it better. And I would love to answer any questions that I can.

[CV67PAT]

I am a "Justice student" also (whatever that is). You'd be amazed at the mentality of the students in the Law Enforcement program at the college I am attending. They all know what the law should be. But are clueless as to what it is. And not a single one I have encountered can identify any of the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution.

Thank you for joining MOC and helping us get the word out about 1) The lawfulness of OC and 2) That we are just normal people.

[Raggs]

WOW you can't fix stupid. If the guy had an issue I wish he would have stayed and voiced it to you in a professional manner.

[bigt8261]

Good story. Thanks for sharing.

They don't all go well, but sometimes one person acting dumb will show others, who may be on the fence, how reasonable you really are.

[CV67PAT]

WOW you can't fix stupid. If the guy had an issue I wish he would have stayed and voiced it to you in a professional manner.

That's for sure!

[SD40VE]

i have a feeling customer #2 was ignorant. i also have a few other feelings about him based on the comment she made and calling you a "pig" are referring to your pistol as a "heater"

i will keep those opinions to myself but its obvious hes a moron

[gryphon]

What I don't get is the "pig" comment since chances are anyone going into criminal justice is looking for a LEO career.

[jgillmanjr]

The term 'douchenozzle' comes to mind...

[SD40VE]

What I don't get is the "pig" comment since chances are anyone going into criminal justice is looking for a LEO career.

or they want to be a paralegal and get a low end job pushing papers for lawyers

[m.marino]

Given the statements i would bet that the person who tried to affront you did so with intent.  IS NOT a student in an LEO program and most likely is part of one or more of the Liberal movements to confront gun owners and those who exercise their rights to keep and bear arms.

Well done and carry on. Good example of some of the tactics that the left is starting to put forward against those who refuse to conform to what is "right" and proper in society.  Being polite and dealing with them as kindly as possible is the best solution in public. I would start watching for more of these tactics given that the left is losing ground heavily in many states on not only the civil right of the 2A but on others issues they are trying to force on society. -Michael

[Jeff]

I feel that you were able to conduct yourself properly for both parties.  As an employee you did your duty in helping out your first customer and acknowledged the other customer and informed him that you would assist him when you were finished.  As an Open Carrier, having just conducted yourself properly as a kind employee you were already doing the right thing.

We're always going to get those people who try to rattle us and make us feel bad for carrying a firearm but if we just remain calm and friendly, we win on many levels.

[Audiosmith89]

Thanks for all the kind words folks.

I honestly think he either is an anti looking for trouble. Or was looking to pull some crap in the store and my carrying spooked him.

Also if anyone is in the dearborn Westland area and comes in to my dunhams just mention you're a MOC member or OC in the store and I will hook you guys up. Im easy to find tall big and a big read beard. We are most definetly an OC friendly store.

again thanks for the kind words and reassurance as well as the excellent community here.

[SD40VE]

thank you for supporting what we are trying to accomplish here at MOC! Our leadership has been working hard to ensure we keep our OC rights