He didn't shoot anyone! What part of that don't people understand?
Many attitudes here are indicative of just how ingrained the anti-gun (or more broadly, statist) culture is in America, even among gun-owners. (I'm not necessarily talking about you, just making a general observation). To me, that is a far bigger issue than trying to second guess non-criminal, third-party acts 2000 miles away.
There was a time in this country where citizens could (and did) carry guns openly without fear of harassment from the state. Americans could even bring guns on planes and their children could bring them to school.
Today, even "conservative NRA members" overwhelmingly oppose guns in schools and on planes. I've even seen posters here (and on gun forums) support prison terms for honest citizens that forgot about an unchecked gun in their baggage at the airport.
With respect to carrying guns, many so-called "pro-RKBA" folks are adamantly opposed to open carry and support concealed carry only with prior permission from the state.
Many pro-2nd types also have the mindset that because we have guns, we must surrender other Rights, such as going out to eat at 4:30 in the morning (as one poster on this thread stated), or going to the "wrong" side of town, or talking a midnight walk, or even attending a meeting and getting up to speak while armed.
Other gun owners are even afraid to talk to friends or co-workers about their "hobby"; or even afraid to let a neighbor see them armed. Are these the men that are going to save the Republic from tyranny?
Many even suggested he should just call the cops. When did we reach the point in this country where a man is expected to contact the state before personally addressing something? This only acts to enhance the power of the state while simelataneously decreasing trust between individuals. In this case, a man had a problem with a group of people and he went over and talked to them about it. The problem was solved and nobody got hurt. Yet most folks are giving him hell for it?
As for "intimidation", I find it laughable that hundreds of folks here are apparently intimidated by middle-aged man lawfully and peaceably carrying a firearm. If you want to see real "intimidation", look at what the state threatens to do (and DOES do) to folks that make an honest mistake on their taxes or violates one of the millions of other bueracratic edicts on the books. If you want to be intimidated, look at how the cops are dressing and acting today. Look at the attitude of those in power hellbent on turning America into a Soviet-style police state.
The statists are laughing their asses off at us. We have an organization of 4 million people (only AARP has more), and have accomplished nothing at the national level in the past decade. Compare this to what smaller groups of only a few thousand or less, such as radical feminists, have accomplished. On a per-capita basis, the NRA is probably the least effective organization in the history of mankind. And it's because of this stupid, submissive mindset. (One interesting sidenote here is that the most effective gun organization in America right now is the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), is also the one that is most often accused of being "in your face" especially with regards to open carry. They managed to get a RAT governor to sign a dozen or so pro-gun bills last year).
Well, that's my rant today. It's late, so it's not as coherent as I'd like it to be, but I think it makes my point.
In closing, I would recommend that everyone on this thread go out and read "Nation of Cowards" by Jeff Snyder and "To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth" by Jeff Cooper. They address the "mindset" issues, which ulimately are more important than anything else.
Well Swami,
Your's were the best posts on a thread I missed.
Seems like there are a buttload of new FReepers I've never seen before and a bunch of them don't know a whole lot about guns or what that right means.
What CJ did is not my style either and neither is Waffle House at 4:30 AM.
Problem is today that there are so many crap raised young people who think nothing of a fisticuff or shootout with someone old enuff to be their daddy....whom they and thier mom probably don't know who he is anyhow.
One has to be careful....I have learned that youngbloods of any stripe will jump a middle aged guy for nothing...something I woulda never done.
The W-Words are the worst...worse than the punks they mimic.
Anyhow....guess I'm ambivalent.
But...one thing for sure.....that girly 9MM needs to go.
Matt is chillin....I'd like to hear his view....I'm guessing he'd go for caution.
I have lived in states, Virginia, and Kansas, which allowed open carry at the time. I have no idea what the law is now.
I wish the state of society was such that we could walk around with a gun on our hip and no one would think twice about it. Unfortunately doing that now often causes problems. I never carried one openly for that reason.
I knew a Treasury agent who often "accidentally" would let his coat slide back and reveal the pistol he had concealed when dealing with a jerk. At the time I thought he was being a bit of a cowboy tho I never said anything about it.
Now that I look back on it, maybe there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.
I too remember when anyone could carry a gun on an airplane or kids could take them to school. Maybe those days will return one day but for the time being we have to accept the way people are.