Gun owners target family event (Stay classy!)

[Robb]

Advocates are encouraging gun owners to bring their weapons to Open Streets family-oriented events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

A group of gun owners have set their sights on a series of Twin Cities neighborhood family events for their own gun-toting get-togethers, beginning this weekend.

The gun owners “meet-up” events, in which the promoters suggest guns be carried openly and not just concealed, came as a surprise to some city officials and organizers of the Open Streets neighborhood gatherings.

“I’m shocked and saddened,” said Nancy Homans, policy director for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. “It seems like guns isn’t the right kind of activity for this event. We’re not even allowing alcohol. … I’m not sure there’s much of a connection between these two events.”

The Facebook page promoting Open Streets-Open Carry says gun owners will add “their own twist” to the neighborhood events by “encouraging ‘open carry’ for pro-active, positive visibility of law abiding gun owners participating in normal social activity … Like normal people!”

(snip)

In an e-mail to Minneapolis city officials, Shelley Leeson, the gun group’s director, said she was informing them of her group’s plans as a professional courtesy. “I do not find it necessary to seek ‘permission’ or give ‘warnings’ to police about our lawful activities.”

Read More: http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/212085201.html

[Buzz Clik]

1. Great idea. Instant winner. What could possibly go wrong?

[BainsBane]

2. NO FUCKING WAY!

That's where I live!!!!! Oh, please let them choose Minneapolis so they can have the Mpls cops treat them like they do the rest of us.

[hack89]

8. Are Minneapolis cops known for harassing law abiding citizens?

that's unfortunate - they are supposed to be on our side.

[BainsBane]

9. That's all they harass

They can't be bothered much with crime. Walking while black or Indian, they're all over you.

[sarisataka]

18. MPD has a reputation

of considering anyone exercising their rights to be a criminal. A rule of thumb is the darker the skin, the more force needed to apprehend the guilty-until-proven-innocent.

[premium]

20. Glad I don't live there.

NCSO couldn't care less if someone is open carrying, where I live, it's the norm to open carry in town and it doesn't turn heads at all.

[sarisataka]

24. It is not only 2A rights

in that they are equal opportunity. 1A, 4A, 5A..., MPD will let you know if they approve or not.
They have a relatively new chief so there is hope, but over the years chiefs have come and gone but the root problems remain.

[premium]

26. Didn't know how bad they were.

Our county sheriff is a big supporter of all rights, they're pretty good considering they are the only LEA in the nations 3rd largest county.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_statistics_of_the_United_States


Rank

County

Land area
(sq mi)

Land area
(km2)

1 San Bernardino County, California 20,056.94 51,947.24
2 Coconino County, Arizona 18,618.89 48,222.70
3 Nye County, Nevada 18,181.92 47,090.96
4 Elko County, Nevada 17,169.83 44,469.66
5 Mohave County, Arizona 13,311.08 34,475.54
6 Apache County, Arizona 11,197.52 29,001.44
7 Lincoln County, Nevada 10,633.20 27,539.86
8 Sweetwater County, Wyoming 10,426.65 27,004.90
9 Inyo County, California 10,180.88 26,368.36
10 Harney County, Oregon 10,133.17 26,244.79

[sarisataka]

28. For the most part the bad apples

congregate in MPLS. Here is St Paul we have a fairly good, professional force. Like any large force, there are a few bad ones but the majority spend as much time community policing as they can. We often talk to bike and horse mounted officers who are regularly in residential neighborhoods. The kids love it when they get to pet the horses.

[The Link]

3. Thanks for keeping a spotlight on the issue of gun control.

[BainsBane]

4. To any gunners planning on attending

I won't be there, so don't get any ideas.

[Turbineguy]

5. No alcohol?

I would never go to a gun event where no alcohol was permitted.

[brewens]

6. Probably no tobacco either. Nothin like shootin', drinkin' and smokin'! n/t

[Robb]

14. LOL

DUzy.

[onehandle]

7. Good. The more these ASSHOLES pull public stunts like this, the sooner that gun control returns...

...with a bang.

Fear the future, gun culturists. It ain't yours.

[GreenStormCloud]

10. PREDICTION: Nothing will happen.

The event will go off as scheduled, a few people will show up open-carrying, there will be some media attention, nothing else will happen.

[premium]

11. Yep.

That's my prediction also.

[BainsBane]

12. Is it legal to walk around flailing weapons?

Or is that just something ordinary, non-privileged, non-white people don't do because they know the police will shoot them?

If people see it, they'll take their kids home and it will ruin the event. These are going to be a bunch of white men coming in from the suburbs in an effort to ruin neighborhood events people plan all year. No black man is turning up with a gun unless he's suicidal, especially not in Minneapolis.

[oneshooter]

17. Question: How do you "flail" a weapon.

A flail IS a weapon, and also a farming tool.

[premium]

19. I think she meant

waving it around, which is, as you know, brandishing it, which is illegal, so I highly doubt anyone there is going to do that.

[GreenStormCloud]

25. Flail? That would be illegal.

The guns will be in holsters or slung over their backs. Most, if not all, unarmed folks will ignore them.

The event is in Sept. Let's remember and check the news then to see what happens.

[sarisataka]

27. If by flailing you mean brandishing

that is illegal and they should be arrested. Simply carrying is legal for permit holders.

I think we do agree in seeing through the smokescreen about this not being a rally. A group just 'happening' to show up at an event is making a statement. A person who chooses carry for self defense is carrying for self defense, not to make a statement. If someone wants to make a statement, carry a sign not a weapon.

Ironically I had not heard of this. I tend to monitor local forums to be aware of what is going on, though most have a bit too much foam around the mouth for my comfort. The Strib gave a lot of free advertising with this story.

[BainsBane]

31. Yes, I do agree with you here

because the effect will be to terrify people. I think of all the survivors of torture and war crimes that we have in the Twin Cities. They will be staying home, I'm sure, as will I. That's one family event shot to hell.

[CTyankee]

29. I'm sure they will try to make a "fashion statement."

I'll bet they're posing in front of a mirror practicing and seeing which type of holster they should wear for the event. They don't want one that makes their ass look big in the photos they hope will be taken...always such an attractive looking bunch they are...

[BainsBane]

32. The picture in the linked article isn't of gunners

That's last years event. Those are typical Uptown hipsters. I expect the gun toting guys will look a bit different.

[Robb]

15. By nothing you specifically mean "no one will get shot."

This is the high bar you set.

[GreenStormCloud]

23. No. I mean nothing newsworthy.

The open-carry folks will show up with their guns in holster or slung over their shoulders/backs and nobody will pay much attention to them. Planned events will continue as scheduled. A few reporters will interview both armed and unarmed folks. That's all that will happen.

[geek tragedy]

22. Except for the people who get frightened and intimidated and have

their event ruined by rightwing gun humpers brandishing their killing machines.

And, of course, the gun humpers will be white rightwingers and the people there will be people of color (African-American) and liberal.

[Hoyt]

30. Exactly. That's what gets me about the gungeoneers here -- it's OK to be a bigot, sporting a gun as

long as you are promoting more guns in more places.

[BainsBane]

13. I just thought of what this might do to all the refugees from war areas

We have large numbers of immigrants from Somalia and other war torn areas. Minneapolis leads the nation in treating victims of torture and war-crimes, including rape, as well as former child soldiers. This could be horribly traumatic to those people who have suffered more in their lives than we could possibly imagine.

[Progressive dog]

16. "Like normal people!"

"participating in normal social activity"
Repeating what they said probably isn't classy.

[geek tragedy]

21. White, rightwing nutters brandish assault rifles in African-American neighborhoods.

Gee, that certainly won't scare anyone.

Fucking gun nuts.