Well. A guy decided to do an open carry experiment in my town.

[gejohnston]

96. depends on the situation

one is why and when someone is open carrying. When I go backpacking when I go back to Wyoming, I OC a .22 pistol because:
just because. As criminologist James Wright described:

In my journey through this alien turf, I came upon what are called "trail guns" or "pack guns." These are handguns carried outdoors, in the woods or the wilds, for no particular reason except to have a gun available "just in case" one encounters unfriendly fauna,
or gets lost and needs small game for food, or is injured and needs to signal for help. The more I read about trail guns, the more it
seemed that people who spend a lot of time alone in the wilds, in isolated and out-of-the-way places, are probably being pretty sensible in carrying these weapons.

http://www.nationalaffairs.com/doclib/20080708_1988912secondthoughtsaboutguncontroljamesdwright.pdf
I don't in Florida because it is not legal unless you are hunting during hunting season and in a hunting area.
In my specific case, me CCW could be loss side of the loss benefit scale. My part of Florida is kind of safe, as long as you are not in the drug trade. In Wyoming, I'm either in the woods or Mayberry. I don't judge others by my situation. I have been in some rough parts of DC and Manila and never thought about even if I legally could. I did have a heightened sense of awareness. There are parts of Coral Gables, FL, I would and not a small pistol. Not because of gangs or even other humans. Because the neighborhoods of foreclosed and abandoned McMansions are now prime habitat to invasive species like Pythons, Boas, and Nile Monitors.

But I think the idea behind hanging out at Starbucks is simply the same tactic as the gay pride parades, larger social acceptance. Notice where you see OC stunts. They don't happen in Kingman, Arizona. I don't call that paranoid. Might be defeating the purpose, maybe not.

As for CCW, depends on the specific case. If I lived or worked in a shitty area, had threats against my life, crazy stalking former lover, or simply being gay in an area with fifty profitable Chick Filaes and lots of "Fred Phelps for president" bumper stickers, CCW would be a prudent thing to do.