A person can exercise his First Amendment rights by setting up on a soapbox in Harlem and screaming "go back to Africa."So you shouldn't exercise your First and Second Amendment rights at the same time?
Bubba613 said:A person can exercise his First Amendment rights by setting up on a soapbox in Harlem and screaming "go back to Africa."
But I wouldn't consider that to be very smart or safe or a wise use of one's rights.
While some have drawn comparisons to the conduct of individuals who have advanced other rights movements, like black people who dared to sit in the front of the bus or gays who decided to walk down the street holding hands, I think there is an important distinction to be drawn: sitting in the "wrong place" or holding another's hand doesn't pose a perceived threat to the personal safety of the person whom you are trying to convince. On the other hand, when some dude wearing cammies shows up in a park carrying an AR-15, apparently outfitted for armed conflict, that scares a lot of people. Provoking thought is desirable. Instilling fear? Not so much.
So, the question seems to me to be, if you are going to try to advance general acceptance of the RKBA, how would you do so in the manner best calculated to be successful?
Truly, I don't think that the folks who show up in parks looking like they're prepared for urban combat with the Taliban are helping any of us out. Whether or not the crowd here accepts it, those things do scare people. It screams out that the person is maybe just a little off-kilter AND HAS A FREAKIN' GUN!!!
It seems to me that the better approach is to keep it low-key. Wear your jeans or khakis . . . or whatever you feel comfortable in, short of ACUs. Wear your pistol visibly, in a manner that exudes control and saneness. But, do NOT try to come across in a manner calculated to show what a bad dude you are.
The editorial, in part, read "such demonstrators may yet turn out to be a godsend for the antigun crowd." That's precisely what we want to avoid. Every time one of these demonstrations occurs, the news media focus on the guy who's sporting an AK-47, bandoliers, and a bowie knife the size of an Oldsmobile. Is that really the image we want to convey?
TexasBill said:Well said! Make it look like you're wearing the gun, not advertising it. I do have to admit I wear khaki BDU shorts all summer long.
If its legal to carry openly then it might be alarming to some people and perhaps not the wisest thing. I would be worried about another armed person mistaking me for a bad guy and drawing on me, and perhaps causing a bad situation.
Now most of society could care less. We have become acclimated.
akadave said:If its legal to carry openly then it might be alarming to some people and perhaps not the wisest thing. I would be worried about another armed person mistaking me for a bad guy and drawing on me, and perhaps causing a bad situation.
After seeing some of the idiots that frequent one of the shooting ranges I go too...yes, I think someone would draw on someone showing a holstered pistol or a slung AR or ....
I've always felt open carry is more hassle than it is worth unless I'm on my property or some other wide open space. I've always felt that in town you are begging to get hit in the back of the head and robbed or shot first.
Unlike the PD, nobody is there to back you up, nobody is going to jump in to assist you and some needy person may mistake you for the PD and put you in a jam where you have ZERO authority to act.
So while you might have the right to carry openly and you enjoy doing it, it might not be the best idea in many situtations. CCW is fun because the suprise of a gun suddenly getting added to the fight where there was no gun before is to good to pass up.
This is just my opinion, not intended to upset people who are extreme in their desire to open carry and make a scene.