Sorry to hear the mess happening in your state and nobody but the politicians and police having the means to defend themselves.

Regarding open carry making you a target, chances are the criminal is going to go away and look for an easier target. Especially if more than one person is carrying in an open manner. Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of criminals like being alive, and therefore try to pick the weakest appearing targets they can find.

The biggest problem with open carry is all the morons who don't realize it is perfectly legal and are scared to death of even looking at a weapon. At least some places, even if open carry is legal, it doesn't seem to be uncommon for the idiots to call the police on open-carrying individuals even though the gun never leaves the holster and the carrier is not being hostile.

That is the sole reason I like concealed, particularly in states where you don't break the law if your firearm should happen to print or become visible (you reach for something on a shelf, etc). Of course concealed holsters aren't nearly as comfortable (to me anyway) as a good old fashioned outside the waistband holster, and the draw is between a little and significantly slower.