These people are giving gun owners a bad name

[lock n' load]

I guess most of you have seen this. I'm all for 2nd amendment rights but these people are just hurting our cause I believe..

https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-anti-lockdown-protesters-march-north-carolina-order-subway

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by lock n' load

[A.J. Holst]

The mask makes that one dude look more Antifa than an Illinois Nazi...

Dis-organized grassroots protests (or support) is typically always bad for the larger group they are trying to "help"

I applaud the commitment of the load bearers attached to thier heavy weapons battalion.

Not being a proponent of open carry, I disagree with how they are choosing to exercise their 2nd Amendment Rights to exercise their First, and indirectly Ninth and Tenth Amendment Rights.

Ain't no constitutional language about pandemic. 

[Grayfox54]

You don't support freedom through intimidation. That's exactly what these morons are trying to do. 

[lock n' load]

The anti-gunners eat this stuff up because it gives them even more reason to want the government to restrict the 2nd amendment. I don't like this whole situation either, but marching down the street armed to the teeth isn't going to accomplish anything either. Sometimes I wonder if some of those same protesters are really anti-second opponents trying to help their cause.

Edited May 17, 2020 by lock n' load

[Magiccarpetrides]

I just wanna know where to get my own AT4!

 

J/K but seriously these people are absolute morons.  They are definitely not helping our cause in any way.  

[krunchnik]

On 5/17/2020 at 10:11 AM, lock n' load said:

The anti-gunners eat this stuff up because it gives them even more reason to want the government to restrict the 2nd amendment. I don't like this whole situation either, but marching down the street armed to the teeth isn't going to accomplish anything either. Sometimes I wonder if some of those same protesters are really anti-second opponents trying to help their cause.

I am in the same kinda thinking here that these may be anti 2nd amendment-I would not put anything past some of these people to use our very right's as a way of getting their own cause furthered.

Dress up and act like a bunch of gun nut's-their words not mine.

[TGO David]

 

Devil's Advocate Post:

I hear that these folks aren't helping further or preserve the 2A.  Who is and what are they doing that is expanding the appeal of the 2A?

 

 

[Alleycat72]

Maybe we should restrict gun stores to certain parts of town. They could upset someone. No signs that say guns and dare not advertise anywhere. You guys shouldn't post anything on Facebook about hunting. Someone could see your guns or a poor dead deer. We could lose the right to hunt. God forbid some gun hater gets an account on TGO. we should shut the site down so we don't offend anyone. 

[TGO David]

I'm going to throw out a very unpopular opinion:  2A Supporters are either a silent majority or a vocal minority, and if it's the former of the two... the silent majority is screwing the rest of us.

The media panders hard left but that's because the hard left is a hell of a vocal group.  If the 2A supporters, regardless of political affiliation, were vocal enough and large enough of a group, the media would likely pander that direction.  The media needs money and their money comes from advertising ... when it isn't coming from George Soros.  They'll follow whichever group generates the most revenue for them.

 

If we're actually just a vocal minority, it's time for us to start adopting minority tactics.  One of the most effective minority tactics is to be an inconvenient pain in the establishment's ass until it can't ignore them anymore.  

[Chucktshoes]

18 minutes ago, TGO David said:

I'm going to throw out a very unpopular opinion:  2A Supporters are either a silent majority or a vocal minority, and if it's the former of the two... the silent majority is screwing the rest of us.

The media panders hard left but that's because the hard left is a hell of a vocal group.  If the 2A supporters, regardless of political affiliation, were vocal enough and large enough of a group, the media would likely pander that direction.  The media needs money and their money comes from advertising ... when it isn't coming from George Soros.  They'll follow whichever group generates the most revenue for them.

 

If we're actually just a vocal minority, it's time for us to start adopting minority tactics.  One of the most effective minority tactics is to be an inconvenient pain in the establishment's ass until it can't ignore them anymore.  

While not directly making the same point you are, this video does touch upon the ways in which the armed protests may have been effective. 
 

 

[Erik88]

That was a good video but I'm not sure it proved they are helping our cause. If you notice, most of the protesting took place in states where they have a democrat for Governor. It really seemed like they were more upset that a Democrat was telling them what to do. There were a handful of demonstrators in Florida, but nothing like what we saw in Michigan, NC and a few other places. There were 42 states that imposed some sort of social distancing rules and most of the protesters seemed to be in states with Democrats for governors. I'm not even sure how the the things tie together. If you want to protest the lockdown, why do you need to dress like a JV seal team and bring your AR? If you want to have a gun rights rally, by all means, do it. 

I would bet that these guys in Michigan wouldn't have showed up if a Republican had issued the same orders. This woman was just elected last year. I'm sure these guys were still salty about it and none of them voted for her. They probably hated her before the lockdown and this was just an easy excuse to go show that displeasure. That's my take on it. 

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by Erik88

[TGO David]

2 hours ago, Erik88 said:

That was a good video but I'm not sure it proved they are helping our cause. If you notice, most of the protesting took place in states where they have a democrat for Governor. It really seemed like they were more upset that a Democrat was telling them what to do.

 

I'd challenge you to re-think the statement to be "They are upset because an elected politician is telling them what to do" and strike the party line out of it.  People, in general, are starting to become very tired of elected representatives acting like ordained directors or dictators.  It's happening with elected representatives across party lines, but is perhaps more prevalent in the Democrat side of the problem.

 

[btq96r]

On 5/20/2020 at 10:44 AM, TGO David said:

2A Supporters are either a silent majority or a vocal minority

I think it's more like "2A supporters are a silent minority".  Most people just don't care one way or the other what happens to gun rights.  They're fine with people owning guns and doing as they like so long as it's lawful and peaceful, but it doesn't manifest into anything we could consider "support".  On the flipside wouldn't truly be bothered if a full scale confiscation came about.

[TGO David]

2 minutes ago, btq96r said:

I think it's more like "2A supporters are a silent minority".  Most people just don't care one way or the other what happens to gun rights.  They're fine with people owning guns and doing as they like so long as it's lawful and peaceful, but it doesn't manifest into anything we could consider "support".  On the flipside wouldn't truly be bothered if a full scale confiscation came about.

You might be right.  I've considered that as a possibility.  It's a really hard pill for a lot of people to even contemplate swallowing.

 

[Erik88]

40 minutes ago, TGO David said:

"They are upset because an elected politician is telling them what to do" and strike the party line out of it

I just don't think the data supports that for this particular topic. The issue is that most of the hard right people out protesting are doing it in states where Democrats are in charge. I don't think that's a coincidence. There are plenty of Republican voters who claim to love the constitution but look the other way with the GOP craps on their rights. They care about the 2nd Amendment, and that's about it. The protesters in Michigan were flying Trump flags, while complaining about the very thing he told us to do. Who exactly are they mad at? 

A few people on here got pissed at Bill Lee but the truth is that they will all be lining up to vote for him next time. 

 

[TGO David]

1 minute ago, Erik88 said:

I just don't think the data supports that for this particular topic. The issue is that most of the hard right people out protesting are doing it in states where Democrats are in charge. I don't think that's a coincidence. There are plenty of Republican voters who claim to love the constitution but look the other way with the GOP craps on their rights. They care about the 2nd Amendment, and that's about it. The protesters in Michigan were flying Trump flags, while complaining about the very thing he told us to do. Who exactly are they mad at? 

A few people on here got pissed at Bill Lee but the truth is that they will all be lining up to vote for him next time. 

 

FFS.  Democrats don't do this?

[btq96r]

4 hours ago, TGO David said:

You might be right.  I've considered that as a possibility.  It's a really hard pill for a lot of people to even contemplate swallowing.

 

The writing is on the wall, really.  We're slipping further and further away from having guns as part of our collective culture.  Once the frontier was tamed and society put in its place, we went from absolutely needing guns for substance and protection to wanting them for the same reasons.  Gun enthusiasm has shown itself to have roughly a half life in successive generations since about the end of World War II, and the further populations tilt towards urbanization, it's just that much more irreversible as kids aren't growing up in a world where firearms represent more than a sport or an emergency against a statically unlikely event.

I'm not saying that nobody will have pistols, rifles, shotguns in the house or out at the range, but the notion we hold to now of it being a right and a need will be gone.  It'll be a full fledged by permission only where allowed structure by the time my life runs a natural course.

Edited May 21, 2020 by btq96r

[rodteague]

On 5/21/2020 at 11:37 AM, Erik88 said:

I just don't think the data supports that for this particular topic. The issue is that most of the hard right people out protesting are doing it in states where Democrats are in charge. I don't think that's a coincidence. There are plenty of Republican voters who claim to love the constitution but look the other way with the GOP craps on their rights. They care about the 2nd Amendment, and that's about it. The protesters in Michigan were flying Trump flags, while complaining about the very thing he told us to do. Who exactly are they mad at? 

A few people on here got pissed at Bill Lee but the truth is that they will all be lining up to vote for him next time. 

 

I don't agree with your assertion that Tennesseans will be lining up to vote for Bill Lee; I didn't vote for him in the primary and held my nose when I pulled the lever in the general. Governors should have only adopted guidelines( which is what Trump did; not sure he anticipated the banana republic response that spewed from the state level) which would have given free men and women in our Republic the option to choose. What he(and other governors) did was abhorrent to anyone who believes in a free Republic, our constitution and bill of rights. He should be removed from office along with every other governor who did the same thing; Republican or Democrat. Only time will tell, but I am certain this will eventually make it's way to the Supreme court, at that point we shall see........

On 5/21/2020 at 10:51 AM, TGO David said:

I'd challenge you to re-think the statement to be "They are upset because an elected politician is telling them what to do" and strike the party line out of it.  People, in general, are starting to become very tired of elected representatives acting like ordained directors or dictators.  It's happening with elected representatives across party lines, but is perhaps more prevalent in the Democrat side of the problem.

 

agreed

Edited May 24, 2020 by rodteague

[Raoul]

So what if the free men and women are too stupid to take care of themselves and put their friends and neighbors at risk... My take is more along the lines of I'll take care of myself and if you're too stupid to do the same and put me at risk then expect unsatisfactory consequences. Have a nice day.

[4Freedom]

The use of confederate flags (in Michigan of all places) and pictures of Whitmer as Hitler or a Nazi were what I was most opposed to , because I knew how it would be spun.  Bringing guns to a rally about ending a lockdown is also senseless.  I am not against people bringing guns to a rally for gun rights, as long as they are responsible and don't act stupid.   

Media story : Groups of Confederate flag, Swastika waving Neo-Nazi White Supremacists raids Michigan Capitol with guns ..  


However, anyone thinking that us appeasing the liberals, left-wing media and acting docile is more effective than the other extreme of what these belligerent boneheads did is also being very naive.  A good number of media outlets are also funded by major anti-gun Democrat politicians, so thinking they will just come to our side due to popularity also may be wishful thinking.  They are the voice of their political ideologies and financing. 

 

If you just sit back and be polite and quiet, they will quietly and politely come and remove all your rights.  I am from Pacific Northwest and nobody was pro-active enough and people just sat back and behaved as politely as possible and we lost a significant amount of gun rights and we are looking at losing more.  Look at Virginia not too far away that seemed to learn from mistakes that Washington state made.  It is just a matter of time before that state ends up with New York gun laws.  It was the vigilance , open carry rallies and outspokenness of people in that state and others who came to the protests that influenced even Democrats in the state to vote against Assault Weapon Ban.

 

In my opinion, people in Tennessee have lived under the protection of a conservative/pro-2A government for a long time and feel secure.  Too secure, in my opinion. But, many don't know that Oregon use to be one of most conservative states and was more like Wyoming/Montana in the day.   Even Montana now has a Governor who says he wants an Assault Weapon Ban in a state that I know cherishes gun rights and freedom.  One city, Missoula (where gov hails from) is the big problem.   Washington state , e.g., was the second state to legalize conceal carry in the country after Alaska (I believe).  Then came a huge invasion of outsiders and they started chiseling away at the laws one by one.  To be honest , I don't think our complacency and politeness did us any favors.  If anything I think noise making , rambunctious and pro-active people are more effective.  Look at these protests and riots we are having today.     More and more people who support gun restrictions and stripping away of civil rights are moving to the Southeast USA.. Abrams in Georgia had a very nice plan of what she planned to do which included gun confiscation legislation for guns she claimed are "not covered under the 2nd Amendment".

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by 4Freedom