Just some thoughts on having OC events:
Although I don't base the success of "my" OC events here in Colorado (or when I have done and still do them in NM) on the numbers of attendees (i.e., a 10 attendees event is more "successful" than a 4 attendees event), I will say that participation COULD here in CO be better -- but that could be said of other states, too, where there ARE a fair number of "unicorns" out there OC-ing, yet most of them don't attend OC events (even IF OC events ARE scheduled in their area...which is rare, sadly). Perhaps they don't read the online OC Forums so they don't KNOW of the scheduled events. But speaking about MY area here in Colorado Springs (and up to Denver) only, I post in 3 different forums here and there are maybe 200+ "reads" of said posts by the time of the OC event, so it seems plenty of people ARE aware of a particular scheduled OC event. Not EVERYONE is aware, but a good number are anyway.
I don't know why, but it is disappointing that we have x-number (who really knows how few or how many) of "lone wolves" out there OC-ing every day, yet we can't reach them (on whatever level). And there are MANY MORE people who CC.
Speaking of CC, and unlike most OC events I have seen earlier, I make it a point to invite CC-ers to "my" OC events -- in an effort to deal with (and hopefully overcome) the often adversarial relationship there is between CC-ers and OC-ers, mainly, CC-ers not approving of OC. IMO, that's because they "don't get it" (ignorance) probably because they haven't looked into it in any depth whatsoever. They just keep parroting what they're heard other CC-ers say about OC. So to me, the "educating" of the general public out there re: OC-ing ALSO needs to be applied to CC-ers! The two groups need to come together, not be drawn further apart. Consequently, CC-ers are invited to our OC events here in CO so we OC-ers can explain WHY we OC. In addition, they may not realize that most (if not all) of us also have CC permits -- so we at least DO have that in common -- we just choose to OC (for assorted reasons, which we CAN explain if CC-ers would come to our events). A few CC-ers HAVE come -- which has been great -- but since there are MANY MORE CC-ers than OC-ers out there, MANY MORE CC-ers should be attending (even outnumbering the OC-ers as there are way fewer of them to begin with).
Hopefully, the CC-ers who DO attend will then understand OC better and at least not be actively against it.
Rule # 1 is to CARRY -- however you do it, OC or CC -- we just want to explain why WE OC most of the time.
As I've told other OC-ers at these events, we who attend will continue to do our own "lone wolf" OC-ing out there as isolated individuals as per usual -- even without any organized OC events -- it's just that we think we should ALSO have events where we can meet each other...and discuss assorted topics related to "The Cause." For example, at a recent OC event I asked for info on which candidate is most supportive of the 2n Amendment/RKBA (as I am fairly new to the area) -- so I could use MY vote most effectively (we will attempt to dump our sorry anti-gun Democrat Governor Hicklenlooper this coming election). So I appreciate talking to & learning from other OC-ers who have been here longer (or even Colorado natives) about such matters at these OC events since without them I'd not be as knowledgeable of such things.
Perhaps most OC-ers simply don't see any value in OC get-together events, or perhaps CC-ers just don't care to meet OCers -- who knows. But certainly there COULD be MORE people attending. Still, I think it's worth the effort to TRY anyway.
Regardless, even a FEW of us at a local Denny's/IHOP or Village Inn (a nice chain restaurant only, TMK, in CO, NM & El Paso, TX) may be the FIRST time ANY of the other customers, staff & management have seen even 1 OC-er in their restaurant (OC-ers being the "unicorns" they of course) let alone several of them at the same time and in one place! And despite having "guys with scary guns" at a table or two -- with all the UNarmed & defenseless people in the place (customers/employees) -- NOTHING BAD HAPPENED! So in that sense, it's a success. So even if there are only a few of us there that day, there's still some D&E (Desensitizing & Education) goin' on regardless. At least IMO it's a success, since without the event it's most likely that ZERO OC-ers would have been there that day in that place (excluding any CC-ers present there as they'd have zero "D&E value" since no one could SEE their guns).
Whatever, when it comes to OC events, sometimes you just have to take "success" as it comes, even if in tiny doses, but it's still worth the effort.
And considering the alternative -- no one doing anything at all -- it sure is the better of the two.
;-)
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P.S. Reaching CC-ers is important in another way, too, especially here in Colorado: The City and County of Denver (arrogantly) exempted itself from its own Colorado State Constitution in that Denver City & County does NOT allow OC. So if people living in Denver want to carry, it MUST be CC. Consequently, any attempt to get Denver to obey said State Constitution and allow OC in the future will require a majority of the CC-ers of Denver to support such an effort. Most likely, they probably see no reason to do so as THEY don't (even if they wanted to) OC, so there is no reason for THEM to vote for any changes to the present anti-OC policy.
So maybe more so here in CO than in other states, it's important to bridge the gap between OC-ers & CC-ers so the two groups act as one politically (i.e., voting). Denver will have to be forced to allow OC (the courts so far are 50-50 in it, IIRC, so the status-quo remains) and that won't happen without the support of Denver CC-ers (however many there are...who knows). And if such an issue comes up to be decided by the voters, it's only residents of Denver who will be able to vote, not the rest of us outside Denver, so again, the CC-ers of Denver must be convinced things should change. If not, OC across ALL of Colorado -- including "special" Denver -- isn't likely to happen.
Yes, if we get a new Governor this coming election -- dump our present anti-gun Democrat Governor Hickenloooper -- THAT might help, but it remains to be seen.
