I will blame my growing political activism mostly on my age (and finally maturing), and partly on our organization.
WARNING: This is not a discussion on OC (Open Carry) vs CC (Conceal Carry).
I have recently been researching the political, personal and legal consequences of OC in Pennsylvania. I have come to the conclusion that if I continue to follow the law I can deal with the personal crap as a trade off for the benefits that it will bring socially and politically.
It is probably not much of a secret to this small group or the few in my personal life I can call "friend" that I CC on a daily basis. For 15+ years I have been a strong believer that CC is the right choice for me. I have also been a believer that it is no ones business but my own and a few loved ones. This philosophy has served me well up until this point in my life. It is now time however for me to change and do what is right for future generations.
I will still need to CC at certain times but for the majority of my life from this point forward I will be one of the minority who OC.
To me, OC is akin to saying "Yes I believe in the 2nd Amendment and I am actively helping to educate others on the need to keep our rights - ALL OUR RIGHTS from being eroded away."
It seems as the years have gone by, we Americans have actively and passively participated in allowing our rights to be watered down. By apathy (as in my case) or through more insidious means like activist judges, "we the people" are responsible for what our nation is becoming.
As this group has finally formed, stood up and taken a stance, so shall I.
http://paopencarry.org/forum/oc-discussion-f-10.html
http://forum.pafoa.org/open-carry-144/
http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/recent.html