Viper's OC log

[alpacaheat]

Ha...would like to go one day...you drop everything and make 'one day' tomorrow.

I like your style.



The first firearms lesson should always be safety. I taught a pack of Cub Scouts firearms safety (in a school!) and even the non-gun owning parents were very appreciative. Personally I think this should be taught in schools, because safety involves everyone, whether you want to shoot them or not.

[ViperGTS19801]

I felt like this needed to be posted here. There's an issue in the news right now of a man in Philadelphia, going for a jog with his GoPro strapped to his chest, and openly carrying a firearm. He gets stopped at an intersection by the PPD and asked for his LTCF. He decides not to comply, which, for principle reasons, I respect. However, he, like many other people still, does not understand (or vehemently disagrees with) the laws under Title 18 - or at least, not the way I have been made to understand it by lawyers.

Anyway, I don't want this to turn into a debate here, but I wanted to copy and paste one of my responses here. The full context can be seen on the encounter's video, right here.

Martin and James - are you saying that unless the police officer interacting with you specifically articulates the section of Title 18 which states "carry of a firearm in cities of the first class is prohibited" (even if you KNOW that it's prohibited and you KNOW you are required to provide proof of licensure to fit the exception), one's proper exercise of their rights and liberties is to continue denying the fact that you are violating State law until the officer proves he knows what he's talking about?

Or are you both simply putting forth the point that if you believe a law is unjust, you should continue to fight against it by intentionally violating it in a bid to draw attention to the matter?

Or is it even simpler than that - in that the 2nd Amendment is being directly violated by PA State law in the first place, and that as an American, being required to apply for, be approved for, carry and furnish a permission slip in order to exercise a fundamental right written into our founding documents, you are being denied a liberty granted to all citizens?

I am a liberty-minded open carry activist. I open carry every day, and have had many interactions with the police, both good and bad in all combinations and extremes. I do not disagree with any of the perspectives above, but I do believe there is a more effective way to combat what we see as unjust.

I would never tell another person how they should exercise their rights - I simply wish the understand better what they are trying to accomplish.If you are trying to make a point that open carry is not illegal if you have an LTCF, I hate to be the one to tell you, but that battle was already fought and won - by people like you and I all over the area, several years ago. There's no questions as to whether licensed OC in Philadelphia is legal - hence your release after they checked your license.

I'm not a fan of having to prove I am not a criminal. In fact, it infuriates me to no end. However, Our lives are not at stake, and we are not imprisoned in a camp to be exterminated at some dictator's whim. There are parallels, and significant ones at that which should be respected - but there's a better way to correct the law.

Write to your reps and senators, and get them to back Constitutional Carry. Make them drown out the cries of desperation from Philadelphia when they raise their voices to protect being stripped of their special status, and get a new bill drafted to remove the "Cities of the First Class" from Title 18.

We already won the most important battles. Now let's go win the war.

[ViperGTS19801]

This morning I stopped at Dunkin Donuts on my way to work. As I waited for my sandwich and coffee, an older gentleman sitting by the door looked up from his coffee.

"That's a neat shirt."

For the benefit of those who won't see me today, this is the tee shirt I am wearing.



"Thanks, it's one of my favorites."
"I don't really know what it means, but it's neat."
I grinned. "There are some people who are very much for the private ownership of firearms, and there are people who are very much against it. I'm one of the former."
"I've been an NRA member for over forty years." He smiled. "I have the sticker on my car window. I used to teach marksmanship for the Boy Scouts."

I guess he and I are on the same team.

[donotknowme]

It looks like that gym membership is working out for you.

[normanvin]

I was at the flea market yesterday. As I walked by one stand an older woman Says "nice piece". I had forgotten I left my jacket at home and my 1911 was exposed.

[theduke]

http://6abc.com/automotive/special-r...amera/1352663/

Mark Fiorino of Allentown used his dash cam to fight a traffic ticket in Towamencin Township, Montgomery County.

[ViperGTS19801]

The family and I are out at Shankweiler's drive-in tonight, enjoying the last night of reasonable weather before the storms roll in.

While we were getting set up, an older gentleman working here came over and wanted to "ask a question."

"Do you have your conceal permit?"
"I have my License to Carry Firearms, if that's what you mean."
"No, it's a conceal permit, I know because I'm a recently retired State Police officer."
"Then you'd be the last person I'd want to ask about this kind of thing."
"Hey, you don't have to be rude, I'm just asking a question."
"Listen, I'm just trying to enjoy a movie with my family."
"And I just want to know if you have your conceal permit. If you do, you have to cover it with your shirt."
"You're way off. This is an open carry state."
"No it isn't! Trust me, I know the rules!"
"You obviously don't. If you're going to tell me I have to cover it up as a matter of policy, that's one thing, but I've been doing this for several years and I promise I know the laws much better than you do."
"You can do whatever you want, but if the State Police come through here, I don't know what to tell you."

Sure, pal. He walked off, and at some point was talking to Paul, the guy who runs everything here. Nothing seems to be coming of it, so who knows, maybe he got set straight.

[Sgt.K]

The family and I are out at Shankweiler's drive-in tonight, enjoying the last night of reasonable weather before the storms roll in.

While we were getting set up, an older gentleman working here came over and wanted to "ask a question."

"Do you have your conceal permit?"
"I have my License to Carry Firearms, if that's what you mean."
"No, it's a conceal permit, I know because I'm a recently retired State Police officer."
"Then you'd be the last person I'd want to ask about this kind of thing."
"Hey, you don't have to be rude, I'm just asking a question."
"Listen, I'm just trying to enjoy a movie with my family."
"And I just want to know if you have your conceal permit. If you do, you have to cover it with your shirt."
"You're way off. This is an open carry state."
"No it isn't! Trust me, I know the rules!"
"You obviously don't. If you're going to tell me I have to cover it up as a matter of policy, that's one thing, but I've been doing this for several years and I promise I know the laws much better than you do."
"You can do whatever you want, but if the State Police come through here, I don't know what to tell you."

Sure, pal. He walked off, and at some point was talking to Paul, the guy who runs everything here. Nothing seems to be coming of it, so who knows, maybe he got set straight.

714e6e1cee1de5499486ed9c9520d94e.jpg

[rwilson452]

Some time back I was carrying my XD45 with a CTC laser grip. I saw several men talking and looking in my direction. I waited to see if they would approach me. One finally did. He ask politely what I was carrying. I told him then he started guessing what caliber. He didn't get it right after several guesses, so I said 45ACP. He walked away. I always wondered who won the bet if there was one.

[theduke]

The family and I are out at Shankweiler's drive-in tonight, enjoying the last night of reasonable weather before the storms roll in.

While we were getting set up, an older gentleman working here came over and wanted to "ask a question."

"Do you have your conceal permit?"
"I have my License to Carry Firearms, if that's what you mean."
"No, it's a conceal permit, I know because I'm a recently retired State Police officer."
"Then you'd be the last person I'd want to ask about this kind of thing."
"Hey, you don't have to be rude, I'm just asking a question."
"Listen, I'm just trying to enjoy a movie with my family."
"And I just want to know if you have your conceal permit. If you do, you have to cover it with your shirt."
"You're way off. This is an open carry state."
"No it isn't! Trust me, I know the rules!"
"You obviously don't. If you're going to tell me I have to cover it up as a matter of policy, that's one thing, but I've been doing this for several years and I promise I know the laws much better than you do."
"You can do whatever you want, but if the State Police come through here, I don't know what to tell you."

Sure, pal. He walked off, and at some point was talking to Paul, the guy who runs everything here. Nothing seems to be coming of it, so who knows, maybe he got set straight.

Funny the law is their business and they're not up to snuff on any of it! I shake my head so much you'd think I had parkinsons!