- Joined
- Jan 28, 2006
- Messages
- 51,123
- Reaction score
- 15,259
- Location
- United States
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
You live in a small town, a Midwestern version of Mayberry, or maybe a quiet suberb just outside the city. Nice town, well kept, folks get along and help out. Friendly folks, friendly cops, and most everybody supports the police.
View attachment 67151357
There's a younger guy, a long-time resident, about 24 years old, who frequently takes walks around town. He's clean cut, jeans and t-shirt, smiles and waves at folks, and occasionally picks up trash into a bag as he walks around....with an AK on his back.
Openly carrying any firearm is perfectly legal in this town.
As this young man waves at neighbors, they do not wave back. They call the cops. A lot. The cops have to respond, and they have advised him that in no way is he helping his cause. Folks are freaking out.
The problem is that he is staring to influence folks who have no dog in the fight. Those who don't care one way or the other about guns are starting to care. They are afraid, and that's usually when detrimental things get started.
On one hand, he is doing nothing illegal, and you can tell by the way he carries it that he's putting on a show. So no harm done, but it's making gun owners in general look bad, at a time when we need more than ever to look good.
As a resident of this town, what, if anything, do you do?
*****
I'd have a private word with him... private, so he doesn't feel he has to play to the crowd or back his ego so much. Something along the lines of "Look bud... I know you mean well, but I don't think folks around here are quite ready for THAT MUCH open carry, and I'm worried you're going to mess up the good thing we've got if you scare too many people."
Maybe I'd try to encourage him to just carry a holstered pistol and see if that reduced the "freak out factor".
I'd also, in as much as I can, talk to the folks in town about the matter. I'd let them air their concerns to me as I lend a sympathetic-seeming ear, then try to persuade them that a local guy, known to be a good person, is not the threat they need to worry about even if he is carrying an AK in the open... but rather, it is people of ill intent with hidden weapons that they really ought to be more concerned about.
In short I'd try to smooth ruffled feathers and de-escalate the situation.
I support open carry as a general thing, but I also don't think freaking out the neighborhood is the right way to promote it. It's something we'll have to work up to gradually, in most places.
How is he being irresponsible? IF open carry is legal, he is abiding by the law and exercising his 2A right.1-'Mayberry' was modeled after Mount Airy...and today Mount Airy is a complete and total ****hole. Huge unemployment, gang, teen pregnancy, and hillbilly heroin problem. So....I see someone walking around town with an AK Im thinkin, "Morning Pastor Dave...nice day for a stroll!"
2-Now...that aside...
In most other towns if I know the guy, I probably mention to him on a fishing trip "Look dood...I know its your RIGHT and all...and by all means man...feel free...but seriously...other than just making you look like a dick you are hurting all responsible gun owners. Just...food for thought."
How is he being irresponsible? IF open carry is legal, he is abiding by the law and exercising his 2A right.
His intent is to piss people off. It is to show by golly...I have a RIGHT and Ima DO it! He doesnt care about the negative impact, nor does he care that aside from being a complete ****, it is having absolutely ZERO positive impact. It is creating enemies where enemies did not otherwise exist. That is being 'irresponsible'.How is he being irresponsible? IF open carry is legal, he is abiding by the law and exercising his 2A right.
See? There you go again...giving many of the rest of us a bad name.
His intent is to piss people off. It is to show by golly...I have a RIGHT and Ima DO it! He doesnt care about the negative impact, nor does he care that aside from being a complete ****, it is having absolutely ZERO positive impact. It is creating enemies where enemies did not otherwise exist. That is being 'irresponsible'.
I dont mind having a "bad name" with those wishing or willing to restrict gun rights from law abiding people.
That said, I own an AK. And I dont think you would ever catch me walking around with it on a sling. But, if I did. I would expect to get stopped and faced down on the side walk every time.
Our area is not very rural any more.
It isnt sensible thing to do, unless you live in a combat zone. But yours, mine and the fictional OPs person may have totally different sensibilities.Then why, if you are a responsible gun owner, don't you expect others to act in responsible ways as well? Your saying "I don't think you would ever catch me...." indicates to me that you don't think it's a particularly sensible thing to do. *shrug*
His intent is to piss people off. It is to show by golly...I have a RIGHT and Ima DO it! He doesnt care about the negative impact, nor does he care that aside from being a complete ****, it is having absolutely ZERO positive impact. It is creating enemies where enemies did not otherwise exist. That is being 'irresponsible'.
Lets put it in this context.
I am straight, but if I see two guys kissing. I am disgusted by it. BUT, its legal. They have a "right". They know it pisses off alot of straight people, but its their right.
But all they are doing is entrenching the straights that are disgusted about it to futher dislike not only what they are doing, but them as people as well.
Either we accept all people that are exersizing their rights, or we accept none of them.
But you are within your rights. And if its legal where you live, you can do it and there is not soul that can legally say a word about it.Try putting it in an 'honest' context. If you are gay and you and you buddy go stand in front of a bunch of people in your assless chaps and violently make out and grab each others shot specifically to piss people off and show you 'can', you are a douchebag.
But you are within your rights. And if its legal where you live, you can do it and there is not soul that can legally say a word about it.
Just like if its legal to carry a gun, its legal to carry a gun.
Calling me a douchebag by proxy is not really doing anything for the conversation.Sure...u can do it. It doesn't make you any less of an irresponsible douchebag...but legally...you sure can do it.
Calling me a douchebag by proxy is not really doing anything for the conversation.
But since thats your stance, how is it irresponsible?
Slow your roll, dude. I just asked a simple question.I'm not calling you a douchebag. I'm calling your proposed individual a douchebag. No...actually I'm calling them an irresponsible douchebag. You own it...maybe you should reconsider the whole assless chaps look.
Why is it 'irresponsible'? That you actually have to ask the question is mind numbing but speaks volumes. The act of doing something specifically to elicit a negative response and build enemies where enemies didnt exist is foolish and irresponsible. So...I guess to appease you I shouldn't call your sampled individuals douchebags or even irresponsible douchebags. More correctly it should be foolish irresponsible douchebags.
Slow your roll, dude. I just asked a simple question.
Why so touchy.
If its legal, why have a problem with it?
And ass less chaps I would call illegal here, just like thong or tee back bikinis on the beach.
Which I really dont understand, but the old people were offended and that was the end of that.
Or is because I dragged the "gay" right into it to compare to my Constitutional Right?
Again, if its legal whats the issue?
Now I call any open carry ill advised, but its legal.
Well when you call people that are engaged in a legal and protected activity "douchebags". It kind of makes me wonder.Geeeeeee zus.
Read your last sentence, compare that last sentence to my original comment in this thread and then remind me why we are having this conversation.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?