AP files this from Portland, Maine:
Portland police received more than 65 calls Monday reporting that a young man was walking through the Parkside neighborhood and the Back Cove area with an AR-15-style assault weapon. Justin Dean, 24, insisted he wasn't making any sort of statement but rather had the loaded rifle for protection while exercising his Second Amendment rights....
When police caught up to Dean on a street near his apartment, they determined he wasn't breaking any laws and let him continue on his way. Dean said he then spent the next few hours walking to a post office to mail a letter in an outside mailbox and walking around the 3.5-mile Back Cove walking trail.
Supporters of gun rights in Maine said the guy's armed stroll was a "tone deaf" attempt to support the Second Amendment, and also no way can municipalities like Portland make their own laws in response to this kind of event. "Politically, frankly it's virtually impossible," Jeff Weinstein of the Maine Gun Owners Association told reporters.
Leave a Comment:
I'm betting I can guess the color of Mr. Dean's skin, and I'd also bet that, if it was a different color, Mr. Dean would be residing in jail right now.
I Recall a young man doing that very same thing in another state and getting away with it ~ as long as it is Not Concealed ~ It IS Legal !
Legal isn't the point. Consider what could have happened if someone didn't like the way he looked and decided to be a hero...you could go from walk in the park to full on firefight in the blink of an eye.
It would be pretty hard to conceal an AR-15 Assault Rifle...
You'd have to stick it down your pants leg... and hope nobody came up and said
"is that an Assault Rifle or are you just glad to see... nah... not likely."
I wonder at which point would carry the weapon be considered illegal...like if the owner aimed it at someone...would that be still legal? If the person was obviously inebriated? If the owner also was walking with a seeing eye dog? Does the weapon need to be attached to the owner's body at all times or could it just be set beside the owner? I wonder what the details of the law are and if the terms of the carry law are specific enough to cover all irresponsible circumstances.....
I wonder at which point would carry the weapon be considered illegal...like if the owner aimed it at someone...would that be still legal?
-----------------
Threatening violence is assault and illegal. For this not to be assault the armed person would need to prove self-defense. Consult an attorney in your jurisdiction for the specifics.
--------
If the person was obviously inebriated? If the owner also was walking with a seeing eye dog? Does the weapon need to be attached to the owner's body at all times or could it just be set beside the owner? I wonder what the details of the law are and if the terms of the carry law are specific enough to cover all irresponsible circumstances.....
-------
Failure to properly maintain control of the weapon is also illegal in most jurisdictions. Consult an attorney in your jurisdiction for the specifics.
Dragoon , Hey dont get testy with Me , I didn't write these laws , It is what it is , I merely made a statement ~ Goon ! U or anyone else want to mess with Me ~ Bring It ! I thought that the people on this blog like to deal with Facts and legal issues ~ Perhaps Not !?
Dragoon , You don't have to get psychotic and paranoid about it ! You especially do Not have to Jump on My back about it , Unless that's Really what you want ! BTW , Legal IS the Point !
Dragoon , Speaking of Legal , These goofs that are committing these atrocities are arming themselves Illegally to begin with ! Yes , it is very sad and sick !
Turning the man's skin color into a guessing game was not the first thing that popped into my mind. But maybe that's just not a white thing. Or a me thing.
My first thought was how could Mr Dean NOT know people would be intimidated. Either he has no concept of empathy or sensitivity towards others' sense of safety, or he lied, knew, and intended it to be intimidating in light of highly publicized recent events; much like an adult who would stop just short of a child's face with his/her closed fist.
Dragoon's point on what could be considered a "civil disturbance" and the possible reactive consequences are valid.
How about putting on some Arab garb and going to the post office like that ? the cops and any winger who saw the clown would be having a piss fit STILL , AS WE SPEAK !!!!!
And the comment in the op that communities can not make rules to prevent people from walking around like this is BS , only an uniformed winger gun nut would make a comment like that
Grumpy,
Or worse. Here in Detroit, the cops shot and killed a black man for brandishing a rake in a threatening manner.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=20000901&id=HDEyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8OUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5065,32292
It's not the only incident like that, either.
Locknpost, your point about it being a civil disturbance is a good one. When people object that he was just asserting his second amendment rights, just point out how the Occupy Wall Street people were treated for asserting their first amendment rights.
@Patango, I am not emotionally impervious to the simple dangers of wearing one's skin. And it is my naive hope it is as rare as the incidents that the media chooses to make pubic knowledge. I look white, but try to remain aware that I have minimal exposure to the profiling risks others face. At times, within my ignorance, I will fail.
John Williams, Native American, professional woodcarver, legally deaf was executed by an officer in 2010 in a matter of seconds after crossing the street. He could not hear the officer, and probably never knew what hit him. http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/09/john_williams_native_american.php
In the dashcam video, John enters the frame of vision at 1:00 in. http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/12/17/the-video-the-shooting-of-john-t-williams
Where was the media uproar?
As we move forward to confront the alarming gun violence that has become every day and acceptable by extremists, I wish for us to keep a holistic approach to solutions.
The Stop and Frisk approach that New York City has been implementing is an imperfect solution that needs some fixing. Melissa Harris Perry and others have focused on this effort previously as racial profiling, and have advocated a halt to the practice. Her argument is valid, and yet I must contest.
When I pulled and overlaid statistical maps of NYC Stop and Frisks, ethnic demographics, illegal gun seizures, and historic gun violence crimes... there was strong geographic correlation. The main problem I had was the PD's reports on Stop and Frisks were completely lacking in number of filed reports as to the legitimate cause of the Stop and Frisk.
In the example of NYC, I say we should continue trying what makes sense and what shows results, with more stringent officer accountability, while expanding our approach to address the import of guns across state lines to the demographic causes: lack of jobs, economic disparity, possible lack of community support programs, gang violence, etc.
There will be no single, simple solution. But that will not impede our collective efforts.
Ronald King, In regards to the first sentence of post #1.5, And based on My Knowledge, I would consider the use of Deadly Force in that scenario Justified IF I had a Firearm being Pointed at Me. This is what WE had to Know and recite in the Marines, Deadly Force is that Force, Which IF used is known or reasonably known to cause Death or serious bodily harm. Deadly Force is Justified only under condition's of Extreme necessity when all available lesser mean's have failed or Cannot reasonably be employed.
Consider this; the Oklahoma incident; there were No firearms involved, None- what so ever !
Think about it !
Perhaps that is why bomb making is illegal? Or, are you advocating arming ourselves with bombs should be legal?
Well, guns Are legal, and so is cow poop, so what is Your point ?
You know where there's cow poop specifically suited to mass slaughter?!! Excuse me for saying, but, maybe we should take a look at what those cows are eating.
You obviously do not even know what that bomb in Oklahoma was made of ! It wasn't a gun !
Look it up, read, learn and you will find and have the answer to your own question ! Yes, cow poop ! Not a gun !
Methane from cow poop does not make cow patties readily available explosive devices for mass casualty. Can you imagine everyone toting explosive cow patties? Hell, a coyote having a bad day could be dangerous to all. Not to mention the smell...
Very good, you are beginning to learn that it is not always people with guns that can kill in mass !
My point is, is that if and when some crazy idiot wishes to cause harm to others, they will find a way, no matter what it takes, it isn't always guns !
No. It's about any wicked-smelling coyote off the street having easy legal access to weapons designed specifically for mass murder, and those who profit from it maintaining that access.
I agree in part, but if you look at the recent and past massacres, these idiots that have committed these atrocities obtained these weapons either illegally or they stole them ! And their primary goal essentially was to kill themselves, WHY, they include other innocent people in their own death race is beyond either you or me !
Yes, motivations are difficult to understand.
You make a good point about so many firearms (approximately 500,000 a yr) being stolen. Aside from promoting securing guns as an integral part of responsible gun ownership, I have no idea how gun theft can be minimized.
Some people probably can't afford biometric safes, or have no children in home to worry about. But I can't figure out if there are really that many proficient burglars, or if people are accidentally advertising the fact that they have guns and where. (I won't say how foolish and stupid I thought that journalist was for publishing legally registered gun owners' personal info. Or did I...)
Lock, you are good people; We All wish that we could answer these questions and resolve and prevent these horrendous events from happening, unfortunately we cannot, just as we cannot control the weather Or our politician's !
As far as someone or anyone Publishing registered gun owners Personal information and locations of residence, NO, that would only specify and give locations for the gun thieves to attack/Target and obtain weapons, that would be Very Foolish and Insane to do ! If anyone were to do that, they would be Helping the thieves to be able to Target Locations and obtain weapons Illegally, that notion is preposterous and Foolish !
BTW, Hey Eddie Wilson, How are you Bud ? Looks as though you were attacked unnecessarily Yet-Again ! Some on this blog appear to be trigger happy !
Hey there SNAF , Yes , I would state that it is a great thing that these type of Goof's Do Not own any Guns ! They are obviously in fear of themselves and afraid of how they themselves would Over-react if they were in these situations and had a gun in their hand or on their person ! We can see that over-reaction just within their words alone ! They obviously know themselves and the way that they would react and be unable to handle such a situation !
Yes, fertilizer was used in the Oklahoma City bomb... which is why its mass sale is now controlled. Not so much with guns, and they've killed thousands of times more people in this country.
I own a gun, and am comfortable with it, and I'm enough of a study of humans in general to know that mass gun usage would be a disaster. When you lament the low average intelligence in this country, remember: at least half of the country is dumber than that. That is NOT the kind of person you want armed and dangerous.
Municipalities in Maine can't make their own laws? That's sad. Out for a stroll with a loaded weapon. What could go wrong?
And grumpy, I'm with you. I just wonder how many years he would get.
On the other hand, in most municipalities had he been out strolling unclothed, he'd certainly have been charged with making a public nuisance, or worse.
Of course, then all of us would have seen for ourselves that, despite carrying a loaded weapon, he was most certainly unarmed.
Sorry. And he would have been very cold, further decreasing any threat he might have presented.
Very, very sorry.
The analogy is more accurate than otherwise. Nothing says, "I (pretend to) have a big dick", like owning an assault rifle. That's true 99% of the time, and we all know it, even when we try to be politically and constitutionally correct.
The crazy felon who killed 2 volunteer firemen not 5 miles from my house last weekend... he was using an AR-15. There's no rationale reason for American Citizens to own these weapons of warfare. None.
...and I'm preaching to the choir. But really, it's all we can do since right-wing blogs don't allow even a wisp of liberal discussion before you get banned.
I used to frequent many conservative blogs/websites. I posted my views often that disagreed with the "norm." And didn't get banned. Then one day I committed the most heinous of crimes: I pointed out the fact the fiscal conservatism is not about not spending money, it is about only spending money that we actually have and need to spend. My lord you would have thought I said Reagan was the Antichrist. Of course this was around the time that my party really started going off the deep end so I really don't care.
What happens when a legally armed stroller enters a stand your ground neighborhood and gets shot because someone felt threatened? Does the shooter get to walk?
Hoping Trayvon Martin's case will set a solid precedence for such incidents, where his senseless death may have a positive influence on future cases.
I like this question a lot. I would also like an answer to it...
When does stand your ground apply - Zimmerman and older man was following a 17 year old young man, did Martin fear for his safety and protected himself by giving Zimmerman a broken nose? Or does it only apply when someone feels embolden because they are armed and think they are invincible, and when that unarmed young man protects himself instead of hitting back, you pull out a gun and shoot this unarmed young man defending himself. No one knows because we were not in either persons mind, and this Law is proving to be a "License to Kill".
Trayvon Martin attacked zimmy...
after being STALKED AND GOD KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
#4.2: Skittles vs. a 9mm pistol.
Taking a gun to mail a letter?
I didn't know letter mailing was a sport.
Anyway, I'd hate to be the postal worker to inform him he forgot the last 4 digits of the zip code.
Maybe it was his income-tax refund???
going "postal"? ( ironic gallows humor.. ) dog shoots man. news at 9..
What kind of place is that when you have to carry a loaded rifle to go for a stroll or mail a letter?
It wasn't just a rifle. A rifle would be bad enough.
Yeah, I meant to put loaded assault rifle, but you get the drift.
Is Justin Dean's stunt akin to a young man casually strolling through an Afghan village with an IED in his hand?
disorderly conduct? got to give the dude credit- the trifecta- exercising his first amendment rights , by exercising his second amendment rights, while well- exercising his left and rights.. ? win place show!! ( teehee!) - why ask for trouble from the police? bonehead. and what if he was a madman on the loose. "fooled the cops- not off to do my evil deeds"- or worse- shot up the cop car as it was driving away. the 223 /ar 15/ m-16/ etc- has been nothing but trouble. how many thousands of old men, women, and children have been murdered by this firearm since 1963? in viet nam- My Lai was called an atrocity- same number of innocent civilians killed- and the USA was outraged. sandy hook was an atrocity of the worst kind. I am in favor of whatever we need to do to stop this from happening again. I live across a field from a grade school, and watch the kids play , while i work on my , and my neighbors yards. the thought of anyone harming little kids like these- makes me recoil in disgust.. the NRA is finished. its time. by the way- the NRA was founded in 1871- the same year the Federal government passed some very strict anti domestic terrorism laws- to prevent the KKK from killing black poeple of color in the south. the KKK act of 1871. and the NRA- conspiracy, or coincidence? i report, you decide..
And those sweet little kids go home on the weekends to their neighborhoods and have air-soft wars with their friends. Weapon of choice AR-15 / Tactical M4 assault rifle. Bought by their parents along with the latest COD video game.
That's not breaking any law either.
Justin Dean... had the loaded rifle for protection while exercising his Second Amendment rights...
When police caught up to Dean they determined he wasn't breaking any laws...
He may not have been breaking any laws... but what he was doing was most definitely NOT covered by any part of the 2nd Amendment...
The 2nd Amendment, enacted in1791, reads:
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
The “arms” the Amendment refers to... muskets and pitchforks... the “arms” the people in the field, workshop, counter, desk, and pulpit had... or were supplied by the local Militia if they had none.
These people trained... became a “well regulated militia,” their existence “being necessary to the security of a free state,” and on whom, by that necessity, the “right of the people to keep and bear arms,” was conferred, the reason for those arms was being in the militia,... therefore that “right shall not be infringed” by anyone. That is all it says.
It never mentions personally owned arms. Just the necessity of being in a “well regulated militia”... it does not say there is a “right” to own arms, or even "have" arms... only the right to “keep and bear” arms... when belonging to a militia... Again... when belonging to a militia...
People did own weapons, for protecting family and possessions, and naturally, for hunting. But they were not the reason the Amendment says what it says.
It is a singlular sentence. Take it the way it was written...
It's a Constitutional Amendment... you can’t change it for your own benefit. Even if all you want to do is take it for a walk.
The 2008 Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia v Heller declared that the 2nd Amendment gives individuals the right to 'keep and bear arms', but it also basically limited that right to the home.
Section III of the majority opinion, written by Justice Antonin Scalia, clearly states that the 2nd Amendment rights are not unlimited. It also says legislation regulating commercial sales of firearms, or banning them in certain areas does not violate 2nd Amendment rights.
As pointed out above, this guy is very lucky someone didn't get spooked and shoot him.
I just heard an interesting report on NPR! I believe it was "Slate.com" that is starting to compile a daily report of gun deaths in this country. You should start the new year by keeping that talley, just as they do the national debt. Everyday on your show enter breaks by scrolling the daily report and comming out of breaks scrolling the total for the year to date. Or we could just arm all pre school childern! By seventh grade there wouldn't be enough left for a good mass shooting. BUT wouldn't Wayne be happy!!
I hadn't heard of a site doing this, but if so, please follow this suggestion. Much like Keith -- remember him, anyone -- and his daily counts of days left in the Bsh Administration or similar, this could be a powerful daily reminder. Oh, and divide it into 'suicide, accident, murder, police shootout, undetermined, etc.' We forget that guns are used by people to kill themselves, or that they get 'played' with -- from personal experience, I was twenty, and a writer came in with a real gun I thought was a toy and made a grab for it. Fortunately nothing was bruised but my reputation -- and no one could see that minor blemish.
A further breakdown might include 'weapons purchased legally by shooter, weapons stolen by shooter' or whether the shooter had a license to carry where needed.
Might be some pretty powerful information to use against the LaPierres.
Many valid points have been made, above.
What will happen when this young man's action is repeated a hundred- a thousand- times, all across the nation? I suspect it will draw more attention to the "problem" of 1st Amendment rights, and all the arcane derivations of it.
Well done, young man! Let the debate begin.
Every day, every minute, every second, you just can't avoid becoming more and more proud of America and proud to be an American. What other country on Earth allows you the free-dumb of being forced to walk down the street scared shhitless some idiot with buttmud for brains is going to flaunt his Big Guns.
Good god. Weep for America. We have to allow this? We have to put up with this?
I don't give a damn where it happened. It's ridiculous. It's uncalled for. Some gun junkie dickweed wanted to make an unnecessary in-your-face punk move that would (and should) cause alarm to anybody within eyesight of him. There's no reason in this world why America should put up with this shhit.
To tell you the truth, if he does it again, I hope somebody mows him down.
Yes, Maine is not like DC. DC has a ton of guns on the street that no one finds until they're attached to a corpse. In the Civil war, DC was a place for soldiers to find "horizontal refreshment".
The 20th Maine Regiment was credited with holding the left end of the Union line, and thus became key to the Union win at Gettysburg. I you have any problems with Maine stay out of it, but don't try to emboss it with your own approach to lawmaking. It takes a determined person to live there.
The Army bought the AR15: if they hadn't, the rifle would have been a mere footnote in gun reference books. Then, as now, you can blame a Connecticut corporation for most of the AR15 production. Most of the troops who carried them weren't that thrilled for the honor, but it's position as the primary service rifle is the major reason for all the civilian interest. That- and the fact that our kids have no idea what stupid useless war they'll get sent to, but they know what rifle they'll be carrying.
Cliff just went over a cliff into irrelevance taking with him every duh mass RightWingNoiseMachine-manufactured meme for Useful Idiot consumption of the last four years. You mad, Cliffie boi? Hahahahahaha...
Get a job you red state white trash gun junkie.
Cliff
You know a lib said that just how. And where does your BS abour libs want free helth care coming from? You're too full of BS and hate to even be taken serious.
No people do not have to put up with it , now much you want to bet the moms who have kids that live around there are getting an ordenence drive put together as we speak?
And like there has never been a republican who went to the emergency room for health care? You know what state is the food stamp capital of america? Lilly white gop west virginia , they are the reason pres kennedy started the modern day snap program , they are about as liberal Cliff the poseur
And again KKKliff, the new inbred troll is here spouting its usual asinine comments.
LOL!!!!
Ol' KKKliffy really has brought the stupid strong, hasn't he? An excellent representative for his pathetic ilk.
No, KKKliffy, we don't have to put up with it. Nobody has a Constitutional right to walk around with any sort of weapon other than their own person -- and even then one can be banished from public and/or private spaces,-- much less an assault, semi-assault, automatic, semi-automatic.
Now go get a job you red state white trash gun junkie and if you're a good boy, we might not tip over your home. But you better be good, you hear?
I asked a police officer friend of mine what the difference between open-carrying and brandishing is. He replied, "The opinion of the arresting officer."
In Oregon it is legal to carry a gun, as long as it is not concealed. Occasionally, we see people wearing holstered guns into Walmart, and one of our neighbors proudly carried his gun around outside daily just to annoy those of us with small children. To me, it is all about doing the math. The more guns we have in our country, the more people get killed with guns.
Cliff has discovered the non-sequitur and, even though he doesn't know what one is, is determined to brandish and use it indiscriminately.
Cliff seems to think gutter trash needs the same protection as the POTUS , why do the ayn rand capitalistic pigs get confused when their own principles are applied to themselves?
They all have Romnisa and when it comes to hurricanes and tornadoes is just weather or is God punishing us?
A church down south got hit by a twister. GOD's pleading the 5th...
That's another town I'll avoid!
They have a name for this in Miami: suicide by cop....
The possibilities for a stunt - and make no mistake, it was a stunt- like this to go horribly wrong are infinite.
Exactly. A uncalled for stunt/punk move in which a lot of people could get hurt. Or worse.
Just few points, about consequences.
Do 65 people need to be inconvenienced in reporting this incident, having their names recorded in a publically accessible record?
If the above 65 people, noticed the provocateur was heading toward an elementary school, would the police response be different?
If the above 65 people, saw the same performance again, would they then make the same reports or let it pass?
If on the 65th time of seeing the same performance the provocateur entered the school just for fun, would that be a problem?
If all of the parents of all of the school age children, in the town were to assemble and lodge a grievance to the government to better protect their children, would that being civic action?
What could happen at such meeting, if the provocateur attended, carry his tool of objection?
Say that a total of 2,065 parents, have been denied their duly petitioned grievance, be forced to live in fear and to then purchase 2,065 rapid fire weapons capable of killing 20 children in 20 seconds, would this make us safe?
Would there be any economic impact for those parents to purchase armored vehicles, and to supplement their children wardrobe with protective armor, and to provide time off of work to escort their children to and from school?
Would the 20 schools involved, be forced to hire armed guards, to provide bullet proof wall, doors and windows, and to add steel bars, cement walls, concertina wire, watch towers?
If the schools used to educate the next generation of children, have all the characteristics of a maximum security prison, do you expect to see personality disorders resembling paranoia and insecurity?
If the world outside these schools, for some reason remains unsafe, then might not the elderly demand the same protection in a secured place.
Might not all small cities, having open streets, leisurely accessed on fine warm Sunday mornings, have markedly changed their appearance, by adopting the same security measures?
Now that have we clear idea of where we are headed, might we, while we still remain a free people subscribe to Constitutional form of representational self-governance with duly described responsibilities that elected officials are sworn came out with effective penalties if they do not.?
Might we, while we still remain free people use our free will to remain free, or should we just let the technology loose, to armed each citizen, with a night vision capable weapon, equipped with sound and heat suppression, enhance with offensive power blinding strobe lights, destructive decibel sound projection and benefiting from enhanced intelligent target acquisition, identification and guidance to direct fire to the most vital organs of the smallest children?
Might we not do away with government entirely, and all pretense to make a better world, dispense with all taxes, and spending and merely take what we want when we want to using our children destroying weapons?
(A long gone WWII Veteran left for dead for three days on the battle fields of Europe, would know just what to do and the is problem gone.)
That is exactly what is happening , an example of how we got here
In the 30's and 40's , Delbert and the gang were still walking around with their shot guns being gun nut tuff guys across america , well law enforcement and communities got sick of the gun nut minority and banned these jack ass's
40 years later , everyone had forgotten , and the minority gun nuts started getting gun control laws over turned , well now the gun nut minority want to dictate how everyone lives again , like they did before , you either carry a shot gun every where you go to intimidate everyone , or you get to be the guy looking at another guy carrying a Bushmaster , while your standing there unarmed , what a wonderful community option?
I am all for people arming themselves properly for protection , the majority of americans agree
But it is the gun nuts like the jerk off in the op who ruin it for everyone , because they are self centered wackos , who should not be allowed to have a gun at all , if that was not a display of irresponsible gun ownership , then what is?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/31/us-usa-shooting-maine-idUSBRE8BU00720121231
Parking dispute may have led to Maine shooting deaths: police
Society and its law makers need to make the rules, and be accountable, responsible liable for consequences in accordance with law. It is what societies are supposed to have laws for, not some murderous shooting gallery.
This seems to be the only logical place here to talk about violence, guns, etc.
Does anyone have a well thought-out reason why New York is experiencing record low homicides this year while Chicago is in the opposite camp? There doesn't seem to be such a huge difference in the cities. All I can think of is the potential differences between leadership (mayors) and law enforcement (police departments) in the 2 cities. Is it truly that Chicago has been overrun by gangs, and they cannot be brought under control?
It's been said before and will probably be said again, "Cook County is one of the most corrupt counties in the country." Until that appellation is completely rescinded by said county in the eyes of the populace, then Chicago's crime rate will exceed that of similar sized cities in this country.
This guy is a real jackass. Look, many states have Open Carry laws. My own home state of Virginia has open carry laws. Guess what? I have NEVER carried openly. I have ALWAYS carried concealed.
Why? Because you freak people out openly carrying a weapon! If you want to protect yourself, then why the hell are you trying to provoke people and freak them out? It's stupid.
Look, carrying a firearm is a serious responsibility. You have to think about what you're doing. You gotta think about how you're going to do it. You gotta think about what kind of firearm to carry. You have to think about where you're going to carry it on your person, given your need to quickly draw it if you need to, depending on the weather outside, and what you're going to be wearing that day. If you're going to carry a weapon, you gotta think these things through.
Openly carrying a damn AR-15 to the Post Office is NOT thinking this through. It's behaving like a jackass.
There's a reason why you carry concealed. It so you don't screw up everyone else's day and you have it just in case you need it.
I'm sure the NRA supports and applauds this since they don't represent responsible gun ownership anymore. This may have been legal, but not a responsible adult move. Eventually all these NRA worldview crafted law are going to fall apart. Think about it the guy is walking around with this unnecessary rifle for protection and decided to play neighborhood watch or someone feels he may be doing that. Say he sees a cute girl and wants to ask for her number. That causes someone to feel threatened, a man with a high powered rifle you don't know is walking toward you so you pull out your weapon and gun fight ensues. You've got the legal right to carry this weapon like an idiot and it's a stand your ground state....so who would be at fault?
Good points all. Does this guy want attention? He got it. If Zimmerman would have seen this what do think he would have done?
Consider this scenario..A movie theater with 200 people in it..A gun accidentally discharges. 100 people in the theater have gun legally...Ten pop up after one pulls his gun...I think you can see what could go terribly wrong. Or maybe someone popped their gum. And was mistaken for a gunshot, should ban bubble gum instead.
After a little thinking, its just dumb really really dumb! He had better hope his name and personal info don't get out. Could could this be a Youtube stunt if so a stupid one. Enuff said on this little matter.
Judging from the paranoid yapping from gun owners who are rushing to buy guns and ammo because the NRA told them Obama was going to ban guns, I would say there are a whole lot of mentally ill people with guns!
Face it. You do not need a pistol to hunt nor do you need a fully automatic weapon. If you need a thirty round clip to shoot a deer then maybe you do not need to hunt?
Once more we allow a minority led by corporate slime to run the show. The NRA is nothing more than a gun manufactures salesgroup and their members are pawns.
Well said, Paul!
The states have hunting regulations that limit magazine capacity to 3 or 5 rounds.
Generally, you cannot hunt with a pistol.
Hunters and "gun nuts" are two separate species.
"The states have hunting regulations that limit magazine capacity to 3 or 5 rounds."
I wish the regulations could cover all situations, not just hunting.
I think there is a 3rd species in addition to "gun nuts" and hunters. I think there are many who just like to have a gun collection. I see nothing wrong with that. It always comes down to limiting the clip.
Most states require collecters to disable automatics. Most gun collectors are smart enough to lock up their guns and to keep the ammo (if they keep any at all) in a separate area.
I would like to see all non-hunting weapons become collector's items with the proviso they all be disabled first.
We had a similar case in metro Detroit earlier this year - an 18 year old took a walk in downtown Birmingham with a weapon. Although the irony of his name is funny, make no mistake, this was a white kid carrying a weapon in a very tony suburb, where the police use extra caution when dealing with the public. (And there is no way he felt any danger walking around the "tough streets" of Birmingham, trust me.)
Here's the link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57451749/gun-advocates-protest-mich-teens-arrest-for-carrying-non-concealed-m-1-rifle/
He chose his location well, because if he would have pulled that stunt in Detroit, well, it probably would have ended differently. There, if the police hadn't taken him out, a local citizen (criminal or otherwise) would have done it.
Meanwhile, in the real world, where guns are less about some esoteric Second Amendment circle jerk (can I say that on a blog?):
Courtesy the Detroit Free Press: "The majority of the homicides were the result of gunshots, and most of the victims were black men."
http://www.freep.com/article/20121228/NEWS01/312280175/Detroit-s-homicide-rate-nears-highest-in-2-decades
A particularly telling quote from the article (for reference, Gary Brown was a career Detroit police officer before he lost his job as part of the Kwame Kilpatrick shenanigans that are still playing out here - he sued, and his whistleblower case ultimately was Kwame's undoing.):
And this has nothing to do with this particular post, but I wanted to let the Rachel Maddow people know, in case they missed it:
http://www.freep.com/article/20121228/NEWS15/121228069/Michigan-citizenship-ballot-applications
It's official: Rick Snyder has completely turned into one of those wacky republican governors.
Just a couple of point's. Has anyone on this Blog ever been to Israel? I have, back in "89" when I was in the Marines our Unit did a Med Cruise, Italy, France, Turkey, Spain and Israel. If you haven't, This issue is the NORM over there.!! Not so much seeing the IDF, But people in Civillian clothing carrying M-16, UZI whatever. Strange, Yes. Intimidating sure. The worst part was Not knowing if that person was Good or Bad. It took a little getting used too. My 2nd Point that I really do not see Blogger's talking about in regards to C & C, which I don't do, Is Knowing what constitutes the use of Deadly Force or available lesser Mean's. This was Drilled into me and I had to teach this to my Guard Section, But how a 6'4"250 lb person and a 4'10" 100 lb person React to the same exact situation are 2 different issues. Take my word on this. When I would have Classes on this Subject, WE had exact scenarios that Authorized it's use, But it was the "other" situation's that where not prescisley written, But left it to a Judgement call or Decision, And based on my 2 physical descriptions mentioned, That is where thing's got dicey. Now throw this "Thread" that is being discussed into the mix, With people that Have NOT been trained in Deadly Force, This could lead to Tragedy based on something meant to be "Harmless".