They're way overrated...imho, of course.Originally Posted by Guerrero
They're way overrated...imho, of course.
There's nothing civil about this war.
At work and the weekends? Jeans with cowboy boots or sneakers daily. No logos on my shirts of any kind. Ball cap with an actual ball team logo. No Oakley or Wiley X shades, just civilian looking Ray Bans.
We get issued the 5.11 pants, but I only wear them to work the range, or when we have some pre-planned enforcement activity that the boss wants to put on a show for the press.
I kind of wish I could pull off cargo pants. those 5.11 Stryke pants are comfy and practical, but they scream cop. I will wear them when I fly sometimes, just for the extra pockets.
I had a CI a few years back. He could pick out cops from 50 years. Some were obvious, others not so much. He told me one day to stop carrying two wallets. He had noticed my two wallets (one badge/creds, one regular) and said "everyone looks for that". I assume he meant all the felons and turds he hangs out with daily. He also made note of my car keys having a handcuff key on them. That guy was a life long career crook. I would think 90% of people are oblivious to what we wear. But there are actual serious crook who are watching for subtle details. (The other big tip off for me being a cop is typically being a white guy is some areas. You walk into some places and it really is the (record scratch sound), and everyone stops and stares at you....)
Last edited by Gadfly; 06-07-2018 at 02:09 PM.
“A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.” - Shane
Hell even I know that feeling.
Just last night I was getting dinner from this Caribbean Food chain to take home. Me and my family are almost always the only white folks there when we go in. Even walked in one day where there were two state troopers who happened to be black and I could just tell they were like “What’s this white boy doing up in here.”
But hey, I love Jerk Chicken.
“Conspiracy theories are just spoiler alerts these days.”
Curry goat for me.... and Oxtails... Mmmm.
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." - Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Constitution, Draft 1, 1776
@HCountyGuy, that Harris County Texas?
I have been into many a Chula's, Oystanaria Michoacan, Mambo's at 2 am and not felt too welcome. Of course, "El Corral" back in the old NW mall Parking lot was always a pleasure... And "El Bravo Disco" on S Gessner.
Good times.
I Spent Saturday night from about 10-p to 2am walking on foot in an apartment Complex @ Harwin and Westpark tool road. I felt soooo welcome and respected.
Last edited by Gadfly; 06-07-2018 at 02:44 PM.
“A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.” - Shane
Right county, wrong state. Harris County, GA.
You’ve likely heard of us from our Sheriff’s “Politically Incorrect” signs.
Though now I’m up just east of Atlanta.
“Conspiracy theories are just spoiler alerts these days.”
You know how I feel. I'm not quite sure what it is, if I did I would can it and sell it. It isn't anything I do purposely. My wife constantly tells me that everyone is scared of me especially the teenage boys in our large homeschool group. Apparently there is some sort of intensity I exude.
A good friend and shooting buddy around the time we first met asked me why I started carrying a gun. He is a retired cop. I thought the question a little odd and I asked him why he was asking. He said people usually have something happen in their life that prompts them to carry. My response was because I have been into guns since I was a little kid due to many of my relatives working in the old Winchester factory in New Haven, CT. He went on to say that I looked like the kind of guy that no one would mess with and that was why he asked.
Oh my god - THIS.
It's why I prefer plain black t-shirts, unbranded gear, and everything concealed. I don't wear badges, buttons, stickers for any cause anywhere, anytime. In doing so, I almost never have to engage in a conversation with someone about X, Y, Z.
Man, today was bench press day at the gym, so I ran this whole thing by my wife a couple of hours ago while we were warming up on the elliptical. I totally married up, especially on the people wisdom thing.
Her off-the-cuff response to my question about how she thinks people perceive me relative to tactical/non-tactical/attitude/whatever dress/bearing was: "Irrelevant. How people perceive anyone else has everything to do with them, their past experiences with other people, and their own perception biases, and not much at all to do with the people in front of them. You are correct that most won't recognize that stuff and keep their heads in their phones, because that's where their interest lies. You see all that warrior stuff because of your life experience, upbringing, and the fact that you're actually interested in looking for it. Everything to do with you, and not much to do with what clothes people are wearing. You've pointed out concealed weapons to me and the guy was just wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a plain t-shirt. So how people see you is going to be how they want to see you."
Roughly. I was torn between her response, the sound-muted martial arts vampire scene on Sci-Fi on the closest big screen, and not barfing up a lung. But I think she's right. In general, people only see what they look for and, especially, what they want to see. If you're all "grey man" and someone is specifically looking for that, they will see you. If someone has less than zero interest in *anything* tactical, then you can walk by them with a ranger up t and OC, and they probably won't notice. People in between will fall along some sort of continuum of awareness. I had it all backwards, IMHO.
I come at this from a different angle: In an international airport, the 5-11 and polo outfit screams 'Murican, and can draw the wrong sort of attention. Same in an international city, even where (without opening ones mouth) someone from the U.S. might blend in.
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