Posted on 05/05/2013 9:08:58 AM PDT by chessplayer
Before we get started on this story, I would like to take a moment to point out that youd be hard pressed to find any point where Ive been anything but a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, as I would hope most regular readers know. Ive taken flack for it from a lot of people this year, ranging from family members to folks in the media. But even approaching it from that sort of position, Ive got to say that this is a really bad idea.
A march on Washington with loaded rifles
"Libertarian activist and radio host Adam Kokesh is hoping to get 1,000 people to march on Washington on July 4 armed with loaded rifles. The plan, launched with a Facebook group today, is to gather on the Virginia side of the Potomac, where gun laws are lax, and then march across the bridge with loaded rifles slung over their shoulders into the District, where openly carrying weapons is generally prohibited."
This will be a non-violent event, the Facebook group warns, unless the government chooses to make it violent. Already, over 200 people have said theyll attend the march."
The plan is to march over the bridge, around the Capitol building, the Supreme Court and the White House, all with loaded rifles slung over their shoulders. Honestly, its difficult to imagine a worse idea, particularly in the midst of a heated debate with gun grabbers in the government. Kokesh describes this as an act of civil disobedience but it falls well short of that goal. If he wanted to promote an act of peacefully breaking the law to make a point, it would certainly be worthy of considering. For example, you could take a large number of people to block the entrance to the main office of the A.T.F and force the police to arrest and remove you. But this is something very different.
Showing up with a thousand (or even a few hundred) people openly carrying loaded weapons and marching toward the Capitol is not something that law enforcement is going to play around with, particularly when you announce it in advance. And theyre not going to allow the march to proceed peacefully either. Normally Id write this off as a bad idea that wouldnt gain widespread support, but the problem here is that it doesnt need widespread support. It would really only take a few hundred really upset people to get it rolling. And even if most of them intend it to be peaceful, when the officials show up to arrest them, weapons drawn, you have the potential for disaster which Rick Moran foresees.
"With the furor over gun rights and the governments efforts at gun control, this march is likely to attract enough people to make it an extraordinarily dangerous event. Who knows what kooks will be marching? Most marchers will no doubt be level headed and sincere in their desire for a non-violent event. But it only takes one unbalanced person to cause a tragedy."
Sensible gun owners, along with the NRA, are making the point that the government needs to respect the rights of law abiding, responsible gun owners and spend their time chasing the actual criminals. There could be no better gift to hand to gun rights opponents than to have a bunch of people get arrested for breaking established (if really bad) gun laws or, worse, getting in a shootout with the cops. This is not the type of representation we need in this debate.
UPDATE: (Jazz) From the Boss Emeritus. Was this all a dodge?
"[Kokesh] marched in uniform in mock patrols for the anti-war movement, paraded around holding an upside-down American flag (see Jonn Lilyea for more), was arrested for defacing signs, and traveled to Germany to urge soldiers to abandon their posts and seek aid and comfort with his anti-war minions."
"Kokesh, believe it or not, is now running as a Republican candidate for Congress in New Mexico. And, believe it or not, he is getting positive exposure on at least one Fox News show. He has the backing of Ron Paul, the Republican Liberty Caucus, and the 9/12 Project."
"The New Mexico Republican Party has its head in the sand. If you have friends and family in New Mexico, make sure they know who the real Adam Kokesh is."
"He is an anti-war smear merchant in GOP clothing. Spread the word."
Never. We want a divorce, not war. If they won't give us a peaceful divorce, they will be responsible for the violence. We will have to win in the hinterlands. The end resut might allow restoration of the Constitution over all of the US, or just a truce that allows the Red States to go their own way. Either way is fine with me, I have no interest in subjugating the commies of New England and the Pacific coast. Their empire will fall of its own accord soon enough, and they will eventually beg to return to the Free United States.
And be very, very, very wary of those who either advocate for this or encourage participation.
This is a trap.
"[Kokesh] marched in uniform in mock patrols for the anti-war movement, paraded around holding an upside-down American flag (see Jonn Lilyea for more), was arrested for defacing signs, and traveled to Germany to urge soldiers to abandon their posts and seek aid and comfort with his anti-war minions. Kokesh, believe it or not, is now running as a Republican candidate for Congress in New Mexico. And, believe it or not, he is getting positive exposure on at least one Fox News show. He has the backing of Ron Paul, the Republican Liberty Caucus, and the 9/12 Project. The New Mexico Republican Party has its head in the sand. If you have friends and family in New Mexico, make sure they know who the real Adam Kokesh is. He is an anti-war smear merchant in GOP clothing. Spread the word."What's his FR nick?
/bingo!
[[The NRA, Republicans, and Conservatives need to get as much distance from this idiot as possible.]]
They need to come out right now and state emphatically that they are NOT associated with this fella- but of course, they will wait unti lthe damage is doen and hten try to patch the leaks in the boat with bubble gum
dang how times have changed, I can remember when I lived in SE DC up on 4th, street. We had a family friend who would take me shooting, it was a 3 mile walk to the rear of a place called Camp Simms, in the woods behind this National Guard site was an outdoor firing range, an open unattended site.
We would openly carry several firearms to our afternoon of shooting, including pistols, .45, 1911 model, 9MM luger, 12 ga pump, M1 garand, M1 carbine. Never in all the trips we made did we ever have anyone say anything to us or have the police come and talk to us, and I mean NEVER.
But this march is a bad idea, it shouldn’t be done on the 4th, and it needs more like 500,000 marchers.
Agreed. I'm surprised at the timidity of some posters on this thread. Does anyone want to expound on why this is such a "terrible" idea? I mean, at what point do we say "Enough!" We WILL fight you! And we WILL die if necessary to defend our rights. Better men and women than we have purchased these liberties at that great price. Should we, as heirs to their gift, be unwilling to make a similar sacrifice?
These anti-war, supposedly libertarian, leftist are nuts. Many are paultards and are trying to infiltrate the conservative movement and become the face of the "new" Republican Party. The loon Ron Paul does support many of these people. Much as I like a lot of what Rand has done, I don't really trust him - I have a suspicion he is much more like his nutty father than he lets on.
The only time I plan on “marching on Washington” armed is if a current resident of the White House refuses to become a former resident of the White House. In that case, the people would hae to act.
As it is now, I will not mess with them as long as they don’t mess with me. No sense stirring up a hornet’s nest.
Oh, good grief. All it would take is for a few marchers all juiced up on liquid courage starting a shootout with the cops. Just what we need, right? NOT!
Because Adam Kokesh is behind it for starters. Kokesh is an anti-war loon.
Here is a pretty good article from Malkin explaining why this guy should be avoided:
http://michellemalkin.com/2010/03/10/adam-kokesh-an-anti-war-smear-merchant-in-republican-clothing/
From the article:
The last two incidents involved an IVAW member named Adam Kokesh. He marched in uniform in mock patrols for the anti-war movement, paraded around holding an upside-down American flag (see Jonn Lilyea for more), was arrested for defacing signs, and traveled to Germany to urge soldiers to abandon their posts and seek aid and comfort with his anti-war minions.
Except the part where he showed up without guns. I think you missed how they won sympathy...
Another reason it’s a terrible idea is because Ron Paul supports it.
Just wait for the inevitable Revolutionary War. Then D.C. Will take fire.
False flag operation by an Obama `agent provocateur’.
Open carry in a political demonstration is iffy given the MSM’s bent.
Remember when they concealed an open carrier’s race?
Unfortunately there are a lot of these Ron Paul nutters trying to infiltrate the Republican Party because they know they can't get elected as 3rd party Libertarians. Though their numbers are small, they are tenacious so real conservatives need to be the lookout and prepared to reject loons like Adam Kokesh.
They should try check out what happened to WWI’s veterans in DC claiming their rightful promised checks. Eisenhower and McDouglas were involved and the veterans were hosed out while all their belongings set on fire!!!
Found one:
Normally Id write this [proposed march] off as a bad idea that wouldnt gain widespread support...
At the risk of "no true Scotsman", I dare suggest that a true supporter of the 2nd, and 1st, and 14th Amendments would jump at the chance to force Fedzilla either to comply with them, or publicly violate them...and then let the chips fall where they may.
FBI Most Wanted Terrorists 30 Muslims and 2 Progressive Liberals. NO Right-Wing Patriots.
I dont care how noble the cause or how brilliant the planned action is, Im not going to follow some commie kook who masquerades as a Republican and lies about his military service to get elected.
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