Scared and refused to have picture taken with a Gun

[RX-79G]

I think you are misguided if you believe those that wish to ban guns care 1 iota about how prudent and safe law abiding gun owners operate.

If I thought that there was one monolithic entity that wanted only kind of gun control, I would be a very stupid person indeed. But I didn't say anything about gun banning.

What I was talking about was good behavior for the sake of good behavior. Encouraging knuckle heads to take classes in gun safety so you and I don't get shot at the range, or their kids don't Glock each other. Acting as a sensible community may or may not prevent gun control legislation, but it is its own reward.

 

[American123]

If I thought that there was one monolithic entity that wanted only kind of gun control, I would be a very stupid person indeed. But I didn't say anything about gun banning.

What I was talking about was good behavior for the sake of good behavior. Encouraging knuckle heads to take classes in gun safety so you and I don't get shot at the range, or their kids don't Glock each other. Acting as a sensible community may or may not prevent gun control legislation, but it is its own reward.

For sure, people should be proficient, I just don't want the government involved in that.

 

[Knobgoblin]

For sure, people should be proficient, I just don't want the government involved in that.

Meh.
People should be proficient at parenting before they are prolific at breeding.

"Sensible " is a fun word to throw around , but the actual concept is rather antithetical to the human animal .

 

[American123]

Meh.
People should be proficient at parenting before they are prolific at breeding.

"Sensible " is a fun word to throw around , but the actual concept is rather antithetical to the human animal .

100% agreed.

 

[RVTECH]

I just don't want the government involved in that.

And neither do I but the 'trade off' is going to be increased stupidity, negligence, poor decisions et all with regard to gun owners, and we are simply going to have to accept it.

Gun ownership is no longer the domain of hunters, sportsmen, target shooters, hobbyists, etc. The so called millions of 'new gun owners' probably only see guns as nothing more than a 'last ditch' need for protection and nothing more, a 'talisman' so to speak, and I doubt most of these people could give a rats azz about any 'ancillary' training or instruction to become 'proficient'.

The traditional regard, respect and appreciation for guns is becoming relegated to far fewer people than it was in the past, with the majority seeing them as nothing but a potential 'tool' to protect themselves, or in the case of some others, something they can use to 'influence' their political and social agenda.

 

[sobo]

One says "representative of the state", the other says "the state".

If you believe that a policeman is not a representative of the state just because I said "the state" and not "a representative of the state", then you are being disingenuous at best or mendacious at worst.

Just thought I'd point out this obvious difference. Carry on, and all.

Anyone with a lick of sense reading my comments in the mag ban thread would logically conclude that when I said "the state" in reference to a policeman, I was referring to the policeman as a representative of the state. It isn't necessary to spell out everything with Alpha-Bits...

 

[Mecanik]

Our family hosted a Russian student about 20 years ago on an exchange student program. We took her to one of the largest gun shows on the west coast at the time. She said when she left to go back that it was the most memorable thing she did here. I figured it was one of the most American things I could do while she was here.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

you are being disingenuous at best or mendacious at worst.

Or practicing for the BAR.

 

[RX-79G]

If you believe that a policeman is not a representative of the state just because I said "the state" and not "a representative of the state", then you are being disingenuous at best or mendacious at worst.

Anyone with a lick of sense reading my comments in the mag ban thread would logically conclude that when I said "the state" in reference to a policeman, I was referring to the policeman as a representative of the state. It isn't necessary to spell out everything with Alpha-Bits...

If you think I'm going to tolerate your disingenuous misquoting because in one thread I talked about the inability of an officer to create legal policy and the other I am talking about how a uniform signifies official capacity, then you don't seem to get who you're dealing with.

Anyone with a lick of sense could tell that the DECISIONS of a cop and the APPEARANCE of a cop are as different as night and day.

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[sobo]

you don't seem to get who you're dealing with.

Oh, I get who I'm dealing with. Totally...

 

[RX-79G]

Oh, I get who I'm dealing with. Totally...

Can't make a real argument, so why not just insult instead, eh?

 

[sobo]

Can't make a real argument, so why not just insult instead, eh?

I see no need for me to "argue" with you. If you read an insult into my last, then that's on you...

 

[RX-79G]

I see no need for me to "argue" with you. If you read an insult into my last, then that's on you...

Oh, good. Because you clearly aren't arguing with anyone.

 

[L84Cabo]

That guy was so paranoid. He back in China enjoying his life in his tyrannical society.

"Paranoia is the feeling that you're being threatened in some way, such as people watching you or acting against you, even though there's no proof that it's true."

The guy was NOT paranoid. Being paranoid implies that the threat/fear of reprisals from his government was not real. When you live in a communist country, that threat is VERY real.

 

[UnderFire]

It's not at all surprising. A large percentage of the population here would have a similar reaction, let alone a national of any extremely restrictive nation

 

[The Heretic]

I guess being rude for open carry is not something I agree with or understand because of growing up in a state that open carry is apart of the states constitution and carrying concealed was a no-no up until 20 or so years ago.

It is a a matter of context. In some cultures or countries, certain things we do in the USA are just flat out rude in their country/culture.

I don't think it would be rude to be carrying openly in many rural areas, especially places like Montana, Idaho, Texas, but I would not expect to see it in downtown Seattle or Portland.

 

[RVTECH]

especially places like Montana, Idaho, Texas,

Or Oregon. Many OC here and pretty common on the 'Eastside'.

 

[The Heretic]

Or Oregon. Many OC here.

In eastern OR, yes.

I rarely see open carry in western OR, and then mostly in rural areas.

Again, a civilian going into Portland proper with a Glock openly carried, much less an AR, is going to at least be considered strange, probably offend some people, make a lot of people uncomfortable, and probably incur the wrath of any business they go into, and quite probably have the police respond to calls about an armed person. None of this does our cause any good nor does it change the attitude of the public for the better, just the opposite.

To the unarmed public in such a context, open carry is about equivalent to someone showing up for a church service dressed thusly:

 

[gmerkt]

"Discussion forum," definition, a place where various points of view may be discussed, preferably without rancor.

I worked at a bank, an elderly customer was sitting at my desk and the topic of target shooting came up. Then it shifted to concealed carry, he said, "let me show you something" and pulled out his pistol. Not something you typically see while working in a bank, but he maintained trigger discipline and kept it pointed in a safe direction. I said, "that's nice but I think before people start to get the wrong idea you should put that away." It dawned on him that he just pulled a gun, in a bank, in Seattle and even though nobody noticed, he agreed with me before anyone did. that he should put it away. I wasn't personally bothered by it, but I do ascribe to the belief that rules of firearm safety should be applied at all times with the addition being "leave the gun in the holster unless there is a reason to pull it and use it." - so "show and tell" wouldn't have been a valid reason.

This must've been a while back. These days, sunglasses, hats and hoodies are off-limits at the bank.

Times change, don't they? A friend of mine is a retired postal employee (here we go). In the 1970's, he had a disagreement with another employee, next day, my pal displayed a Browning Hi-Power at his work station. Just laid it there for others to see, didn't flash it around. It was suggested that it might be wise if he put it away in his locker. Years later, having a firearm in a postal parking lot was cause for immediate dismissal.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, China is a highly controlled police state. One thing is a given, facial recognition technology works and is in place there. So it might be a natural state of affairs for Chinese citizens not to want their picture taken or have it appear anywhere within cyber reach of their government. In China, the government has rooms and rooms and rooms of people, sitting viewing computer screens and monitors, watching and otherwise checking on what citizens are doing. US intelligence services may have access to this sort of thing here, but to date, it hasn't been widely used for the management of average citizens going about their business.

Methods that the Chinese government uses to monitor citizens:

China is building a vast civilian surveillance network — here are 10 ways it could be feeding its creepy 'social credit system'

The growth of China's surveillance technology comes as the state rolls out a 'social credit system' to monitor, rank, and punish citizens.

www.businessinsider.com

That concept of a social credit system is pretty creepy. I'd be in the doghouse all my life.

By the way, Great Britain law enforcement in major metro areas has gone big on cameras and is getting into facial recognition technology. Not to suggest they have the same aims as the government of China. You can watch shows like UK PD on BBC, they use facial recognition from cameras along roads to catch crooks, for example.

Before the Covid thing, I sold a Swiss K31 to a Chinese student. I didn't even know non-citizens could buy guns here; they may if they have the right paperwork. This guy did, he had to show it all when we did the transfer at an FFL dealer. I asked him if he could take it back to China when he was finished with his education here, he said no way. They aren't allowed to own private firearms. Another aspect of the police state. But he is free to enjoy it while he's here. Maybe he will convince those who finance his education to keep it up, stay more years for more degrees.