Capitol Hill again on Feburary 8th!!!!

[thefinder808]

Excellent, I'm glad there's so many people going. Maybe if enough people will show up the media will be forced to spread the news (we can always dream right?). Guess I'll see ya'll tomorrow. I'll be the big goofy guy in the khakis and blue shirt, I hope that narrows it down.

[JohnC]

See you guys there! :up:

[TripleDigitRide]

My hair is going to get wet.

[geekitupsum]

how was the turnout?

[mcurrier]

Man!  It was COLD!!!

 

About 140-150 people there.  Lots of flags, lots of signs, lots of camo, several "news" looking cameras there (they stayed the entire time, bit moved around a lot)...

 

Some dude showed up with an AR-15 slung across his back and two Capital cops ran out and grabbed him (one "news" camera jumped on that and followed, but not sure if he got there in time to get anything).

 

No sound system, somewhat unorganized.  A few people stepped up and spoke.

 

Saw Hickok .45 there.

 

I stayed 45 minutes, but then had to leave.

[10-Ring]

I would have estimated the turnout in the 300-400 range.  A few speakers had very good things to say.  Good overall experience, this needs to be a reoccuring event and we need to get more people out and we need to be more organized.

[xjsnake]

I was there, other than the idiot with a loaded AR that was quickly removed everything went well.

[Guest msparks]

Great event today. Was nice to see everyone there!

[thefinder808]

I thought it was great. Not a ton of people, maybe 150-200 but it was a lot of fun. First rally I've ever been to and I had a good time speaking with like-minded people, which I rarely get to do. TNoutdoors9 (he has an excellent youtube channel and does ammo testing) was who I really wanted to meet and he turned out to be a really nice guy, I had a lot of fun talking to him. Also met Hickok45 and his son John, but people were all over them so didn't really get to speak much with them. Jeff and Boge from Gunblast.com (these guys also have a great youtube channel) seemed like some really good people, I'll bet they're a hoot to hang out with. Evidently before I got there some goober showed up with an AR on his back, not sure if he was a plant or just didn't know state law. 

 

Anyway I'm ready for the next one, I hope we can get a bigger turnout in the future. 

[southernasylum]

I'm with the 150 to 200ish estimate. It was awfully cold. I went to move my vehicle after about 50 minutes because I was in metered parking. Parked in a garage an by the time I returned it was dispersing. Glad I came to be a warm (relatively) body in the crowd.

I was worried it was starting to lean towards just an anti govt rally more than a pro gun rally but it seemed to stay on track from what I was able to hear. I stayed towards the back as I don't like crowds too much. I did see the guy get hauled off but wasn't sure why. I missed the start of that an was happily on the opposite side of the crowd from him. Wish there was a little better turn out but cold middle of a work day I can't complain.

Saw lots of spring clips on belts and lots of knives but few open carriers. There was one young man with throwing knives on his hip. Overall I'm happy I went to show my support. Any thoughts on the militia thing. Seems like something I personally would avoid like the plague.

-southernasylum

[daveW]

It seemed to be much less organized than before...the guy who took charge used the word militia a lot. It was cold enough that I wished I brought a rifle so I could go in the warm building with the cops.

I took off work today, though...that was cool-first day I've missed in 3 years.

[mcurrier]

I would have estimated the turnout in the 300-400 range.  A few speakers had very good things to say.  Good overall experience, this needs to be a reoccuring event and we need to get more people out and we need to be more organized.

 

I actually counted heads.  Same last time.  144 people counted at peak time (10:30am).

[Guest nimrod_dormin]

I was there. I was the guy in the green sweater giving the talk "Gun Rights are Civil Rights". I wanted to talk at one of these but didn't think I would get to do it because I am not "famous" or part of a movement. I didn't bring notes and was freezing my ass off out there. Please let me know what you thought of the talk, the pace, and the format. I know it frightens some to talk about MLK and guns or blacks and disarmament but it needs to be put out there, the gun grabbers need to own there heritage.


I was really proud that I got to talk and hope I inspired others to reach out to people outside there normal spehere of influence on behalf of gun rights.
 

[JR2ATN]

 

 

 

 

It was COLD!  When the talked leaned militia and birther the speakers started to lose me.  I'm agnostic on whether O was born here or not and if he wasn't it seems there's little that can or will be done about it, but I don't think it helps our cause with fence-sitters.  Overall though it was okay.....a bullhorn would've been nice.    Turnout was about what I expected given that it was a weekday, cold, and poorly organized from the start.

[daveW]

You did well...a natural a public speaking.

I was there. I was the guy in the green sweater giving the talk "Gun Rights are Civil Rights". I wanted to talk at one of these but didn't think I would get to do it because I am not "famous" or part of a movement. I didn't bring notes and was freezing my ass off out there. Please let me know what you thought of the talk, the pace, and the format. I know it frightens some to talk about MLK and guns or blacks and disarmament but it needs to be put out there, the gun grabbers need to own there heritage.
I was really proud that I got to talk and hope I inspired others to reach out to people outside there normal spehere of influence on behalf of gun rights.
 

[Guest nimrod_dormin]

Thanks. I tried to keep on topic about gun rights. It is very easy to get pulled off on a tangent. I am very very much a Libertarian and am not happy with the Obama administration on many other fronts, but 2nd Amendment Events are not the place for that.

 

 

You did well...a natural a public speaking.

 

[10-Ring]

Ok I admit it, I really suck at estimating attendence so I stand corrected on my liberal estimate :)  Nimrod, you did a great job! I liked the angle you worked, I've never noticed that there is that much corelation between gun righs and civil rights.  Hope, you stick around here!

 

On the militia isue, my dad and I have been discussing this all day and we find many pros and cons. All of the representitives of the militias stated that it was not their goal to overthrow the government or anything radical like that. They stated that their goal is to be an avenue for people like us to unite to preserve our rights that the government is trying to take away. For me I'm going to have to spend a lot more time researching about militias before I can take a stance on that matter. At this point in time I think that there is a possibility that militias are not necessarily a bad thing.

 

Looks like Knoxville was well represented!

 

Special thanks to WSMV News channel 4 for focusing their whole segment on the dingaling that showed up with the AR and not giving any attention to all of the law abiding citizens that made a good peaceful demonstration. 

Edited February 8, 2013 by 10-Ring

[TripleDigitRide]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/21084282/gun-advocates-rally-state-capitol

[JR2ATN]

What we need at these events are numbers, and in that respect today was lackluster.  I still don't know where today's event germinated.  I read about it here and caught Hickok's video about it.

 

Just a little brainstorming for future events...maybe these things have happened and I just didn't notice:

 

 

Set up a fund for donations to cover cost of flyers, gunshow fees, etc.

 

Print flyers and ask gunshops to put one up in their window and have a stack of smaller takeaways on their counters.

 

Go to gunshows and pass out flyers.

 

Arrange for a public figure to speak (and announce it on the flyer and online).  Average Joe speakers are great but I think a public figure or two in the mix (state rep., Hickok, someone from Barrett, etc.) would draw more people.

 

Swag:  Molon Labe and/or Don't Tread on Me stickers or the like to pass out.  Everybody likes free stuff.

 

 

That's just off the top of my head, feel free to comment or add on.

[klamb5]

I was there and cold , like the rest was worried the talk was going away from main focus and not sure the way we need to go on the milta thing. But we need more number and less of photo ops for news like the young man today ,I watched today as they took him in  and looked like they got a side arm also. But it felt good to be around like mined people.

[Guest carter]

AGAIN that's the main dang point i tell people not to OPEN CARRY ...jesus people... just cause you can dose NOT mean you should... this is about our 2nd amendment... and those who choose to not make wise decisions and carry a rifle in front of the state capitol makes us all look bad...  and what do ya know...that's what the news will focus on! 

 

Just irks me that someone would do that... we are not there to show off...we want attention from the words we preach not from what we carry on our shoulder

[Fourtyfive]

Good god , just saw the news ; one idiot was all it took.

[mcurrier]

Good god , just saw the news ; one idiot was all it took.

Did they have any actual footage of the guy? From where I was standing I don't think the news guy made it over there in time to get anything.

[Fourtyfive]

What I saw film wise was them taking him into the building from his backside. Check WSMV.COM , there is prob a clip of it there.

[Guest msparks]

It was COLD!  When the talked leaned militia and birther the speakers started to lose me.  I'm agnostic on whether O was born here or not and if he wasn't it seems there's little that can or will be done about it, but I don't think it helps our cause with fence-sitters.  Overall though it was okay.....a bullhorn would've been nice.    Turnout was about what I expected given that it was a weekday, cold, and poorly organized from the start.

 

Thanks for the photo's saw one with me in there. I'm with you on the militia thing and the birther stuff. Everything else seemed reasonable.

As far as the cold didn't seem to bad to me, except for the walk back to the car and the wind picked up. I did see one dude in a T-shirt bet he was cold.