While your sarcasm is noted, I'll also point out that PARANOIA and RUSH TO JUDGMENT are the first weapons of the anti-gun community — when we all start reporting each other due to ignorance and unreasoning fear, that's exactly the climate that breeds the LOSS OF LIBERTY.Two men in the middle of the night outside a house with a gun? There is clearly nothing suspicious there.
While your sarcasm is noted, I'll also point out that PARANOIA and RUSH TO JUDGMENT are the first weapons of the anti-gun community — when we all start reporting each other due to ignorance and unreasoning fear, that's exactly the climate that breeds the LOSS OF LIBERTY.
Would I have done the same thing, would I have immediately reported two men handling an odd-looking firearm in the middle of the night? No. And for very good reason: 1) I would recognize the weapon for what it was, because I know, at a glance, the difference between a tactically-modded shotgun and a MACHINE GUN; 2) I know that back up here in the Smoky Mountains — particularly this area of the Smoky Mountains — it's not at all uncommon to see hunters, gun enthusiasts, and even historical re-enactors handling firearms at any time of day or night; and, 3) I can assess a situation and make a calm judgment about it without rushing straight down to the police department at 11:00 at night.
The witness's action amounted to uneducated, ignorant hysteria. It was uncalled-for.
However, I understand that in a political and social climate of unreasoning FEAR, the law-abiding citizen (that's ME) is expected to yield to the tyranny of the state and ignorance of the uneducated citizenry.
And I say that it's WRONG. Yielding to suspicion and fear is how we lose our Liberty, it's how we've LOST our Liberty in America. It's time for knowledgeable gun owners to make a stand and stop hiding our firearms as though WE are the criminals. As though WE are the terrorists.
We're NOT the terrorists.
Those who find their power through FEAR and IGNORANCE and RUSH TO JUDGMENT are the terrorists. And, yes, I'm pointing directly at our Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of Government in the USA.
This has nothing to do with the "political climate" thinking that way is paranoid fantasy at worst or simple ignorance at best. You did something unsafe and possibly foolish.
I would have reported it. I would of described the gun better but still of done the same thing. And why is that? It's dark, and late.
My house is a very large, two-storey home in the historic district of town, with a massive 2200 sqft front porch, and abundant lighting. The gun in question is a 12 gauge pump with a SureFire frontend — which means the shotgun itself IS the flashlight — and that's why we took it outside, to show him the throw of the SureFire torch. We weren't pointing it off the property.Is the front light on? How many lights on in the house? Are they using a flashlight? Looking around before they do anything? Handling the gun like a gun or toy?
If two guys are playing with a gun and a flahslight outside MY house at 11:00pm, I certainly hope someone DOES call the police and they DO show up to investigate. That's just common sense. (Even if one of the two guys is me)... but I can honestly say I've never felt the desire to play with my gun and flashlight outside my house at 11:00pm since I was about 7 years old.
I never said anything about being "roughed up" nor anything else. I came in here and asked a question: Is it illegal to openly examine your own firearm on your own property in North Carolina?
I would have reported it. I would of described the gun better but still of done the same thing. And why is that? It's dark, and late.
So, by your reasoning, we should only feel free to handle our legal firearms openly during daylight hours. I wasn't aware that gun owners have to obey a curfew. In fact I know we DON'T have a curfew. Hey, why not suggest a new law? Bring it to a vote. And then add that to the other 23,000 federal and local gun laws that are choking the life out of legal gun ownership.
My house is a very large, two-storey home in the historic district of town, with a massive 2200 sqft front porch, and abundant lighting. The gun in question is a 12 gauge pump with a SureFire frontend — which means the shotgun itself IS the flashlight — and that's why we took it outside, to show him the throw of the SureFire torch. We weren't pointing it off the property.Is the front light on? How many lights on in the house? Are they using a flashlight? Looking around before they do anything? Handling the gun like a gun or toy?
Look, I know all the rules of safe gun ownership and handling. At no place in the rules does it say, "Only handle the firearm during daylight hours, and avoid letting the public see your firearm."
No, I don't have to live in fear of other people's ignorance. I'm not living in a cowardly Socialist nation, not yet, and I'm not going to bow and scrape to accommodate the ignorance and fear of others.
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