When Carrying Guns Openly Seems Better Than Using Your Words

Nothing says "intelligent" better than walking through town with an assault rifle slung over your shoulder.  At least that's what two men in Portland thought as they tried to make a point by exercising their Second Amendment and claiming, that they were "educating the public" on gun rights.

Are you f*ing serious?

Earlier this week the Portland police department was flooded with phone calls of panic about two men walking through the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland.  When the police arrived, it was learned that these two men were holding all the valid licenses necessary to be able to do what they were doing.  Which was to "educate the public." Or as one of them put it,

"Exercising my rights with a rifle to try to decrease the demonizing of peacefully exercising your rights in public,"

Because, you know, starting some form of a public panic is the best way to educate...

Sorry, I'm hung up on that dumb ass point at the moment.

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All I saw was two stupid men, legally brandishing their rights and chest thumping.  Hell, they won't even release their own full names to the media, so I'm not sure what their point was, if they can't even back their own idea.

The thing is, I'm not against gun ownership.  It is what it is.  We all own something that can cause harm.  Very old folks drive cars but end up killing people when they make judgement errors.  Folks own knives, and you can certainly do harm that way.  We all own poisons of some sort.  Etc., etc..

I'm fine with the freedom of ownership.  Though I question the need to privately own a real military grade-like weapon.  But that's just me.

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No, my real issue with this bul****t stunt is not the educational aspect of the owners but the completely callous considerations in making this point.  The public is still reeling from Newtown.  Those families are still in the throes of loss and agony.  Here in CA, we had another school incident with a gun.  And these two 22-year-old men needed to make their point this way.

THAT, is when I think well-meaning, thoughtless folks need to stop and take measure.  Use a damn blog.  Leave comments in the right places.  But to terrify your neighbors is stupid.

It's crap like this that will cause more of a ruckus and possibly get laws overturned that will prevent open carry and other venues of the same ilk.

I've been trained in the handling and the use of guns.  I've studied various martial arts for 15 years.  Guns are a "Plan B" for me.  But there are those who buy guns and think that's all they need to do to be safe. And in the heat of the moment when their existence is threatened, that they think it will come in handy.

It's kind of like folks who think they "can't" slip on an icy sidewalk.  And if they do slip, they "know" they can catch themselves.  Then there's the reality of the situation.

HA!

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I have my reservations.  I believe in gun ownership and with that ownership, I believe everyone should take gun-use classes every six months.  Then, I would not be too worried about my jittery neighbor when they need to defend themselves.  Then, I won't be worried that they didn't think about where a bullet will travel once it passes their intruder.  Or that they were smart enough to have the right ammunition that won't travel through multiple walls when they miss their target.

Then, I can relax.  Because the only real thing I worry about is stupidity.

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[ source:  FoxNews ]