The Gun Rights Movement

[Gunscribe]

There has been much ballyhoo lately about the open carry of long arms in a couple of states, primarily California and Texas. With or without a permit neither state allows open carry of a handgun.

Are the two yahoos in Texas stellar examples of the gun Rights movement? Nope, the chasm it is creating between gun owners all over the country is deafening.

The main criticism seems to be their actions are offensive to gun owners and it is a poster child moment for the “Grabbers” to rally around.
 
“If it is not positive it hurts our cause, and this isn’t positive,” (to paraphrase) is the comment I am mostly hearing.

I have been at this a long time and like many of you I used to feel that supposed bad examples hurt our cause. However, after years of being a part of the Gun Rights Movement I came to realize something that those “newer to the movement” have yet to learn.

Positive or negative it doesn’t matter a tinkers darn.

Every positive “gun use” story, just like every negative story that makes national headlines is used as a call for more gun control. You know “That poor gang banger can no longer sing in the choir because private citizens are allowed to carry guns” or “Just because he was raping and beating a woman is no reason to shoot him. If private citizens couldn’t own guns those poor people would still be alive today.”

Please understand that the “Grabbers” ultimate goal is the confiscation of all guns from all citizens. “No one needs a gun for any reason.” Many of the “Grabbers” actually include Peace Officers in that last statement.

If we just hold hands and sing Kumbya all will be right with the world.

These people do not need positive or negative stories to pursue their agenda. You can hide under your bed after locking all your guns in the safe and sooner or later Bloomberg, or someone like him will lift the bedspread and say, “Turn them in Mr. & Mrs. America.”

To these people there is not now and never will be a positive gun story. Every darn one of them is negative.

Rather than doing the “Grabbers” work for them by creating a chasm that will be exploited we need to take incidents like this and shape them to our advantage.

In this particular example it needs to be oft repeated that open carry of a handgun with or without a permit is illegal in Texas. Those that are carrying long arms are exercising their Right to keep and bear arms in the only manner legally available to them. Texans have tried to work within the system, to change the law on open carry, for a number of years. If “Gun Rights” groups get behind it and make it a national issue it will likely shame the legislature into doing something.

Look no farther than Nebraska for an example. When CCW was passed how many businesses around the state posted their properties “No guns allowed”? That was for concealed handguns that no one was even able to see, let alone open carry.

Were there Gun Rights folks coming out of the woodwork proclaiming we need to leave our guns at home so the “grabbers” won’t have anything to use against us?
 
How many of those signs are still up today? How did they get taken down?

Many of the grassroots organizations in existence today were formed to promote the concealed and open carry of firearms. Diners carrying handguns had the police called on them and many were arrested in Ohio, Wisconsin Virginia etc. for daring to openly carry a handgun in public. Ohio would not have CCW if it were not for the Open carry movement.

We went through all of this with and about handguns why does it make some much difference to some that we now need to go through it for long guns?

As I said the story doesn’t matter. Even if there is no story good or bad the Grabbers will continue to advocate for confiscation of all firearms. Believe me they do not need a story.

[Gary]

A long long time ago, there were laws that if a horse was frightened by the sight, sounds of an automobile, the operator of the automobile had to disassemble the vehicle, and hide the parts in the ditch under tree branches and tumbleweeds, until such time as the horse calms down, and the horse passes by.

Contrast this to recent times, when a Horse was kicked out of Hickman, just for outliving his times.  No more horses in the tiny community.

Times change. 

While we wish our gun right to remain a constant, the gun act of 1934, and the hundreds of gun control measures from that day forward, have shown, we have to bite, kick and scratch, to hold on to what gun rights we have, while we still have some. 

Sometimes the best way to maintain something, is with a whisper, rather than with a shout.  CC is a whisper. 

[Gunscribe]

While we wish our gun right to remain a constant, the gun act of 1934, and the hundreds of gun control measures from that day forward, have shown, we have to bite, kick and scratch, to hold on to what gun rights we have, while we still have some. 

Sometimes the best way to maintain something, is with a whisper, rather than with a shout.  CC is a whisper. 

Now I understand where you are coming from Gary. Constant? Kick, bite, scratch and hold on while we still have some? Really?

10 years ago there was not concealed carry in way too many states. The tactics you decry were what it took to take back lost ground. Ohio is a prime example of that. You would not have a Nebraska CCW if it were not for those tactics. You would not be a CCW instructor in Nebraska if it were not for those tactics.

We have been kicking, biting and scratching to take back a lot of what we lost.

What does happen in other states tends to have a positive effect here.

So a couple of places put up some no guns signs. A very minor and temporary setback. It won't be long before those signs come down again.

When CCW (your quiet) passed in Nebraska I took note of all the places that posted no guns signs. How many of those signs are still up? Not very damn many.

If we followed your line of thought we would constantly be on the defensive and losing.

Granted there were not massive open carry demonstrations in Nebraska prior to CCW, but those events in other state were noted by Nebraska citizens that were spurred to activism. And they were noted by those in the Unicameral that knew it was a possibility of happening here. I know because I was heavily involved with the Unicameral at the time.

We took the fight to the "grabbers" and advanced our cause. 

Rather than complaining you ought to be thankful for those tactics.

What we have done is put the "grabbers" on the defensive. We are now on the offensive. If they are busy fighting the positive changes we want, then they do not have the time to marshal their numbers to take away even more.

We are on the offensive. In the last twenty years we have defeated the AWB, established CCW in God knows how many states and mostly made carrying a firearm a non-event all due to the tactics you are complaining about.

Side with the "grabbers" if you want to, but those of us that have been involved are not satisfied with hiding under the bed "maintaining". We have gotten too much accomplished to start backing off now. Backing off now would be like snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

[Gunscribe]

To follow your line of thinking Gary, Rosa Parks would still be sitting in the back of the bus and Dr. King would still be alive.

[farmerbob]

There are many things we used to be able to do with firearms that we can't in today's society.  Maybe we should start doing them to bring them back in the norm.

Hunting without a license
Shooting guns in town
Dueling with pistols
etc. etc. etc.

[farmerbob]

Actually after reading back through your post I agree 100% but all I see from there actions are negative.

[farmerbob]

Maybe it's not what they're doing is the problem, it's how they are going about it.

I think we all can agree they are doing this as a form of protest to get their open carry of handgun  rights restored, not for personal protection.

Who organizes a protests at a third party business that is completely neutral on the issue. (That's where the problem lies)

If I have a grievance with the government do I pickup a sign and start walking up and down aisle 12 at Walmart. No! I would expect to be kicked out and make the news along with people calling me nuts. That's because Walmart is in the game to make money not take sides on issues.



If they would only take their grievances to a public place like the capital we could all get behind them and cheer them on and maybe join them.

[Gary]

I have an O street parking lot, where lots of folks could have an open carry rally. 

We could do an open carry car wash, where proceeds go to NFOA.  Girls in bikinis, and gun leather washing cars. 

I'll donate the parking lot, water and soap.   1st & O street.

The car was is 1/2 price for gun owners, concealed or open carry.   

[FarmerRick]

I have an O street parking lot, where lots of folks could have an open carry rally. 

We could do an open carry car wash, where proceeds go to NFOA.  Girls in bikinis, and gun leather washing cars. 

I'll donate the parking lot, water and soap.   1st & O street.

The car was is 1/2 price for gun owners, concealed or open carry.

If that doesn't get your place "swooped" by LPD, I don't know what would.