Open carry picnic in Oregon

[Cougfan2]

I know many of you also post on Opencarry.org, but for those of you who don't, I am a recent member of Opencarry.org and decided to jump in feet first and pursue a little activism regarding RKBA. I have arranged an Open Carry Picnic at Reedville Creek Park in Hillsboro, OR on Saturday, August 9 from 9 AM to 2 PM. There should be several attendees from Opencarry.org, but I wanted to extend my invitation to any nearby Washington or Oregon THR folks who would be interested in attending.

We will have a BBQ grill and will bring enough burgers and brats for abou 30 people along with all the fixins. If nothing else if will be a great event for fellowship for folks with like minds regarding RKBA. Maybe we can even twist a couple of y'all's arms and get you to join Opencarry.org. I would encourage you to try to organize similar events in your area.

If anyone is interested in discussing this in more detail, PM me with your contact info and I will be happy to discuss it with you.

 

[Mark K. C.]

Good for you Cougfan. I hope it is a real sucess. I have already commited to the Appleseed shoot up in Castle Rock for that entire weekend or I would be there. Are you going to get any media coverage?

 

[Cougfan2]

Mark, it was a little short notice to get any media coverage for this event, but we plan to make this a monthly event and I contacted Lars Larson, the conservative syndicated talk radio host and he is interested in attending a future event and helping us promote them on his show. Might even be willing to broadcast from one of our events or have an segment on his show about open carry.

 

[guitars&guns]

Lars is great for that kind of thing. For radio media coverage, it doesn't get any better. Maybe something a little farther south next time? I would love to participate.

 

[Cougfan2]

Guitars&guns, PM me with your contact info and I'd be happy to talk to you about helping arrange this and choosing the appropriate venue. I look forward to talking to you.

 

[hso]

Make sure you contact the parks department and head LEO and let them know that this is going to take place so that if they get a call about your group no one is surprised.

 

[longwatch]

Well the problem with that is that it smacks of asking permission to exercise your rights. We don't do so when we have meetings of gun owners in Virginia, but then again the local LEOs know what the law is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpB4jj1FXeA

 

[Bob R]

Don't forget the nametags, and to have one or two people as the official greeters.

bob

 

[lazyeye]

I'll see if I can get the day off work, but this is kind of short notice for me.

 

[armedandsafe]

I will be in Pendleton for our 50th reunion that weekend.

Pops

 

[Mark K. C.]

If this pans out into a monthly event, I will be proud to support it. Being that I live across the River shouldn't have any problems to open carry in Oregon. Right?? Good luck, hope to see you their.Getting Lars on board is a good thing.

 

[catoII]

Peacefully picnicking in a park is not seeking confrontation. I bet they'd be perfectly content enjoying their event and not have discourse with anyone. That someone else may confront them, police or antis, when no crime is being committed, is no reason not to exercise their 1st Amendment right of assembly in a open public space. The police need to learn that "no response" is also a viable option where no requirement for intervention is present. And any anti that becomes argumentative, causing a disturbance, is not really afraid, but is only a bully pushing his or her beliefs on others.

There are many reasons to open carry. Comfort and deterence are my main reasons. It is also a form of free speech. It helps me communicate that normal citizens own firearms for peaceful and lawful reasons; not just cops and criminals. By showing others that the Right can and will be exercised (concealed carry is not a Right except in Vermont) we help protect the Right and hopefully secure it for all times and generations to come.

The public and law enforcement have been bombarded by propaganda from anti-self defense proponents (gun banners) that guns are evil and are primarily used for criminal activities and suicdes. We need to counter that throught the exercise of our Right to Bear Arms by engaging in all forms of nomal activities including using our public parks for our enjoyment. We will not be made second class citizens in our own country again. Move over pal and share the road, please.

 

[anarchris]

uh, yeah, sure

A three paragraph ARGUMENT that a gathering of openly dating interracial couples and gay people in a public park "is not provocative" proves my point.

Probably legal, nontheless -- It's a provocative act, intended to precipitate argument.

When we as a group fail to understand that being openly gay or interracial -- particularly as a group, gathering in a de facto "demonstration," which is what an openly gay and or interracial picnic ineluctably is -- then we asgay and or interracial do ourselves a disservice by presenting ourselves to others as being confrontive, inconsiderate, argumentative, and lacking in fundamental social skills.

If you don't think this characterization applies to you, hold hands with your girlfiend or boyfriend and go jogging in the park. Legal or otherwise, I guarantee you that you'll be reported to 911 and / or stopped for questioning.

I am gay and or interracial, but I also exercise a modicum of decorum when I do.

A gay and or interracial gathering in a public park is indecorus and does gay and or interracial a disservice by their provocative gay and or interracial demonstration aimed at confrontation with a mass audience about a sensitive subject.
__________________

 

[anarchris]

all I can say is

A three paragraph ARGUMENT that a gathering of openly Jewish people in a public park "is not provocative" proves my point.

Probably legal, nontheless -- It's a provocative act, intended to precipitate argument.

When we as a group fail to understand that being openly Jewish -- particularly as a group, gathering in a de facto "demonstration," which is what an openly Jewish picnic ineluctably is -- then we as Jewish people do ourselves a disservice by presenting ourselves to others as being confrontive, inconsiderate, argumentative, and lacking in fundamental social skills.

If you don't think this characterization applies to you, strap a Yarmulke on your head and go jogging in the park. Legal or otherwise, I guarantee you that you'll be reported to 911 and / or stopped for questioning.

I try to be reasonable, but I also exercise a modicum of decorum when I do.

An Jewish gathering in a public park is indecorus and does Jewish people a disservice by their provocative Jewish picnic aimed at confrontation with a mass audience about a sensitive subject.

 

[sport-fashion-square]

Anarchris makes several good points. We often fall into the trap of how do we get started in making OC or gun rights in general more "acceptable" to the general populous. One can always make the argument that any exercise of the 2A could result in negative consequences. Clearly that is going overboard. Identifying the fine line of what the populous interprets as deliberate provocation by us pro-2A types is a bit more nebulous. We certainly don't want to generate negative and hostile reactions because of our ill-prepared actions. We cannot, however, allow ourselves to become paralyzed into non-action and non-utilization of our rights because of how others may interpret our perfectly lawful behavior. Besides, the more often we exercise our rights the more "normal" and acceptable it will seem to our fellow citizens. I applaud this group for making an informed effort to exercise their 2A rights in a pleasant social setting.

 

[hso]

This has turned into a debate about open carry. Not what Activism is for.

Closed