Guns at Protests

[Liberty's Teeth]

I heard somewhere over the last couple of days that the Libs in the media are worried that people are showing up armed at these protests. They are asking what would happen if just one shot was fired and the mayhem that would ensue.

This sounds eerily familiar. Crowds protesting. Shots fired. Concord, MA, April 19, 1775.

Get a clue. You work for us.

*I am not advocating or condoning violence of any type.

 

[rambone]

Battle at Lexington Green, 1775

Battle at Lexington Green, 1775

Battle at Lexington Green, 1775​

The Start of the American Revolution and the "shot heard round the world."​

Massachusetts Colony was a hotbed of sedition in the spring of 1775. Preparations for conflict with the Royal authority had been underway throughout the winter with the production of arms and munitions, the training of militia (including the minutemen), and the organization of defenses. In April, General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts decided to counter these moves by sending a force out of Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord and capture patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock reported to be staying in the village of Lexington.

The atmosphere was tense, word of General Gage's intentions spread through Boston prompting the patriots to set up a messaging system to alert the countryside of any advance of British troops. Paul Revere arranged for a signal to be sent by lantern from the steeple of North Church - one if by land, two if by sea. On the night of April 18, 1775 the lantern's alarm sent Revere, William Dawes and other riders on the road to spread the news. The messengers cried out the alarm, awakening every house, warning of the British column making its way towards Lexington. In the rider's wake there erupted the peeling of church bells, the beating of drums and the roar of gun shots - all announcing the danger and calling the local militias to action.

Paul Revere's Ride​

In the predawn light of April 19, the beating drums and peeling bells summoned between 50 and 70 militiamen to the town green at Lexington. As they lined up in battle formation the distant sound of marching feet and shouted orders alerted them of the Redcoats' approach. Soon the British column emerged through the morning fog and the confrontation that would launch a nation began.

"Lay down your arms, you damned rebels..."
Twenty-three-year-old Sylvanus Wood was one of the Lexington militia who answered the call that spring morning. Several years after the event he committed his recollection to paper in an affidavit sworn before a Justice of the Peace which was first published in 1858:

"I, Sylvanus Wood, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy-four years, do testify and say that on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, I was an inhabitant of Woburn, living with Deacon Obadiah Kendall; that about an hour before the break of day on said morning, I heard the Lexington bell ring, and fearing there was difficulty there, I immediately arose, took my gun and, with Robert Douglass, went in haste to Lexington, which was about three miles distant.

When I arrived there, I inquired of Captain Parker, the commander of the Lexington company, what was the news. Parker told me he did not know what to believe, for a man had come up about half an hour before and informed him that the British troops were not on the road. But while we were talking, a messenger came up and told the captain that the British troops were within half a mile. Parker immediately turned to his drummer, William Diman, and ordered him to beat to arms, which was done. Captain Parker then asked me if I would parade with his company. I told him I would. Parker then asked me if the young man with me would parade. I spoke to Douglass, and he said he would follow the captain and me.

By this time many of the company had gathered around the captain at the hearing of the drum, where we stood, which was about half way between the meetinghouse and Buckman's tavern. Parker says to his men, 'Every man of you, who is equipped, follow me; and those of you who are not equipped, go into the meeting-house and furnish yourselves from the magazine, and immediately join the company.' Parker led those of us who were equipped to the north end of Lexington Common, near the Bedford Road, and formed us in single file. I was stationed about in the centre of the company. While we were standing, I left my place and went from one end of the company to the other and counted every man who was paraded, and the whole number was thirty-eight, and no more.

Just as I had finished and got back to my place, I perceived the British troops had arrived on the spot between the meeting-house and Bucknian's, near where Captain Parker stood when he first led off his men. The British troops immediately wheeled so as to cut off those who had gone into the meeting-house. The British troops approached us rapidly in platoons, with a general officer on horseback at their head. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company, where I stood, the first platoon being about three rods distant. They there halted. The officer then swung his sword, and said, 'Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!' Some guns were fired by the British at us from the first platoon, but no person was killed or hurt, being probably charged only with powder.

Confrontation at Lexington Green
​

Just at this time, Captain Parker ordered every man to take care of himself. The company immediately dispersed; and while the company was dispersing and leaping over the wall, the second platoon of the British fired and killed some of our men. There was not a gun fired by anv of Captain Parker's company, within my knowledge. I was so situated that I must have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company. I have been intimately acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with those of Captain Parker's company, and, with one exception, I have never heard any of them say or pretend that there was any firing at the British from Parker's company, or any individual in it until within a year or two. One member of the company told me, many years since, that, after Parker's company had dispersed, and he was at some distance, he gave them 'the guts of his gun.'"

 

[CulpeperMM]

... and at Concord

The town of Concord was alerted to the advance of British forces by Dr. Samuel Prescott shortly after midnight on April 19. Church bells rang out the alarm, summoning Minutemen from the vicinity. By the early morning hours several hundred men had gathered in the town and began a slow march toward the oncoming redcoats, who had easily scattered the militia in Lexington. However, when the Americans first sighted the British advance force, they abruptly reversed direction and retreated to a hilltop outside of town.By 7:30 a.m., the British force entered Concord intent on two objectives — destroying weapons and eating breakfast. A local man was forced at gunpoint to reveal where the town cannon had been buried a few hours earlier; it was quickly unearthed and disabled. Other redcoats searched homes in the town for arms and purchased food from reluctant residents.

The nearby militia had grown to a force of more than 400 men. From their vantage point they saw smoke billowing from the town and assumed that their homes had been torched. In fact, the British had simply built a bonfire to dispose of some military equipment and the local liberty pole.

The militia left their hilltop retreat and moved back toward town. On the way, they confronted a contingent of British forces at the North Bridge over the Concord River. Several shots rang out from uncertain sources. No one fell and some of the militiamen assumed that the redcoats were simply trying to intimidate them and that they had no intention of opening fire. That illusion was quickly shattered when a crackling volley was loosed from the British side. Two Americans were killed and the fire was promptly returned. The British ranks broke and the soldiers hurried back to Concord where they waited until noon for reinforcements from Boston. The anticipated relief had not departed from the city until 9 a.m. and was still miles away. The British decision to leave Concord without reinforcements at first appeared to be wise. The American militiamen initially stood silently and watched the departure, but later the local men began to take positions behind trees and fences and pour fire into the departing army. The church bells continued their tolling and increasing numbers of farmers and workmen left their tasks to join the rout.
The British were outraged by the American tactics, believing that real soldiers would confront their enemies in the open. Instead, the colonists would open fire from hidden positions as the army passed, then sprint ahead to another protected spot and repeat the process. The tired and angry British soldiers broke into houses along the path of retreat; any man remotely suspected of being one of the snipers was shot and his house burned.

British prospects improved somewhat in Lexington where they finally linked up with the relief forces. Two cannon had been brought from Boston and were used with some effect on the march back. Nevertheless, sniper attacks dogged the British to the city outskirts. At the end of the day, American militiamen began to encircle their opponents and started preparations for a siege.

One of the day’s heroes was Dr. Joseph Warren, the Patriot leader, who risked his life repeatedly while tending the wounded and dying. The fighting at Lexington, Concord and along the road back to Boston had negligible long range military consequences. The British suffered horribly, sustaining 73 killed, 174 wounded and 26 missing. The Americans listed 49 killed, 39 wounded and five as missing. The colonists, however, received a tremendous boost in morale by embarrassing the vaunted British army.

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

Thanks CulpepperMM and rambone. Always good follow-ups.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

This sounds eerily familiar. Crowds protesting. Shots fired. Concord, MA, April 19, 1775.

Except that's not what happened at Concord.

Perhaps you mean The Boston Massacre?

 

[SavageEagle]

The Shot Heard 'Round the World...

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

Kirk-

Good point, but the Patriots at the Boston massacre were either unarmed or didn't fire back at the British. The Patriots at Concord knew the British were coming for their property, namely their weapons. The Patriots at the rallies know the government is coming for something worse, control of their lives. While we might not consider them "protestors" today, I feel that each and everyone of those minutemen hoped to go home to their families, turning away the British without a shot fired. I am sure today's armed protestors feel the same way.

 

[henktermaat]

The libs are mistaking Armed American Citizens for left-wing nutjobs, mentally ill, or criminally insane who HAVE been shooting people in the news.

 

[E5RANGER375]

if any shots were fired, I would bet it would be people from the left who infiltrated the event just to cause chaos by firing shots. remember that its almost ALWAYS the left who never hesitates to use violence and scare tactics. They do that because no one in their right mind would ever agree with their ****ed up agenda and ideas.

 

[awatarius]

The libs are mistaking Armed American Citizens for left-wing nutjobs, mentally ill, or criminally insane who HAVE been shooting people in the news.

LOL and right wing nutjobs lets not forget anyone here.. I will say that nobody should be able to carry a gun within a certain range of the President or certain politicians, thats just asking for trouble. A few rotten Apples right.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Fletch]

LOL and right wing nutjobs lets not forget anyone here.. I will say that nobody should be able to carry a gun within a certain range of the President or certain politicians

And while we're at it, let's have everybody get down on one knee when in their presence.

 

[jedi]

LOL and right wing nutjobs lets not forget anyone here.. I will say that nobody should be able to carry a gun within a certain range of the President or certain politicians, thats just asking for trouble. A few rotten Apples right.

Thanks,
Matthew

Why? Seriously? If someone really wants to harm someone else banning a tool won't stop them? We have seen this time and time again in school shootings, in the streets of chicago, and with people that committ suicide. People find a way always.

 

[lashicoN]

LOL and right wing nutjobs lets not forget anyone here.. I will say that nobody should be able to carry a gun within a certain range of the President or certain politicians, thats just asking for trouble. A few rotten Apples right.

Thanks,
Matthew

Not even Secret Service, huh? Should the President have to disarm as well so he doesn't accidentally shoot the President of the United States? What certain range are you talking about? 5 feet? 50? 500? Maybe the Second Amendment explains how close we are allowed to be near a "certain" politician while armed. Let's take a look.

Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

 

[E5RANGER375]

LOL and right wing nutjobs lets not forget anyone here.. I will say that nobody should be able to carry a gun within a certain range of the President or certain politicians, thats just asking for trouble. A few rotten Apples right.

Thanks,
Matthew

REALLY??? so your gonna punish law abiding people for a potential criminal act that a criminal wouldnt care about any law in the first place. its genius thinking like this that gives us the stupid unconstitutional laws we have now. China called, they want their audio tapes back.

if the president is ever that scared of being harmed maybe he shouldn't pass unconstitutional laws.

If some loon is gonna hurt someone which is already illegal, do you think they are gonna care about gun laws? LMAO. dude your reasoning is a joke.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

American citizens disarm for no one, bow to no one, and kneel to no one. If we do - then we are fumbling and handing over cheaply the freedoms that our forefathers paid so dearly to protect. If so, we are not worthy of the title of American citizen.

Awatarius - you are acting as either a troll or a Tory. Either way, sir, you deserve the disagreement that is surely coming.

 

[PeaShooter]

Except that's not what happened at Concord.

Perhaps you mean The Boston Massacre?

Not Concord...Lexington

 

[awatarius]

Not even Secret Service, huh? Should the President have to disarm as well so he doesn't accidentally shoot the President of the United States? What certain range are you talking about? 5 feet? 50? 500? Maybe the Second Amendment explains how close we are allowed to be near a "certain" politician while armed. Let's take a look.

Amendment II
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Oh my.. now your being dumb. You can understand context can't you. You know very well what I am talking about. Assasination is a real problem, and making it harder for someone to do that is why more Presidents have not been assasinated. Trust me when I did political work bringing in a hand gun to a presidential speach is almost impossible.. (almost) and thats a good thing.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[ATF Consumer]

I carried during the '08 election when Obama had come to the Marriott, downtown Indy for some fund raising.
His motorcade came within 50 yards of where I was protesting against his visit...right along side many sheeple, so very happy to see him.
There were no issues...other than me getting sick over how disgusting the others made me feel because of their complete love for him.

 

[awatarius]

Oh my.. now your being dumb. You can understand context can't you. You know very well what I am talking about. Assasination is a real problem, and making it harder for someone to do that is why more Presidents have not been assasinated. Trust me when I did political work bringing in a hand gun to a presidential speach is almost impossible.. (almost) and thats a good thing.

Thanks,
Matthew

Ok so calling you dumb was rude, but you did negative rep me and leave what you considered a snide remark. I will answer your points. I don't worship the President but he does need protecting. Who is to say that YOU or Osama or anyone else isn't a threat you all look the same with a gun. Also if you are noticed with a gun around the President you will also be watched by the secret service putting them on edge, and you at raised risk. So I will reflect the question. Why do you NEED to carry around the President? To show you can? To simply say LOOK AT ME IM MR BIG SHOT? I just don't see a point. Tt seems like it would only make a situation extra tense, and shouldn't be. You will rarely be safer then when that much security is around you anyway. I don't worship the President but he is the leader of the free world, and should be treated as such.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Fletch]

You will rarely be safer then when that much security is around you anyway.

I'm pretty sure the SS has no instructions whatsoever regarding my protection. If a riot were to break out, they'd only care about one person.