Results 11 to 20 of 36
-
June 27th, 2014, 07:29 PM #11
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
A great video to watch. Could save your butt someday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik
-
June 27th, 2014, 09:08 PM #12Grand Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
-
Somewhere else,
Pennsylvania
(Cambria County) - Posts
- 2,757
- Rep Power
- 21474855
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
You don't get how publicity works. Just stop.
We need the media to see as many of us open carrying as possible. Whether the person looks like an off duty cop, a businessman, a redneck, a biker, a gamer or even, god forbid, a homeboy, it dosen't matter. Seeing people OC normalizes it.
Ask the gay community about the merits of hiding in the closet versus public exercise of rights. Sure, when a super weirdo gay person takes the spotlight, it does not paint them in the best light, but it still helps to normalize them. The weirdo brings attention to the fact that there are a lot of other people doing the same thing that are not weirdos.
Gun owners need to stick together and actively support, and exercise, our right. The 'ideal image' gun owners need to support the activity, not the image.
-
June 28th, 2014, 01:08 AM #13
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
Not all images are created equal. At the OC walk in Medina OH last week, one guy got singled out as a redneck and irresponsible parent. How hard is it to put on a shirt in public? I don't have to have "ideal image" gun owners, I just don't want "don't-give-a-fuck image" gun owners representing me.
-
June 28th, 2014, 10:46 AM #14Grand Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
-
Somewhere else,
Pennsylvania
(Cambria County) - Posts
- 2,757
- Rep Power
- 21474855
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
I believe that when most people don't know about something, bad publicity is better than no publicity. Most people don't know that it is legal for regular citizens to OC rifles and handguns. A controversial image makes more people aware. They might not like the shirtless guy, but it is known that that one person is the controversial one, and there are many other normal people open carrying too.
The anti gunnefs already hate you whether you oc a rifle, oc a handgun, cc, or keep your gun disassembled in a safe. There is no good image you can make for anti gunners. The anti gunners try to exploit negative images of OCers, but fence sitters and supporters see that for what it is.
The important part is that supporters see it for what it is and continue to give support. With the TX thing the big news wasn't as much that there were a couple dorks with rifles, the big news was that the NRA spoke out against them. The antis want to get rid of all carry, if they can get the NRA to help them get rid of OC rifles, that is a huge win for them.
Did you notice how quickly the NRA changed their stance?
In situations like the shirtless dad, if we throw him under the bus, then any fence sitters will be forced to side with us, and the anti's in suggesting that shirtless dad's shouldn't be allowed to OC. The thing is that most Americans are shirtless, overweight, deformed, bikers, hipsters, thugs or any number of other things that are not the ideal image. When they see the shirtless dad, along with normal people, they realize the 2A applies to them too. If we tbrow the shirtless guy under the bus, we throw all of the others under the buss too.
I'm not saying to encourage people with less appealing image to attract attention, but we shouldn't trash them either. If a lawfull gun owner is exercising the Second Amendment without breaking laws or harming others, we need to support the 2A.
I suggest adopting a position where you acknowledge that the individual is not ideal, but you support the right, and focus on that. For example: "I know the shirtless dad looks pretty weird carrying a rifle, but that's his right. Lot's of normal people carry rifles, we just don't hear about them as much. People are worried about the kids? Do you think anyone would mess with your kids if you were standing there with a rifle like that? Dude looked kinda weird, but he wasn't hurting anyone. etc."
When you instead say, "that guy's an idiot, he's going to ruin it for us all," what people hear is that that guy should not be allowed to do that. And really, how much of the right to OC rifles do we really have if all it takes is a shirtless guy walking down the street doing it to call it all into question. Shirtless dads drive their kids around town on a regular basis and no one wants to challenge their ability to have a driver's liscense.
-
June 28th, 2014, 12:19 PM #15
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
Go back and re-read my post; you've put a whole lot of words in my mouth. There's nothing wrong with encouraging gun owners to put a little thought into their appearance and behavior, ESPECIALLY at an organized rally.
If we, as a group, can't even have a discussion about what kind of behavior should be encouraged, then we deserve all of the bad press that's being heaped on us.
-
June 28th, 2014, 02:43 PM #16Grand Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
-
Somewhere else,
Pennsylvania
(Cambria County) - Posts
- 2,757
- Rep Power
- 21474855
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
Fair enough, perhaps I misintrepreted your position. I'd rather see shirtless dad have a shirt on, but I wouldn't suggest he should stay home, or not carry however he sees fit. I think there are some here that would rather shirtless dad just stay home, deep in the closet.
I recognize the difference between the ideal image, and one that is subject to criticism. I think the ideal image for rifle OC would be Oprah Winfrey sporting a decked out AR. Anyone else is falling short of the ideal, but I'll still support their right to carry.
At the end of the day, I'm not going to tell someone to put on a shirt any more than I am going to tell a white dude to be a black female since it would be better for the image.
The libs are happy to embrace diversity on their side, and I am happy to embrace it on our side. Carry on shirtless dad, call of duty kid and dumbass homeboy... I might not like your style, but our rights are the same.
-
June 28th, 2014, 03:33 PM #17
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
Beautiful day for a counter-protest. No guns jumped out and shot anybody. I saw Viper, PIP and their pillow-humping pup there. Any other PAFOAers there?
-
June 28th, 2014, 03:36 PM #18
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
I see aggiescoach (red shirt). BTW, hes white.
-
June 28th, 2014, 03:42 PM #19
-
June 28th, 2014, 03:49 PM #20
Re: Open Carry Counter Rally For Gun Rights
Yup. Was a beautiful day for it.
It was a double whammy. We were set up in front of a Starbucks
Similar Threads
-
Open Carry PA Court Victory Rally!!!!!!
By chrisjp in forum PoliticalReplies: 11Last Post: April 13th, 2014, 08:28 AM -
Open carry rising: states, courts, expand open carry rights
By PAMedic=F|A= in forum GeneralReplies: 0Last Post: September 26th, 2013, 04:24 PM -
MEADVILLE OPEN CARRY RALLY/DIAMOND PARK
By MarineGrunt'66 in forum CrawfordReplies: 1Last Post: April 16th, 2013, 08:35 PM -
Open carry story @ Ron Paul Rally
By QuincyTwpConstable in forum Open CarryReplies: 8Last Post: January 23rd, 2008, 04:49 PM
Bookmarks