If one is going to open carry then one must be aware of the downside. I agree with the author in so far as often the practice does not reflect well upon gun owners.
The author is correct too in that simply having a weapon does little in an of itself. Lots of folks have been killed after bringing the gun to what would have been a fistfight. Open Carry increases your vulnerability and weapon retention is a factor to consider.
CCW is much more useful IMHO. Best to maintain the "quiet professional", work to de escalate a situation, and should it be appropriate that deadly force is required...use it expeditiously, overwhelmingly, accurately, until the threat is ended.
If you can do that without firing a shot....so much the better.