From Deseret News archives:

Packing heat, no apologies

'We're not gangsters; we are normal people who carry guns'

Published: Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 12:23 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
PROVO — For Clachelle Jensen, preparing to leave the house with her two children goes something like this: Baby wipes? Check. Extra diapers? Check. Glock pistol? Check.

"I just feel safer when I have my gun on my hip," said Jensen, 28, who lives in Santaquin. "There's so many lunatics and crazies out there, you never know when something's going to happen."

The petite brunette's not shy about showing off her weapon, either. The Glock has a semipermanent home on her belt.

Jensen packed her pistol to the Red Robin in Provo Saturday, where she met up with about a dozen other unabashedly armed Utahns.

They looked imposing, walking in together, loaded pistols at their sides. The somber spell was broken though, when Jensen's baby started fussing and someone's cell phone went off.

"We're not gangsters," said Brian Nelson, 27, a soft-spoken man from Layton. "We are normal people. We just happen to carry guns."

A couple of the men work in gun-related businesses; the rest ranged in occupation from computer software engineer to political lobbyist. The youngest was a fresh-faced 18-year-old, the eldest had nearly-grown children. The group first met in an online chat room, OpenCarry.org, where they discuss their decision not to conceal their weapons.

Story continues below

"It's a whole lifestyle change," Nelson said.

He said he feels responsible for the safety of those around him when he has a gun on his hip. He always assesses the situation and looks for the exits when he walks into a room.

"You've got to envision what could go wrong because if you make the wrong decision with a gun in your hand, you'll be spending time in jail — and rightfully so," he said.

OpenCarry.org touts the slogan: "A right unexercised is a right lost." Saturday's group of pistol packers echoed the sentiment. A bonus to keeping the gun in the open, said Pether Jensen, a self-proclaimed cowboy from West Valley City, is the opportunity it presents to educate people about Utah's gun laws. No permit is required to openly carry a gun in Utah.

"I have the right to protect my family," he said. "A lot of people don't know they have that right."

Utah gun laws are some of the most relaxed in the country, said Clark Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council. His elbow rubbed against the handle of his pistol as he munched on his hamburger. Utah also boasts one of the lowest rates of crimes committed using lawfully-obtained firearms, he said. "We aren't apologizing for a felon trying to buy a gun," he said. "We obey the law and expect everyone else to also."

Recent comments

Gee AVA...your right - I guess people would be much better off just...

Shellback - Grantsville, Utah | Oct. 26, 2009 at 1:35 p.m.

I am going to take a ccw clas this sat.In michigan you are required...

trail dust | Feb. 19, 2009 at 11:11 a.m.

I've read through a few hundred comments on this page already. Notice...

JeffLrrp | May 11, 2008 at 6:44 p.m.

Image
Dan Lund, for the Deseret Morning News

Kevin Jensen carries a pistol in a thigh holster while out to dinner at the Provo Towne Centre. His wife also openly packs a gun.

previousnext

Latest comments

Boylen wants consistency from Utes

The Utes ARE consistent!!!

Lawmakers question climate change

BYU alum: your statement that this is "NOT a matter of scientific debate...

Bit of a messy win, but hey that's 4 on the bounce away from ESA :)...

The reason that Collie's comments were different that other's is that Collie...

At the age of 61, I'm doing many things I enjoyed as a child. However, I'm...

ala malone when a.c. green was chosen instead of him... lol. anyway awful...

Letters: Rein in lawyers

The author paints an entire profession with a broad brush. Most lawyers are...

Utah Jazz game at a glance

Miller family please fire Jerry Sloan and hire "Doug", anonymous blogger and...

Like Mom of Seven, we're raising them conservative, and Sarah Palin IS...

"Utah is in the third year of a 10-year health care reform plan." Ten years!...

Advertisements