Personally I look at the photo and see a thoughtless attention whore trying to ‘scare the straights.’ The most likely result is that he will scare them straight into the ballot box to vote away our rights. As such this person is not my friend, ally or comrade in the struggle; he is an active threat to my rights.
I had no idea how much antipathy OC Idiots had collected till I sat down to read Gun blogs, forums and Social Media. I believe they are being slapped hard by most everybody. But what is more interesting is the big names remaining silent on the issue as in not telling everybody we are the Gun Culture and live under a big tent.
Uh, dude, you are one of the big names…
Me? Nah… I mean TV and Radio big names. I am just another old blogger. 🙂
While I fully support your message, I need to know a bit more about where this picture is from.
Without context, it is difficult to decide whether they tacti-cool guy is being an OCI, or maybe there is a legit reason for him to be walking around carrying a rifle. The woman with the NRA shirt on does not look like she is with him, but that is a really odd coincidence. Other folks in the picture do not appear to be particularly perturbed.
So… reading the linked post, it was apparently at a farmers market in Alexandria, VA. (I used to live in Alexandria, VA and there is a market in town square every Saturday, but that pic does not look like Town Hall in Old Town Alexandria.)
It is possible there was a booth set up for a shooting club, or to recruit people as members to an outdoors group, or some other firearms related activity. In states/communities with a gun friendly culture (Western PA, AK, UT, AZ, upstate NY, etc…) it is not unusual to see a booth at a fair, event, or market from any number of outdoor councils, hunters groups, or even some of the national folks. I remember seeing a local Ducks Unlimited chapter at a farmers market more than once. And, this individual might have been working that booth, and transporting this particular gun to/from a car. (However, in my opinion, it should have been in a case)
Now… using this image as an illustrative example of what not to do is perfectly OK, but do not channel the opposition here. Make sure context is provided. The picture may have been taken by a gun grabber from an angle that made it look like this guy was in the middle of a crowd, when in fact, he was five feet in front of a booth.
Maybe I missed it, but Tinkertalksguns does not provide a link to an article, police report, or any other information. There is a lot of assumptions, some statements, etc… but no real context.
What CBMTTek said, except:
If it were on display at a booth, it should not have a magazine inserted. Even if it had an empty mag for demonstration, it should be removed before transport.
Also, it looks like he has it on a one-point sling, attached to him.
I see those and I think, “Not a display rifle.” (And yes, a display rifle being transported should be in a case.)
All things considered, he has his hand on the gun. Not near the trigger, thank God, but depending on jurisdiction, that could be sufficient for a charge of brandishing, even where open-carry is allowed. It is NOT the same as open-carrying a pistol in a holster; it’s more like “open-carrying” a pistol in your hand.
I understand it’s a right, but just because any idiot can doesn’t mean every idiot should.
Optics matter, especially in this environment where so many are just itching to paint us in the worst possible light, with the broadest available brush.
DO NOT give them that opportunity.
Good points, and a much better analysis of the pic than I put in.
Agree with all of it, pretty much a OCI.
Never forget- annoy & frighten enough people, and they can rescind the Second Amendment.