cidav8r
New member
THIS situation has prompted a lot of criticism of the police in Philly by CCW supporters, but it could have happened anywhere - TX, FL, MO, - anywhere. It should make us all think carefully about our actions and whether just because we CAN do something, if we SHOULD do it. Did this event help or hurt gun rights and CCW? Public opinion is extremely important to advancing our rights - how will the public see this event?
In my opinion, this guy was looking for this to happen. This 24 year old child was carrying openly in Philadelphia and carried a tape recorder which tells me he wanted a confrontation. He had obviously rehearsed his own response since he quoted statute numbers so he set it up and he got it. I've seen this so many times with gun rights people - not as much to this extent but usually in a more administrative way. People have the legal right to do something so they shove it in other people's face. I think this is stupid. First, it's stupid to provoke a confrontation with a police officer. When a cop points a gun at your chest (or even if he doesn't) and tells you to do something - DO IT. Don't ask questions. Don't make comments. Don't debate him. Follow instructions to the letter. If you have a problem with the cop, deal with it after the situation has been defused. Second, it's stupid to walk down the street flaunting your right to carry openly knowing full well that much of the general public are going to be shocked and scared to see a firearm carried openly and that this is going to get attention. In terms of promoting gun rights, this is the WORST thing anyone can do.
The last several years have seen an enormous expansion of gun rights across the country. The Heller case in DC and the McDonald case in Chicago both have provided a legal basis for this and it's a HUGE victory for us. People are applying for, and receiving, CCW permits in record numbers. Hooray! Don't do anything stupid to screw it up! The fact that all this has happened so quickly means that sheeple haven't had time to adjust to it. If YOU are smart, YOU will give them that time. We need to show the sheeple that guns AREN'T scary and that guns AREN'T evil things. You don't do this by waving your gun in their face. All this will do is bolster anti-gun efforts. Tides change and the advances we have made can be lost just as quickly. Look how fast the anti-gun lobby jumped on the Tucson shooting. Bad press like this hurts us. It doesn't matter that the guy was a psycho. All the public sees is a gun and dead people. As CCW holders we must work doubly hard to win the hearts and minds of the public, not beat them over the head.
We need to maintain and even increase the momentum we've established in the last several years. You do this by demonstrating to the sheeple how responsible and safe you are. You do this by quietly and respectfully exercising your rights. Make the sheeple comfortable and put them to sleep. In the mean time, you work to educate the sheeple, you help to slowly build statistics that PROMOTE our cause, you build relationships to help persuade ALL law enforcement to support us, and we all continue to work through government and the legal system to expand and protect our rights. Carry a gun to protect yourself, NOT to make a public statement or get your 15 min of fame on CNN or the local news or YouTube. Keep them concealed.
The constitution is a beautiful, wonderful, amazing document but it only works if we have smart people who can handle responsibility. This guy was stupid. BE SMART.
In my opinion, this guy was looking for this to happen. This 24 year old child was carrying openly in Philadelphia and carried a tape recorder which tells me he wanted a confrontation. He had obviously rehearsed his own response since he quoted statute numbers so he set it up and he got it. I've seen this so many times with gun rights people - not as much to this extent but usually in a more administrative way. People have the legal right to do something so they shove it in other people's face. I think this is stupid. First, it's stupid to provoke a confrontation with a police officer. When a cop points a gun at your chest (or even if he doesn't) and tells you to do something - DO IT. Don't ask questions. Don't make comments. Don't debate him. Follow instructions to the letter. If you have a problem with the cop, deal with it after the situation has been defused. Second, it's stupid to walk down the street flaunting your right to carry openly knowing full well that much of the general public are going to be shocked and scared to see a firearm carried openly and that this is going to get attention. In terms of promoting gun rights, this is the WORST thing anyone can do.
The last several years have seen an enormous expansion of gun rights across the country. The Heller case in DC and the McDonald case in Chicago both have provided a legal basis for this and it's a HUGE victory for us. People are applying for, and receiving, CCW permits in record numbers. Hooray! Don't do anything stupid to screw it up! The fact that all this has happened so quickly means that sheeple haven't had time to adjust to it. If YOU are smart, YOU will give them that time. We need to show the sheeple that guns AREN'T scary and that guns AREN'T evil things. You don't do this by waving your gun in their face. All this will do is bolster anti-gun efforts. Tides change and the advances we have made can be lost just as quickly. Look how fast the anti-gun lobby jumped on the Tucson shooting. Bad press like this hurts us. It doesn't matter that the guy was a psycho. All the public sees is a gun and dead people. As CCW holders we must work doubly hard to win the hearts and minds of the public, not beat them over the head.
We need to maintain and even increase the momentum we've established in the last several years. You do this by demonstrating to the sheeple how responsible and safe you are. You do this by quietly and respectfully exercising your rights. Make the sheeple comfortable and put them to sleep. In the mean time, you work to educate the sheeple, you help to slowly build statistics that PROMOTE our cause, you build relationships to help persuade ALL law enforcement to support us, and we all continue to work through government and the legal system to expand and protect our rights. Carry a gun to protect yourself, NOT to make a public statement or get your 15 min of fame on CNN or the local news or YouTube. Keep them concealed.
The constitution is a beautiful, wonderful, amazing document but it only works if we have smart people who can handle responsibility. This guy was stupid. BE SMART.