Hokie_PhD
Member
His demeanor was fine. My feeling is that he screams GI Joe/ego complex. There were women with their infants in strollers that headed straight to the door. Elderly men and women that did the same.
So my question is what positives did he accomplish with his attire and open carry? Many people went home and told their friends and family, who likely then told their friends and family about a “wacko” they encountered in the bookstore today that had a pistol out in the open and dressed like he wanted to be in the military. Is that good for the 2A cause? I think not. Had he simply moved his firearm inside his waistband he would have been able to protect himself and anyone else he chose to just as well (arguably better) without causing a scene.
I agree that it may not have been the best way to go about things, but he exercised his rights.
One his first Amendment rights of freedom of expression. It’s not just words but his right to dress as he likes. So I may agree he may have looked “bad” or “tactical”, so what? It’s his right.
Two he exercised his second Amendment right. Again it’s noy all about hunting or self defense. In Va we have a governor who won’t resign. Few understand that the 2nd is in place for us to remove the government or officials who are tyrants. Now we can debate that in another thread, but I mention it as it’s more than guns. Our right to have guns allow us to do so many things, hunt, defend ourselves and others, protect our libertyand even enjoy our pursuit of happiness via sport or in this guys case via wearing his firearm as he chose.
And that’s another thing. Seldom do we discuss our right to the pursuit of happiness. Many of us enjoy so many aspects of firearms because it brings us happiness. So the discussion here is good. I’m sure he didn’t go out thinking, that I want to annoy people, or I want a discussion on THR about me. But IMHO all things have good and bad, so the good is we can discuss it.
So again, I don’t agree with the look, but I will fight for his right to do what he did. In fact, I’ve been very outspoken against stars like NY, IL, CA denying me my rights as a US Citizen if I go to their states. So kudos to him for exercising his, as many in those states and even our nations capital can’t. In fact, I often have to decide if I want to submit to DCs tyranny and repeatedly found unConstitutional laws, or Not and risk arrest and a long legal battle to do what he did while not to that level.