text: David, stop with the histrionic hyperbole. When I was growing up here in Alaska in the 1960s, it was commonplace for (mostly) men to be in public places wearing their guns. Some of them were miners headed to the assayer's office to sell their poke. Others came through bear country to get through town. I'm sure some were headed out to hunt and others were just showing off their pistols. All were exercising their right to self protection - claiming a right that existed a long time before the Constitution and the current war on terror. Shootings in Fairbanks in those days were pretty rare, though not unheard of and I can only recall one public shootout ... at a bar ... before the Pipeline.
  
  That gun on your fellow shopper's hip is not a danger to you unless you're being stupid. Don't threaten people and they won't need to defend themselves against you. Get over it! People have a right to protect themselves.