Open carry provides far more deterrence than concealed carry, since potential attackers are made fully aware an attack could easily cost them their life. I find it bizarre that concealed carry advocates respond to that by citing a laundry list of dangers from guns in public (e.g. ease of access, risk of theft, temptation in the heat of the moment, escalation potential etc.) as if these are supposed to convince me more guns in public places are a good idea, and hidden ones at that. Concealment is a purely offensive advantage; consequently, self DEFENSE is no justification for a concealed weapon.

Concealed weapons do not deter attacks, they facilitate gun-wielding attackers going after someone who has a concealed gun so the latter can live out their Dirty Harry fantasies. The sad part is that those are most likely to end the same way they would for an unarmed person, because anyone with a gun already pointed at them is not much better off with one in their jacket than without one. On the other hand, in the presence of a stranger with a 12 gauge most people will be unlikely to initiate violence of any kind. So the question is whether we want to truly deter gun violence, or simply allow it but then shoot the person responsible.