Good Cop Bad Cop - Open Carry Confrontation in Michigan

[JoeE]

Ok so maybe idiotic is a harsh word. But I think they are fighting the battle the wrong way.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

Because there's a good way and a bad way to go about it. If a majority of the population think that parading around like an idiot trying to get attention is not a good thing to do, then it probably isn't.

So exercising your rights is now considered idiotic just because the "majority" may not like it?? Your thought process explains a lot about about how we got to where we are today. 

The Westboro Baptist Church exercised their 1st amendment rights and protests at military funerals. Surely you're okay with that then too since there is nothing wrong with exercising your rights however you choose to. Is that what you're saying?

Yes... The Westboro Baptist Church protestors are entitled to their First Amendment protection of their speech as any other citizens are. As long as they are within their legal bounds then let them do what they do. Just because I don't like it along with the "majority" serves as no reason to entertain weakening the First Amendment. The protestors are definitely offensive but they generally pose no threat to America or the public. Local officials and state legislators are finding Constitutionally acceptable ways to keep the protestors well back from the funerals to reduce the impact on grieving families. My fellow brother in arms died defending the Constitution...it would certainly not honor them to use their funerals as a reason to weaken the Constitution simply because the "majority" didn't like what was happening.

Westboro's extreme ideals make them idiotic in my mind.... however, I do not see them exercising their right in and of itself as being idiotic.....that seems to be the difference between how you and I think....we are not far apart in point of view but there certainly seems to be a difference.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

Ok so maybe idiotic is a harsh word. But I think they are fighting the battle the wrong way.

I can agree with that.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

While I definitely agree there is reasonable suspicion to stop one of these guys and see what they are up to (primarily because it's not an everyday occurrence to see someone walking around town with a long rifle)....How is exercising your rights giving lawful gun owners a bad name?

Actually unless there is a specific statute prohibiting the carrying of firearms in this manner then there is not reasonable suspicion. RS is based on specific, articulable facts that a crime may have been committed. The officer may engage in a "consensual encounter." Most people on the streets are idiots and will keep answering questions so long as an officer is asking them. That doesn't necessarily mean they were detained and not free to leave.

However, a Terry Frisk need not have probable cause for arrest, only that the indivual is armed and dangerous. The armed part goes without saying but in order to temporarily take the gun away the LEO would have to articulate the dangerous part.

There are also public safety exceptions to the 4th amendment warrant requirements known as exegent circumstances.

Thanks for the background...that makes sense.

[csaaphill]

Second cops attitude was the correct one and should have been the first cops responce!

[Goshawk]

  These fruit loops do more damage to gun owners than most of the left wing politicians could ever hope to do. He went out looking for a confrontation and got it. Good for you. Your on Youboob now.

[pianoman9701]

Because there's a good way and a bad way to go about it. If a majority of the population think that parading around like an idiot trying to get attention is not a good thing to do, then it probably isn't.

So exercising your rights is now considered idiotic just because the "majority" may not like it?? Your thought process explains a lot about about how we got to where we are today. 

The Westboro Baptist Church exercised their 1st amendment rights and protests at military funerals. Surely you're okay with that then too since there is nothing wrong with exercising your rights however you choose to. Is that what you're saying?

Absolutely. I absolutely deplore their message, but I cherish their rights...because they're my rights, too.

[csaaphill]

These fruit loops do more damage to gun owners than most of the left wing politicians could ever hope to do. He went out looking for a confrontation and got it. Good for you. Your on Youboob now.

not really it shows us that we need to stand up for ourselves and not be sheeple. Only those with low tolerance for truth will be offended by this. THose that know the truth will say hey cool someones actually standing up.
Fact is lots of people are waking up, and it's because these people bring this out. Wasnt for someone showing on here that We had open carry in Wasington, and ORegon I would have never known it was a right.
Theres a large audience for these kind of videos. For me it's info not just someone out being an ass, but someone actually doing something rather than sit back and let the next guy do something.

[JoeE]

These fruit loops do more damage to gun owners than most of the left wing politicians could ever hope to do. He went out looking for a confrontation and got it. Good for you. Your on Youboob now.

not really it shows us that we need to stand up for ourselves and not be sheeple. Only those with low tolerance for truth will be offended by this. THose that know the truth will say hey cool someones actually standing up.
Fact is lots of people are waking up, and it's because these people bring this out. Wasnt for someone showing on here that We had open carry in Wasington, and ORegon I would have never known it was a right.
Theres a large audience for these kind of videos. For me it's info not just someone out being an ass, but someone actually doing something rather than sit back and let the next guy do something.

You didn't know you could open carry until you saw one of these videos? All the nonsense you post and links you find on the internet I find it hard to believe that you are not capable of doing simple research on something you feel so strongly about.

[pianoman9701]

This is a family-friendly site in every category. Stop name calling and address each other without abuse or I'll kick the comment and eventually the poster from the forum. Carry on.

[JoeE]

I'm not sure but I think you're trying to insult me. But like everything else you write it sounds like a mentally challenged person authored it and I can't understand it. Go read some more conspiracy theory websites and calm down.

[csaaphill]

I'm not sure but I think you're trying to insult me. But like everything else you write it sounds like a mentally challenged person authored it and I can't understand it. Go read some more conspiracy theory websites and calm down.

I was clarifing my meaning guess using 32 sized font is bad
No wasn't insulting no one you said that I'd said or meant that if it wasn't for these videos I'd of never known about open carry.
WHich I never said that. I pointed out that you didn't read my comment, however.
What I meant was if it wasn't for someone on this site who posted a story on Washington state being open carry I would not have known.
No where in my comment that has been removed did it ever imply that these videos were the reason how I knew about open carry. I made two very clear and conscise statements one was about the videos and the other was a statement about how I came to know about open carry.