Xequecal wrote:
Open carry makes people uncomfortable because it reminds them of their own mortality. They see the gun, they know that person can end their existence in a few seconds if they feel like it. Of course, the kind of person that would do that is just going to ignore gun control laws anyway, but at least if you don't have to see the gun, you don't have to be reminded of this fact constantly.
In addition, it starts making one wonder exactly what this guy feels the need to defend himself from, and how they personally are powerless against it. IMHO, the "only a violent/immoral person would carry a gun" is actually a defense mechanism so they don't have to think about this. "There's nothing to worry about, that guy is just paranoid."
You've got it backwards. The "only a violent person/that guy is paranoid" thing is what drives discomfort at seeing a gun, plus years and years of it being ingrained that only uniformed people carry them openly. Even plainclothes cops don't carry openly.
As for reminding them of their own mortality, let's stay away from the amateur psychoanalysis.