Open Carry Confrontation - Kennesaw Mountain National Park

[grovemonkey]

Here's a somewhat funny confrontation that happened to me last weekend. I went off hiking in the Kennesaw park and after about 10 miles of hiking I was on my way out of the park. I open carry but am aware that they have federal buildings and you can't carrying in them. Fair enough. Well, that day there were a bunch of civil war re-enactment folk doing their thing. They saw me go in and come out. Well... on my way out, a big civil war guy, maybe in his late 20's came up behind me yelling, "Sir! Sir!" I turned and said, " Can I help you?" Well the civil war guy ask me, "are you a police officer?" and I said, "no". He said, "well you know this federal property and you can't have a gun here in the park" I said, "well that's not true, you have your facts mistaken" He then said, "well I work for the federal government and I know that it's illegal to carry". I then explained that in Georgia, the federal buildings are off limits and that in the park (as long as you have your weapons permit and are following the law) you can, in fact, open carry. I also said that pretending to be someone in federal law enforcement is, in fact, illegal. At that point, he tried to explain that some people in the park felt intimidated by my weapon. Well, you can imagine my response to that.

Needless to say, I told him to stop talking to me and I turned around and left. I then called the park superintendent the next day to confirm that I was, in fact, allow to openly carry (I am, she said) and she apologized about the civil war guys and said she would make sure they understand the law.

It kind of annoyed me that this guy tried to pull the lawman trick on me when he was really clueless.

That's my story of the week.

 

[Mobuck]

And the Civil War Reenactors weren't carrying weapons??

 

[jasonb92]

I guess everyone who works for the Federal Government is an expert at gun laws now. I love the know it all types.

 

[wolf_fire]

Mobuck, you beat me too it... I was envisioning this Civil War reenactment character with his rifle at his side telling grovemonkey he can't have a firearm. It was funny in my mind.... still is.

What also made me sick about grovemonkey's story was that John Q. Public would think that a LEO is allowed to carry but not anyone else. This mentality that LEO's are somehow more allowed to wear their firearms than anyone else in America has got to change.

What confuses me, is that actually Fed Agent's do this:

 

[jfisch]

This was the exact thing I was looking for in my post: Link Removed
Thanks for sharing. I'm afraid of running into the same thing at Yellowstone in Sept.

 

[Firefighterchen]

I guess everyone who works for the Federal Government is an expert at gun laws now. I love the know it all types.

Your post reminded me of a funny picture.

 

[Mike Owens]

I have not felt the need to open carry, but I do conceal carry.

 

[Carry a Sig]

It is not appropriate for any federal employee to use their "federal-ness" to "intimidate" others or for gain. If I was to use the fact that I am a federal officer to do anything, I would lose my job. If they were in fact federal law enforcement (FBI, Homeland, TIGTA, etc) they would need to be performing their duty and show a badge with credentials (no mater what they are wearing).

I conceal carry and have just started to open carry (the wife is uneasy with any carry). We (those who carry) need to know the rules and follow them. Educate the others and, as in the movie "Road House", KEEP COOL.

 

[CharlesMorrison]

I love it when some tool notices my openly carried gun and says "your gun is showing!".
To which I love to reply "which one?".


Sent from behind enemy lines.

 

[Montanagyrene]

I love it when some tool notices my openly carried gun and says "your gun is showing!".
To which I love to reply "which one?".


Sent from behind enemy lines.

You were in the Marines, weren't you? I never had to say it, but I can still hear someone raised in one of the Big Cities, having to say the old "This is my rifle" quote!!

 

[dusterdude]

This is my rifle,this is my gun,this is for fighting,this is for fun....semper fi