All things considered, an excellent article. One question though. Why your insistence on asking if the police are "requesting" or "demanding". Your question has no bearing on the legality of the contact, the inspection or your legal ability to carry. Its no different than the requirement that you present your license, registration and proof of insurance during a traffic stop. No matter how nice the cop is in asking, you still stand to get a legal smacked bottom if you refuse to cough up your documents. It reminds me of the old hippy myth that LE was required to answer truthfully if you asked them if they were now or ever members of law enforcement before you sold them dope. At worst you risk alienating a cop who may be generally supportive of open carry by making him perceive you as a wingnut who wants to push his buttons and suck him into a law suit. At best your question might induce an idiot to pick a fight with you. I guess that might gain you martyr status as you fight your way through the system, but is that what you want and is it worth it to you?
The way I see it a bare request is something that you can refuse to grant without fear of sanction. A request backed by the power of law and threat of sanction should you fail to acceed to the request is, no matter how politely phrased, a demand. If hunny bunny pouts and asks you most sweetly to do something for her but you know that you will a couch sleeper be if you don't do it, is it really a request?
Regardless of what we all might want the law to be, the fact remains that 12031(e) gives police the authority to inspect your firearms whether you like it or not and arrest you if you fail to comply.
