[Natural Law]

I would hope that those who chose to openly exercise their 2nd Amendment rights would at least be cognizant of the political situation and the fact that there is a war on terror going on. Anyone who openly carries, regardless of the laws, knows that they are inviting a shitstorm. Cops are not lawyers or rocket scientists and many are only in it because it permits them to be bullies. Those who carry should probably plan on being hassled and shouldn’t be surprised when it happens.

[stuartcr]

Absolutely, there are plenty out there, that would start yelling if they saw someone with a weapon.

[epow]

Those who carry should probably plan on being hassled and shouldn’t be surprised when it happens.

The fact that there are terrorists in the US doesn't alter the right of lawful people to go armed for their own protection, in fact it constitutes one more reason for going armed.

According to VA law it was perfectly legal for the man who was arrested to be armed, and if the account is correct the cops had no reason to suspect him of any wrongdoing. It would not have been out of line for a cop to have asked to see his CC license, and after seeing it that should have ended the confrontation. The cops obviously had something like this in mind before the event or there would not have been a lieutenant there so quickly to order the man's arrest.

Until I can see evidence to the contrary I will continue to believe this was all part of an attempt to intimidate all VA CC licensees into surrendering their right to carry weapons in that jurisdiction.

I hope a successful lawsuit will teach those uniformed thugs and their boss that they aren't the final arbiters of whether or not a law is desirable for their jurisdiction, the law is the law whether cops agree with it or not. But something tells me the cops will win out and the citizen will get the shaft unless the NRA or another org with the money and lawyers to fight it appeals the case to a higher court.