Open Carry at the National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh

[Sandcut]

his location does say Pittsburgh.

Yes but, judging by the little winky emoticon, he doesn't live within walking distance. If such is the case and he does get checked and arrested, it will be a smear on every other responsible gun owner out there when the police and the media jump all over how "criminals" do OC and that "criminals" do belong to the NRA and that every gun owner and NRA member is just a criminal in training. I personally find this offensive.

A lot of people on this forum (as well as outside this forum) have gone to very great lengths at no small personal sacrifice to try to normalize open carry. The last thing that we as gun owners need is someone trying to skirt the fringe and be "cute" because he just didn't happen to "get around" to fulfilling a legal requirement.

So if you really do live within walking distance, OC away. I wish you the best. If you don't and you plan to have your sidearm accompany you by some other mode of transportation contrary to state law, do us all a favor and don't. Leave your gun at home and quit fucking trying to be clever.

[Ricochet]

Yes but, judging by the little winky emoticon, he doesn't live within walking distance. If such is the case and he does get checked and arrested, it will be a smear on every other responsible gun owner out there when the police and the media jump all over how "criminals" do OC and that "criminals" do belong to the NRA and that every gun owner and NRA member is just a criminal in training. I personally find this offensive.

A lot of people on this forum (as well as outside this forum) have gone to very great lengths at no small personal sacrifice to try to normalize open carry. The last thing that we as gun owners need is someone trying to skirt the fringe and be "cute" because he just didn't happen to "get around" to fulfilling a legal requirement.

So if you really do live within walking distance, OC away. I wish you the best. If you don't and you plan to have your sidearm accompany you by some other mode of transportation contrary to state law, do us all a favor and don't. Leave your gun at home and quit fucking trying to be clever.

I understand what your saying and you make an excellent point.
My girlfriend lives about seven blocks from where the event is taking place. I will most likely stay the night before with her and walk on over.
This will also save me the insane amount of money parking costs in Pittsburgh.

A few days ago I had to park at the courthouse and it cost me $25 for an hour and a half.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pittsburgh, make sure you bring cash for parking and have good tires.
The pot holes here are like landmines. And could swallow a small child in some cases.

[MDJschool]

A lot of people on this forum (as well as outside this forum) have gone to very great lengths at no small personal sacrifice to try to normalize open carry. The last thing that we as gun owners need is someone trying to skirt the fringe and be "cute" because he just didn't happen to "get around" to fulfilling a legal requirement.
So if you really do live within walking distance, OC away. I wish you the best. If you don't and you plan to have your sidearm accompany you by some other mode of transportation contrary to state law, do us all a favor and don't. Leave your gun at home and quit fucking trying to be clever.

Well aren't you just so fucking clever, talking about 'fulfilling legal requirements' and 'state law'. Those are virtues, right? fulfilling legal requirements and upholding state law? Legal requirements like those holding the declaration of rights inviolate and excepting the article from the general powers of government... State law like "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." Laws and legal requirements are only for the little people, right? There are no constraints on government. I understand.

What's cute is the fear of liberty that makes subservience to tyrants. How adorable. Some go to very great lengths at no small personal sacrifice to try to normalize the constitutions, and I worry that you suggest that such a goal is at odds with normalizing subservience.

When you talked about 'walking distance' and OC, did you plot a map to see if anyone could actually OC to the convention without running into an invisible bar of Gun Free School Zones? Did you factor in motorcycles, bicycles, horses, rollerblades and skateboards as methods of transportation that increase mobility without offending 6106 (or would you take the opposite, deferent-to-government position that simply assumes one cannot do something, most likely lacking the authorities to sustain the position?) Did you consider loans to LTCF holders over the course of vehicular transportation (or would you take another contrary position that "no one in government would accept someone can do this under 6115?)

I guess if you're going to take on a belief that everything someone is thinking about doing is probably wrong, why bother to normalize open carry? Who cares if we lose any of that momentum? Half of unlicensed OC is already illegal - vehicles, emergencies, school zones, loans... OC is probably wrong, and the government is busy making sure we'll know it.

Goodbye, self-governance.

[andrewjs18]

Yes but, judging by the little winky emoticon, he doesn't live within walking distance. If such is the case and he does get checked and arrested, it will be a smear on every other responsible gun owner out there when the police and the media jump all over how "criminals" do OC and that "criminals" do belong to the NRA and that every gun owner and NRA member is just a criminal in training. I personally find this offensive.

A lot of people on this forum (as well as outside this forum) have gone to very great lengths at no small personal sacrifice to try to normalize open carry. The last thing that we as gun owners need is someone trying to skirt the fringe and be "cute" because he just didn't happen to "get around" to fulfilling a legal requirement.

So if you really do live within walking distance, OC away. I wish you the best. If you don't and you plan to have your sidearm accompany you by some other mode of transportation contrary to state law, do us all a favor and don't. Leave your gun at home and quit fucking trying to be clever.

I'm not sure how you could tell that he's not within walking distance because of a "emoticon", but whatever. so, because of the action of 1 individual, it's a smear on all gun owners and offensive? when someone goes on a killing spree with a gun, does that add up to how all gun owners are? I'm pretty sure it doesn't and it comes back to holding individuals accountable for their actions, not collectively lumping together people.

I will admit that open carry has become much more "normalized" by the many folks that do open carry throughout this commonwealth, yet we continue to demonize people who open carry because someone is not comfortable with another individuals right.

[cock&lock]

The the Convention Center and Consol Energy Center are both owned by the Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA). The Allegheny County Sportsmen's League (ACAL) did the leg work a couple of years ago to makes sure this government agency (joint city and county) did not restrict the lawful carry of concealed or openly carried friearms into facilities owned by th SEA.

The NRA will be using both the Convention Center and the Consol Energy Center during the annual meeting.

So far the NRA has stated that only concealed carry will be allowed in the Convetion Center, and they have been silent in regards to the Consol Energy Center.

With that said, who is planning on attending the NRA AM in Pittsburgh and open carrying?

If the ability to openly and/or conceal a lawfully carried firearm is restrcted at either of these two venues, it will be at the NRA's request, since these buildings are not restricted by law.

The NRA may be planning on restricting our rights by exercising their personal property rights as the leaseholder for the 2 buildings they will be using.

I respectfully ask each and every NRA member here contact the NRA and ask them if you will be able to lawfully carry a firearm, open or concealed, at their events in the Convention Center and the Consol Energy Center. Even if you are not planning to on attending.

Please also pass this request along to the NRA members you know who do not access the PAFOA website.

Thank you, for your help.

I don't know if this is true or not. But if it is, then can someone explain to me how a leasee can exercise a right that the leasor cannot give him. In other words, if the Convention Center does not have the right to ban firearms, then where does the NRA's power to ban derive from? A leasor cannot transfer a power it does not have. Put another way,a leaseholder cannot get a power through a contract that the landlord does not have.

[PPM209]

I'll realize right away I'm not posting with a citation, but the short answer I'd imagine is the same way anyone renting a space (business, apartment, etc.) can tell you to take a hike.

[cock&lock]

I'll realize right away I'm not posting with a citation, but the short answer I'd imagine is the same way anyone renting a space (business, apartment, etc.) can tell you to take a hike.

I'm sorry but this answer does not suffice. A renter derives all his rights concerning the property from the landlord through a contract (lease). The landlord cannot transfer powers he himself does not have.

In this situation we have a public entity which is purported to transfer a power to prohibit firearms when the public entity itself is expressly prohibited by law from this conduct. So where does this power come from?

[gnbrotz]

when someone goes on a killing spree with a gun, does that add up to how all gun owners are?

No, but it does add up to how they are perceived by the public. Perhaps you've heard about renewed proposal of magazine bans because of one incident?

I will admit that open carry has become much more "normalized" by the many folks that do open carry throughout this commonwealth

I believe the actual number of folks who OC around the state is a tiny, tiny, fractional percentage of our population. Proof again of how much of an effect the actions of a very small sample can affect society in general.

[andrewjs18]

No, but it does add up to how they are perceived by the public. Perhaps you've heard about renewed proposal of magazine bans because of one incident?

no doubt. but it's our job to educate the public, not the biased media. we can expect certain outcomes from a story being ran by a typical media outlet.

I've heard of all the recent gun restrictions being proposed by both Democrats and Republicans. they always try to apply a fix where a fix isn't needed. it's like closing up a wound without repairing the damaged vein.

I believe the actual number of folks who OC around the state is a tiny, tiny, fractional percentage of our population. Proof again of how much of an effect the actions of a very small sample can affect society in general.

CC definitely outnumbers the amount of OC I'm sure. most people don't want to deal with police encounters, uninformed citizens or just prefer to conceal their firearm. that's all fine as whatever the reason for a preferred method of carry is their own call. I'll bet MOST people in the commonwealth still do not know that open carry is legal.

[Sandcut]

I understand what your saying and you make an excellent point.
My girlfriend lives about seven blocks from where the event is taking place. I will most likely stay the night before with her and walk on over.
This will also save me the insane amount of money parking costs in Pittsburgh.

Then I retract my diatribe and offer my apology. My prejudices are proven to be wrong. I hope you enjoy yourself.

@ Andrews and MDJ. You guys know damn well what I meant. You spend enough time on this site to know how often folks here knowingly break the law and hide behind a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" defense.

As far as subservience to tyrants goes, that kind of absolutism and $10K will get you a retainer for an attorney. Right or wrong, this nation has laws. You don't like them, there are mechanisms by which they can be changed. Lawfully. And please spare me the tired addage about watering trees.

As far as collectively lumping people together, again, right or wrong that's how things work in reality since most of us typically don't live in a vacuum.

I think sometimes that many of us would be better served if we realized that individual liberty was occasionally advanced by the consideration of how our individual behavior affected the collective as a whole.