When the anti-gunners bring up articles about a CCW holder getting in trouble with the law, they like to use it as ‘proof’ that CCW permits are a bad idea. We soundly mock them over this bit of stupidity.
However, one young adult carries a shotgun into a library, something that is perfectly legal, and some gun owners are claiming that this single event is pretty much going to get the AWB reinstated and Heller overturned. Yeah, that’s a bit of hyperbole, but the following comments from over at Snowflakes In Hell are not
This incident with the accompanying “discussions” on the various blogs has gotten me to reexamine my support for open carry. … But since I don’t OC or bring shotguns to the library, I’m happy to see those activities banned. … If you’re writing about how it’s perfectly reasonable to bring a shotgun into a library or restaurant, then you need to get your head examined. What the #$%^ is wrong with you people? Do you really think that scaring people who, prior to your stunt, had no opinion either way about OC helps gun rights? Really? Screw that. And thus officially ends my support for OC. Hearts and minds and all that. Congratulations. … So if throwing OC under the bus means that it’ll prevent people from doing insanely stupid things that jeopardize my gun rights, then so be it. … And hey, if we can prevent OC activists from hurting our cause, then my rights will be around much longer. What the OC activist crowd absolutely refuses to get is that they’re hurting the cause. Well I suppose, for me, it’s time to look out for number one. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel that way. Again, congratulations. Now imagine how people who aren’t 2A supporters might be affected by these stunts.
This incident with the accompanying “discussions” on the various blogs has gotten me to reexamine my support for open carry.
…
But since I don’t OC or bring shotguns to the library, I’m happy to see those activities banned.
If you’re writing about how it’s perfectly reasonable to bring a shotgun into a library or restaurant, then you need to get your head examined. What the #$%^ is wrong with you people? Do you really think that scaring people who, prior to your stunt, had no opinion either way about OC helps gun rights? Really? Screw that. And thus officially ends my support for OC. Hearts and minds and all that. Congratulations.
So if throwing OC under the bus means that it’ll prevent people from doing insanely stupid things that jeopardize my gun rights, then so be it.
And hey, if we can prevent OC activists from hurting our cause, then my rights will be around much longer. What the OC activist crowd absolutely refuses to get is that they’re hurting the cause. Well I suppose, for me, it’s time to look out for number one. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel that way. Again, congratulations. Now imagine how people who aren’t 2A supporters might be affected by these stunts.
Divided we will hang.
Honestly, 99.99999% of the noise over this whole event is from gun owners themselves. We are our own worst enemy in this regard. I don’t particularly think taking a shotgun into a library is all that helpful, but at the same time it doesn’t have to be negative. Nothing happened and yet gun owners are falling over themselves to condemn this act as if the kid actually shot up the place while screaming SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED!!!!!
“Oh but Robb, some politician submitted a bill because of this!!!!” Actually, from what I’ve read, two were submitted – one of which protected the right to carry. Neither of which will probably get much play after the noise from the gunnies dies down.
I am perfectly understanding of the point that it’s not that great of an idea to carry a long arm openly in a place that really doesn’t see that many guns, much less rifles or shotguns. Yes, it unnecessarily can disturb people. But at the same time, we would fight tooth and nail against the government if they tried to stifle the KKK’s speech, not because we agree with the Klan’s bigotry, but because we realize the importance of protecting speech some people find offensive.
Again, I ask for proof that our cause is actively being hurt by a silly stunt like this that happens once or twice every few months. All around the states, more and more gun rights are being respected. More laws are being passed to keep the government out of our gun safes. The Brady’s have as much political pull as the local high school glee club and even Bloomberg has to travel out of state to try to drum up some anti-gun shenanigans.
I’m not saying we’re ready to sit back and relax, there’s a lot of work to do, and yes we do not want to be having to undo damage caused by idiocy, but the price for protecting your freedom of speech is that some idiot is going to get to say some pretty offensive stuff. The price for protecting your right to keep and bear arms means that someone, somewhere is going to keep arms you do not approve of and bear them in a manner you do not like.
Hunters were more than happy to throw semi-automatics under the bus, so long as their precious bolt action bambi-zappers were safe. How did that work out? Can you say “Assault Weapons Ban”?
If some gun rights group was constantly doing stupid stunts to the point where you were fighting more legislation aimed at stopping their antics, I could understand the attitude of no longer supporting whatever they were doing. But the fact is all the hue and cry over this seems to be coming from our side (I’m guilty about poking the drama llama myself). Yes, it’d be nice to be able to focus 100% on only super positive gun bills, but that’s not life. I know as a board member of Florida Carry, I don’t want to see us having to expend any resources fighting things we absolutely do not have to. However, until I see actual laws passed that never would have seen the light of day because of silly things like this, I see no reason to give up on my support.
Perspective here is needed. Just like the .001% of CCW holders that get in trouble with the law does not indicate that CCW is a bad idea, one or two people crying for attention isn’t going to bring down everything we’ve worked so hard for. What will bring it down is when people start losing their willingness to fight for all gun rights because some rights bother them.
Thanks for listening.
That hasn't been said by anyone on any gun blog I have read. Can you point me to where a gunnie said that?
But, hey, that's just an opinion.
If open carry zealots want to get their kicks making people stare at them, I won't stop them. The liberals will get the law to do that soon enough.
Actually, Robb, what I am doing is trying to stop a bunch of self-righteous attention whores from screwing up the progress that has been made on gun rights.
This, from a guy who calls people who disagree with him "fudds"?
What gun blogger has said...
And, what's this I see? The library now has a restraining order against the OC zealots.
Not to mention all of the bad publicity.
Anyone else want to claim that there's no negative consequences to open carry?
This, from the guy who cannot foresee any negative effects of open carry?
Well, I guess I'm wrong there. A request for a restraining order against a particular group of individuals is exactly the same as a law disbanding the NRA. Wow, I didn't realize the power of a library to bring down the entire gun rights community. I hear Gura has decided to go into family law over this because there's no hope left.
Now, this was done with low key, Open Carry events throughout the state. I doubt we'd be in as good of a position if we decided to have "Open Carry Camping Trips" in front of the children's museum. There's nothing wrong with the phrase "Don't be a jerk" when it comes to open carry. I agree with that.