Michigan Open Carry, Inc.

MOC was formed as a Michigan non-profit organization in March of 2009. MOC was formed out of the Michigan Forum on opencarry.org (OCDO). OCDO was started by John Pierce and Mike Stollenwerk in 2004. These men are responsible for revitalizing the growing practice of the open carry of a handgun. Michigan is one of the fastest growing states in regards to the practice of open carrying a handgun.

44 States allow some type of Open Carry of a handgun. 6 States ban open carry. Most bans were enacted during or after reformation, to bar freed slaves from carrying weapons. Four states have petitions to rescind this ban.

The open carry movement is growing in the U.S., much like the Concealed carry movement has in the last 10 years. Time and time again citizens have shown to be responsible when carrying a firearm. Studies by John Lott and Howard Nemerov and others have shown that lawful firearm owners are less likely to commit any kind of crime let alone a violent one.

• To educate and desensitize the public and members of the law enforcement community about the legality of the open carry of a handgun in public.
• To exercise a natural right to self defense using the most efficient and common tool, a handgun.
• To demonstrate to the public at large that gun owners are one of the most lawful segments of society and they have nothing to fear from the lawful carry of a firearm.
• To protect our right to self-defense.

• To distribute information via email, mail, telephone and in person to local law enforcement agencies.
• To have periodic and informal gatherings in public places throughout the state while open carrying our handguns.
• To contact the media, conduct interviews, relate pertinent information on the internet, write articles and letters to the editors all on the legality of open carry.
• To participate in larger public events, festivals, car shows, etc., and staff an information booth about open carry.
• To stay informed of and act against infringing legislation.
• To always be ambassadors of good will in regards to the safe and lawful carry of a firearm.

It’s true that open carry has many advantages: a faster draw, a larger caliber handgun and greater round capacity; sure it’s been show to deter crime, and it is immensely more comfortable to carry in warm weather, but it is much more than that.

Open carry brings gun ownership out of the closet. It shows your friends and neighbors, your state and your country that you are not afraid of taking on the responsibility of protecting yourself and the ones you love from evil. Open carry is a visible expression of our natural right to self preservation. Open carry makes a statement that we are not afraid to stand up to the “politically correct” ideology that has created a nanny state, where the government is there to help us if we just do as they say, and a pox on anyone that disagrees.

Open carry can lead us out of this stupor and deliver us once again to the days when a man could stand tall and be proud of his community, his state, and his country.

When you open carry you are saying to the world, I’m my own man, I’m able and willing to defend myself, my family, and if need be my community, my state, and my country. It also states that I’m willing to stand up and speak truth to authority. It’s shameful that we as law abiding citizens must stand up to authority, the very authority that we have empowered, when questioned about our lawful right to openly carry a firearm. But stand up we must. The open carry of a firearm speaks volumes and it’s says much more than just open carry.