March on Washington?

[george burns]

Why don't we organize a pro gun rally, and march on Washington. Nothing says don't mess with us or there will be consequences, like a million gun owners in front of the Senate and house. Who would start such an event, perhaps the NRA, I will write to them after this, I am sure it has occurred to them, but they probably have deals in place that they have agreed to.
At this stage screw that, let's get every NRA member who can walk or even not walk and clog up their precious Capitol so no one can go anywhere.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Why don't we organize a pro gun rally, and march on Washington. Nothing says don't mess with us or there will be consequences, like a million gun owners in front of the Senate and house. Who would start such an event, perhaps the NRA, I will write to them after this, I am sure it has occurred to them, but they probably have deals in place that they have agreed to.
At this stage screw that, let's get every NRA member who can walk or even not walk and clog up their precious Capitol so no one can go anywhere.

I'm in
I'm also not far from the NRA HQ (about an hour away).

I don't have the time to be an organizer, but I'm willing to be a co-organizer and help all I can (as time permits)

 

[GEM]

The march strategy has been proposed many times. It has never come off. Most progun demonstrations usually look, to be blunt, rather silly due to appearance of the small number of folks who turn out.

If you set one up and had the typical march - you would be contributing to the antigun cause if the march is a flop. The best strategy is the voting booth and reasoned letters to legislators. They ignore mass mailings as any advocacy group can pump them out.

 

[george burns]

I think times have changed, we need a show of support just to put a face to it. The only downside is the expense. But perhaps the 4th of July weekend, when most folks are off and can spare a day or 2. Hey I'm in FL with a busted back and a recent car crash from a woman who turned into oncoming traffic, and I would go, just fly in for the day. It's a 2 hour flight from FL, looking at a map, and it would do more to shake up the congress and Trump than these emails and letters if done right.

 

[AlexanderA]

The march strategy has been proposed many times. It has never come off. Most progun demonstrations usually look, to be blunt, rather silly due to appearance of the small number of folks who turn out.

If you set one up and had the typical march - you would be contributing to the antigun cause if the march is a flop.

This. A "march" with low turnout is worse than no march at all. Gun owners are not marchers, for a variety of reasons. Unless you can get a minimum of 100,000 gun owners -- identified as such -- concentrated on the Mall, the media will ignore the event. (Unless, of course, there are 200 people and the media can crow about the paltry support of the 2nd Amendment, or there are Charlottesville-type skinheads and the media can label gun owners as "Nazis.") Note also that carrying guns is a big no-no in the District.

But perhaps the 4th of July weekend, when most folks are off and can spare a day or 2.

That's definitely the wrong time. Washington, D.C. is flooded with people for the 4th of July events, including concerts, the fireworks, and the Folk Life Festival on the Mall. (Not to mention that Trump is planning a huge military parade.) The gun-rights demonstrators would be lost in that crowd, and the logistics would be terrible.

 

[walnut1704]

Vote...Donate...Repeat...

 

[george burns]

Been doing that all my life, unfortunately this situation requires more attention. If gun owners are too lazy to go march on Washington , then we may lose more of our rights, this President responds to public displays of protest, he is pro gun, but needs a kick in the pants to remember. If you really beliee only 200 people will show up to something this important, then be prepared for more anti gun legislation after the 24th, when Douglas Students appear in Washington, demanding our guns.
http://time.com/5164939/march-for-our-lives-florida-shooting/

 

[barnbwt]

The point of a march is to implicitly threaten a riot (to varying degrees of subtlety) and on some level scare the opposition into meeting demands. Gun owners aren't allowed to be scary or intimidating because we'll be arrested or killed. Antis can and do hurl insults, make threats, and blackmail. Marches are great for them.

A march is the wrong tool for us, so long as we're bound by good behavior (we can't even seriously *hint* at unrest during a march without bringing the hammer down). The civil rights marches were smiley and peaceful...but a backdrop for high profile radical militant or terrorist groups grabbing headlines daily, and not infrequently violent riots. The threat was very real, even during King's "I Have a Dream." We have no analogue to these 'enforcers' (even the law abiding kind) since the militia were expunged for good in the 90's after being conflated with neo-Nazis.

 

[george burns]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
We can use the same laws that the anti's use, and in this case the right to a peaceably assemble, and petition the Government , is exactly what is needed. Sometimes the silent majority needs to make itself known or these splinter groups gain power just because no one showed op from the opposition. I believe in peaceful demonstration, and perhaps that is exactly what's needed here and now. Just a lot of well behaved gentlemen standing in solidarity, the contrast itself would be amazing. Perhaps a silent protest with one or two spokesmen from the NRA.

 

[GEM]

This one is over when the discussion turns to implicit riots. The efficacy of the march has been discussed enough.
Closed.