Chris Sullivan @ MyNorthWest.com:
It’s been three weeks since an Oak Harbor city councilmember started a national controversy by trying to kick out a wounded Army veteran who was legally carrying a weapon during a council meeting.
Councilmember Rick Almberg then walked out.
The council was met by 160 people Tuesday night, many who were packing heat.
There were handguns in holsters and rifles slung over shoulders and an unknown number of people concealing their weapons as the Oak Harbor City Council met. Many attended the meeting to show support for veteran Lucas Yonkman who Councilmember Almberg tried to have kicked out of City Hall last month, including Joe Hawkins who openly mocked him. “Mr. Almberg I just want you to know that I have a concealed ham sandwich right here I don’t want you to get up and walk away,” he chuckled.
Most attended the meeting to oppose the city’s ban on guns in parks and the marina. The Second Amendment Foundation had threatened to sue if the ordinance wasn’t overturned.
Sandy Peterson spoke out against the ordinance. “If the city council members are intimidated by people exercising their Second Amendment rights to bear arms, perhaps they need to examine what it is about that that makes them uncomfortable,” she said.
William Frail had an M-1 rifle on his shoulder as he testified. “Sir, my mother was Jew,” he said. “My family went to the chambers. I will not go into the night quietly while these two ask me to board the train.”
I’ll tell you what will quickly put an end to citizens feeling that they can openly and safely express their opinions at town meetings: Other citizens who start showing up openly carrying M-1 rifles or shotguns or packing sidearms to prove they can do it.
How about people who show up at crowded town meetings carrying bump-fire AR-15s, just because the d-mn things are legal? Are we OK with that, just because we support the Second Amendment?
I’m not, and I’m not sure how far I can trust the judgement of anyone who would be.
@Greg:
Why are you afraid of the Constitution?
I’m not. I’m worried about people who believe they have a right to carry firearms into any public setting they wish whenever they choose, regardless of what other people think about it, and wondering why they would pretend to be shocked that other people might worry when they do so. If they truly want to protect their Second Amendment rights, they should exercise better judgement.
Don’t they watch the news or read the papers? Are officials, police, or members of the general public just supposed to assume that any known or unknown party they notice with a firearm is OK? Why on earth would any reasonable person make such an assumption?
@Greg: Greg, Greg it is never the people who have the guns that prevent others from expressing their opinions. That is because those who carry guns legally respect the constitution and the rights of others. If you recall the riots of the “wall streeters” and the lefties who beat up the tea part members in St Louis were the only ones who wanted to restrict the rights of others. Anyone who wants to speak their opinion is safer with a group of the gun carrying public than a group of lefties who do not respect individual rights.
@Randy:
Pity the poor policeman, who has to try to sort out who is who, every time a suspicious bulge is noticed beneath a coat, a hand is placed into a pocket, or a car is pulled over. An Ohio concealed carry incident. The cop in the video has just about snapped. There’s probably a reason for that. Assertive jackasses showing up at town meetings carrying carbines probably don’t help much.
And pity the poor civilian, who suddenly finds guns to the right and guns to the left, with no clue about the people or their intentions. I saw some yahoo openly wearing a semi-automatic whatever on his belt a while back, making no attempt whatsoever at concealment. The guy was a walking potential problem, however law abiding he might be. He was making everyone who saw him nervous. Why shouldn’t they be nervous? He was some unknown person with a gun. People are just supposed to put it out of their minds?
I was in a local sporting goods store yesterday, hoping to have a chance to examine a Kahr PM9 first hand. Forget it. They were sold out, along with every conceivable model of J-frame revolver. The owner had no clue when he might get in another of anything of the sort. I gather this is typical everywhere. The entire population seems to be arming itself—because the entire population is arming itself. Not a good idea, in my humble opinion. Particularly when combined with a certain worrisome attitude, such as the one that prompts a person to carry an M1 to a town meeting. Sooner or later there will be a spike in unintended consequences. It’s far easier to quickly increase the availability of firearms than it is to rapidly increase the percentage of the population that has sound enough judgement to responsibly carry them.
GREG that meeting was all about cutting the weapon in parks so that man was showing
that he was not a dangerous man because he had a weapon,
and the other supported him,
the POLITICIAN DEMOCRATES all want to look good to OBAMA BY DOING THEIR BAN HERE AND THERE,
THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE MASSACRE TO DO IT,
THEY DON’T HAVE NO SHAME,
THAT MASSACRE WOULD HAVE NOT TAKE PLACE IF THEY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THE DANGERS,
BUT THEY WHERE ALL VERY SAFE IN THAT COMMUNITY AND MAYBE NOT ALERT OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN CRIMES AROUND THEM IN OTHER STATES, SO THEY ARE NOT TO BLAME AT ALL,
FOR NOT FORSEE A DANGER.
BUT NOW, YES THE PEOPLE ARE AWARE AND BUY GUN, BECAUSE THE CRIMES HAVE EXPLODED
IN NUMBERS AND IN DIABOLIC ACTIONS ONE WOULD THINK IT’S THE DEVIL INCARNATED IN MANY PEOPLE SOULS,
Greg,
Pity the poor elitist politician who is afraid that the things he wants to do to the people, rather than to acknowledge and reflect their freedoms, will be met with armed resistance. Clearly the law in this location is that guns are permitted…poor politician, he has to consider the wishes of the
serfs subjects victimspeople herules lives off of reigns overserves.Sad panda.
One man’s “gun free zone” is another man’s “target rich environment” or “killing floor”.
Kalashnikat
yes and how about those conceal weapons, people wear, the right is there written CENTURIES ago and they buy more because they feel threaten by the LEADERSHIP , THE ONE A NATION IS SUPPOSE TO TRUST, AND OBAMA SHOULD NOTICE AND TAKE THE MESSAGE THEY ARE GIVING HIM,
THAT IS DON’T MESS WITH MY PROTECTION, WE ARE AMERICANS HERE,
@Greg:
Whose better judgment, Greg? Yours? Obama’s? Feinstein’s?
@johngalt, #9:
No one is going to win increased popular support for Second Amendment rights by showing up in inappropriate settings displaying their firearms. All that does is frighten people, and create more calls for tighter restrictions. How obvious is that?
It’s like the slide-fire stocks for assault weapons. I can imagine few things less likely to sway public opinion toward the position that they’re like any other guns than accessories that make them function more like military weapons.
That’s more of an observation than an opinion.