So some fool dressed up in camo and walked around downtown Hillsboro with a shotgun

[saxon]

and i think you misunderstand what liberty is,,, liberty IS freedom , freedom IS liberty
if you can loose either because you exercise them then you have NITHER

I think you're missing the point: ABUSING our liberties are what puts the rest of us who use them responsibly in danger of losing them. I will advocate for all of the Constitutional rights, even for those who abuse them.
BTW, I don't have a problem with p0rn, as long as everything is legal. What I do have a problem with are those who make light of rape, abuse of the weak, and play upon racism for personal profit. Larry Flynt and the guys who walk around downtown, in cammo with their ARs, for no other reason than to stir up shYt and provoke people, have a legal right to keep doing what they're doing, and I support that right. Doesn't mean I have to respect them or agree with them.

 

[PopsBdog]

What the rest of the world doesn't get.
Is that our liberty is designed to take abuse.
It Is Strong.

That is why I love this country.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

and i think you misunderstand what liberty is,,, liberty IS freedom , freedom IS liberty
if you can loose either because you exercise them then you have NITHER

Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean it's a good idea. By your logic, I suppose I can assume you're a supporter of the Westboro Baptist Church? After all, they're just excercising their Constitutional rights, right?

 

[parallax]

If news media does a story on this guy, then hundreds of thousand SHEEPLE see it, of those SHEEPLE many will be shocked and decide to try and do something about it, beause in the sheeple world this kind of behavior must be stopped. someone writes up a ballot measure then all the scared sheeple vote on it, then next thing ya know , its against the law to walk within city limits with a firearm. pretty sure there are more anti-gun sheeple than us.

 

[saxon]

perhaps you have read this at some point in time

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

is the government to CONTROL our unalienable rights? or are they to protect them?
you do know what unalienable rights means do you not?

by your logic it is the majority and or the government who get to dictate waht rights we can or can NOT have.

perhaps this video can help you

Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean it's a good idea. By your logic, I suppose I can assume you're a supporter of the Westboro Baptist Church? After all, they're just excercising their Constitutional rights, right?

 

[Hawaiian]

Hey everybody, look at me, I am a cool tactical dude with a big gun. Can't fix stupid.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Some people need tyranny to feel all warm and fuzzy and "safe"..

 

[saxon]

Some people need tyranny to feel all warm and fuzzy and "safe"..

yes and some people need thier liberty to be restricted so they know how far they can or can not exercise thier rights,,,,,,

 

[gaijinsamurai]

perhaps you have read this at some point in time

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

is the government to CONTROL our unalienable rights? or are they to protect them?
you do know what unalienable rights means do you not?

by your logic it is the majority and or the government who get to dictate waht rights we can or can NOT have.

perhaps this video can help you

yes and some people need thier liberty to be restricted so they know how far they can or can not exercise thier rights,,,,,,

Where have I ever written that we should not have those rights?

Have YOU ever had your liberty restricted? Do you know what that means from personal experience? I've been in countries with less personal liberties than ours, and do not take our Constitutional rights for granted. You're making a lot of false assumptions when you try to preach to me about restrictions on liberty......and if you're going to post something called "...aka Liberty for Dummies", at least learn how to spell. It will give you more credibility.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

Oh, and if you have any doubts about my committment to our rights, I can say I've backed up the talk with action.

How about you?

......and yes, I openly carried! I made sure to do it when I knew I wouldn't be causing law enforcement and citizens to wonder if it was a peaceful demonstration or a soon to be mass shooting.

 

[CJ1089]

Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean it's a good idea. By your logic, I suppose I can assume you're a supporter of the Westboro Baptist Church? After all, they're just excercising their Constitutional rights, right?

Stepping in mid-stream, you can assume I support the right of the Westboro Wanks to present their position openly without fear of state oppression. And in response I get to call them bad names, again openly without fear of state oppression.

13 years active duty USMC, so don't try any of that "did you pay you dues?" stuff. And it doesn't matter if I had or not, the rights are recognized for Citizens not just Veterans.

My personal opinion about those that open-carry always hinges on intent. Are they trying to start a conversation or trying to shut down communication. The former gets my personal support, the latter my personal derision. But the exercise of rights always gets my approval. Even when I find the people doing it repellent.

You have to tolerate some pain to ensure you get the space to do your own thing.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

Dude, chill out! My post wasn't directed at you, but Saxon, who seems to think that just because I feel open carry for no purpose other than to get a rise out of people is fool-hardy, I'm somehow opposed to civil liberties or don't understand them.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

I think we can both agree that we support the rights of people to do stupid, obnoxious things, and at the same time, disapprove of those acts. I fully understand that for a "democratic" society to flourish, we have to tolerate some things we find distasteful. I find people who brandish their firearms in public distasteful because I believe their actions undermine efforts to persuade the general public that they have nothing to fear from law abiding gun owners.

Stepping in mid-stream, you can assume I support the right of the Westboro Wanks to present their position openly without fear of state oppression. And in response I get to call them bad names, again openly without fear of state oppression.

13 years active duty USMC, so don't try any of that "did you pay you dues?" stuff. And it doesn't matter if I had or not, the rights are recognized for Citizens not just Veterans.

My personal opinion about those that open-carry always hinges on intent. Are they trying to start a conversation or trying to shut down communication. The former gets my personal support, the latter my personal derision. But the exercise of rights always gets my approval. Even when I find the people doing it repellent.

You have to tolerate some pain to ensure you get the space to do your own thing.

 

[shootnscoot]

Open carry of shotguns and rifles..I see that the same way I see the logic of walking around with a giant battleaxe around town. Most people will look at you and assume you have some sort of mental deficit. If you saw someone randomly walking down your street with an AR-15 in camo, would you walk up and say hello? How about if they had a meat cleaver? There is no distinction for most people, they just see you as a potential threat and also most likely a weirdo. There is no constitutional right to open carry anything, it can be banned here just like its banned in Texas/Florida etc. Keep walking around playing soldier outside police stations and we'll end up going the same route.

 

[Mrand55]

I agree that it is a right and this guy wasn't "wrong" per se but what the Constitution says and what the anti-gunners and the low information folks will vote for and support are completely different. Ask the folks in Cali and NY how the Constitution is working for them as they're forced to register their guns and have some confiscated. This is the real world now and if you think the politicians today wouldn't crumpled the Constitution up and throw it away, you're crazy. They bend, manipulate, and violate it all the time without much outrage by the public.

 

[CJ1089]

Open carry of shotguns and rifles..I see that the same way I see the logic of walking around with a giant battleaxe around town. Most people will look at you and assume you have some sort of mental deficit. If you saw someone randomly walking down your street with an AR-15 in camo, would you walk up and say hello? How about if they had a meat cleaver? There is no distinction for most people, they just see you as a potential threat and also most likely a weirdo. There is no constitutional right to open carry anything, it can be banned here just like its banned in Texas/Florida etc. Keep walking around playing soldier outside police stations and we'll end up going the same route.

Mental deficit? Instability I will buy but DEFICIT?
So as a matter of fact I would just walk right up to them and say, "What's up?". My strong hand on my own carry and the strong side quartered back, in case I really don't like the response. When strangers or kids do things that seem out of place I just ask them what they are up to.
What would you do? Pretend that the meat cleaver dude is just a butcher out for a stroll? (Which could be the case OBTW) Call 911 and wait for someone to come and take care of things? Tail them and call for help? (Could be the best thing, ya' never know)

Do you do something or just hide and pretend it never happened?

Question for the OP: What did you do about this? Aside from bubbleguming in a forum did you approach this dude and explain your concerns like an adult, or just stew about it until you got the courage to complain anonymously online?

I have talked w/ an open-carry co-worker about his methods and motivation, he has me convinced that his approach and choice of venue does no more harm even if it does very little good (IMHO). I won't be joining him but I won't be chastising him either.

 

[saxon]

......and yes, I openly carried! I made sure to do it when I knew I wouldn't be causing law enforcement and citizens to wonder if it was a peaceful demonstration or a soon to be mass shooting.

so this is the point i am after, if you are only exercising your rights when you are sure that you will not offend any one,,, that is the whole point.
You admit that your freedom is restricted by the majority's view and not based on your unalienable rights.
Does he have a right to open carry? Yes.
Yet you say of him

ABUSING our liberties are what puts the rest of us who use them responsibly in danger of losing them. I will advocate for all of the Constitutional rights, even for those who abuse them.

Either it is a right or it is not.
You bring up Westboro interesting point they have a right to say whatever they want do they not?
Do you not also have the right not to listen? After all they are not yelling fire in a public building,
Do I question your commitment to our rights? No
Do I question your commitment but serving? No
Do I question when some one says we have a right, but we need to control how people exercise those same rights,,,, yes

If as you say enough people thought that any one who open carried was going to wonder if it was a peaceful demonstration or a soon to be mass shooting, then you your self would never open carry? Cant have it both ways if you let any one control your rights because THEY thought you might do something,,,, thought crime ring a bell?

 

[saxon]

if you need any one's permission to exercise those rights, if you will not or can not exercise those rights because some one might be afraid (even though you are not violating thier right) they are no longer rights. That is all it's that simple.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

When did I ever say they need my permission or that we need to control when someone abuses rights?

And yes, I believe it is an abuse of rights, when someone does it simply to antagonize others, just like what the Westboro Baptist Church does when they picket funerals. However, I'll continue to support the right for people to be fools, just like I support your right to be a fool on the internet.

 

[saxon]

When did I ever say they need my permission or that we need to control when someone abuses rights?

And yes, I believe it is an abuse of rights, when someone does it simply to antagonize others, just like what the Westboro Baptist Church does when they picket funerals. However, I'll continue to support the right for people to be fools, just like I support your right to be a fool on the internet.

yet if you think some one might take your open carry wrong, then you your self will not open carry?


pot, kettle - kettle, pot. as long as no one is violating my rights i support thier right to do as they please.

even your right to condem one perosn, when you your self will crestrict your own rights based on some ones thoughts,,,,,,,,,,,