Personal Defense TV gets it WRONG!

[Glockslinger]

Just caught the last installment of "Personal Defense TV" on the Sportsman Channel. The topic was concealed carry, and Jim Tarr was talking about his experiences carrying concealed in Michigan. He was talking about cover garments and how a light one might be blown by the wind exposing one's concealed firearm. While this isn't a good thing if you don't want to give away your "ace it the hole" element, Jim said something about such exposure being considered "brandishing," and could possibly land you in jail!

This is completely untrue. Michigan is an open carry state, so I'm allowed, with my permit, to carry openly just about anywhere, including those zones where concealed carry is not permitted. A hostered weapon cannot be "brandished" by definition, and our own state AG said as much in an opinion (which law enforcement treats as policy in the absence of statute). By the same token, if I have a permit, it doesn't negate my right to open carry; I'm not OBLIGATED to do so. It is always my choice. (Although without a CCW permit, the gun-free zones listed for concealed carriers are also off-limits to me. Open carry in those zones for permit holders is an odd but sensible quirk of Michigan law.)

Sorry Richard, Kyle and Jim, but maybe a correction is in order?

 

[s0nspark]

Given that the law (and the way it can get twisted in interpretation) varies drastically from place to place, maybe they were just trying to play it safe with their advice?

 

[Nightmare45]

Not true in Texas, but trying to play it safe.

 

[CapGun]

He was talking about CC in Michigan. He was talking about light concealment clothing. Was he talking about light concealment clothing while carrying in Michigan? That is my question and depending on the answer he may have not gotten anything wrong and YOU would still be correct about Michigan.
PA is also an open carry state but don't print or let your concealed weapon become visible to others in MA! That would get yo arrested.

 

[Glockslinger]

The reason I brought this up is because we hace a group here called "Michigan Open Carry." (Michigan Open Carry, Inc. | Nothing to hide!) Their mission is to make the public aware that open carry is legal and de-sensitize people to seeing guns around. Another aspect: protesting the high fees involved in getting a CPL in Michigan. It's not an easy job, since even some gun owners have some funny ideas about our gun laws. The media needs to take more care to pay attention to detail. I recently wrote a book on guns ("Knowing Guns," available at the usual online book purveyors), and the research took far longer than the actual writing. Writing a TV script is roughly the same, I imagine. We need to take care not to play fast n' loose with the facts.