I’ve been admittedly wishy-washy on this, but since Al Gottlieb said it last night on Chris Matthews’ show, I guess the ice is broken: guys, I think the argument you *think* you’re making carrying openly to political protests is a sound one (that the RKBA exists and should be respected, and that the mere presence of defensive weapons in the hands of the law abiding actually isn’t really cause for alarm)…but it’s also just not the right forum.
It was actually pretty funny to watch; Gottlieb agreed with Matthews’ premise that while the 2A is an individual and protected right, you’re just not helping the RKBA cause by freaking people out and lending to the suspicion that firearms advocacy is reserved for the far right fringe. Matthews did a double take and stumbled, having expected Gottlieb to defend the practice of protest carry. He rather obviously was getting ready for a blowhard rant about the lunatic fringe, and Gottlieb completely tripped him up. He spent the next five minutes trying to bait Gottlieb into one of his famous shouting matches without much success (I think Matthews’ hardball style is occasionally called for and sometimes his skewering of looney tunes is brilliant…but pretty obviously he was trying to follow a formula, a formula frankly inappropriate for the tone and civil manner of the discussion).
ACT-UP normalized open homosexuality in the public mind.
Open carry normalizes firearms in the public mind.
Which was the more disruptive of civil behavior in society?
Comment by Mikee — August 23, 2009 @ 12:56 pm
I’m cool with open carry, though I’d continue to carry concealed almost always for tactical reasons. However, just because I can’t have an abortion–or I’m really confused about anatomy–doesn’t mean I won’t support the right of someone else who has the required plumbing. Carry, whether concealed or open, should be the law of land and licensing be danged.
Open carry for political protest, yeah, OK, I get that it scares the horses. But, was it wrong to refuse to sit at the back of the bus because it might have offended the tender sensibilities of others?
Comment by Ken Grubb — September 1, 2009 @ 6:35 pm