Man with assault rifle joins crowds outside president's Phoenix venue

[jakemccoy]

Here's the debate between Alan Gottlieb and the President of the Brady Campaign:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/17/ldt.faceoff.gun.rights.cnn?iref=videosearch

Unfortunately, the guy at the rally puts longstanding gun advocates like Gottlieb in a tough situation. It's hard to be too supportive of stunts like this without marginalizing yourself to loon status.

 

[Davek1977]

Reid:

True: about 120 years ago. Things have progressed since then. We now have electricity, flush toilets, and law and order.

There is no need in the 21st century to be walking around with a gun on the hip, frightening other people. That's just a desire to "play cowboys":

Thats laughable. When was the last time you oopned a newspaper or watched the news on TV? These days, "Law and Order" is just a show that re-runs on TV, and hardly captures the spirits of today's streets. Theres nothing wrong with opne carry, and if it scares people, they are the ones with issues, and not the people who choose to carry out this practice. Freaking out abvout being shot in the mere presences of a gun makes as much sense as freaking about about being killed in a drunk driving incident every time one is in the presence of a car. We have Constitutional rights...why should we not exercise them? "Because I legally can" is the ONLY reason to cary a gun one needs.... I don't like to "play cowboy" (got enough "playing cowboy" busting my butt of the family ranch, thank you) but I do like to take care of me and mine. Part of doing so is carrying a gun. You may feel comfortable in today's world unarmed and at the mercy of a third party to protect you, but I don't. i was raised (on the family ranch "playing cowboy") to be self sufficient, and not to depend on anyone else for what you were capable of providing for yourself. I don't carry a gun to scare other people, I carry a gun because its my right as an American and my privledge as a permit holder in my state. I carry a gun because I don't know whats going to happen 5 minutes from now, and no one is here offering to watch my back. I carry a gun becasue its 4:00AM, and I'm the sole employee of this establishment right now. I carry a gun for many different reasons, but the one reason you gave was merely an assumption, and a poor one at that. Theres much more to carrying a firearm for personal defense than "playing cowboy"

 

[jakemccoy]

For those who want to know, this guy is not making a statement solely about the right to carry. According to the guy carrying the gun, he is carrying because of the health care issue.

The guy said, "I'm absolutely totally against health care in this way, in this manner. Stealing it from people, I don't think that's appropriate." He also says, "In America, people have the ability to fight back and resist."

http://www.abc15.com/content/news/p...oenix-speech-with/q4OeoN6qZU-efcy1Zoq7xQ.cspx

So, actually, the guy is not bifurcating gun rights from the health car issue. He's mixing Obama's proposed health care in there with physically fighting tyranny, etc. I wonder what this guy was doing when Bush signed the Patriot Act.

 

[Davek1977]

So, actually, the guy is not bifurcating gun rights from the health car issue. He's mixing Obama's proposed health care in there with physically fighting tyranny, etc.

Who did he threaten? Whats wrong with making a statement that refelcts reality? An Armed populace may someday be the only thing keeping our "citizens" from being "subjects" and I don't think theres any harm in reminding people of such things from time to time, in a nonviolent manner. The very reason these town hall meetings exist is for people to express their FIRST Amendment rights. Whats wrong with a subtle reminder to those speaking out that the first amendment (along with every other) is meaningless if the citizens of our nation can't guarantee those rights if we're unarmed and subject to the whims of the govt?

 

[C-grunt]

Man I got in this late, but I was working all day as a cop in Phoenix Az. Stuff like this is not uncommon here in Phx. Also that guy was nowhere near the president. His speech was inside, they dont do outside speeches in Phx in August. The president would get heat stroke. LOL.

Every winter we get snowbirds who freak out about people OCing and call the police. Most of the time we dont even get dispatched.

For those saying he might get stopped or harassed by the cops, Phoenix PD is pretty darn pro gun and 2A. When Officer Atkinson was murdered an armed civilian shot his murderer leading to his arrest. The hero's weapon was taken as evidence so the Phx PD bought him a new one.

I had a friend that moved here from, I believe, Connecticut. He went to the police station to "register" his guns and gave the desk officers a good laugh.

I guess things are really different other places...... its a shame.

 

[peyton]

I was rolling on the floor laughing watching CNN, let me set the picture up for you. Our secretary who is on the fence about guns watches the news about the mayor getting nearly beat to death and then drum roll please, the segment about the guy with the gun at the rally. Here's the punchline, "Bet the Mayor wishes the guy with the gun was there to protect him and maybe the mayor needs to buy a gun since he can't fight for s**t". That is main stream america response to this. Old girl realized that yes guns can protect you if you have them when you need them.

 

[jakemccoy]

Dave, I'm just passing along info for those that want to speak with accuracy.

 

[armoredman]

C-Grunt, I remember that one, an off duty security guard with a Glock19, IIRC, good shoot. I was there for the NRA show no issues with any Phoenix PD, in fact, I have never been harrassed by any AZ cop about open carry or concealed carry with permit. I would like to know if there's any light you can shed on that Scottsdale incident, without violating policy. Keep rustling me up business!
This is the lead story on yahoo right now, and the story seems to be careful to avoid some buzzwords like assault rifle or machinegun, so there's SOME teeny progress.

 

[TexasRifleman]

For those who want to know, this guy is not making a statement solely about the right to carry. According to the guy carrying the gun, he is carrying because of the health care issue.

Dave, I'm just passing along info for those that want to speak with accuracy.

Well, if you're just really wanting to report the facts you need to read the thread over at arizonashooters, where the guy is a member.

People who were actually there are giving their comments.

Whatever you may have seen on the mainstream media is edited to get the most outrageous sound bite.

In case you missed the link back a few pages.

It's worth the read, from people who were actually there and know the guy.

http://www.arizonashooting.com/v3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86525&st=0&sk=t&sd=a


And a pretty long video of the scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63GiXzpfGhA

He uses the "I can't carry a cop around with me" line when asked why a gun....

 

[rbernie]

Time to move along. If it hasn't been said in 246 posts, it's not likely gonna get said any time soon.