March on DC

[Prophet]

There is a lot of divisive back and forth going on here at THR concerning whether or not anything substantive can be done by the current administration to institute gun control. Personally, my motto has always been to hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

However, I think one thing that everyone here can agree on is that there is at the very least an overwhelming perception of strong anti-2A sentiment in our government, in our media and in the non-firearm owning populace.

Other members here have suggested a march on Washington to show ourselves counted. I'm surprised that something like this is not in the works already and I have to wonder why. Perhaps there is a tangible reason why and I'm simply unaware. Perhaps I'm simply a young, naive and restless Patriot. Regardless I think it is something at least worthy of discussing. If done correctly, it could be effectively used to show our numbers, get some media attention of our own, and at the very least be encouraged by our brothers and sisters in the movement as we unite and present ample opportunity to hang out and socialize with them in DC.

I posted this on another thread.

I don't know if any of you have ever been involved in the Tea Party, so I'll mention three things from the get-go in case this goes somewhere.

Infiltrators trying to illegitimize the movement will be commonplace and difficult to deal with, and the media loves to home in on them. Some Tea Partiers would take bullhorns along with them and stand beside the infiltrators throughout the duration of the event to act as a vocal disclaimer of sorts. The infiltrators in our case usually carried spastic or threatening signs, set up controversial displays, and passed out and planted supposedly right-wing prop (of course sometimes we'd find some of their own legit prop laying around too). They were usually found out when confronted concerning their knowledge of basic American history and politics, and basic Tea Party causes and talking points. Some people also carried "infiltrator" signs with big red letters and arrows that could be pointed at offenders.

The second thing I'll mention is signs. Signs are good and bad. They're good because they help get the message across and differentiate protesters from everyone else, but they're bad because the media homes in on the messages scrawled upon them and always pick the ones that sound the craziest. Also realize that with the flavor of signs I'd be anticipating to see at a pro-2A march, the movement could very easily be stigmatized as a resurgence or branch of the Tea Party rather than as its own independent movement. Guaranteed, the media will try to spin it in that way to illegitimize the event. This also ties in to dealing with infiltrators. Those who try to infiltrate by carrying outrageous signs can be immediately singled out simply for not following the rules of the event if signs are not permitted. Positives and negatives to both, we would have to decide which would better benefit our cause.

Trash is the third, though I doubt it even needs mentioning. Tea Partiers were anal about this. There were always multiple volunteers around to collect trash from anyone who had it. I was often among some of the last to leave these events, and I always looked over my shoulder to pristine lawns and parks. We even sometimes had to clean up the counter-protesters messes to keep our image. Not cool.

Please understand that I'm not trying to discourage this AT ALL. A march on DC could be a good thing and I will likely attend. It does need to be well-organized and basic ground rules must be established and widely disseminated for such an event to have its intended effect without the media trying to mischaracterize it. And believe you me, they will try. The bigger the turnout the better. We pretty much shut down DC with close to 2 million protesters. DC suddenly feels like a very, very small place when that many people get congested into it.

Does anyone know of any big wigs we could petition in regard to organizing something like this? I don't even know where to begin.

Thoughts?

Edit; Mods, I just realized that I posted this in the wrong forum. Long night, I thought for sure I was posting this in Activism. My apologies, if you could move this to Activism it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[montgomery381]

I agree with you. I have zero experience with this type of thing. I did send an email to the NRA recommending that they make preparations for a demonstration in Washington.

 

[Ryanxia]

While that's an excellent idea, right now contacting our representatives and donating to the NRA-ILA seems to be the most effective line of resistance. They system hasn't failed yet (debatably).

 

[AlexanderA]

Mass demonstrations have to be just that -- "mass" demonstrations. That is, you have to get the numbers. If you call a mass demonstration, and it fizzles, you're worse off than if you had never called it at all. There's also the issue -- seen at some of the Tea Party events -- of policing against the crazies (possibly plants) that can give the whole thing a bad name. That's why I think that the NRA and other gun-rights organizations are very hesitant to get into this sort of thing.

 

[poboy6]

There seem to be quite a few gun rallys at the state level and hopefully everyone gets on board with this.

With the economy the way it is I don't see any way for me and my family to be able to make it to DC. Of course I would help spread the word but I think any demonstration in DC will be comprised mostly of retirees who have a few extra bucks to spend.

 

[phil dirt]

I would not trust ATF to not perpetrate an incident that would give cover to government forces who would attack NRA members marching in the street. After the sham of Waco and Ruby Ridge, I would put nothing past them, especially under the present administration. Does anybody remember the Bonus marcher's protest in WA D.C.? I believe that the government would not hesitate to use this "opportunity" if the situation presented itself. I believe that we should, instead, continue to call and write our representatives, and send money to the gun rights organizations.

 

[hang fire]

It has been my personal experiences that one can march and protest all you want. But, the LSM will either report it as negative, but most often, if such marches do not comply with their cause or meme, they and the anti-politicians simply ignore such. AKA, if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears, did it make a sound?


When it comes to reporting facts and the truth, the greatest sins committed by the media, are the sins of omission.

 

[hso]

Are you aware of this http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=692806 and this http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=694831 ?

Coordinating a DC march with one of those events would be a national event that might be of interest. Those that can't travel to DC might be able to get to their state capitols.

 

[bowserb]

Hard thing about those marches on DC is that they are usually by people with time on their hands. When you look at gun owners, you see people who work for a living. The libs have the advantage with marches, as they have the masses who live off the taxpayers. It doesn't matter where they are...their pay is the same.


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