Open Carry - Favor Please?

[rlspach]

Our open carry activist friends up in Michigan ran into a little trouble last month at the Lansing Ponderosa.

Raw footage:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YilytOvgbrU]YouTube - Lansing Ponderosa Encounter - Raw footage Police detaining and trying to illegally obtain ID's Pt 1[/ame]

News footage:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDw_UxnIpXk&feature=related]YouTube - Ponderosa Open Carry Event on TV10 - Police unlawfully detained everyone and had no idea what to do![/ame]

Listen, I respect the activism. Not my thing, but I support the right.

That said, I hope our activists do us all a favor and remember that sheep vote.

The sight of a holstered sidearm is unusual enough for some people. Showing up at a family restaurant with an AR-15 slung over your shoulder is quite another. Oh, and conservative attire might help also. The restaurant owner was nice enough to welcome them, but then they had to see how far they could push his hospitality.

There is a right way and a wrong way to influence and/or desensitize people. Scaring the sh*t out of people wouldn't be the right way.

We also have the right to free speech, but screaming in someone's face isn't going to win you any friends.

To our Michigan/activist friends, please do us all a favor and try not to scare the sheep so badly that they vote against us? The idea is to be viewed as responsible gun owners.

Just a constructive suggestion.

 

[mms]

Im all for open carry i just wish people would do it and try to present it in a positive way..... scaring people might not be the best way to do that. i my personal opinion is that if they left the ar at home it would have painted us in a better light ( and in the news interview the store owner said he would have let them stay if it wasn't for it)

i tend to open carry when im dressed nicer.. if im in sweats goin to wally world i tend to hide it... my 2 cents.... just helps paint the positive image

 

[BillyJoe]

Wow....carryin an AR....really?!? I'm sure they made their point in that community...too bad it might be the opposite of what they were "fighting" for. I think that there should've been a more tactful way of dealing with management.

 

[Renegade1978]

Does anyone know if the last part of this video is available? I'd like to see how this episode ended.

 

[mms]

part 2

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpzUF52oapk]YouTube - Lansing Ponderosa Encounter - Raw footage Police detaining and trying to illegally obtain ID's Pt 2[/ame]

 

[HICKMAN]

sheep need to be educated.... keeping them in the dark does them no good.

 

[mms]

btw commanding the officer was a TOOL

 

[rc5699]

Wow

 

[IndyMonkey]

man, someone needed to amp up that meeting. I about fell asleep watching the video's

 

[dwh79]

That was interesting. I agree that the rifle put it over the top. I also agree that the LPD did not act correctly on the situation.

 

[HICKMAN]

in other news.... several INGO members open carried in the Golden Corral in Terre Haute... no cops or news stations were called. No children went crying to mommy... there was even a birthday party happening right next to us.

Those sheep.... were wise.

 

[lashicoN]

I'm a big open carry supporter. I conceal for the most part, because I almost always have a jacket on, but if it's really hot, I don't mind exercising one of my rights out in the open for others to see. My initial reaction to the AR15 was "Idiot, way to go. Now the business owner thinks OCers are crazy and probably everyone who was at Ponderosa that day did too."

Then, I began to argue with myself. Why? What is the difference? If someone is disgusted that they carried an AR15 into Ponderosa, wouldn't they be equally disgusted if that person had been carrying a handgun. Why is there such a significant difference? Are rifles only to be seen slung over a Marines shoulder? Are they more dangerous? If so, why do you only have to be 18 to purchase a rifle and 21 to purchase a handgun? The owner of Ponderosa admits that he told them they could have their OC meeting there, but then he said he didn't know the guy would bring in a rifle and that it was going to be on a busy Saturday. My guess is that he wouldn't have been happy even without the "dang assault rifle!"

+1 to the news who didn't fudge the facts and showed the CO being an arrogant philosopher. We aren't interested in your interpretation of the law. You aren't a lawyer, do your job. ENFORCE laws. Videos like this give so many people the ammunition they need to say "Police officers take joy in trampling on citizens' freedom". They kept them there for about 15 minutes out in the cold, not giving them a reason for keeping them there. Then the CO comes and says that "it's a no brainer. You don't carry guns into restaurants." Since it's so safe in Lansing Michigan, I guess all of the LPD will be selling their firearms and return the tax money they used to purchase them to the residents of Michigan.

 

[trnsplntfrmohio]

I'm all for private property rights, and when that lesbian chief said that if she doesn't want someone on their private property they have to leave,.. I hope every citizen in Lansing has that clip saved on their computer and if the police come, they should just play that video for them and have to leave.

 

[Yamaha]

I had the cops called for my ar15 sitting in my locked car, the cop showed up and was initially aggravated, the cop then realized it wasn't a nfa weapon and it was a long gun, we just ended up chatting for about 20-30min about random stuff after that. Cool guy, I found out 3 days later the most well known drug dealer in town made the call(town of 600 people, stuff circulates) Prolly didn't like me having more firepower than him....lol

that big guy was a douche, at that point you don't try to speak your mind and then tell the officers you don't want to hear theirs, he is lucky he didn't end up at county for disorderly conduct.

 

[Limpy88]

the ar15 was a stupid move. just becasue you can do it doesnt mean you should. just beause they make womens and men thongs in a size 58 doesnt mean you should wear it on the beach. it took decades to prove to ppl that the world wasnt flat and that universe didnt revolve around the earth. baby steps for the sheep. they scare easy.

 

[Eddie]

I think that the group was a bit small. Seven people isn't a big deal for the restaurant to turn away on a busy day if the management thinks it will help business. Better to show up with fifty people on a slow day. Then hit the same restaurant over and over again. Make friends and influence people. The OCer's were in the right, but they made a poor tactical choice as far as advancing their cause.

 

[tom1025]

I have heard of a band of brothers. But they were a band of retards. I am not one to infringe on the rights of others. But if you are going to put on a demonstration you should look at yourself in the mirror. If you look like a skin head or a carny then maybe you should stay at home.

Considering there were only seven of them. I couldnt imagine why people would call the police with the bearded twins walking around with guns. Not to mention the guy with they AR on his back.

I just want to say thanks for scaring the crap out of everyone. Your demonstration didnt do anything positive for the cause.

 

[E5RANGER375]

that big guy was a douche, at that point you don't try to speak your mind and then tell the officers you don't want to hear theirs, he is lucky he didn't end up at county for disorderly conduct.

Cops use disorderly conduct as a way to save face when they are wrong. HARDLY EVER do they use it for its intended purpose. thats why you see so many disorderly conduct charges thrown out by judges. I NEVER will stand and listen to a cop preach to me his opinion! and thats exactly what happened there. Cops need to keep their mouths shut sometimes too. while they are "ON THE JOB" they dont have freedom of speech, they are a reflection of their department so anything they say WILL be used against them and the department if its out of line. Funny how these cops were at what looked to be a standoff with these legal citizens. yes the AR was over the top, but if WAS IT ILLEGAL???? NO. so then why are we ragging them for it??? If you dont agree with it then call a state rep. why are INGO dogging citizens who obeyed the law?? even by carrying the AR. those cops were just making a scene. how stupid is it that they stayed right in front of the entrance??? there was plenty of roon to move away, especialy if the cops had the right security mindset incase gun fire broke out. they all need to go back to the academy AND study their state laws!!! someone else made the comment about the "bearded twins": well sir why are you making fun of a fellow LEGAL gun owner because of his dress or look? the guy wasnt wearing any swasticas or KKK markings. he looked like a hard working blue blooded american to me. are we gonna start putting lables on how people should look to carry a gun?? come on guys i expected better responses from some of you.

 

[tom1025]

Cops use disorderly conduct as a way to save face when they are wrong. HARDLY EVER do they use it for its intended purpose. thats why you see so many disorderly conduct charges thrown out by judges. I NEVER will stand and listen to a cop preach to me his opinion! and thats exactly what happened there. Cops need to keep their mouths shut sometimes too. while they are "ON THE JOB" they dont have freedom of speech, they are a reflection of their department so anything they say WILL be used against them and the department if its out of line. Funny how these cops were at what looked to be a standoff with these legal citizens. yes the AR was over the top, but if WAS IT ILLEGAL???? NO. so then why are we ragging them for it??? If you dont agree with it then call a state rep. why are INGO dogging citizens who obeyed the law?? even by carrying the AR. those cops were just making a scene. how stupid is it that they stayed right in front of the entrance??? there was plenty of roon to move away, especialy if the cops had the right security mindset incase gun fire broke out. they all need to go back to the academy AND study their state laws!!! someone else made the comment about the "bearded twins": well sir why are you making fun of a fellow LEGAL gun owner because of his dress or look? the guy wasnt wearing any swasticas or KKK markings. he looked like a hard working blue blooded american to me. are we gonna start putting lables on how people should look to carry a gun?? come on guys i expected better responses from some of you.

lmfao. good thing everyone is entittled to have there own opinion. Would it have made a difference if I started out saying "with all do respect"????

But seriously. First impression is everything. And to be honest they wouldnt be my first choice if I had to pick a group of guys to represent LEGAL gun owners.

 

[jsgolfman]

They don't represent me, I represent me.