Woman totes gun; everyone acts shocked

At one time, I may have been astounded to see a civilian carrying a pistol in the open. I've lived in incorporated cities my whole life, and guns are often viewed differently in urban areas than in the countryside.

But a 30-year-old mother of 4 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, has now elicited condemnation from folks on both sides of the political spectrum for her decision to openly carry a pistol on her hip almost everywhere she goes.

Clearly, her behavior isn't illegal - at least not in that area. But some seem to be frightened by it.

From what I can gather, it's much ado about nothing. I almost never see civilians openly carrying firearms, but I've seen it before.

About 5 years ago, I was biking through downtown Cincinnati, and I happened to zip past a heavyset, bespectacled man who was about 40 who had a pistol in a holster clearly visible on his hip. I assume he wasn't a cop, for he wore no uniform. (If he was undercover, he was doing a shitty job of it.) And there were people all around - children and adults alike - as this was the downtown of a major city.

Why did this open display of a gun in a large city generate no controversy, while carrying a firearm in a small town has become a national news story?

I think it's a simple double standard.

I've never met the Pennsylvania woman, so I can't judge if my impression from media reports is accurate. I haven't seen the Cincinnati man more than once, so I can't fairly judge him either. But it appears that the Pennsylvania woman has more of an assertive personality and is more willing to stand up for her rights. Odds are that the Cincinnati man is more of a follower of the system and doesn't like to make waves. This personality type seems more common in today's lockstep society, so it's reasonable to suspect such.

Here's an analogy: If I was caught carrying even a nail in my pocket, I'd probably be interrogated endlessly and forever branded as some sort of dangerous maniac. But if the guy I went to school with who was really rules-oriented and is now a financially secure office manager carried a gun, authorities would probably never bat an eye at him.

I could be wrong, but it does appear to be a double standard. So you can't judge until you know more facts.

(Source: http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081212_Gun-toting_woman_divides_community.html)