I agree 100% hueco. What purpose is served by open carrying rifles there? Just to say "we can do it so we're going to"? I don't see how that does anything to further the cause, if anything only harm it. What we need is many more people to understand why the 2A is so important.Video would have been a zillion times better if Colion had played all the parts, a-la The Nutty Professor (Eddie Murphy).
Outside of that, there's a thread on here about Virginia where my point is in the minority: namely, that the AR slingin' attendees should be leaving them at home anyway.
Then there's another thread on here about a meeting in Washington where many on this board are asking others to please leave the rifles at home.
I cannot repeat this enough: who was more successful during the civil rights 60's - the black panthers or MLK and crew? How's BLM faring these days after having a violent streak?
Our mission, should you choose to effing accept it, is to grow the gun community! It's not to be obstinate in front of politicians. It's not to show off the size of your big brass balls. It's not to parade down the streets with your "come get some" attitude.
We, the gun owning crowd and 2A supporters, are a minority! So start thinking like one.
The only way 2A survives long term is to grow the gun community, else you'll see a challenge to it non unlike prohibition within your lifetime.
How do you grow the gun community? I can tell you this, the answer is not going to a rally suited up for WW3; not going with a rifle at all. You need to convince your suburban mom whose more likely to join Mom's Demand Action by default that your perspective is not that bat-sh!t crazy one.
I'm getting sick of saying this. We have a marketing/PR problem.
Can we at least get on the same page about the point of rallies and protests and assemblies?
My guess is most gun rights fence sitters are there because their understanding of the importance is lacking, plus feelings of relative safety. Plus normalcy bias. Plus a general lack of understanding of what liberty is at all as well as its implications (we have a ton of cognitive dissonance going on). Plus people are busy with their own stuff and most don't spend much time in theoretical thought. "Sure dictators have killed millions in the past, but nobody would do that now in our "enlightened" society here in America". I bet a full 90% of the population (yes including gun owners) have that feeling in them. So the need of the 2A to oppose tyrannical government? I don't think that thought even computes with most people. So, does open carrying do anything at all to solve any of this?
Negatively, the msm absolutely loves to make us seem fringe and radical. What would look more radical to those that don't get it than thousands of yelling, hyped up people with guns (and oh my goodness any tactical dress)? That's not how people are gonna get used to guns, it will only cause them to feel more separate from us. Rather than rifles maybe everyone there should just write out big signs with some basic personal info on it, like occupation, where they might have gone to college, number of children, life goals/dreams, whatever. That might actually pique people's interest a bit more and get them thinking. Plus, maybe extreme, but what if one person opened fire? False flag? I don't even want to think about what a disaster that would be.
If the people show up, the rally will serve whatever purpose it will. I don't see how carrying rifles adds anything productive in this situation. Basically like missing the forest for the trees.
And oh yeah, however fun it may be , how many people actually change their minds by seeing the bare-breasted women protestors?